INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

STUDENT HOURS (OFFICE HOURS)

Each week instructors have time set aside to meet with students outside of class. (Traditionally these times have been called “office hours”.) This is a time when a student may ask questions regarding the class or discuss a particular problem/topic with an instructor one-on-one.  Student hours may be held in-person or online.  See below for instructions on where/when/how instructors will offer student hours in this class.

Appointment Options:

WebEx appointments are available based on the schedule listed above in Student Office Hours.  If you need a time or day not listed above, please make your request by email to the instructor and a WebEx appointment can be arranged.

For WebEx appointments, please follow the Canvas Cisco WebEx instructions provided in this syllabus.  If you experience difficulties, please email your instructor for assistance.

DOWNLOAD the WebEx App – This is a MUST!

• Select & install the Cisco WebEx App on your laptop and phone.  Both will be very useful and helpful.
• Once installed, Sign In with your NCTC credentials:  student email  (EX:  BHUMBLE@student.nctc.edu) .  This will connect your Canvas course and the WebEx account.  THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT --  THE EMAIL MUST MATCH!!
• Now, you should be able to see a current list of meetings that have been scheduled.  TO JOIN A WEBEX CLASSROOM, simply press 'JOIN' at the stated date and time.

General Rules for Student Office Hours:

• Download Cisco WebEx desktop and Phone applications.  Sign in with your NCTC Student email address (ie, FirstStudentId @student.nctc.edu)
• Do not schedule more than one time block per day.  I am serving many students this semester and if extra time is needed, I can arrange that for you.
• Once you schedule an appointment, be on time and be prepared with your current work and a pencil.  In WebEx, be prepared to share your screen and have a microphone or earbuds to communicate effectively.  
• If you must cancel or reschedule an appointment, do so IN ADVANCE.  Please be respectful of your peers and the instructor's time.

How to Schedule an Appointment using Cisco WebEx:

• Log in to your Canvas course account.
• From the left Navigation bar, click Cisco WebEx.
• Click Office Hours.
• Select an available Day & Time.
• Select Confirm Meeting.
• Check your NCTC Lion Pride student email account for the meeting confirmation and Join meeting link (see instructions on setting up this account under syllabus header: STUDENT EMAIL).

All students at NCTC are assigned a student email address, also known as Lion Pride email. Lion Pride email can be accessed on the NCTC home page by clicking on MyNCTC, then the link “Lion Pride Email” to the left. After clicking the Lion Pride Email link, the Microsoft Office 365 window will open.
1. Enter your NCTC student e-mail address. (for example, Smithj123456@student.nctc.edu)

2. Enter your password (your NCTC Student ID Number, either 7 or 9 numbers).

3. From the list of Microsoft icons, choose MAIL.

4. You will be asked to set your language and local time zone (Central Time). Your account is now activated.

**It is the student’s responsibility to activate and regularly monitor the assigned NCTC (Lion Pride) e-mail account. Important announcements and notifications from the Admissions office, Financial Aid, or other college staff will be sent via the Lion Pride student email system.

For communicating with classmates and instructors, students also have an option to communicate through Canvas. Canvas messaging is NOT the same as Lion Pride e-mail. Failure to read and/or receive NCTC e-mails (either in Lion Pride or in Canvas) is no excuse for not complying with any school policy. Be sure to regularly check BOTH the Lion Pride email as well as the Canvas inbox for important messages and information.

GRADING CRITERIA

Grade Scale for Math 1324:   90 – 100% = A;   80 – 89% = B; 70 – 79% = C;  60 – 69% = D;  Below 60% = F

Grade Scale for NCBM0224:  70 – 100% = PASS (P); Below 70% = FAIL (F)

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

Testing may be administered in a variety of ways and the mode of testing may change during the semester as deemed appropriate by the instructor.  For this online class, in-person proctored testing is required.  On site testing may be done in an NCTC testing center, at test locations provided by the math division, or at another authorized testing site.  As testing dates occur, the variety of testing times, days, and locations will be made available to you.

There will be 3 regular test and 1 final exam through this course. All tests/exams will be taken in-person and be proctored in a NCTC Testing Center.  Full details about scheduling tests/exams will be provided closer to the tentative dates. No retakes will be allowed. Non-graphing scientific calculators are allowed (Ex: TI-36X PRO or TI-30X IIS) No graphing calculators or cell phone calculators permitted. Late testing will not be accepted unless given approval by instructor.

This schedule is tentative and will most likely change as the semester progresses.  It is provided so that you have a general idea of the order and speed with which we will be covering the material.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS AND ACTIVTIES

Homework will be assigned through MyLab Math. LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Students are to sign up for MyLab immediately to complete homework in a timely fashion. Instructions on how to connect to MyLab are found in Canvas and below. Throughout the week, students will also be assigned activities in Canvas which will be included in the homework category of the grading outline.

Need homework help?  You have several options:

A) MyMathLab offers guided question help resources such as View an Example, watch a video, View the Textbook,

B) Visit the Student Success Center for FREE TUTORING options,

C) send your instructor the homework question using ‘ASK My Instructor’ feature in MyMathLab Homework Help,

E) make an appointment in WebEx during the stated Student Office Hours. 

Any of these options will get you a starting place for assistance.  The important part is ASKING and NOT WAITING!

STEPS TO REGISTER FOR MyLab Math

1. On a laptop or desktop computer (Do Not use a phone or tablet) use the Google Chrome browser or Firefox browser to get to Canvas. (Browsers other than Chrome and Firefox often have difficulties with our homework system. Quite often, if you’re having an issue with the homework, simply switching to Chrome will fix the issue.)

