Welcome
We are pleased that you selected this independent study course to fulfill your unique educational needs. You are now a member of the Center's large and diverse student body—a student body that comes from all parts of the United States and many parts of the world.
Although the freedom to choose when and where to study is a privilege, it is also a responsibility that requires motivation and self-discipline. To succeed at independent study, you will need to develop a study plan by setting realistic goals and working toward them.
Course Introduction
Welcome to Driver Education. This course should give you some of the knowledge needed to become a well-informed, safe driver. It will in no way substitute for the countless hours you will need to spend behind the wheel of a vehicle, but it will give you some of the background information on which your driving decisions will be made.
This course will introduce the following areas of study: Missouri driving laws, the driving task, car controls, defensive driving maneuvers, intersections, natural laws, motorcycles, city traffic, highway driving, bad weather, handling emergencies, disabilities, alcohol and other drugs, vehicle ownership and maintenance, and planning trips. Along the way, we will explore current issues in traffic safety such as the speed limit, licensing age, fuel conservation, and motorcycle helmet laws. I highly suggest you share with your parents the chapter concerning maneuvers before they begin your behind-the-wheel lessons.
With this body of information, you can go on to the laboratory phase of the course—those thousands of miles spent behind the wheel of a vehicle.
Catalog Description: Designed to promote a positive attitude toward safety, this course helps students become well-informed, safe drivers. Lessons and activities focus on driving laws, the driving task, car controls, defensive driving maneuvers, negotiating intersections, and car control. Students will explore driving strategies for city traffic, rural roads, and highways, during bad weather, and handling emergencies. They will also examine how alcohol and other drugs can affect their driving, as well as the hazards involved with driving distractions, such as cell phone use.
- Lessons feature interactive, self-checking exercises to reinforce important driving concepts.
- In addition to the textbook, the course includes an interactive DVD with self-checking quizzes, practice written exams, a virtual driver video, and multi-angle 3D graphics to show driving and parking maneuvers.
- Course does not provide behind-the-wheel instruction.
- Students who plan to obtain a driver's license from a state other than Missouri should obtain the driver's guide for that state. Driver education regulations vary from state to state. If in doubt, please check with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to make sure this course meets its requirements.
Time Limit for Course Completion: 9 months. All assessments must be submitted and graded within this time.
Course Keycode: 6660
Required Textbooks/Materials
- Drive Right, by Margaret Johnson, et al. (Tenth Edition). Glenview, IL: Scott Foresman, Addison Wesley, 2000.
- Missouri Driver Guide. The Missouri Driver Guide is available online from the Missouri Department of Revenue Web site.
- Rules of the Road DVD. Jumby Bay Studios, 2003. While this course does not include any behind-the-wheel training, the DVD that is part of your course materials has numerous videos and multi-angle 3D buttons, 3D animations and graphics to help you learn important driving strategies, driving maneuvers, and traffic laws. Learning to drive is complex, and it helps to have more background before getting behind the wheel. In addition, the DVD includes practice tests and safety tips for driving and maintaining your car and tips for hazardous conditions.
How to Study for This Course
Study Hints
- Submit your first progress evaluation early. A minimum of six weeks must elapse between the date your first assignment is submitted and the date you request your final exam.
- Know how you will be assessed. Look at the grading scale and read all the information on any progress evaluations and exams.
- Review the exam information page before taking each exam. These pages include descriptions of each exam and in many cases offer hints about which topics are emphasized on the exam. Keep in mind that, unless otherwise stated on the exam information pages, CDIS examinations are supervised and must be taken at an approved proctor site.
- Be able to do all lesson objectives. Learning is active, and courses at any level are often designed with objectives or actions that can be done as evidence that you have learned something. One advantage of independent study is that learning objectives are clearly written for each lesson.
- Review the hints for independent study. This is an independent study course and is likely different from other courses you have taken. Begin by reviewing these hints, which will help you adjust your computing and study habits so you will have the best chance of earning the grade you want.
- Download an "Independent Study Planning Sheet" (pdf) to track your progress. The number of lessons, progress evaluations, and exams will directly affect how long it takes to complete any given CDIS course. As you work through this course, check your schedule often to make sure you're on track. Keep in mind that all progress evaluations and exams must be submitted and graded within the course time limit.
About the Course Developer
Lynda Stubblefield has been teaching driver education at Jefferson City High School since 1976. Before that time, she taught English and driver education in the public schools of Waynesville, Conway, and Springfield, Missouri. Mrs. Stubblefield received a B.A. degree in English in 1968 and an M.A. degree in English from Southwest Missouri State University in 1970. She completed her driver education teacher training at SMSU, Central Missouri State University, and Drury University, and she completed her master's degree at Lincoln University. In 1982 and later in 1998 she received the award of Driver Education Teacher of the Year from the Missouri Driver and Safety Education Association.
Mrs. Stubblefield lives with her husband, who works in the fields of recreation and sports officiating. When she is not busy teaching, Mrs. Stubblefield practices the piano, does needlework, reads best sellers, and loves going to the movies. She also volunteers at the Missouri Archives doing historical research.
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank several people who have been helpful in teaching me how to teach driver education. My college professors, Dale Williams and Dr. Alex Trombetta, were invaluable in encouraging me to enter the field. My co-workers have shared so many experiences, stories, and facts. In the past 29 years of teaching, I have worked with these marvelous professionals: Hershel Nichols, Gary Jones, Gary Hovis, Les Opat, Woody Fitzmaurice, Dennis Licklider, Mark Sissom, Dan Mathes, Mary Haskamp, David Fox, Dennis Vallandingham, John Thompson, Roger Claypool, and Gale Jones.
I would also like to thank my husband and daughter for their endurance throughout the writing of this project.
Technical Specifications
To complete this course, you will need access to a computer with a modern Web browser (see recommended browsers below), a working internet connection (56k dial-up or broadband), word processing software, and disk space to save your work.
Recommended Web Browsers
- Windows: Internet Explorer (versions 6.x and 7.x) or Firefox 2.x.
- Mac OS: Safari (versions 2.x and 3.x/beta) or Firefox 2.x.
Your browser should support graphics at a screen resolution of 800 x 600 or higher, run JavaScript (the browsers above do by default), and accept cookies, which are used solely to verify your login. ADA-compliant code is used throughout the course for users accessing content with a screen reader.
Word Processing Software
You will be required to upload documents in Word 97–2003/XP (.doc) or Rich Text (.rtf) format. These documents can be created in Microsoft Word (versions 97–2003/XP) or another office suite that saves in the .doc or .rtf format, such as the open-source OpenOffice or GoogleDocs online. The Center does not provide or support any word processing software, however both OpenOffice and GoogleDocs are available free-of-charge at the above links.
Virus Protection
It is suggested that you have virus protection software on your system. Symantec AntiVirus or McAfee VirusScan are recommended for PC users, and Norton AntiVirus is recommended for Mac users. Virus protection software will help to protect your system (and ours) against computer viruses. MU students can download virus protection software at the Division of IT software distribution site.
Macromedia Flash Player
You will need Macromedia Flash Player to participate in the interactive activities throughout the lessons.
Begin Coursework
Starting with the first lesson, study the lesson's purpose, objectives, and commentary. Then complete the reading assignment and any recommended study activities. Take notes and make sure you understand all the material presented in the readings. Follow this procedure for each lesson. Complete progress evaluations and exams in the order they are presented in this course.