The Philosophy and Religious Studies Department is working to set the curve in MCC’s use of technology for teaching. Our goal is to provide every instructor a “web presence.” For individual instructors, there are three aspects to that. If you have already developed a faculty page and a course page or two, skip ahead to Step Three: Teaching Online.

Step One: Your Faculty Front Page

Every instructor should have the first, an initial internet page (with your schedule and contact information). You are free to develop your own, and there is no requirement to maintain a standard look. However, we know that this limits those who do not know how to create web pages or who simply do not have the time to commit to the project. For that, we offer the department template. Click to see a sample of that template in use.

This is the stripped down model, but it includes links all our web sites should have: the disclaimer, the CGTE, the department site, and our two clubs.

Full-blown versions are in use by Tom Shoemaker and Judy Christensen.

If you use the template, you are free to adapt the design in whatever way you would like, as long as it ends up meeting MCC guidelines, and has the required links. You may prefer to use Tom Shoemaker (the department webmaster). That is, after all, what we envision. The front page has probably already been worked up for you. You will receive an email asking you if you would like to utilize it or work up your own.

An important next step is the establishment of your folder on the MCC server. Once you activate your MCC email account, your folder’s basic web address is your username following the “www ... edu/~” . Once you have your MCC email account, send an email requesting a folder to the staff at IT.

Step Two: Your Course Pages

This second aspect is highly recommended, although not required. From your front page, you can link to the syllabus for each course. (This saves a lot of printing, by the way). Again, the template is available to you, and the department webmaster is available to turn a Word-formatted syllabus into an online syllabus with the template.

In addition to placing print materials online, a course site allows you to incorporate online multimedia materials into your classes. This includes hundreds of pieces from NPR, the BBC, PRI, CNN and others, Podcasts, our World Music collection, hundreds of quality links to outside internet sites, as well as multimedia materials we have developed locally.

Now you are ready for Step Three: Teaching Online.