NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE COURSE SYLLABUS

 

Course Title:	Principles of Microeconomics (Online)
Course Prefix & Number:		ECON 2302	Section Number(s):	230	Semester/Year:	December Mini-Mester 2020 (4 weeks)
Semester Credit Hours:		3	Lecture Hours:	3	Lab Hours:	0
Course Description (NCTC Catalog): Analysis of the behavior of individual economic agents, including consumer behavior and demand, producer behavior and supply, price and output decisions by firms under various market structures, factor markets, market failures, and international trade.
Course Prerequisite(s): None
REQUIRED MATERIALS: (1) Microeconomics: Principles, Problems, & Policies (eBook with Connect Access) by McConnell, Brue, & Flynn, McGraw Hill, 22nd edition   NOTE: Student payment for the textbook (eBook) & Connect Access has already been included in the tuition for the course via Inclusive Access.   Inclusive Access is a partnership between NCTC and McGraw-Hill Education, to provide the best learning resources on the first day of class. Students can gain access to McGraw-Hill’s adaptive online platforms with the latest version of the eBook at a discount. If students would like to purchase a physical copy of the textbook, they can order a discounted loose-leaf version through the bookstore.   Students who drop before the add/drop date will have their book fees credited back to their student account, and students who remain in the course will be charged a materials fee by the school to have continued access of the online platforms. If you remain enrolled in the course but wish to opt-out of access to the book please email the NCTC Bookstore with your name and student number to 1263mgr@follett.com. This program means students no longer need to swipe their credit cards to get their course materials and instructors can rest assured that all students will have the same edition of the textbook and access to the same resources.     CONNECT REGISTRATION THROUGH CANVAS: Students no longer need a course ID# or a separate website to register for Connect. Rather, the Connect website is now linked directly to Canvas, and so students will ONLY be registering for Connect through their student Canvas accounts for this course starting on the first day of class.   CONNECT ACCESS: The textbook, SmartBook, and Connect activities are all maintained within the McGraw Hill Connect System. Students need to be enrolled immediately in Connect, as multiple assignments are due the first week of class. Student payment for the textbook (eBook) and Connect Access has already been included in the tuition for the course via Inclusive Access.   CANVAS/CONNECT ACCESS: All students must have complete access to Canvas for the entire semester. It is the student’s responsibility to have access to the internet at all times, as well as having all needed programs to complete an online course. Students are not to give any other person access to his/her Canvas account. Students can be removed from the online course immediately upon violating this rule. Once a student has given another person access to his/her Canvas account, the credibility of any work completed becomes questionable.   CANVAS WEBSITE: Students can access Canvas indirectly by going to the NCTC homepage (www.nctc.edu) and clicking on the “Canvas” icon/logo. Or, students can access Canvas directly by going straight to the website for Canvas (https://nctc.instructure.com).     Connect Technical Requirements and Support Please review the following information from McGraw-Hill Higher Education before you begin any assignments in Connect.   Run a system check: To have a successful experience in Connect, you will need to ensure that your computer's system meets the requirements needed to access and run your assignments (e.g.: operating system, browsers, plug-ins).  It is strongly recommended that you troubleshoot your computer at least once a week, and before every test, to be sure that you will be able to complete the required exercises.  Click on the following link to learn how to troubleshoot Connect and what the computer requirements are: http://connect.mheducation.com/connect/troubleshoot.do Get support: Connect has a Customer Experience Group (CXG) Support Center where you can connect with a tech specialist via chat, phone, or email. Click on this link to access the online support center: https://mhedu.force.com/CXG/s/ContactUs     INSTRUCTOR NOTE: Use Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers only.   In my experience, the Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers work best with Connect and are the most compatible. Thus, I strongly recommend that you only use these 2 browsers to access Connect. I do not recommend using other browsers such as Safari, Internet Explorer, etc.     If you have problems with registration or technical difficulties while completing assignments, contact CXG.  I am not tech support!  Every time you speak with a representative, you will receive a case/ticket number for reference.  Be sure to keep this number so that you can easily check up on the status of any unresolved problems and also to share with me if required.   Here is the direct toll-free phone number for the Customer Experience Group (CXG) Support Center: 800-331-5094   Here are the hours of operation for the Customer Experience Group (CXG) Support Center below: Sun: 11am - 12am Mon-Thurs: 24 hours Fri: 12 am - 8pm Sat: 9am - 7pm (All in US Central Time)     ***CONNECT TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES / ISSUES***   If you experience any technical difficulties / issues while working on assignments in Connect, it is your responsibility as the student to take the following actions:   Contact the Connect Customer Experience Group (CXG) immediately to report the issue at the time the issue occurs, prior to the assignment due date, so that the issue can be documented and resolved AND   (2) Contact your Course Instructor (me) immediately to notify me of the issue.   Do not wait until the last minute to submit assignments. Plan ahead and leave plenty of time to complete assignments by the due date and to contact Connect tech support if necessary for any technical issues. Extensions will only be given with proper documentation of error on the part of Connect. Extensions will not be given due to problems with time management, your personal computer or private internet connection. Make sure your computer is completely functional, the battery is fully charged, and you have a strong and stable internet connection before accessing Connect to submit assignments.     Technical Problem Resolution Procedure If you experience technical difficulties while completing an online assignment, follow the procedures as outlined below. Take a screen shot:  Take a screen shot/Print Screen of the monitor when the problem occurs. Save as a .pdf or .jpg file. Contact technical support: Make sure you give a complete description of your problem so the Help Desk staff will have the pertinent information in order to assist you properly. This may include: course name/reference number and/or instructor name operating system, Internet browser, and/or Internet service provider (ISP) information Print Screen file your contact information Send a message to your instructor to notify him/her of the problem: Include all pertinent information of the incident (as listed above).  You must provide the ticket/case number that you receive from technical support. This ticket provides proof of the time and date you tried to submit an online assignment.  Any notifications that do not include this ticket/case number will be invalid. Follow up: If you do not hear back from the technical support within a timely manner (less than 48 hours), it is your responsibility to follow up with the appropriate person until a resolution is obtained.

