NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

GRADING CRITERIA

Grade Scale for Math 1314: 90 – 100% = A; 80 – 89% = B; 70 – 79% = C; 60 – 69% = D; Below 60% = F

Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is Thursday, July 31, 2019.

Video lectures and homework will be assigned for all sections and will be completed in MyLab Math, an online homework and course management system.  Other supplemental material is also there to help such as animations, applets, an etext, etc.  You will need to register for this ASAP, and may use a free two-week trial to do so. If you have any questions about the registration process, please feel free to email me and let me know.

Each homework assignment will begin with a number of videos that will serve as the video lectures for this course.  I suggest starting off with those entitled “Author in the Classroom”, then watching the “Example” videos if needed.  All homework assignments will be due the day of the test for which they belong.  In other words, all homework assignments for sections covered on Test One are due at 5PM on the day of Test One.  The same for Test Two, Three, and Four.  You have an unlimited number of attempts for each problem, and may work on the assignment after its due date with a 50% penalty in grade.  The homework will be available to you 24/7, and there are many places across campus that provide computers/internet in order to access the homework, therefore extensions will not be given for any reason, including technical difficulties. The course requirements can be completed from any computer with internet access. Please have an alternative plan should your computer fail, such as going to a public library.

Algebra is a cumulative subject that requires frequent practice in order to develop your skills. If one topic is confusing then the next topic is likely to be more confusing.  Also, in taking an accelerated summer course, there is A LOT of information packed into a very short time period.  To avoid getting overwhelmed and behind, do not procrastinate on working your assignments and stick to the suggested schedule. Allow yourself the opportunity to work through unexpected difficulties in understanding the material. Your proficiency with algebra and success in this course will depend on active practice; i.e., working homework problems.

There will be 4 regular exams through this course, each scheduled on a Monday evening from 6 – 8pm on the Corinth Campus.  All tests will be taken on campus IN PERSON on pen and paper, and NOT ONLINE.  If you are not able to make it the scheduled testing date, you can take your test with a proctor.  If this is not an option for you, because of distance or scheduling conflicts, you can take your tests at other times and other locations as long as the tests are proctored.  This means that it does not even have to be at NCTC (though that’s definitely an option), as many local libraries will also proctor tests.

You will need to fill out a Proctor Approval Form, which must be filled out by you and your proctor, then sent to me BEFORE your first exam.  When it comes time for you to take the test, I will send your test to your proctor through email, and once you have finished the exam they will email it back to me.  You can schedule the exam for whenever works best for you, as long as you’ve taken it by the exam date on the schedule.

No individual make-up exams will be given without an excused absence.  The final examination will be a comprehensive college algebra exam and is required of all students.

 TEST SCHEDULE:  

Test 1 – July 22 (Room 368)

Test 2 – July 29 (Room 368)

Test 3 – August 5 (Room 364)

Test 4 – August 12 (Room 211)

                        Final Exam – August 15 (Room 258)

In order to take attendance in an online course, completion of homework and quizzes will be used as the metric. 

Attendance will be taken every Wednesday and Saturday, and students will either receive full credit (present) or no credit (absent) for these checkpoints.  In all, there will be 10 checkpoints throughout the course, and each is detailed in the list below.  To receive credit for the attendance check, the student will need a score of at least 50% on at least two or four assignments by 5pm of the specified date.

   ATTENDANCE CHECK SCHEDULE:

Wed 7/17:  Check #1 – 2 assignments            Sat 7/20:  Check #2 – 4 assignments

            Wed 7/24:  Check #3 – 2 assignments            Sat 7/27:  Check #4 – 4 assignments

            Wed 7/31:  Check #5 – 2 assignments            Sat 8/3:  Check #6 – 4 assignments

            Wed 8/7:  Check #7 – 2 assignments              Sat 8/10:  Check #8 – 4 assignments

            Tues 8/13: Check #9                                       Thur 8/15: Check #10

As an incentive, if you receive full credit on 8 out of 10 attendance checks, I will replace your lowest test grade, homework average, or quiz average with your Final Exam grade (if it is higher).

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.  It is the student’s responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval by the faculty member.  Approved college-sponsored activities are also excused absences.  The instructor is responsible for judging the validity of any reason given for an 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 the absence is documented and excused by the instructor.  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)

Students who need help with any math class can visit the NCTC Mathematics Lab to receive assistance.  No appointments are necessary.  See the most current tutoring hours for all five campuses at http://www.nctc.edu/student-services/student-success/tutoring/mathematics-lab.html.

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 or call 940-668-4209.  Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-498-6207. North Central Texas College is 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/student-services/disability-services.html.

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook. http://www.nctc.edu/catalog/North-Central-Texas-College-Student-Handbook/nctc-student-handbook.html.

Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion.  Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty.  See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”.   Consequences for academic dishonesty may include a zero on the assignment or a failing grade for the course

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

          Communication

          Mathematics

          Life and Physical Science

          Language, Philosophy & Culture

          Creative Arts

          American History

          Government/Political Science

          Social and Behavioral Sciences

          Component Area Option

          Critical Thinking

          Communication

          Empirical and Quantitative

          Teamwork

          Personal Responsibility

          Social Responsibility

COURSE TYPE

CAMPUS RESTRICTIONS