Computer Applications in Public Health

Welcome to PHC 6994 Computer Applications in Public Health. This week you will embark on an exciting learning experience that is partially web-based as part of a blended online/face-to-face course! My name is Dr. Sutton and I will be guiding you through this course. I am eager to help you make the most of both our class time and our online learning experiences. This course begins Thursday, August 25, 2005. I recommend that you log into the course site at least once per week -- be sure to watch for new items in the News section and in the Discussion section of the course.

Face-to-face classes are Thursday evenings in the Payne Building at Sacred Heart Hospital. Directions to the classroom are posted on the syllabus here: http://uwf.edu/dlhs/courses/phc6994/

There is NO textbook required for this course. Alternatively, we will explore this field through classroom lectures, Web-based resources and by discussing articles from current newsletters and journals.

You will access the instructional content for this course through the eLearning Management System channel located on the "My Info" tab within the Argus Portal. If you are a new student, twenty four hours after you have registered for classes you can go to http://argus.uwf.edu (known as the “Argus portal”) and click on the "New User" link to activate your account. You will be stepped through a New User Wizard. Once your ArgoNet account is established, both new and returning students can logon to the Argus Portal using their ArgoNet UserID and 7-character password. Then click on the "My Info" tab to access the eLearning channel where your PHC6994 link is located.

In the eLearning channel you will see all of your courses with a web-based component that are active in the UWF course offering system. Click on the PHC6994 course link to access the course Homepage where you will find any current course “News”. You access the Instructional “Content” by selecting the blue "Content" link. Here you can view the Important Course Information (Course Orientation, Course Syllabus, etc.).

Important Note: All email generated in eLearning courses will be sent to your UWF ArgoMail email account. Make sure it is established and that you check it regularly.

An eLearning Student Orientation guide is available from a link at the bottom of the eLearning channel in the Argus Portal. If you are new to web-based courses and eLearning, I recommend printing and reviewing this guide. You will also want to review the eLearning Demo at: http://onlinecampus.uwf.edu/About/D2Ldemo.htm. This animation demonstrates how you access the different components of the eLearning system.

Ready to get started? If you have any questions or require additional information, contact me first through the Discussion forums so I can post an answer everyone can read. If you have any problems accessing the course site after today, contact the ITS help desk at (850) 474-2075 or via email at helpdesk@uwf.edu first to determine if the problem is on their end or yours.

Let's begin our journey into the electrons – see you in class and online!

Melanie A. Sutton, Ph.D.
Division of Life and Health Sciences
University of West Florida

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