 

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name of Instructor:	Caroline Gosch Wunder
Campus/Office Location:	Gainesville campus, MSS #816
Telephone Number:	(940) 668 - 7731 Ext. 4904
E-mail Address:	cgosch@nctc.edu

 

 

OFFICE HOURS

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Online 5:00 – 7:00 pm	Online 5:00 – 7:00 pm	Online 5:00 – 7:00 pm	Online 5:00 – 7:00 pm	Online 5:00 – 7:00 pm	Online 5:00 – 7:00 pm	Online 5:00 – 7:00 pm
*All emails will be answered within 24 hours.

 

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education Course Manual/NCTC Catalog

 

At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
	Explain the role of scarcity, specialization, opportunity cost, and cost/benefit analysis in economic decision-making.
	Identify the determinants of supply and demand; demonstrate the impact of shifts in both market supply and demand curves on equilibrium price and output.
	Summarize the law of diminishing marginal utility; describe the process of utility maximization.
	Calculate supply and demand elasticities, identify the determinants of price elasticity of demand and supply, and demonstrate the relationship between elasticity and total revenue.
	Describe the production function and the Law of Diminishing Marginal Productivity; calculate and graph short-run and long-run costs of production.
	Identify the four market structures by characteristics; calculate and graph the profit maximizing price and quantity in the output markets by use of marginal analysis.
	Determine the profit maximizing price and quantity of resources in factor markets under perfect and imperfect competition by use of marginal analysis.
	Describe governmental efforts to address market failure such as monopoly power, asymmetric information, externalities, and public goods.
	Demonstrate the benefits of free trade using the concept of comparative advantage.

 

 

 

 

GRADING CRITERIA

# of Graded Course Elements	Graded Course Elements	Percentage or Point Values
24	Assignments (11 SmartBook & 13 Homework)	20%
15	Quizzes	20%
5	Exams	60%

 

 

Each student’s semester grade will be determined by the following:

       Assignments (SmartBook & Homework):      20%

       Quizzes:                                                                         20%

       Exams:                                                                            60% 

       Total:                                                                           100%

 

 

Assignments: There will be 11 SmartBook assignments and 13 Homework assignments of which your lowest 5 (five) scores will be dropped at the end of the semester.

 

The 11 SmartBook assignments are directly over textbook content and will be completed in Connect via the “Assignments” Tab in our Canvas course. SmartBook uses adaptive technology to tailor the assignment and learning experience to each individual student’s needs. SmartBook starts by identifying the topics a student knows and does not know. As the student progresses, SmartBook adapts and adjusts the content and questions on the assignment based on the individual student’s strengths and weaknesses. Each SmartBook assignment is set to take 30 - 45 minutes to complete on average. However, it may take some students more or less than 30 - 45 minutes to complete.

 

• **How quickly a student completes the SmartBook assignment depends on how many questions the student answers correctly and incorrectly. If a student answers questions incorrectly, then SmartBook will keep giving the student additional questions covering those same concepts until the student answers all of the questions correctly. Thus, if a student continues answering all of the questions that SmartBook presents him/her within the assignment, the student will eventually achieve a perfect score and earn a “100” on the assignment.

 

Please be aware of the opening and closing dates for the SmartBook assignments, as no assignment will be re-opened once it has closed and no late assignments will be accepted. You have no limit on the number of attempts on the SmartBook questions to get the correct answer, and there is no time limit. Think of this as practice!

