Important Information
Welcome to class! This lecture has important information about your online course and studies at ACHS in general. Please take the time to read through the entire document. If you still have any questions, don't hesitate to call and ask.
Note that this document has multiple pages. You can navigate pages from the top at right or from the "Contents" menu at top or right. There is a link to the "Next Page" at the bottom of this page, making navigation simple. Please be careful to note when an online lecture has multiple pages. You can also easily scan the headings of a lecture from either of the "Contents" menus.
You can contact Student Services for assistance at (800) 487-8839 from 8:30 am to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, PST, or anytime at stuserv@achs.edu. You can contact the Help Desk 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (888) 883-1299. The Help Desk can assist you with any technical questions, such as authentication or login errors. If you have questions about the curriculum, accessing the ACHS Virtual Library, or any other aspects of the online classroom or studies, please contact your instructor or academic advisor directly. If you prefer online chat to phone support, you can also connect with them here at http://247support.custhelp.com
As busy adult learners, we appreciate that life events can sometimes interfere with your studies. ACHS courses are designed to provide flexibility for your study time throughout the week, however, there are due dates for assignments each week that students are required to meet. These are designed to ensure your discussions in class are engaging and interactive, and also help you keep on track with your coursework so you will successfully complete your course(s).
If you anticipate not being able to meet a due date for a module assignment, you must contact your instructor in advance or your assignment will be graded down in accordance with ACHS's Late Grading Policy (see below).
If submitting late work, please remember to email your instructor so he or she will know your work is ready to be graded. Please do not post messages about being late in the Instructor's Virtual Office or Cyber Café, where it can negatively impact the motivation of other students.
These "ground rules" will help your work in this course to go much more smoothly. Please carefully review these expectations and follow them:
You have an ethical obligation as a student to correctly credit others' work. Instructors assess potential instances of plagiarism, whether intentional or otherwise, on a case-by-case basis.
If an instructor feels a student assessment may include instances of plagiarism, the instructor will first consult with the student to clarify the origin of the content as it appears in the student assessment, as well as assessment expectations including but not limited to:
The student will then have the opportunity to revise and resubmit their work within a specified number of days as set out by the course instructor. If the instructor deems the revised student assessment meets the assessment expectations, the instructor will assign appropriate assessment points.
If, however, the student does not elect to revise and resubmit their work per their instructor's recommendation, and their work does not meet the basic requirements of the assessment, they will receive an F.
Remember, to successfully complete a course, students must complete 80% of the required assessment and the final exam, project, or paper before the final class date and achieve a minimum passing score of at least 70% across all assessments to be considered to have achieved the learning outcomes for the course. Therefore, we strongly recommend students follow the recommendations of their instructor to ensure all course requirements are met and learning opportunities are maximized.
Email is an integral part of this course. Our goal is to provide you with the most accurate, thoughtful, and timely responses possible to your emails. To assist us to do this, please make sure you:
Many of the "rules of the road" or protocols that apply to email also apply to the use of Discussion Board posts, but specifically:
In addition to the general protocols, please stay on-topic. If you wish to suggest a new chat topic, you may do so by emailing your instructor or Student Services.
Netiquette is a rather new term that is used to describe the social code of network communication. It becomes crucially important in online courses since they do not include any "face-to-face" interaction—with all communication conducted via written words (emails and discussion boards). Online courses lack non-verbal communication, such as body language, facial expressions, and voice interactions, which makes it easier to misunderstand words.
The best way to avoid this trap is to follow the Golden Rule of Netiquette: to treat others online the way you want to be treated. Let's review what this includes:
General Writing Guidelines
Discussion Participation Guidelines
Netiquette is not very different from the etiquette you use in daily life. It just contains a few additional simple rules. Following them will make online class a more pleasant experience.
"Emoticons" and abbreviations have become popular and we encourage their use when it will add to the clarity of your communication. Avoid excessive use of emoticons, however. They are similar to exclamation marks in that they work best when used sparingly.
A virus can spell disaster. Your use of a reputable anti-virus program is a requirement for participation in this course (good ones include McAfee or Norton). Also, back up your files: "My hard drive crashed." "My modem doesn't work." "My printer is out of ink." These are today's equivalents of "My dog ate my homework." These events really do occur and they are really inconvenient when they do. However, these are not valid excuses for failing to submit your work on time so please plan in advance to avoid them.
For specific problems in any of the areas below or for further information go to the corresponding link for assistance:
If your equipment problems prevent you from using a computer at home, virtually every public library offers Internet access.
Non-Technical Student Resources:
ACHS is committed to providing accessible programs to all students and makes reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities based on ADA requirements. Please notify your Admissions Advisor of any disability that may affect your studies at ACHS so that appropriate accommodations can be made.
Accommodations may include granting additional time to complete the course based on the disability rating as advised by your case worker or physician or completing the course in writing rather than online.
Our online platform, eCollege, exceeds the defined student requirements of Section 508, the U.S. Federal Accessibility Standard for electronic and information technology, to provide an accessible environment for disabled faculty to author course content.
