Welcome

About this course

     As each day passes and society around us changes, so this course changes. Each term is a new experience and and new experiment. For example, this is the first time that this is a fully online class. Also it recognizes that many of you have experienced designing instruction and so we will approach this not only from a structured point of view but also we will emphasize the new of computers in designing lessons.

     You, I believe, should be in charge of your education, especially as adult learners. As adult learners you must juggle many roles beyond being a student, such as that of a parent and bread winner. I expect you to demand more of yourself than I will. I expect that when you have conquered a challenge, you will seek out another challenge to conquer. I expect that at the end of this course, you will have developed a high quality eletronic lesson.

About your instructor

     My bachelors degree is in mathematics and after graduation and a year of graduate work, I worked for ten years as a mathematician programming computers and establishing computer systems in Alaska. The next fifteen years were spend in a remote part of Alaska near Denali, also called Mt McKinley, North America's highest and arguably most beautiful mountain, raising our family of three children and making wooden toys. As our children moved on, I accepted the position of director of student activities at Jamestown College, my Alma Mater in North Dakota. Three years later we moved to Oregon where I earned my MS Ed-IT at Western Oregon University. Since graduation I have taught at Chemeketa Community College and here at Western.

     Currently we live in the foothills of the coastal range a short drive from WOU. Here we built our dream home which we share with our dog and several farm animals including Joe, a miniature horse who thinks he is a big loveable dog. Back in Alaska our oldest son works on the North Slope, On the other end of the continent we have two infant grandsons and in the center of the continent we have two young granddaughters. With Medicare as a part of our life style, we cherish our family and friends, which includes our students.