 

The 13 Homework assignments are directly over textbook content, excluding the first “Math Review Homework” assignment and the second “Graphing Tool Homework” assignment, and will consist of 5 multi-part questions with an occasional written response question, and will be completed in Connect via the “Assignments” Tab in our Canvas course. Please be aware of the opening and closing dates for the Homework assignments, as no assignment will be re-opened once it has closed and no late assignments will be accepted.  You have 3 attempts on HW questions to get the correct answer and there is no time limit. Think of this as practice!

 

 

Quizzes:  There will be 15 Quizzes of which your lowest 3 (three) scores will be dropped at the end of the semester.  The quizzes are directly over textbook content, excluding the first “Syllabus Quiz,” and will consist of 30 multiple-choice questions and will be completed in Connect via the “Assignments” Tab in our Canvas course.  Please be aware of the opening and closing dates for the quizzes, as no quiz will be re-opened once it has closed and no late quizzes will be accepted. For the quizzes, you have 2 attempts to get the correct answer, and each quiz attempt is timed for a maximum of 45 minutes. **Note, you cannot pause the time on the quiz once you have started the attempt. If you click “save & exit” on the quiz and close the page, the time still keeps running and your attempt will be submitted automatically once the time has run out.

 

 

 

 

COURSE SUBJECT OUTLINE (Major Assignments, Due Dates, and Grading Criteria)

 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Subject to change, please see Canvas for most up-to-date schedule

 

Weekly Schedule	Topic/Assignments
Mon 12/21	DUE: Math Review Homework, Graphing Tool Homework, & Syllabus Quiz – by 11:59 PM
Tues 12/22	DUE: Ch 1 & 2 SmartBook, Ch 1 & 2 Homework – by 11:59 PM
Wed 12/23	DUE: Ch 1 Quiz, Ch 2 Quiz  – by 11:59 PM
Thur 12/24	DUE: Ch 3 SmartBook, Ch 3 Homework – by 11:59 PM
Fri 12/25	DUE: Ch 3 Quiz – by 11:59 PM
Sat 12/26	DUE: Exam 1 (Ch’s 1, 2, 3) – by 11:59 PM
Sun 12/27	DUE: Ch 4 & 5 SmartBook, Ch 4 & 5 Homework – by 11:59 PM
Mon 12/28	DUE: Ch 4 & 5 Quiz, Ch 6 SmartBook – by 11:59 PM
Tues 12/29	DUE: Ch 6 Homework, Ch 6 Quiz – by 11:59 PM
Wed 12/30	DUE: Ch 7 SmartBook, Ch 7 Homework – by 11:59 PM
Thur 12/31	DUE: Ch 7 Quiz – by 11:59 PM
Fri 1/1	DUE: Exam 2 (Ch’s 4 & 5, 6, 7) – by 11:59 PM
Sat 1/2	DUE: Ch 9 SmartBook, Ch 9 Homework – by 11:59 PM
Sun 1/3	DUE: Ch 9 Quiz, Ch 10 & 11 SmartBook – by 11:59 PM
Mon 1/4	DUE: Ch 10 & 11 Homework, Ch 10 Quiz – by 11:59 PM
Tues 1/5	DUE: Ch 11 Quiz – by 11:59 PM
Tues 1/5	Last Day to Drop the Course and Withdraw with a “W”
Wed 1/6	DUE: Exam 3 (Ch’s 9, 10, 11) – by 11:59 PM
Thur 1/7	DUE: Ch 12 SmartBook, Ch 12 Homework – by 11:59 PM
Fri 1/8	DUE: Ch 12 Quiz, Ch 13 & 14 SmartBook – by 11:59 PM
Sat 1/9	DUE: Ch 13 & 14 Homework, Ch 13 & 14 Quiz – by 11:59 PM
Sun 1/10	DUE: Ch 16 SmartBook, Ch 16 Homework – by 11:59 PM
Mon 1/11	DUE: Ch 16 Quiz, Ch 26 SmartBook – by 11:59 PM
Tues 1/12	DUE: Ch 26 Homework, Ch 26 Quiz – by 11:59 PM
Wed 1/13	DUE: Exam 4 (Ch’s 12, 13 & 14, 16, 26) – by 11:59 PM
Wed 1/13	DUE: Assessment Quiz – by 11:59 PM **Note: All students MUST complete the Assessment Quiz. It is a mandatory assignment required by the department for completion of the course. If you do not complete the Assessment Quiz, your lowest 1 (one) exam grade will NOT be dropped.   The Assessment Quiz covers all of the student learning outcomes for the course and is used by the department to measure what students have learned and mastered after having completed the entire course.
Thur 1/14	DUE: Final / Exam 5 (Ch’s 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14, 16, 26) – by 11:59 PM
	** The instructor reserves the right to make changes or adjustments, as she deems necessary.  Changes and/or adjustments will be announced on the Announcement page of Canvas &/or Connect.

Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered.  All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor.  It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member.  Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence.  Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work.  Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor.  A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to postpone the exam.  Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives.    Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)

 

Additional Instructor-specific Absence Policy (Online Course):

 

While attendance will not be tracked, regular logins to Canvas and Connect are crucial to successful completion of this course.  It is up to you to keep up with due dates and announcements. Note: I DO NOT drop students-- if you stop logging into Canvas and completing assignments in Connect, and do not drop the class, you will receive an “F” in the course.  It is YOUR responsibility to drop the class or withdraw if you so choose.

 

Last day to withdraw from the course with a “W” is _____ Tuesday, January 5th, 2021 _______.

COVID-19 Specific Syllabi Statements Fall 2020

 

Syllabi statement regarding potential Conversion of Onsite Classes to Online/Remote Format: North Central Texas College students should be aware that in the event of a college closure due to COVID-19, onsite classes will be converted to an online/remote format. Students should plan ahead to ensure they have access to the computer equipment (either PC, MAC, or tablet), webcam, and internet connectivity to continue their classes in an online/remote format. Please read all your official North Central Texas College student emails as the transition from onsite to online/remote might require a reorganization in your personal situation. Students will be granted a 72-hour transition and grace period. Online classes will continue as scheduled without disruption. Wear a mask, stay safe, and contact your Instructor as the situation arises. These policies and procedures were updated on July 30, 2020 and are subject to change.

 

Syllabi Statement Regarding Face Coverings: Per the North Central Texas College guidance on face coverings on campus, in the instructional setting, faculty and students must wear face coverings, such as masks or face shields. Students without coverings, or those who do not comply with the rules relating to face coverings, will not be able to participate in on-campus classroom activities. To request an exception to this requirement, students should contact the NCTC HR Office of Enrollment Management (ccove@nctc.edu). Failure to comply with the face coverings requirement may result in the Instructor directing the student to leave the classroom. Any student asked to leave the classroom may be referred to the student conduct officer. These policies and procedures were updated on July 30, 2020 and are subject to change.

 

Temporary COVID-19 Attendance Policy for Face-to-Face Meetings: We are facing an unprecedented situation in which all of us must be flexible and make prudent decisions in the best interest of our families, our campus, and our community. In light of this, North Central Texas College is temporarily establishing the requirement that faculty keep records of student attendance for face-to-face course meetings as well as a documented seating chart. In addition, students who are sick or need to quarantine should not attend classes. Students will not be required to provide formal documentation from a health care provider and will not be penalized for COVID-19 related absences when proper notification to campus health officials is made in accordance with the guidelines stated below.

 

Faculty will:

 

• Notify students about important course information and delivery changes through Canvas and campus email.

 

Students should:

• Provide notification to campus officials (via NCTC Daily Health Check protocol through Canvas) if they have tested positive for COVID-19 or have to quarantine so we can confirm reported absence with instructors, monitor, and assist the campus community.
• Notify instructors in advance of the absence.
• Connect with that class through Webex if the class session is being transmitted in a hybrid fashion.
• Keep up with and/or make up missed classwork or assignments.
• Submit assignments digitally through Canvas or other means as announced by your instructor.
• Work with their instructors to reschedule exams, labs, and other critical academic activities described in the course syllabus.
• Check Canvas and campus email daily to receive important announcements pertaining to the course.

During this period, faculty with face-to-face meetings will establish assigned seating/work stations to facilitate roll-taking, and, if necessary, contact tracing. Additionally, we ask all members of the College community to be attentive to their health, and safeguard others, by following the CDC’s guideline to “stay home when you are sick.” You should stay home if you have symptoms. More information on what to do if you are sick is available at the CDC’s website.

Additional NCTC information is available at http://www.nctc.edu/coronavirus/index.html

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides support services for students with disabilities, students enrolled in technical areas of study, and students who are classified as special populations (i.e. single parents).

Support services for students with disabilities might include appropriate and reasonable accommodations, or they may be in the form of personal counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, etc.  Furthermore, OSD Counselors work with students to encourage self-advocacy and promote empowerment. The Counselors also provides resource information, disability-related information, and adaptive technology for students who qualify.

For support, please contact the counselors at (940) 498-6207 or (940) 668-4321.  Alternatively, students may stop by Room 170 in Corinth or Room 110 in Gainesville.

North Central Texas College is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112). http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/SupportServices/Disabilityservices.aspx  

 

 

 

CORE CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT AREA (For classes in the Core)_______     

o         Communication

o         Mathematics              

o         Life and Physical Science

o         Language, Philosophy & Culture

o         Creative Arts

 

            Government/Political Science

X         Social and Behavioral Sciences

o         Component Area Option

o         American History

 

X             Critical Thinking

X              Communication

X              Empirical and Quantitative

 

o           Teamwork

                Personal Responsibility

X              Social Responsibility