Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Hi, I'm Dr. Lori MacKinder (most students call me Dr. Lori or Dr. MacKinder) and I'm looking forward to being your instructor!

This class meets in person on the PCC Willow Creek campus and has a remote access option available through Zoom. I will provide the materials that we will use for learning and practice both in person and on D2L. Most of the learning will be planned for in-class, but will be available on D2L (our online classroom), also. Required homework will be minimal unless you miss class. Then you will need to access the class materials on D2L and catch up. Additional practice outside of class is available if you are highly motivated or want extra practice. 

This class focuses on basic and intermediate skills to build your confidence, critical thinking, problem solving, analysis, and synthesis of information for deep understanding, growth mindset, and effective communication. When you improve these skills, you will be ready to move up to the next level! The next level might be a higher level science, math, or English class. It might be a better job. It might be getting ready for college or taking the GED®.

I will work with each of you to make sure you learn how to use the technology required for this class. My job will be to support your academic growth as you work toward your goals.  I'm really looking forward to working and learning with you this term. If you have any questions about the class, please email me at lori.mackinder@pcc.edu.

You will need to be able to access your PCC email, Google Drive, and D2L (online classroom) to participate in this class. If you need help accessing a computer or laptop and/or a stable internet connection, please let Dr. Lori know and she can help you by connecting you with the library at PCC and other community resources. We will also learn and practice using our PCC emails, Google Drive (Docs, mostly), and D2L (online classroom) in this class; so if you are new to it, that's okay.

This class will also have a Zoom option for attending the class remotely (although, it's best to make the class in person as often as possible). You will need a stable internet connection and a Zoom-compatible device at home to be able to attend the class on Zoom, ideally a laptop or desktop computer with a working mic/camera where you can also word process and edit materials while in the meeting. But attendance is the most important thing, so make sure you can at least join the meeting.