Attendance Policy

Even though this is an online class, it is not self-paced. You must plan to log into Canvas at least 2 times a week minimum.  Each day you should review the assigned reading pages, complete the assigned homework 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 Monday and Wednesday 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 administratively dropped from the course 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: critical illness with a written excuse from a medical professional from an emergency medical 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 homework 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 homework 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 continue conversation exercises with a partner and record yourselves speaking together. However, you can just skip the partner work part of those activities—since this is an online class and you will be working on your assignments individually. I will manually go back and null out the partner work points for the iLrn activities.

Cultural Lab film Quizzes = 4th 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 total of 13 weekly audio-visual culture assignments due on Fridays.  Each of these assignments consists of watching the week’s designated Spanish language cultural documentary and completing that film’s Questionnaire of guided comprehension questions.  You will submit your answers online via a quiz in Canvas on the date specified in the syllabus calendar.  Remember that the purpose of these films is to aide in your development of listening skills as well as your learning of traditional culture/customs of the Spanish-speaking world.  Additionally, you will make comparisons with your own culture as well as further investigate specified themes.  All Lab film quizzes 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 Lab film quizzes, as no film assignment will be re-opened once it has closed and no late film assignment will be accepted.

Oral Exams

There are 2 Oral Exams weighted at 10% total.  Both Oral Exam #1 and Oral Exam # 2 require you to speak in Spanish for 2 minutes on a specified topic.  Study Guides and Practices will be available for each Oral Exam 1 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 in the moment and not rehearsing fully memorized scripts. Each Oral Exam will be completed in Canvas using the Respondus Lockdown Browser and requires a Webcam. 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 Unit # 1 and Written Exam Unit # 2 must be completed in a maximum of 80 minutes. Written Exam Unit # 3 (the Final Exam) must be completed in a maximum of 110 minutes. Study Guides will be available for each Written Exam 1 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 vocabulary identification, grammar sections, reading and writing as well as listening sections. Each Written Exam will be completed in Canvas using the Respondus Lockdown Browser and requires a Webcam. 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.

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT EXAMS:

Using Respondus Lockdown Browser + Webcam Monitor Application for all Online Exams

Remember to download the Lockdown Browser Application to your computer. Without it, you will not be able to access the exams.  You also need to have a Webcam on your computer and your NCTC student ID ready.  Be aware that other forms of IDs will NOT be accepted, and will result in a zero for the exam.  Once you have downloaded the Lockdown Browser Application, you will be good for all exams in the course.

• Respondus locks all other browsers in your computer.
• Uses the Webcam monitor (camera) to video record your surroundings and activities done while taking an exam.
• Takes a picture of you and your NCTC student ID (you will need to have it ready to show it to the camera before starting the exam).
• The system sends out red flags if students are using notes or any other help to take exams.
• The system sends out red flags if it detects any other person whose image does not belong to the NCTC student ID picture.
• The system sends out red flags if a student gets up and/or leaves their chair/testing area during an exam. 
• The system sends out red flags if a student's face moves away from facing forward towards the camera.
• Allows your instructor to see and hear all activity done while taking the exam.

Academic Integrity: All exams are closed book, closed notes, closed resources. Exams must be taken alone and no communication with other individuals is allowed. The usage of electronic translators is completely prohibited. As an NCTC student, academic integrity and honesty are expected of you.  Infringements on this policy will result in a grade of 0, a warning and a student misconduct report will be filed with the Dean's office. 

Avoid Plagiarism: Any assignments that show evidence of electronic translator usage and/or is not in agreement with the level of Spanish that the student has previously demonstrated in assignments, quizzes and exams, will receive a grade of 0, a warning and a student misconduct report will be filed with the Dean's office.  

A Note on Computers:

• Take the exam early.  In the event that you have a problem with your computer, you need to have plenty of time to solve it and take the exam before the deadline.  Do NOT wait until the last minute.
• Allow plenty of time to download the Respondus Lockdown application/Launch the Browser before taking the exam.
• Allow plenty of time to complete the environment video and student ID check before taking the exam. 
• Make sure that your laptop computer is fully charged and that you have a strong and stable internet connection before starting the exam.
• Do not start any exam until you are ready to take it.
• You have one timed attempt for each exam.  The timer starts upon access and the exam will automatically close when the time is over.
• Do not navigate away from or exit an online exam without hitting the submit button as this will lock you out of the exam and invalidate your score.
• Notify Canvas Tech Support and your instructor immediately if you experience a technical issue while taking an exam. Take screen shots to document technical problems.

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.

See detailed Course Calendar Below

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

On Academic Integrity

The NCTC Department of Spanish adheres to the University’s policy on Student Academic Integrity. For all pertinent assignments and assessments, the work must be the student’s work only (unless otherwise indicated by the course instructor) and should reflect the student’s level of proficiency. Students are prohibited from asking another person (i.e. a friend, tutor, or relative) to help them develop or compose a response (oral or written) in preparation for, or while completing, an assignment or assessment that will be graded and applied to the student’s final grade in the course. This includes, but is not limited to, receiving outside assistance with drafting, revising, editing, or developing the content and structure of a response to an assignment or assessment question without consent from the course instructor. Also, the use of translation technology (any digital translation tool or app) is prohibited for all assignments and assessments and will be considered academic misconduct. Information “cut and pasted” or otherwise copied from other sources and used as answers in assignments and assessments will be considered plagiarism. If a student has any doubts whatsoever as to what constitutes any form of scholastic dishonesty, they should consult with the course instructor before submitting their work.  Cheating, plagiarism, and other examples of academic misconduct defined by University Policy will result in a grade of zero, a warning and a student misconduct report will be filed with the Dean's office. 

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.