Course Syllabus

Course Name & Number: SPAN 1411.310 Beginning Spanish I (ONLINE)

Semester & Year: Spring 2018

Course Description: Basic Spanish language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing within a cultural framework.  Students will acquire the vocabulary and grammatical structures necessary to communicate and comprehend at the beginner level.

Instructor’s Name: Elizabeth Gosch

Instructor’s Office #: 107 Flower Mound Campus

Email address: egosch@nctc.edu

Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Online.  I also check my email very frequently throughout the day, and I will respond to all emails within 24 hours.  

Textbooks & Materials Required: Jarvis, et al.  ¿Cómo se dice? 10th ed. w/ Connect (also called iLrn). Cengage, 2015.  ISBN:  978-1-305-23699-8 (book and iLrn access) Book only ISBN: 978-1-305-12648-0

Currently this bookstore packet includes Connect (here after called iLrn) access for 24 months, but you may buy the materials and access directly through Cengage as well and for shorter (6 month) subscriptions. Be aware that your iLrn subscription will include access to the electronic textbook. Some may choose to only buy the online access.  iLrn Privacy Policy. iLrn Accessibility Statement.

You must have access to a reliable computer, internet, webcam, speakers, and microphone. You will not be able to complete the required assignments without these materials. Please plan to use Mozilla Firefox as your main browser to access Connect (also called iLrn) and Canvas. Please do not wait for the last minute to turn in your work because that is when technology glitches happen the most. It is your responsibility to double check that your submissions have gone through. 

Respondus Lockdown Browser. This is a free download available here which you will use as you take your exams. Respondus Lockdown Browser Privacy Policy. Respondus Accessibility Statement.

Canvas Learning Management System. Our online classroom is located in Canvas. Canvas Privacy Policy. Canvas Accessibility Statement.

Adobe Acrobat Reader. I frequently post information in pdf format, so you will need Adobe Reader or another pdf reader to access these documents. You can download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader here. Adobe Acrobat Privacy Policy. Adobe Acrobat Accessibility Statement. Adobe Accessibility User Guide.

Technology Requirements

Screen Size

• A minimum of 1024x600. That is the average size of a netbook.

Operating Systems

• Windows XP SP3 and newer
• Mac OSX 10.6 and newer
• Linux - ChromeOS

Mobile OS Native App Support

• iOS 5 and newer
• Android 2.3 and newer

Computer Speed and Processor

• Use a computer 5 years old or newer when possible
• 1GB of RAM
• 2GHz processor

Internet Speed

• Along with compatibility and web standards, Canvas has been carefully crafted to accommodate low bandwidth environments.
• Minimum of 512kbps

Screen Readers

• The latest versions of JAWS and VoiceOver

Canvas and Respondus Tech Support: (940) 668-3335 use this number during office hours if you need immediate support, but it is preferred that you submit a ticket

iLrn Tech Support: You will complete activities online using iLrn at http://hlc.quia.com.  Please be aware that iLrn does not currently have an app for mobile devices and is not very mobile friendly at this time.  In case of any technical difficulties, students must contact Heinle Learning Center technical support at http://hlc.quia.com/support. (Tech Support).  iLrn Tech Support Phone number 1-800-990-8211.  For help with initial registration, call 800-354.9706.

*** TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES / ISSUES***

If you experience any technical difficulties / issues while working on assignments in Canvas or iLrn, it is your responsibility as the student to take the following actions:

• Contact your Course Instructor (me) immediately to notify me of the issue AND

(2) Contact the Canvas or iLrn Tech Support immediately to report the issue at the time the issue occurs, prior to the assignment due date, so that the issue can be addressed and resolved.

Minimum Technical Skills

In order to succeed in this course, you must be able to

• write, send, and receive emails
• navigate the internet to find information and access online learning components
• navigate and use Canvas and Connect (iLrn)
• upload content via the internet
• record yourself using a webcam and microphone
• download and install software
• compose, edit, format and spellcheck documents using a word processor

Grading Policy & Procedures

This course does not offer extra credit.  At the end of the semester, I apply standard rounding to everyone. An 89.49 will remain a B, but an 89.50 will round up to an A.   No exceptions.

iLrn Online Activities 15%

Oral exams (2) 15%

Written Exams (3) 60%

  Cultural Project = 4^th hour Lab component 10%
90-100% A

80-89% B

70-79% C

60-69% D

0-59%    F

Attendance Policy

Even though this is an online class, it is not self-paced. You must plan to log into Canvas at least two times a week minimum.  Each day you should review the assigned reading pages, complete the assigned iLrn activities in iLrn, and submit the attendance activity as well as other applicable work through Canvas. **Language cannot be learned in big chunks. It must be learned in small bits with frequent review of the previously covered material in order to be acquired.**

In order to show your attendance 2 times each week, you must complete the corresponding attendance activities. There will be attendance activities every Tuesday and Thursday in Canvas, and each will be due at 11:59 pm.  If you miss an attendance activity, you will be counted absent for that day.  After 4 missed attendance activities, the student will be dropped for nonattendance according to university policy.   

