This CIS163AA class will be taught using an hybrid format. When a class is uses an hybrid approach, class materials and some course activities are delivered on the Internet via the GCC BlackBoard web site but students are also required to attend classes at GCC. For this course, we will have five class meetings at GCC during weeks 1, 4, 8, 12 and Finals week. These five required GCC class meetings will focus on programming activities related to online materials and study session time to provide one on one interaction with the Instructor and other students. The day and time for this class meetings are published in our BlackBoard class page. Students will use an Internet connected device (PC or mobile device) from home or at GCC and use a web browser program (i.e. Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft IE, Google Chrome or Opera) to connect to course resources.

• This class will focus Java ver. 1.5 or higher. The Sun Java SDK can be downloaded for free from the Sun Web Site.
• Additonal software downloads include TextPad and BlueJ.
• The pre-requisite for CIS163AA is CIS105 or permission of Instructor.
• The class will have a fixed start and stop date with will coincide with GCC Spring 2009 class schedule (16 weeks). There are five required classes held at GCC. The times and dates will be published in BlackBoard.
• Students are responsilble for completing the weekly assignments on the dates they are assigned.
• Online tests have been tentatively scheduled in weeks 4, 8, 12 and 16 with a comprehensive final during final exam week. The final test will be taken at GCC during finals week. Tests are to be taken when assigned unless prior arrangment has been made with Instructor.
• A weekly status email must be sent to the instructor on the Friday of the class week. This emails are part of final grade. Email can come from the students GCC email account or another personal email account..
• The class is delivered over the Internet via a web browser. Students will connect to the GCC (BlackBoard (Bb) site and my (Instructor site ) for lectures, quizzes, tests, assignments and discussion.
• Bb will hold class grades.

I will provide the instruction (via lectures, video lessons, assignments, discussion and tests) on-line (via Bb )and all content except Tests and Quizzes from my faculty web site (as a back up to Bb). Each of you will be required read the lectures, textbook, and complete the exercises, assignments and tests on the assigned dates. The class material is organized by weeks. There are sixteen weeks in the Spring 2009 semester so there will be sixteen entries in Bb (also available as a back up to Bb on my faculty web site (web.gccaz.edu/~gmarrer). There is one entry for each week. Students will return assignments to an assignment folder (setup for our CIS163AA class only) on the student GCC server and participate in discussion electronically over the Internet via BlackBoard software. More instructions on using Bb, completinhg weekly activities, taking tests, and submitting assignments will be covered in in Week one of class.

You can use all of the technology tools needed for class from the GCC Campus High Tech Centers. If you want to access lectures, discussion areas and quizzes from home you will need a connection to the Internet and can use either the Mozilla FireFox, Microsoft IE, Google Chrome or Opera Internet browsers. If you wish to do assignments from home, you will need to install the Sun Java SDK (free download from Sun) and Textpad program (Shareware) and BlueJ (Freeware). System requirements and installation instructions for all of these programs can be found on their download web page..

I have taught on-line classes for several years using several on-line course management tools (WebCT, WebBoard, BlackBoard, Midas, etc.). These on-line learning tools are the same and they are different than traditional classes. They are the same in that both on-line and traditional class formats use a textbook, tests, lectures along with tests and labs to teach you Java. They are different in that on-line classes require the motivation to work at readings and assignments daily. Many believe that on-line classes are easier and require less effort. This is a fallacy. There is more flexibility with on-line classes but not less work. One of the primary success factors for any programming class is to stay up with the reading assignments. This is critical. You will have weekly quizzes to test your reading comprehension of important chapter topics. You will also be required to send weekly emails that status the work you have done so I can follow your progress.

One requirement to participate on-line classes is that you need to know how to use the on-line tools. During our week, we will review Bb and the format of the class together in an online discussion group. I will have video tutorials (mine and the GCC Student Help Desk) to provide all the tools necessary to get started. With email, telephones and on campus meetings (if necessary) I can help you through any problems that come up. I have taught Java for more than ten years and I have taught it as a hybrid or online for more than 3 years. I have yet to have a question that could be answered with an email or phone call.

1. From your PC browser, go to BlackBoardweb site
2. Setup your username and password if you do not have one
3. Review Bb tutorials
4. Access Class from Bb main screen
5. Go to Discussion page and complete a student Biography
6. Read Lecture One and Textbook Chapter 1
7. Take the Quiz for Week One
8. Watch Bb and andy Java Video Tutorials
9. Send me a status email on Friday of Week One
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You may have noticed at the top of this page a statement about mobile devices. Web pages created for this class will be also formatted so that they can be read from Internet ready mobile devices (cell phones, PDA's and MP3 players). There is free wifi access on the GCC Campus.