Members of TLRBSE will be asked to take part in a community of educators via WebCT on the University of Arizona website at http://webct.arizona.edu. Member teachers will receive a user ID and password to enter the site and access information that we feel is necessary for the dissemination of background information, important supplemental web sites, application applets, and threaded conversations by TLRBSE first tier and second tier teacher collaborators. Other distance learning components would include videos, software application components, books, etc. Right now the distance learning component of TLRBSE is still in its infancy and will be changing almost daily, with new information being added as the program matures. Users are expected to log on to the site often in order to keep themselves abreast of these changes and to feel they are themselves, active members of a growing community of researchers, teachers and specialists.
TLRBSE first tier teachers meet with computer specialists for their first session of computer triage. We needed to connect laptop computers and check internet and network connections prior to attempting our first connection to the WebCT online course.
		TLRBSE educators will need high speed internet connections to make use of the on-line learning environment, and to fulfill the 40 hour distance learning requirement of the program. This summer, teachers practiced on both PCs and Macintosh computers, depending on the platform used at their schools and/or homes.
The design of the WebCT course home page allows the user to navigate the site easily with links to the home page, course menu and help screens.

As you know, the student is the most important part of the course of any course, and our online course will depend on students who are willing to spend time participating in the online experience. Many students enjoy the virtual world, but others are not used to spending time with people in this sort of social space. This checklist is designed to provide some tips and strategies for enjoying the online community of your online class.

Participate in discussion threads with good cheer. We will not always agree with everybody, and disagreement is crucial in any classroom environment. However, it is always best to read and write with positive intentions.

Be willing to reveal your struggles. Too often we pretend that we know all the answers, but every one of us struggle with course materials and it is helpful to know that others are in the same boat.

Try to write clear, directed, and accurate messages. You don't need to be Shakespeare, but it is helpful for all involved if your writing is easy to read. For longer postings, take the time to proofread, spell-check, and otherwise edit your writing so that it is easier to read.

Respond to emails in a timely fashion.

When appropriate, find a way to personalize your written communication with the instructor and fellow students. Use first names in email exchanges.

Using the WebCT communication features, develop a personal home page. Describe your professional and personal interests. Feel free to personalize the page by posting pictures of yourself or your loved ones.

View the home pages of the others in your courses. Contact those who share your interests.

Work in teams. As the course develops, use email to contact those who share your professional interests and concerns.

Use humor, if possible. Not everyone is a gifted humorist (and written humor is difficult to pull off), but we don't need to be too serious in the virtual class.

Call on other for assistance. If you do not understand the course materials or the course assignments, use the discussion board or email to ask for help.

Avoid writing aggressive and angry emails. If you must write an angry email, wait a day before sending it, then re-evaluate.

Find the time of the day when you work best online. Some students are productive doing their online learning during their regularly scheduled lunch breaks at work, while others are most productive early in the morning before their family wakes up or late at night when family responsibilities are over. Experiment, and find the time that works best for you.

Become familiar with the online classroom system as quickly as possible. Give yourself time to learn the simple system of internal links and folders. Once you learn to move within the various folders, you can more efficiently concentrate on the course content.

Share knowledge. We learn more when we share knowledge and experience. If you have experience in a certain area and if you know your material, your input will be valuable to everyone.

Be patient when you have computer or internet problems. Hit "reload" if the system is slow or if it tells you that the system is down. If web pages are still slow or down, take a break and come back later.

Tolerate change. Online instruction is still a brand new field, and successful students (and instructors) need to recognize the technology can be recalcitrant and that systems may fall apart. To successfully handle the challenges inherent in online instruction, we must be willing to learn while doing.

Log into the course regularly during the duration of the course. Students who participate consistently report a much higher level of satisfaction with the online learning experience.

Check the Home Page for any updates on the course material, including assignment due dates, changes in the syllabus, corrections or clarifications in the course content, or comments on student progress.

Download and print documents that you wish to study in more depth.

Save your work on disks. Sometimes computer do bad things, so it is wise to back up your material.

Interact with the instructor. Utilize all of the folks involved with the course. Whether you send a private email or use the discussion threads, participate with the instructors. Ask questions. Ask for help. Offer ideas. But stay in touch!

Utilize the discussion boards. These threaded conversations are an excellent place to engage in an on-going conversation with fellow students or the instructor. Although the threaded discussions are the best place for groups to share information, please be aware that the threaded conversations may get a bit jumbled. To make it less overwhelming, it's helpful to address your new comment to a specific comment, staying on track with the main topic. If you want to create new topics, please make your new title clear and accurate. Finally, please remember to be polite; personal etiquette is as expected in a virtual space as in a real space.

Make friends. Because professional networking is one of the benefits of an online course, we find it helpful if students take the time to introduce themselves in this format. The student web pages are an excellent place to introduce yourself.

Create a classroom buddy system. Much like a regular classroom, students who team up with another student or other students succeed.

Create a schedule for yourself. Although this course material can be done at any time of the day that you choose, many students find it best to create a standard schedule that they keep to. Utilize the course calendar or some other system so that you know when assignments are due. Staying on top of the course material will ensure that you complete the course segments in a timely fashion.

Remember that procrastination is easy in the online classroom. Without the peer pressure of a regular classroom, it's easy to not complete our requirements. If we have material to complete online, it's best to do it in a timely, immediate manner. We all have active schedules and there are a lot of things going on in our lives, so try to set aside a certain amount of time each week for this program.

Meet the course deadlines. Students who fall behind have a more difficult time completing the course material.

Be prepared to apply yourself. Students who don't succeed report that they viewed the online classroom as an "easy course." Online courses are meant to be as demanding (if not more so) than classroom courses, so be ready to help create a rigorous, intellectually stimulating course.