Today we have encountered a technical glitch regarding access to the Forum
page.  We are aware of it and hope to have the problem rectified quickly.
 
Once it's up and running again, please inform your students as follows
about posting messages.  Once a category is created (i.e., INTRODUCTIONS),
students should click it on, and then click "Post a new message in this
thread."  They should NOT click on "New Thread."  Forum will be most
effective if we bunch together all related messages.  Right now most
messages are correctly posted together under "INTRODUCTIONS" but two are
posted as separate entities.  While this is not a big deal at the moment
with 11 intros posted, it will become unwieldy as more and more students
post messages, making the table of contents listing (as more categories
are added) too long and more difficult to read.
 
A second and related point.  When a message is posted that is a new
category, it should be posted as a new category.  For example, one student
has posted his commentary on the first reading under "INTRODUCTIONS".  As
soon as the Forum access problem is fixed, I'll add new categories.  If
someone posts a message for which no category exists (i.e., Coates
article, Parrillo article, Hate Group report), that's the time to click on
"New Thread" to start the category and then everyone else can click on
"Post a new message in this thread."
 
Believe me, following these fairly simple steps will be of value to us all
as the weeks unfold.
 
A final thought on this.  Those of you at institutions with students not
fully participating should still have them introduce themselves on Forum.
It's good for the other students to know who's out there with them, even
if they are partial or extra-credit or whatever type participants.
Encourage everyone to share in the internet communication.  That makes it
more fulfilling for all our students.
 
                                                Vince Parrillo