2. In Canvas, select the tab on the left that says Courses, and select our course MATH 1324.0350

3. Select the tab in the left menu of our course that says MyLab & Mastering

4. Click on the YELLOW highlighted bar “Open MyLab & Mastering” beside the textbook icon.

5. You should see an "End-User License Agreement and Privacy Policy", scroll down and select "I Agree" (This page may be missing if you've already agreed to the policy.)

6. This should be a page with two options, "Sign in with a Pearson account" or "Create a Pearson account". If you do not already have an account, you should create a new account using your NCTC email address and your NCTC username. Also, do not use your full email address as your username, just the beginning of it (the same one you would use to login to a computer on campus)…your username should not have @student.nctc.edu in it.

7. What you should see next are a few options to purchase access into the course.

OPTION 1: Enter a purchased access code (if you have already purchased from the NCTC Bookstore or from an outside source.

OPTION 2: Purchase an instant access using a credit card, with two different options for just access to the homework, or access to the homework and an electronic copy of the textbook.

OPTION 3: Use a 14-day FREE Trial towards the bottom (in small print).  If you choose this option, make note of the date in which your free usage will expire – you will need to purchase to return to your saved course work.  This option is not advisable if you are using financial aid.

** If you are utilizing Financial Aid, you can purchase directly from the NCTC Bookstore and use Financial Aid at checkout BEFORE Sept 1, 2021.  After Sept 1 this option is no longer available.  Please make certain you understand the Instructions to retrieve your Pearson Access code when purchasing from the NCTC Bookstore. **

If for some reason any of this doesn't work, please tell me which steps you were able to complete, which steps you got stuck on, and tell me the error message you received when you got stuck (you can even take a screen shot).

QUIZZES

Quizzes will be taken online either via MyLab or in Canvas or will be a mini project. Scientific calculators will be allowed on the quiz. No graphing calculator or the use of notes are allowed during quizzes. Quizzes taken in MyLab or Canvas are timed (typically 30 – 60 minutes) and you will be allowed ONE attempt per quiz. If you close out of the quiz window for any reason, the quiz will stop and will be graded as is, so please be careful! You may not stop, pause, or re-open any quiz once it is started. Unless otherwise stated, quizzes are to be taken on an individual basis – no working in groups or with a tutor during the quiz. Think of these as if you were taking a quiz in an in-person class. Late quizzes will not be accepted unless given prior approval from the instructor. Please contact instructor with any question or issue that may arise when taking a quiz.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES MATH 1324

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES NCBM 0224

At North Central Texas College, students who test but do not meet the passing scores in ALL sections of the TSI Assessment or any other THECB approved testing measurements are required by state law to obtain TSI advising and continuously enroll in a formal college preparatory studies (developmental) program every semester until all TSI requirements are satisfied. TSI program attendance is MANDATORY. Non-compliance with the rules of attendance can result in a student being WITHDRAWN from the college preparatory and the college-level math courses. Withdrawals are subject to college policies as set forth in the college catalog.

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)

Last day to withdraw from a 16-week course with a “W” is Monday, November 1, 2021.

Students who need help with any math class can visit the NCTC Mathematics Lab to receive assistance. Sign up for an appointment or see the most current tutoring hours for all 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 160 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).   https://www.nctc.edu/catalog/student-services/office-students-with-disabilities.html 

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

           Communication

X            Mathematics

           Life and Physical Science

           Language, Philosophy & Culture

           Creative Arts

           American History

           Government/Political Science

           Social and Behavioral Sciences

           Component Area Option

REQUIRED CORE OBJECTIVES (For classes in the Core)                                                                                                             

X            Critical Thinking

X            Communication

X            Empirical and Quantitative

           Teamwork

           Personal Responsibility

           Social Responsibility

COURSE TYPE                                                                                                                                                                                      

           Academic General Education Course (from ACGM but not in NCTC Core)

X            Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course

           WECM Course

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook. https://www.nctc.edu/_documents/academics/student-handbook.pdf. 

Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion.  The use of online math solvers with submitted work is considered academic dishonesty.  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:

1.  Zero on the assignment
2. Failing grade for the course

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 or other health related crisis, 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. Contact your Instructor as the situation arises. These policies and procedures were updated on July 27, 2021 and are subject to change as conditions 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 are not required to wear face coverings, such as masks or face shields. In May, Texas Governor Gregg Abbott released an Executive Order prohibiting Government entities from mandating the use of masks. As a political subdivision of the State of Texas, NCTC will follow the Governor’s Executive Order for Government entities and effective immediately NCTC is no longer mandating the use of masks while on campus. This order does not mean that you cannot choose to wear a mask, rather it is no longer allowed to be mandated. These policies and procedures were updated on May 19, 2021 and are subject to change.

Return to Standard Attendance Protocol for Face-to-Face Meetings: In spring 2020, we faced an unprecedented situation in which all of us had to 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 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 the fall 2021 semester, 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

Tobacco-Free Campus:  NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco, on campus property.

Campus Carry: Effective August 1, 2017, a license holder may carry a concealed handgun on or about the license holder's person while the license holder is on the campus of an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education in this state. For more information, see the website at https://www.nctc.edu/campus-safety/campus-carry.html.

Parking Permits: The North Central Texas Community College District has managed traffic and parking regulations in order to ensure the safety of the campus community related to the operation and parking of vehicles on campus. These regulations apply to all operators of motor vehicles on campus. For parking permits and more information, see the website at https://www.nctc.edu/campus-safety/transportation-parking.html.