Late Work Policy

 No late-work will be allowed for unexcused absences (missed attendance activities online).  Only those individuals whose absences are authorized by the instructor will be eligible to make up any assessment or assignment missed.  Excused absences include the following: illness with a written excuse from a medical professional from an emergency medial appointment, death in the family, and military training.  Documentation must be provided (physician’s statement, obituary, police report, etc.) the first day upon returning to class in order for the absence to be excused.  For absences due to military training students must present their paperwork to the instructor prior to absence.  If it is not possible to document an incident, students should contact the instructor as soon as possible following the incident, and absences will be excused on a case-by-case basis.  Students with 4 unexcused absences (missed online attendance activities) will be administratively dropped from the class by the instructor.

iLRN ACCESS-  The eBook version of the textbook and iLrn activities are all maintained within the Heinle Cengage System.  Students need to be enrolled immediately in iLrn, which can be purchased at the bookstore, or online directly from Heinle Cengage through Canvas.  Via the free 3 week trial, temporary access can be used directly from iLrn Heinle Cengage for 21 days from the first day of class.  Students must be enrolled by the end of day 1, as assignments are due immediately.  Students who do not purchase iLrn account access and properly enroll in iLrn once the free 3 week trial has ended will be administratively dropped from the course for non-purchase of required materials.

iLrn (Connect)

All iLrn assignments are weighted at 15% total. iLrn houses your online textbook (eBook) and workbook activities.  You will complete assigned activities online using iLrn at http://hlc.quia.com. This portion of the course consists of activities, and assessments offering practice for all vocabulary and grammar topics introduced. All Due Dates are listed on the Course Calendar. Please be aware of the opening and closing dates for iLrn assignments, as no iLrn assignment will be re-opened once it has closed and no late iLrn assignments will be accepted. All online activities must be completed by 11:59 pm on the assigned due date in the syllabus in order to receive credit.  Please be aware that iLrn does not currently have an app for mobile devices and is not very mobile friendly at this time.  In case of any technical difficulties, students must contact Heinle Learning Center technical support at http://hlc.quia.com/support. (Tech Support).  iLrn Support Phone number 1-800-990-8211.  For help with initial registration, call 800-354.9706. 

*iLrn often asks you to repeat or continue exercises with a partner and record yourselves. You can just record air for a second or two. I'll manually go back and null out the partner work points. Also, there are other activities in iLrn that are listening activities (often marked with an L in the activity name). These are useful and wonderful activities, but I will not go back and listen to your recordings. As a student, it takes too much time to get a perfect, audible recording. As a professor, it requires me to click through too many screens to hear your work. Do these activities aloud, but not recorded. Record only a second or two of air, and move on. You'll get completion points for those activities, so be sure to record a second or two of air and you'll then see a green check mark as your grade for that activity. That means you got full points for it.

Oral Exams

There are 2 Oral Exams weighted at 15% total. Oral Exam #1 requires you to speak for 1 minute, and Oral Exam #2 requires you to speak for 2 minutes. Study Guides will be available for each Oral Exam a week prior to the actual oral exam date. You will know beforehand what the possible topics for each oral exam will be. Remember that the oral exam is about producing language on the spot and not rehearsing fully memorized scripts. Each Oral Exam will be completed in Canvas using the Respondus Lockdown Browser and requires a web cam. Each Oral Exam will be open for a 5-day testing window and must be completed by 11:59 PM on the assigned due date in the syllabus in order to receive credit. Please be aware of the opening and closing dates for the Oral Exams, as no Oral Exam will be re-opened once it has closed and no late Oral Exams will be accepted.

