INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

OFFICE HOURS

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

GRADING CRITERIA

COURSE SUBJECT OUTLINE (Major Assignments and Grading Criteria)

Points                   Letter Grade Equivalent

90% or higher          A

80-89.99%               B

70 -79.99%              C

60 – 69.99%                         D

59.99% or less         F

** Grades are never rounded up in this course.  The student will receive the grade earned.  Every student has the ability to increase his/her grade with attendance extra credit, as well as local government & community service.

Unit Exams- three unit exams and a comprehensive final will be given.  The student has from 1 am on the day the exam opens until 11:59 pm to complete each exam.  Each exam has 80 questions, where each question will lock after the answer is submitted; students are allowed 1 minute per question to answer.  The lowest test grade for the semester will be dropped; therefore, there are no makeup exams.  Exams are not open book, open note, open internet, or phone a friend.  All exams will use Respondus LockDown Browser, which will not allow the student to open any other pages/documents while taking the exam.  Any form of cheating or collusion will result in immediate failure of the course.

**The Research Assignment: Texas State House Member (Chapter 7) will also count as an exam Grade and cannot be replaced with the comprehensive final.

Late Work – All assignments will be due before the Unit Exam opens for each module, unless a special due date has been stated.  The student has the ability to complete all chapter readings, assignments, and chapter post tests in the order the student chooses.  Late assignments will not be accepted.  No assignments or post tests will be opened for any student for any reason.  Please manage your time wisely, and leave enough time to deal with any computer problems that might arise and keep you from completing your course work as required.  Submitting early is the best rule of thumb.

All Assignments must be typed and uploaded as a doc or docx document.  I will not grade assignments that have been handwritten and submitted as pdf.  In Canvas I can only use the grading function if the document is a doc or docx.  If you are using a Mac, it is your responsibility to make sure the document has been submitted correctly.  Canvas will not recognize files uploaded as .pages, which will lead to the student receiving a zero.  I highly recommend that you use Google Chrome as your browser.  Safari should never be used with Canvas.

Post Tests & Class Participation Assignments- Students will complete a post test and class participation assignments for each chapter, which are designed as a study tool for exams.  All post tests and class participation assignments must be completed prior to the opening of the Unit Exam within the Module.   Late assignments are not accepted for any reason. Students are allowed two attempts on Post Tests and Class Participation assignments, with unlimited time. Students are free to use the book/notes/assignments information to complete post tests and class participation assignments..

 Discussion Boards- Two discussion board will be used for this semester.  Students must post an original post at least two days before the unit module closes and one response post before the unit module closes.  Late discussion posts will receive a deduction of 3 points per each day late.  While students can include opinion in discussion board posts, this should always be secondary to incorporating the sources in to the discussion, as well as cite to where the sources are used.  Students are expected to behave in a professional manner at all times.  

Module- This Course consists of three Modules.  The entire Unit will open all at once.  In order to keep students on track, various assignments must be completed each Sunday, on or before 11:59pm.  The student has the ability to work ahead in the Unit as they choose.  Each Unit requires the student to complete Chapter Readings, Post Tests, and Assignments.  It is the students responsibility to manage his/her time in an appropriate manner to complete all required elements of the Module.  Once the Unit Exam opens, the assignments within the module will no longer be available to the student, unless an extended due date was given on more extensive research assignments.

** While the Canvas calendar is always up to date, it is suggested that you work through the module in the order that it is set up.  This ensures you get access to all materials needed to be successful in this course.  When students choose to work solely through the “Coming Up” list, key materials are missed.

Availability: While this class is online and available at your convenience 24 hours a day (except when IT maintenance occurs), I am not available 24 hours a day.  Please remember that in a face to face class students do not have access to the instructor all day, every day.  You should not expect that in an online class either.  During the work week, Monday through Friday, I will attempt to check my email several times a day.  However on the weekends I will check emails only during the times that I am available.  Additionally, if it is a holiday or spring break, do not expect that I will be online at all.  Therefore, it is my suggestion that you take a look at all assignments ahead of time to see if you need any clarifications before the weekend begins.

CANVAS 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 course immediately up violating this rule.  Once a student has given another person access to his/her canvas account, the credibility of any work completed becomes questionable.    

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)

** Make up Exams are not allowed in this course as the student has the ability to replace a missed exam with the comprehensive final exam.

Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is November 8, 2018.  Dropping the course is the sole responsibility of the student.

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.

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

X         Government/Political Science

o        Social and Behavioral Sciences

o        Component Area Option

o        American History

X               Critical Thinking

X              Communication

o             Empirical and Quantitative

o             Teamwork

X                Personal Responsibility

X                Social Responsibility

COURSE TYPE

STUDENT HANDBOOK

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY