Welcome to English 101!

I'm Mr. Shinn, and I will be your instructor for this course.

To get to know me even more, here's a brief introductory video:

The Course Structure:

I have structured this course into modules (or organizational blocks), which you can easily access them through the "Module" button in the navigation bar on the left of this screen. I will give you more details about these modules, course due dates, course load, and more once you view the first module. For now, keep reading here.

The Navigation Menu:

There are 11* navigation buttons on the top-left of this screen for you to use to navigate this course. Here is a brief list of their functions:

Home: This is the home screen that houses the introductory information for the course (which you are currently reading).
Syllabus: Where you can see the syllabus, the schedule of due dates for all of your assignments and quizzes, and course policies.
Announcements: Where all course announcements (e.g. changes to the syllabus or assignments) will be made.
Modules: Where you can access the modules for the entire course. One module represents one week, and since there are 16 weeks in this semester, there are 16 total modules. You'll also notice there there's approximately two lessons per module (with a few exceptions); those lessons represent the two days of the week we actually meet in person and what we will be covering the days we do, in fact, meet. If you miss class, a class is canceled (e.g. for holiday, snow days, or some other reason), or you are simply trying to stay up-to-date on our course material, you can click on these 16 modules and find everything you need.
Grades: Where you can keep track of your own grades.
Schedule TMCC Tutoring: Where you can book an on campus and/or online tutoring session with a TMCC tutor for your papers and assignments. This is a free service for all students at TMCC.
Smarthinking Tutoring: Where you can book an online paper review with a non-TMCC tutor. This is a free service for all students at TMCC as well.
Zoom: Where you can request a Zoom meeting with me or your other instructors. Zoom's software is embedded into Canvas, so you won't need to travel to an external website to do so. As for this class, Zoom meetings are not regularly scheduled or required; they are simply here for you at an as-needed basis.
Library Help: Where you can find assistance with research, reserving library study rooms, checking out books, and more.
TMCC Resources: Where you can find campus resources and support (e.g. academic advisement, admissions and records, the bookstore, and so on).
Chat: Where you can live chat with anyone in this course who is online.
*Evaluation KIT Course: This navigation button is not currently visible (and not included in my original count of 11) because it is only used at the end of the semester to evaluate your individual instructions, your classes, and the college. It will appear near the end of the semester for your anonymous evaluation of your experience at TMCC.

Canvas Help:

If this is your first time using Canvas, or if you've used it before but still feel unfamiliar, here's a short "Canvas (Web College) Tutorial" video on how to better navigate Canvas (also called Web College on the TMCC website):

Helping You Succeed (Resources Document):

If you need or want any assistance with navigating the halls (literally and figuratively) of TMCC, you can download the "Helping Students Succeed" Document (click on the document's title to download it). It has the locations, phone numbers, and websites to the following departments:

Academic Advisement, International Advising and Transfer
Accounting Services and Cashier
Admissions and Records
Adult Basic Education (ABE) and ESL/HSE
Applied Technologies Student Support
Bookstore
Career Hub
Child Care (E. L. Cord Foundation Child Care Center)
Counseling and Re-Entry Center
Disability Resource Center and CareerConnect
Diversity and International Student Center Office
Educational Programs
Equity, Inclusion, and Sustainability Office
Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Student Employment
& Much More

Final Thoughts:

This is An In-Person Class with a Canvas Assist: That means means we will be meeting twice-a-week in class, but I will also post information, assignments, lectures, and other course material here on Canvas in case you miss class. If the course needs to shift to online due to holidays, poor weather, COVID, or some other reason, we will all retreat here to Canvas to continue the course.
Reach Out: If you have any questions, comments, and/or concerns during the course of the semester, don't hesitate to message me through Canvas, send me an e-mail at jshinn@tmcc.edu, schedule an individual Zoom conference, or come to my office in Red Mountain 207-D during my office hours.

I'm happy to have you in class and good luck this semester!

~ Mr. Shinn