Course Name

American National Government

Semester & Year: Mini-Fall 2016 Online

December 12 – January 5

Instructor’s Name & Office #

Joe Ialenti

Corinth, Room 331

Phone Number: (940) 498-6295

Office Hours

By appointment

E-Mail Address: through Canvas ONLY

Catalog Description

A survey of the political system of the United States including: the United States Constitution, the three branches of the government; political theory, political parties, interest groups and the media.

Required Texts & Material

Thomas Patterson.  We the people, 11th Edition.  McGraw Hill.  ISBN: 9780078024795

Tentative Instructional Schedule

 (Subject to Change w/o Notice)

   Total Points: 840

Grading Policy & Procedures

None of the class assignments or exams is optional. If you fail to submit an assignment or exam per its instructions, you will fail the class regardless of the number of points you have accumulated.  

The Instructor reserves the right to make exceptions regarding the foregoing under extreme circumstances which the Instructor determines merit exceptions (But don’t count on it!).

·         By enrolling in this class, you acknowledge that you have internet access and that such access is stable and reliable.

·         It is totally your responsibility to read and understand the Syllabus.

·         It is your responsibility to know the Instructional Schedule

·         The Syllabus is the class’s control document. However, it is subject to changes made by the Instructor.

·         If you find any information that conflicts with the Syllabus, follow the Syllabus but contact me immediately.

·         It is your responsibility to know how to navigate Canvas and Connect and any other software that is used in this class

·         It is your responsibility to access and study Canvas and Connect and any other course material

·         It is your responsibility to frequently access class Announcements and e-mail.

·         It is your responsibility to frequently view your grades in the Grade Book.

Last day to drop with a W is December 30, 2016.

You should check Announcements and e-mail each day.

Your Connect Modules

The Instructional Schedule (tentative) above describes each Connect Module. Each Module’s Canvas and Connect material as well as Discussion Forums and Quizzes are available to you from the first class day so that you can submit them.

Make sure that you are aware of and comply with all due dates as stated in the Instructional Schedule.

Discussion Forums

There will be several Discussion Forums located in the Discussion Forums Folder in Connect. Each Forum will be open from the first day of class. However, each Forum has a due date. Participation in each requires that you post your comments about the topic (See About Discussion Forums under Start Here in Canvas.) Forums must be submitted by 11:00PM on their respective due dates (Canvas’s/Connect’s clock – not yours).

If you don’t post to a Forum, you receive 0 points for that Forum.

These Forums will provide an opportunity for you to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of their topics and class material. Each Forum is worth 50 points.

Quizzes

There will be several quizzes in this course. You’ll find them under Quizzes in Connect. All quizzes are now open, but have due dates. Each quiz is worth 10 points and consists of 10 questions. You’ll have 20 minutes to take each quiz.

Exams

There will be four (4) Exams, one for each Module. The exams are located in the Exams folder in Connect.

You will have about 2 days during which to access and submit each Exam and you’ll have 70 minutes to take each one. However, once you start an Exam you must complete it; you cannot start it, exit it, and then return to it. Each Exam is worth a maximum of 100 points. Exams are not comprehensive.  

Should you fail to take an exam when scheduled, you will be required to come to the Corinth Campus to take a make-up exam in the Testing Center if I okay it. Make-up exam questions, number, and type may vary from the online exam you missed. It is your responsibility to learn from the Testing Center about its processes and procedures.

All except Forums due by 11:59 on their respective due dates.

Grading

You have the opportunity to earn up to 840 points in this course. However, none of the assignments or exams is optional. Consistent failure to do as instructed is one reason you will be assigned a semester grade of F regardless of the number of points you have accumulated. The Instructor reserves the right to make exceptions regarding the foregoing under extreme circumstances which the Instructor determines merit exceptions (But don’t count on it!)

To calculate your percentage grade at any point in the semester, simply divide the number of points have earned by the number of points you could have earned to that point in the semester.

90-100% = A; 80-89% = B; 70-79% = C; 60-69% = D ; 0-59% = F

Attendance Policy

Participation is essential for online classes and such participation is up to you. Some students are not suited for online course success because they require a campus to drive to and a classroom to sit in with their classmates and a visible instructor to help provide motivation. Thus, it can be easy for students to procrastinate and to put off completing assignments. As a result, some students find themselves in a self-imposed time squeeze that results in their submission of a sub-par product or no submission at all.

The great majority of students do what’s required of them. To accommodate students who don’t is unfair to those who do. Well, I insist on maintaining a level playing field for all students. So, don’t put off assignments, do what you are supposed to do, learn, and achieve success.

You should check Announcements and e-mail each day. That’s how and where any class-related changes, advisories, and my comments will be posted. However, I may elect to use either Announcements or e-mail depending on certain factors. So, check them both. Remember, Canvas records all of your online activity. Conversely, it reveals your lack of activity also.

Disability Accommodations

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability.  A disability is anything that can interfere with learning, such as a learning disability, psychological challenge, physical illness or injury. Accommodations may include extra time on tests, tests in a distraction reduced environment, volunteer note taker in class, etc.

On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 in the Administration (100) Building or call 940-668-4209.  Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-668-4209 to arrange for an intake appointment with OSD.

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).

Student Success Center

The Student Success Center is designed to help all students at NCTC develop tools to achieve their academic goals.  This program also links students to FREE tutoring, including a Writing Center, a Math Lab, and free 24/7 online tutoring and helps new students acclimate to college by providing computer lab services for prospective students.  All students are invited to visit the Student Success Center on the Corinth Campus go to rooms 170, 182, or 188; on the Gainesville Campus go to rooms 114 or 111; on the Flower Mound Campus go to room 111, on the Bowie Campus go to room 124.

Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Veterans Services

The Financial Aid Office is responsible for administering a variety of programs for students who need assistance in financing their education.  The first step for financial aid is to complete a FAFSA.  For more information, please visit your nearest Financial Aid Office. 

ACCESS

(Disability Support)

North Central Texas College is committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

NCTC is required by law to provide "reasonable accommodations" to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability.  It is the student’s responsibility to provide disability documentation to the ACCESS Office which authorizes accommodations for students with disabilities.  The ACCESS Office is located in room 170 on the Corinth Campus and room 110 of the Administration (100) Building on the Gainesville Campus.  Students can also call 940-668-7731 ext. 4321 or 940-498-6207.

EEOC Statement

North Central Texas College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability in the employment or the provision of services.

Scholastic Integrity

The College may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a student accused of scholastic dishonesty. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts, or omissions related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree and/or the submission as one's own work material that is not one's own. Scholastic dishonesty may involve, but is not limited to, one or more of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion, use of annotated texts or teacher's editions, and/or falsifying academic records. Plagiarism is the use of an author's words or ideas as if they were one's own without giving credit to the source, including, but not limited to, failure to acknowledge a direct quotation. Cheating is the willful giving or receiving of information in an unauthorized manner during an examination, illicitly obtaining examination questions in advance, copying computer or Internet files, using someone else's work for assignments as if it were one's own, or any other dishonest means of attempting to fulfill the requirements of a course. Collusion is intentionally aiding or attempting to aid another in an act of scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to providing a paper or project to another student, providing an inappropriate level of assistance; communicating answers to a classmate during an examination; removing tests or answer sheets from a test site, and allowing a classmate to copy answers. Students should consult the NCTC Student Handbook for further information.