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Spring 2003 Dear Students: I would like to welcome you to our new on-line course, Hospitality Information Systems(BUS/HSPM 108) for Spring 2003. I hope you are as excited as I am about taking advantage of this new instructional delivery system. At the very outset I would like to point out that while the common notion among students may be that on-line courses are somehow "watered down," I would like to caution you against making any such misguided assumptions. While this on-line course is designed to be self-paced, anywhere, anytime format, the course will require extensive reading and interaction with faculty and peers. In addition, all students will be required to complete assignments and quizzes within strict deadlines. Please remember that on-line education is convenient only in terms of when you find time to study the course content rather than attending a regular class. Only serious commitment to the course combined with sustained attention to completing course requirements will ensure proper learning. In short, learning is a two-way street and I am depending on your earnest participation to make this course a grand success and an outstanding educational experience. I hope you will not disappoint me. In order for both of us to reach our goals, we will be working together on-line. We will be sending messages, participating in on-line discussions, and presenting our ideas on-line. Some of the technologies that will be used for this course require more recent software systems. I would request that you ensure that your primary computer that you use to access our course on-line have at least the following versions of software:
Ensuring that your system is up to minimum course requirements beforehand will guarantee that all of us will be on the same page on the first day of class and eliminate unnecessary delays. You can use the web address listed above to download the latest versions of the web browser of your choice. To view a tutorial about the online learning tools we'll be using for the course, please visit http://online.sjsu.edu/tutorial. This course has a textbook requirement. I have placed powerpoint presentation on the website for the course. If you would like to get AH&MA Certification for this class, please read the section on "AHMA Certification" on the course website's main menu.
Sincerely,
Radesh Palakurthi, Ph.D. Professor | |||||||