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

Welcome
Summer 2004

Introduction

Welcome to Art's online version of ECN201, an Introduction to Microeconomic Principles.   These are exciting times to be studying economics, and I am glad you are considering enrolling in the online course.  But read on to find out what this online course is all about because my recent experience with online courses suggests this could be the first online course for many of you, and that the attrition rate - the percentage of the original class that drops the course or fails - will be above 50 percent.  Don't be one of the statistics because it would be a waste of your valuable time, and your time is valuable.  Also, because your time is valuable, make sure you "hit the ground running" when the course begins because you only have five weeks from the opening day to the final exam, less time than you would normally have before the midterm.  You should try to read as much of the material in advance of the opening bell. 

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 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. 

For more information on the specifics of the course, you should check out the syllabus.  Here 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.  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. 

Web Ct Instructions

First you have to find Web CT which you can do by going to the URI main page and then going to Libraries & Technology where you will find Web CT.  Once there you simply need to follow the directions for logging on.  

• Students: Your login ID is the same spelling as your e-Campus ID (in lowercase); your password is synchronized with your email password on the mail.uri.edu system. If you have not changed your email password, your default password is your birthdate in mmddyyyy format, such as 03021985. (Note, you can not login to WebCT until you register for the Fall courses, even if you have an e-Campus ID).

• Returning Students: You can login with your postoffice ID appended with "-URI", in uppercase. Your password is synchronized with your email password on the postoffice.uri.edu system. This change is necessary because some students choose to have the e-Campus ID the same as the postoffice ID.  

If your password doesn’t work for your password  you will need to fill out a WebCT ID Password Change Request form.  

Hardware & Software

Another potential problem is compatibility of systems and software.  Technical problems are a definite downside of distance ed since the technology is the interface between us, so we will need to get past any difficulties early.  Unfortunately, this is not my area of expertise, so I have "borrowed" from others the specs that they have for their courses.  I cannot guarantee this will make it work, but it should work.   Check out the College of Business Administration that has published a helpful web page devoted to browser choice and adjustment of the settings on your browser.  Click here to connect to that page.

Also, you should note that the embedded AOL browser is not suited for viewing WebCT. If you use AOL, you should plan on using it to establish your Internet connection and then run one of the other browsers simultaneously over that connection.

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 September you will see ECN201X.  Here is where you will find the material for the course.  Enjoy the rest of the summer and "show up" the first week well rested.  I will send you an e-mail on the Tuesday after Labor Day.  If you have trouble getting into the course you can at acmead@uri.edu.