Written Exams

There are 3 Written Exams weighted at 60% total. Written Exam #1 and Written Exam #2 must be completed in a maximum of 80 minutes. Written Exam #3 (the Final Exam) must be completed in a maximum of 110 minutes. Study Guides will be available for each Written Exam a week prior to the actual written exam date. Due to the nature of language learning, all of the written exams will be cumulative. This means you are still responsible for remembering vocabulary, conjugations, and material from prior chapters for each exam. You will answer a variety of questions to demonstrate your understanding of the concepts covered so far. There will be auditory sections, vocabulary identification and spelling, grammar sections, and a paragraph. Each Written Exam will be completed in Canvas using the Respondus Lockdown Browser and requires a web cam. Each Written Exam will be open for a 5-day testing window and must be completed by 11:59 PM on the assigned due date in the syllabus in order to receive credit. Please be aware of the opening and closing dates for the Written Exams, as no Written Exam will be re-opened once it has closed and no late Written Exams will be accepted.

Cultural Project = 4^th hour Lab component

SPAN 1411 is a 4 hour course credit: 3 hours class lecture and 1 hour Lab component.  For your 4^th weekly Lab hour, you will complete a cultural research project which is weighted at 10%.  It will be turned in part by part throughout the semester and then revised and formatted in order to create the final version. Pay careful attention to the grading rubrics to know how you will be graded. All parts of the cultural project will be submitted in Canvas and must be completed by 11:59 PM on the assigned due date in the syllabus in order to receive credit. Please be aware of the opening and closing dates for the Cultural Project assignment parts, as no Cultural Project assignment part will be re-opened once it has closed and no late Cultural Project assignment parts will be accepted.

Grade input

I try to get work graded and back to you by the next week, but remember that the standard grade turn-around is two weeks according to university policy.

Course Calendar

Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete SPAN 1411 will meet the following learning outcomes:

1. Engage in conversations using level-appropriate grammatical structures including narrating events that take place in the present and producing questions and responses on a variety of topics dealing with everyday life.
2. Demonstrate understanding of level-appropriate spoken Spanish.
3. Write simple sentences and organize them into short paragraphs.
4. Read and comprehend level-appropriate texts.
5. Identify and discuss traditions, customs, and values of the Hispanic world.
6. Compare and contrast the traditions, customs, and values of the Hispanic world with characteristics of their own culture.

Core Objectives

Foundational Component Area:  Language, Philosophy, and Culture

• Critical Thinking Skills (CT)- to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information
• Communication Skills (COM)- to include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication
• Social Responsibility (SR)- to include intercultural competency, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities
• Personal Responsibility (PR)- to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making

Scholastic Integrity

Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion.  See Student Handbook “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct [FLB- (LOCAL)]” #18.

Disciplinary Actions [Student Handbook, #5] “When cheating, collusion, or plagiarism has occurred beyond any reasonable doubt, the instructor may give the student or students involved an “F” on a particular assignment or in the course. [See Scholastic Dishonesty FLB (Local)] The instructor shall make a written report of the incident and of the planned action to his Department Chair.  The Department Chair shall report the incident and action to appropriate instructional dean who shall review the case, notify the student and, if necessary, take further action.  This may involve either probation or suspension of the student or students in question. If such disciplinary action is deemed necessary, the Dean of Student Services shall be notified, and the action shall be taken through that office.”

Plagiarism, which should be avoided at all costs, includes the following student actions:

1. Turning in someone else's ideas, opinions, theories, or work as your own;
2. Unintentionally or inadvertently turning in someone else's ideas, opinions, theories, or work as your own as the result of failing to document sources both internally and in the Works Cited;
3. Copying words, ideas, or images from someone without giving credit; Failing to put a quotation in quotations marks;
4. Giving incorrect information about the source of information, quotations, or images;
5. Changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit;
6. Copying so many words, ideas, or images from a source that it makes up the majority of the student's work, whether or not the student gives credit.

The NCTC Student Handbook can be found here

ADA Statement

North Central Texas College does not discriminate on the basis of disability for admission or access to its programs.  The College is committed to providing equal access to its students with disabilities by providing appropriate accommodations; a variety of services and resources are made available through the ACCESS Department.  Students are responsible for notifying the ACCESS Department of their need for assistance.  Students with documented disabilities, such as mobility impairment, hearing or visual impairment, learning, and/or psychological disorders are eligible for services. 

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 Building (100) 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).

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.

Tabacco-Free Campus

NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, electronic cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco on campus property. NCTC is aware that tobacco use influences underage students, accumulates unsightly tobacco litter, and interferes with assuring clean air for all who come to NCTC. NCTC recognizes the health hazards of tobacco use and of exposure to second hand smoke. Information on a tobacco cessation program is available for students, faculty, staff who wish to stop using tobacco products. We would like to "thank you" for your help in making our campuses Tobacco-Free. For questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Vice President of Student Services at 940-668-4240.