Information about the Internet Version of the course: Tests in Measurement (Psy 361)

On this page I address questions you might need answered before deciding to take the Internet version of Psy 361. If you have a question that I do not address, please contact me.

• Who should take this course?

• Why should you take this course?

• What do you need in order to be successful in this course?

• What if you are a complete novice about technology?

• May you audit the course?

• How do you register?

• How much does it cost?

• How much credit would you earn?

• When and where does the class meet?

• What should you do after registering?

• Psychology majors and others with an interest in understanding assessment and measurement in psychology and who are reasonably comfortable with surfing the Internet and using E-mail.

• You encounter exams frequently.
• You have to take a standardized test.
• You expect to be evaluated when you want to get a job or to keep a job.
• You must evaluate employees and potential employees and want to understand effective assessment.
• You expect your children will be evaluated in school.
• You are planning on going to graduate school in psychology.
• You are concerned about some of the claims made for tests and you want to evaluate them for yourself.
• You are curious about what various psychological tests, such as the inkblot test, really mean.
• It is required for your psychology major.

• Fulfill the prerequisite courses of Psy 100 and 201/210 (Research methods and statistics).
• Textbook: See latest syllabus.
• For those new to on-line learning, you may want to examine: Connick, P. (Ed.). (1999). The distance learner's guide. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. This is a book for the student who plans on doing considerable on-line coursework. It has a companion web site (http://www.prenhall.com/dlguide).
• Those taking the course on-line will need a personal computer with access to the Internet. The class will primarily operate on the WWW to increase accessibility. I tend to keep my pages simple to minimize download times. I am using a course software for the course which removes some design issues from my hands. You must have your connection working well before class begins. WKU students can call our help desk at 270-745-7000. Kentucky Virtual University or Campus students can call their helpdesk. (For more information on resources for KVU students go to http://www.kyvu.org/).
• An E-mail account which you are willing to post (in a secure area) for classmates to use.
• Attitudes: Patience, a willingness to take risks, courtesy and, above all, self-discipline. Because there is no predetermined class meeting time, the greatest danger you face as a student is falling far behind. It is very easy to think, "I will do this later." but of course it doesn't happen. If you keep a personal planner, are never late for appointments, and often get put in charge of committee work you are a good candidate for this course. If you are highly motivated (read about tests on your free time or need this one class to graduate) then you are also a good candidate. If, however, you have trouble making your face-to-face classes, frequently forget appointments, and wait for the instructor to remind you about upcoming assignments or exams, then you will likely run into trouble in an on-line course.
• Participation: You will be required to post questions or comments at least twice weekly to the class bulletin board where others can see and respond. You cannot pass the on-line course without participating in the Web discussion board. Exact requirements will be spelled out in the syllabus.
• Those close to Bowling Green will have to come on campus for exams (dates will be specified in the syllabus). Those for whom driving in would be a hardship will need to make advance arrangements for having their exams proctored. The details will be worked out later.

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What if you are a complete novice about technology?

Most people feel like novices about some aspect of technology. I strongly urge you to contact me before beginning the course so I can evaluate your technological skill level and advise you on whether to take the Internet or face-to-face version of the course. I want you to be successful. You do not need to be an expert or even average, but you do need to be able to easily work with E-mail, an Internet browser and have some word processing skills such as copying and pasting. If you have found this page you probably have the technology skills to complete the course. You may also want to fill out this questionnaire to see if this type of learning would be suitable for you: Distance Learning Course Questionnaire (http://www.bluegrass.kctcs.edu/ol/onlinelearningforyou/)

If you are a novice, I recommend this article "Learning how to learn computers: General principles for the novice" (http://www.wku.edu/Dept/Support/AcadAffairs/CTL/tnt/lrncom.htm).

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May you audit the course?

I understand the hesitancy and uncertainty, the desire to get a toe wet, virtually. There are several reasons, however, why I do not accept audits:

1. What does it mean to audit an Internet course? Unless you are actively posting comments, you are not "there." So how could you audit in the traditional sense of the word?
2. On the Internet, the custom is to expect everyone with access to contribute to the discussion. Listening but not contributing is called "lurking" and it is considered rude to do beyond a brief orientation period to the group.
3. Those taking the course for credit develop an intimacy among themselves that is disturbed by someone not committed to the group. They are uneasy when someone is lurking about.
4. Perhaps most importantly, the most significant challenge for Internet students is learning how to manage their learning time. We know from psychological research that making a public commitment is critical in actually achieving a goal. Committing to the course by going through the registration process dramatically increases the likelihood of your completing the tasks.

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VERY IMPORTANT: I have noticed a tendency for people trying an Internet course for the first time to fail to figure in the time it takes to learn the material . Somehow, because there is not a set meeting time they fall into the belief that the learning occurs without any time commitment.

More than a few people try to just add an Internet class to an already full schedule. THIS WILL NOT WORK! Particularly as you are first learning to allocate your time you are likely to spend more, not less, time on an Internet course than on a face-to-face class. As you grow skilled in time management you will find that the amount of time is identical to a face-to-face class, just distributed differently, typically more conveniently.

Registrar's Office Registration

1. You must be admitted to the university. See Admissions (http://www.wku.edu/Info/Admissions/)
2. You can obtain detailed information at WKU's Enrolling website (http://www.wku.edu/Dept/Support/AcadAffairs/Registrar/). The call number for the Internet based Psy 361 for the Spring 2000 semester is: 11071 and its course-ID is Psy 361-700(Back to top)
   

• Check university policy.
• If you are faculty or staff at an eligible Kentucky university, the state faculty staff tuition scholarship program will cover the cost.

• The course is a three credit hour undergraduate level course.

You choose the times that work best for you, other than exam times or scheduled personal appointments with the instructor. The class "meets" at your computer. Exams must be taken face-to-face or with a proctor, arranged well in advance of the exam date.
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What should you do after registering?

• Contact me via email to let me know you are there (see this webpage).
• Order/buy your textbook.
• Create a folder or binder for the class in which to keep various materials.
• Select a regular hour, three or more times per week, to check the class pages beginning with the first day of the semester. Expect to revise that time as you learn how to manage your time.
• Once you have received your id and password, visit the course site for 361 accessible from the main Psy 361 page.
• Check back at the web site on the first day of the semester for which you register. At that time (and not before):
  • Print a copy of the class policies and schedule for your folder.
  • Print, fill in and snail mail to me the information form at http://edtech.tph.wku.edu/~internet/studinfo.htm
  • Post a photo and biographical information to your website in order to introduce yourself to the class.
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