PrintWelcome to EBF 200!
EBF 200 is an introductory economics class, and we will spend the first seven lessons building a foundation you can use to understand how economies function. Then, in lessons 8-12, we will focus on applying your new understanding of economics to real-world problems related to energy and the environment. This combination of theoretical foundation and practical application makes the course interesting and highly relevant.
Before we begin our semester of study together, it is important that you review all of the material on all these pages and on our course syllabus. These resources will not only prepare you to be successful in this course, but they will also help you prepare for the "Course Information" quiz at the end of the orientation. You must get a score of at least 90% on that quiz to gain access to the assignment dropboxes for this course...and the answers are all contained in this orientation!
Have you looked at our syllabus?
This course orientation will complement and expand on the information provided on our syllabus. Be sure to review that document, too...carefully! A link to the syllabus is located in the main menu.
What will we learn about in the Course Orientation?
- The structure of EBF 200
- What assignments are required in this course
- An overview of Canvas, Penn State's course management system
- Technical requirements for EBF 200
- How to succeed in this course
- Where to get course assistance if you need it
What is due for the Course Orientation?
You should complete the Course Orientation during the first week of class. (See the Calendar in Canvas for specific due dates.) As you work your way through these online materials for the Course Orientation, you will encounter additional reading assignments and hands-on exercises and activities. The chart below provides an overview of the requirements for the Course Orientation. For assignment details, refer to the orientation page noted.
(You may want to print this page to serve as a checklist as you go along.)
| Activity | Location | Submitted for grading? |
|---|---|---|
| Personalize your Canvas space | "About Canvas" page | No—If you are new to Canvas, personalize your Canvas space (follow directions on the "About Canvas" page of this lesson). |
| Set up your Canvas notification preferences | "About Canvas" page | No—This is an optional step that enables you to be notified of e-mail sent to you in the course so you can be sure you don't miss any important course communications. |
| Register with the Library | "Using the Penn State Library" page | No—But you will need to do this in order to use Library resources in this course. |
| Login to this website | "Course Communications" page | No—But you will need to know how to do this later on in the course. |
| Acknowledge that you have read this Course Orientation Lesson | Canvas: Modules tab | No—You must agree to having read this Course Orientation lesson. This will unlock the Course Information quiz. |
| Take the Course Information Quiz | Canvas: Modules tab | No—The quiz is designed to test your knowledge awareness of the information covered in this Course Orientation lesson. You must get a score of 90% or better on this quiz to unlock Lesson 1. You may retake the quiz as many times as you need. |
| Complete the "Initial Course Survey" | Canvas: Modules tab | No—This survey contains questions about you and your expectations for this course. It provides me with useful information about your expectations for the class. |
| Introduce yourself and meet the rest of the class! | Canvas: Modules tab | No—This is important in order for me to get to know who is in the class and what interests they have. It is also helpful to all students to meet others in the class. |
Questions?
If you have any questions, please post them to our Questions? discussion forum (not e-mail), located in Canvas. I will check that discussion forum daily to respond. While you are there, feel free to post your own responses if you, too, are able to help out a classmate.
Keep reading!
On the following pages, you will find important information about the course structure, requirements, scheduling, and technical requirements and assistance...all of which you'll need to know in order to pass the course. Remember, you are also responsible for the information located on our course syllabus (see the Resources menu).