Objectives | Instructor | Tools | Time | Credit | Assignments

Course Description
This course covers Marshallese cultural background, environment, and history. It also teaches strategies for increasing communication between staff and students. It was developed for Job Corps staff nationwide serving Marshallese students in their program. The course is offered online quarterly by MTC as part of their yearly training program at no cost to employees. Group activities are required using discussion questions online. For this reason, the course must be completed in a three month time period.

Registration
You must first register with your Human Resources Manager. He or she will give you a code you must type in to begin your course. Registration must be completed during the first week of January, April, July, or October. The course must be completed during a 3 month quarter for credit to be awarded. For example, if you register during the first week of January you must complete the coursework by March 31.
You must register for this course through your HR manager so you will get annual training credit.

Course Objectives
Staff will increase their knowledge about Marshallese students’ background and culture. Staff will improve their casual, daily communications with Marshallese students in number and quality of transactions. Increased communications will provide students with more confidence in speaking English. Staff will practice a variety of strategies for dealing with non-communicative students.

Instructor Information
Ruby Butterworth has worked at the Cascades Job Corps Center in Sedro-Woolley, WA for 4 years as Reading and English Second Language instructor. She then managed the Academic Programs department for 5 years. Ruby spent 6 years in the Marshall Islands as site manager of the Kwajalein Job Corps Center, a satellite site of the Hawaii Job Corps. She earned her Masters Degree in Education from Western Washington University.
You can contact Ruby at butter@cc.wwu.edu . She can be reached by telephone during working hours (Pacific Time) at 360-834-3400. Her mailing address is CJCC, PO Box 819, Sedro-Woolley, WA. 98226. Please send comments or questions to her at her email address. Best times for email responses are during working hours Monday – Friday, Pacific time.

Technology Tools
A computer and internet connection is required for this online training course. Your Job Corps office computer is appropriate for use in this course. You will need software that allows movies, graphics, text and audio to be played.  This course can be accessed with Mac and PC computers. Adobe PDF Reader is required. You will access this course through the MTC website at www.mtctrains.com using Blackboard. Visit a Blackboard tutorial at http://cidd.gwu.edu/bbtour to help you get started using Blackboard. For general computer help see your Human Resources Manager or in-house Information Specialist.

Course Materials
This course provides all materials for students in online format. If you want print versions of documents you may print them using PDF reader. Supplemental recommended materials will be provided using online sources. These sources are listed following each lesson.

Course Time Requirements
Each lesson will take approximately two hours to complete online. You may complete a lesson all at one time or in smaller time segments. The entire course takes about 8 hours to complete. All activities are required to be completed before credit will be awarded. Please complete the lessons in chronological order as they are presented as each lesson builds on the one before.

Policies and Legal issues
For questions on policies of online learning and legal issues, refer to the MTC website: http://www.mtctrains.com. For special accommodations contact your HR manager before registering for this course.

Evaluation and Credit
Credit for this course requires completion of all 5 lesson assignments and course evaluations. You will email your assignments to the instructor at butter@cc.wwu.edu Please use your job corps email account to submit assignments so your credit can be issued to the correct center. Discussion questions will be completed using the Blackboard Discussion Group online. More information on Blackboard will be available at the online site once you register.

The final test and evaluations can be completed and submitted online one at a time. Your training file will be updated after the final evaluations are submitted. Please check your online training file one week after completion of the course to assure your credit has been issued. Contact the instructor at butter@cc.wwu.edu for any questions.
Grievance issues and appeals should be coordinated through your HR manager on site.

Course Content, Learning Objectives, and Assignments
Assignment 1
Welcome to the Online Course: Getting to Know Your Marshallese Students
Objectives: Become an active member of an online learning community. Begin to apply online learning methods of posting, reflecting, and giving feedback.
Content: Explanation on how to make a home page on Bb
Activity: Make a home page with your bio, photo. Include where your center is located. Discussion Questions: describe your student population, describe your experience with Marshallese students and how they typically communicate with staff at your center.
Assessment: Participation in discussions and homepage completed

Assignment 2  
Introduction to Marshallese Culture                    
Objectives: Recognize and define cultural symbols of the Marshall Islands including the flag, and the Marshallese national anthem. Pronounce 3 or more common Marshallese words and define them
Content:  Photostory, websites
Activity: Answer discussion questions and post
Assessment: Participation in discussions

Assignment 3
Introduction to the Environment of the Marshall Islands
Objectives: Explain the geography and environment of the Marshall Islands. Identify the location, describe the weather, explain the features of an atoll and lagoon. Discuss how the student’s home environment affects them today.
Content: Powerpoint presentation, websites
Activity: Answer the discussion questions and post.
Assessment: Participation in discussions.

Assignment 4
The Historical Periods of the Marshall Islands
Objectives: Summarize the traditional, U. S. and modern historical periods of the MI.
Evaluate how the historical periods might affect the students today in their attitudes and the ways they communicate with others
Content: Access listed sources online.
Activity: Write a one page paper discussing how the historical periods might
affect the MI students today in their attitudes and the ways they communicate with others. Answer the discussion questions and post.
Assessment: Participation in discussion. Paper submitted.

Assignment 5
Communication Strategies to Relieve Stress
Objectives: Explain and practice strategies for alleviating stress in communication transactions with MI students.
Content: PPT presentation
Activity: Practice the strategies with students. Answer the discussion questions. Evaluate the course content and instructor. Evaluate the online learning experience.
Assessment: Participation in discussion. Evaluations completed.

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Last update 05/20/06