Through its state-of-the-art courseware and support services, our platform has broken new ground in addressing the needs of blind, deaf, and mobility-impaired students learning online, as well as disabled faculty authoring online courses.
Additional accessibility tools for Macintosh users can also be found at http://www.apple.com/accessibility/
Please help maintain standards. Report possible violations of these standards immediately, including a copy of the suspect post and the name of the poster when it occurs, to stuserv@achs.edu. Your details can be kept confidential on request. Often only re-education of appropriate behavior is needed. However, any action by a participant that, in ACHS' sole opinion, restricts or inhibits other participants from using and enjoying the ACHS website and classes is strictly prohibited. Violation of these may invoke disciplinary action, including possible dismissal from ACHS.
If you are a returning ACHS student, you will notice some exciting changes. Depending on the course you enroll in, you may receive an ACHS eTextbook, publisher textbook(s), DVDs, videos, and/or study kits of botanicals or essential oils. We ensure our wide-ranging array of educational materials meets the highest standards. We use only the most reputable education publishers and organic suppliers of raw materials. Our courses are reviewed by industry leaders and subject specialists, and are endorsed by the leading associations in each field of study.
To enhance your study experience even further there are optional Study Kits and Recommended Reading Kits available for some classes at a discount. Click here http://www.apothecary-shoppe.com and then select "Recommended Reading" or "Study Kits" from the For Students dropdown menu. Click on the name of your course for kit details. Remember the first time you shop at the Apothecary Shoppe College Store online you will need to create an account using a separate login and password.
In addition to the materials you may have previously received, your study materials include the rich interactive content in this online classroom, which you are about to explore. It may include a dynamic, searchable ACHS eTextbook formatted as lectures, online publisher textbooks, access to relevant articles and research papers, synchronous and asynchronous interaction with your instructor, the Course Home landing page with interactive social content, and links to relevant websites and events. You can also access the ACHS Virtual Library, which includes natural health research databases that you can automatically access from the Virtual Library in your online classroom.
Some courses may have online lectures within each module. An online lecture is a text-based document that you will find within each module of your course, if applicable.
Online lectures have a number of exciting benefits for ACHS students.
We've updated several online lectures to a format that is easier for students to print and search. For lectures in this format, printing is easy. There will be a link in the top-right of the lecture that says "print all." This link will open a new browser window with all of the content from your lecture (not just the page you're currently on) displayed in a printer-friendly format.
From here, you can print the page as you normally would from your browser by going to File > Print from the menu.
If you have difficulties with printing, please contact Student Services at (800) 487-8839 or (503) 244-0726. Please DO NOT contact the Help Desk with printing questions.
Use the Course Checklist available when you click the Course Checklist link at the bottom right of your Course Home page. Check off discussions and modules as you complete them and stay on schedule.
You can hide the left-hand course navigation tree to obtain a wider screen area to view course content. Simply click the arrow to the left of the course title in the top left of the page. To get the course navigation tree back on your screen, just click on the arrow again. Try it now -- Click on the arrow. (Note: this feature is not available on Macintosh computers.)
Simply hold down the control or command key and hit the plus (+) sign.
Click on Gradebook in the course toolbar at the top of the page. Click on individual grades to see comments that the instructor may have posted for you or to review exam questions.
Set time goals (i.e., work from 7-8 p.m., or whatever block of time is feasible) rather than watching television or doing laundry (both can wait in most cases). Then, if you are able to work until 8:30 p.m., you will have exceeded your goal for the day, thereby feeling motivated for the next day's session. Once you have established your goals, be sure to tell your family members and friends so they will (a) understand your plans and (b) provide inspiration when necessary.
Establish a completion point for each assessment within each week. Of course, there are going to be events and circumstances that may impact your goals, but setting goals helps to keep you focused on doing the work as diligently as possible. The advantage of distance learning is the flexibility, and the chance to participate in an educational experience generally unavailable in your hometown. However, it is important to make study commitments as seriously as if you were attending classes right around the corner. And remember, you need to let your instructor and academic advisor know if you are experiencing any challenges so we can help you!
Some students find it helpful to write out assignments in longhand and then type them on the computer or typewriter. This not only gives you the opportunity to edit and refine your answers as you are inputting, it provides a double-dose of the information you have just learned.
If a family member or friend is diagnosed with a particular condition, involve yourself in a research project to provide them with a written report of every possible option in your area of study. Make it comprehensive and offer follow-up if they need it, but also be sure to explain your student status and that the information is offered as additional knowledge for them to discuss with their physician (who is, hopefully, attuned to alternative approaches).
Talk about your course work, ACHS, and your long-range plans in natural healing with everyone who will listen. It sets this exciting adventure firmly in place as part of you and your life. In addition, you will be pleasantly surprised at the feedback you receive and the kindred souls you will meet. This is just one of the added bonuses of taking the course.
Take full advantage of your instructor's knowledge, the student discussion list, and ACHS online services/resources. Use all the great resources available through ACHS. Everyone at the College is accessible, friendly, caring, generous with their time, dedicated to the philosophies of natural and alternative treatments and therapies, and excited about sharing their knowledge!
