"our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become" Welcome Summer

Introduction

Welcome to the online summer version of ECN202, an Introduction to Macroeconomic Principles. These are exciting times to be studying economics, and I am glad you are considering enrolling in the course. Economics is extremely valuable for anyone trying to make sense of the many crucially important public policy decisions facing the nation and the world, and it may also help you with a number of choices you will be making in your career, which is why so many professional programs require introductory economics courses such as this. So you may not have to take ECN202, but you do not have to take this section, so make sure this is a good match for you. Make sure you want to take it on line during the summer. I emphasize this because this is an economics course in which you will be hearing a lot about choices, and this is one of those choices. 

To help you make the choice, I will tell you a little about me and share with you some of my experiences with the online classes that I have been teaching for many years because I was an early adopter of the web technology. What I have observed is that some students really are able to learn macroeconomics in the accelerated summer version, but the attrition rate - the percentage of the original class that drops the course or fails - has been much higher than the on campus spring semester version. To avoid being a statistic you need to know the online format favors the disciplined person, the person who tends not to procrastinate. Think about yourself and your learning style before you commit to the online version. You should know I have been teaching for many, many years and I have seen many students fall behind, some so far they could not salvage the semester, but it occurs with epidemic proportions in online summer courses. This is where the discipline comes in when taking a course online, but if you have it then you can fit the material into your schedule at your convenience. Getting a slow start may not hurt your chances of victory in a long-term endurance race, but it pretty much guarantees failure in a sprint - and this five-week course is a sprint. It also means you will need to get good at "learning" on your own since you will be relying on your readings to provide you with enough guidance to answer the questions you will find on assignments, quizzes, and exams. To give you some idea of what others are saying about online learners you might check out one of the following sites.

• A successful Online Learner www.wake.tec.nc.us/dist_ed/internet/studchar.html
• Being a Successful Online Student http://www.hopkins.k12.mn.us/pages/HopOn/student_info/successful_student.html
• Characteristics of the Successful Online Student http://www.gc.maricopa.edu/English/onlinestudent.htm
• Characteristics of Successful Online Learners http://www.universitycollege.du.edu/program/online/onlinelearning/page6.asp
• Illinois Online Network: http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/pedagogy/StudentProfile.asp

What you will find quickly is that there are some common denominators to success - and there should be no surprises.  The person who succeeds is

• self-motivated and self-disciplined.
• willing to commit time
• goal-oriented
• works well independently
• manages time effectively

You might even check out the University of Denver where you will find a survey that will give you their assessment of your likelihood of success. Check it out - and don't lie to yourself on those questions. 

As for me and the course, I very much enjoy working with students and look forward to each semester.  As I said earlier, economics provides a set of skills and a perspective that are extremely for someone trying to make sense of the world, and in this version of introductory economics you will find that the "real" world is never too far removed from the economic theory.  This will make it very different from the traditional macroeconomics course which is why I have provided a link from the syllabus to the opening unit in the course.  So get yourself to the syllabus where you will find the basic "rules" for the course - the makeup of the course content, your responsibilities that include weekly assignments and / or quizzes, and the basis for your evaluation.  This is an opportunity for you to do some window shopping - to take the course for a test drive.  Do it and save yourself the pain of getting to the end of the semester and finding out you had missed some important information that is only mentioned in the syllabus.  When that happens, you might think about the phrase I heard in a movie years ago: "talk to the hand."  Ignorance is simply not an excuse.  So get out there and read this material and do not miss those first assignments and quizzes.  

Because this course is delivered via Web CT, this is the time to familiarize yourself with the directions for Web CT.  You'll also need to consider the technical requirements - the hardware and software.  You should also check out the compatibility of your Web CT version and your browser that you can also find on the Web CT page. Review BrowserTune-UP for more information to set up. If your password doesn’t work for your password you will need to fill out a WebCT ID Password Change Request form.  

So go check it out and see if it works for you. I will upload everyone who is registered onto Web CT so when you log on in June you will see the course.  Here is where you will find the material for the course, but it will not be until late June just before "opening day."  Enjoy the spring and beginning of the summer and "show up" the first week well rested.