Sunday, May 31, 2015

Course eBook: This course uses an ebook that requires registering into a Connect Plus account that you create. The fee for this is $85 (and if you want a paper copy of the book, you can add that after your initial enrollment for $15). All students will need this in order to complete the adaptive learning assignments (Learn Smart) and quizzes. There is a link that is individual to EACH course, so please select the one that corresponds to the class for which you are registered. I will also send these out via email the week before class starts. To delay paying, you can use a 2 week free trial but you will have to pay to complete the class. If you are in anyway not sure if you are going to be successful in this intensive, 4-week course, perhaps try the trial as there are no refunds. There is not hard copy of the book available at the bookstore since you do need to purchase the Connect Plus access. The book title is Perspectives in Nutrition: A Functional Approach, 1st ed by Byrd-Bredbenner.

Cabrillo 6/15 classhttp://connect.mheducation.com/class/d-russo-2015-summer-cabrillo-june-15

Cabrillo 6/22 classhttp://connect.mheducation.com/class/d-russo-2015-summer-cabrillo-june-22-1

West Valley classes (both)http://connect.mheducation.com/class/d-russo-2015-summer-west-valley-june-15

Friday, May 8, 2015

Summer 2015

This summer, I will be teaching 3 sections of Nutrition. All 3 sections will be online and completed in 4 weeks. The following is what is offered:

West Valley: 4 week course, starts 6/15
Cabrillo: 4 week course, starts 6/15
Cabrillo: 4 week course, starts 6/22

The first 2 classes are full with wait lists, but the third section (as of 5/9) is only half way full.

Here's what to expect. Please note, this nutrition class covers 16 weeks of material in 4 weeks. The amount of time needed by each student will be the equivalent of what you normally need for an online class times 4. In other words, if you typically spend 5 hours per week in an online class during a full semester, you should anticipate that you will spend 20 hours/week in our class. I am posting an estimate of what I expect at the end of this post, but it varies greatly by student.

The textbook will not be purchased in the bookstore. You will purchase a Connect (McGraw Hill) access code which gives you the ebook, the LearnSmart assignments and the diet analysis software that we will use. If you still (like me) prefer to have a hard copy, you can pay an additional $15 and they will send you a loose leaf copy. The code is SPECIFIC to the section in which you are registered so I will send that to all students by the week before school starts.

This introductory nutrition course DOES include some science as we will cover the chemistry of nutrients, anatomy and physiology of digestion and absorption and the metabolic pathways that release energy. There is also practical application in the course but it is definitely a blend of both science and practical information. Connect does offer some prep activities that I will make available before class starts as extra credit. It will help those not as familiar with science and be a great review for those who are.

If I can answer further questions, please do not hesitate to email me. nutritionrusso is how you reach me at gmail or you can email my college account and it will forward there.


This is what to expect each week:
2 hours to read a chapter and 1 hour to do the associated LearnSmart.. 3 hours/chapter x 4 chapters = 12 hours
1 1/2 hour on the longest discussion lectures (but you don't have to pick those) and a follow-up = 2 hours (that is a max)
Quiz: 30 minutes each x 4 quizzes: 2 hours 
Assignments: entering data, answering questions, finding research: 2-3 hours (this is going to vary)

That might be more realistic, although some weeks we will have 5 chapters, so that adds 3 1/2 hours (reading plus the quiz). I am going to try to balance that, though, so the assignment has less demand that week.

I can tell you this....for a 3-unit class, you should plan that you will spend 9 hours per week in the regular semester. (I believe my students usually spend closer to 6 hours, on average.) Multiple that by 4 since each week is the equivalent of 4 weeks. So, I would say it is reasonable that you'd spend 24+ hours on the class in a week. Items for each week will be available the full week (except the last week, when we get cut off early, on a Saturday).

Eat well, play fit,
Denise C. Russo, MS RD