We asked a few of our graduates to let us in on a few study hints they would have found helpful as they began their programs. We hope you will find these tips helpful on your road to the successful completion of your program!
"Stay dedicated. I make a study plan in my head each week and stick with it. I set aside so many hours a day for reading and studying, and do my best to not to have to do any school work on the weekends. My house doesn't clean itself LOL, and everyone needs a few days off to just enjoy life."
"Take one assignment at a time. Don't stress about how many more assignments you have left or the final exam. If you do that, you will be wasting time and energy you could be using towards your current module or assignment. Enjoy the learning experience and if you find yourself struggling, you can find support from your fellow students and instructor. I receive a HUGE amount of support from my family."
"Do something every day that will help you move forward in your studies even if it's no more than reviewing the reading material."
"Cut the reading up into chunks. Instead of trying to read it all at once, read a little each day. If you have the time and want to read it all in one sitting that's fine, but I find cutting it up into bite sizes makes it easier to digest."
Enjoy Your Studies!
And, remember that we are here to assist you throughout each course and your overall program. Don't hesitate to call us at (800) 487-8839 if you need assistance and are not sure who to ask.
The information in this course is not intended to take the place of diagnosis and treatment by a qualified licensed healthcare provider. Any recommendations are for educational purposes only and are believed to be effective. However, since use of any material by others is beyond the control of American College of Healthcare Sciences, no expressed or implied guarantee as to the effectiveness of this information can be given nor liability taken.
ACHS does not offer medical training nor does any ACHS program train you to become a physician of any kind. Students who are intending to work in a health coaching, wellness consulting, holistic health practice, or other type of role in which they educate consumers on health and well-being are required to take the Nat 306 Holistic Health Consulting Course, which covers legal and scope of practice issues in detail. However, in the meantime, be aware that as a holistic health educator, one cannot diagnose, treat, prescribe, or purport to cure. Also be aware that ACHS follows a complementary methodology: There are many diseases that are outside the scope of an unlicensed complementary health practitioner and require allopathic intervention.
Throughout your studies at ACHS, you will learn more about the legal and ethical guidelines for using your holistic health training professionally. Each state has its own requirements for registration and/or licensing, so be sure to check the regulations in the state where you reside.
There are several national health freedom organizations that resources for prospective and current holistic health practitioners. Regulations can change and connecting with these organizations will help you stay up-to-date with the requirements in your area:
for more information and articles about Health Freedom.
"To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries"—U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 8
Copyright (c) 1986-2014
All ACHS lesson materials, curriculum, manuals, handbooks, textbooks, and all other materials, whether online or printed, and the online platform and content, are subject to copyright and intellectual property protection. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited and subject to disciplinary proceedings and legal action.
This material must not be reproduced in any way without the written permission of the President of American College of Healthcare Sciences, 5005 SW Macadam Avenue, Portland, OR 97239 United States. Telephone (800) 48-STUDY or (503) 244-0726; fax (503) 244-0727; email achs@achs.edu; on the Web at www.achs.edu
Pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) Section 485(a) (20 U.S.C. 1092(a)) (i), students are hereby notified that "unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material, including unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing, may subject the students to civil and criminal liabilities."
ACHS requires that all members of the College community respect the rights of ownership of intellectual property by abiding by United States copyright laws. The principle of fair use (as set out in the Copyright Act) provides limitations to the exclusive rights of copyright owners that support ACHS's mission of teaching, scholarship, research, and free inquiry. ACHS is providing the following tools and resources to assist decision-making in this complex environment.
The principle of copyright is derived from the U.S. Constitution in fulfillment of Congress' right "to promote the progress of science and the useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive rights to their writings and discoveries" (Article 1, section 8). It is important to remember this emphasis on the progress that results from publication. Copyright laws serve to protect the rights of copyright holders in their works while allowing access to such works under particular circumstances.
The limitation of fair use allows people to use portions of works for nonprofit, academic, and other purposes provided those uses stay within certain bounds. Fair use does not entitle anyone to copy complete passages even for educational use. The following information can help you understand the principles of fair use and determine when and whether you may use copyrighted material without getting permission first. Whether a use is "fair" is determined by the courts, so we strongly recommend that you seek permission to use even a small part of a copyright work.
There are four factors that are taken into consideration in determining whether or not a use falls within the fair use exception. They are:
Each of these factors carries weight in deciding whether the use you plan is fair use. To assess how they balance out in your own situation, you can use the fair use checklist provided by Purdue University at http://www-lib.iupui.edu/research/oncourse/copyright.
More information: Links to legislation, Web resources, and articles on fair use and copyright are available at http://www.brown.edu/Administration/Copyright/links.html
As an accredited Institute of Higher Learning, ACHS negotiates rights to use a wide variety of materials, including digital publications, image collections, and more. In addition, most media are governed by specific guidelines that govern what users may do. If you want to use copyrighted materials in ways that go beyond fair use or applicable copyright law, you'll need to request permission to do so.