COURSE
OBJECTIVE: This course surveys the major developments in the history
of the United States and its people since 1877. It also includes examples
of the literature of that history and a program of historical research.
COURSE ORIENTATION:
You have reached the online orientation.To complete the on-line orientation, please read the Syllabus and Study
Guide, complete the Information Sheet at the end of the Study Guide
and e-mail me the Information Sheet. For questions, please e-mail me
at: jlw@austin.cc.tx.us.
If you are unable to use the email connection,
you must contact me within ONE WEEK of Late Registration
to set up an appointment OR you will be dropped from the
course.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This section is a personal computer with modem (PCM) distance learning
version of the standard United States History survey course. The student
will be required to do the same amount of work and the same quality
of work as students enrolling in the classroom equivalent of the course.
This PCM course is designed for mature and capable students endowed
with a great degree of self-discipline and responsibility and knowledge
of personal computers and the Internet. If this description does not
sound like you, then you should consider dropping this section and adding
a classroom section of the course. You WILL need maturity, ability,
and self-discipline to successfully complete the requirements of any
distance learning course!
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
The student's final course grade is determined by the
quality and quantity of the student's work. The following requirements
are non-negotiable:
For the grades of "C",
"B", and "A": The student must contact the instructor, either in person,
by telephone, or by e-mail twice during the semester: once after the
completion of Test #3 and once after the completion of Test #5 Anyone
failing to make these contacts may not receive credit for the course.
For
the grade of "C":
In addition to the two course contacts, the student must take all 5
tests and make an overall course average of 70% (21 correct out of 30
questions.) Failure to meet these requirements will result in the grade
of "F". There are no further requirements.
For
the grade of "B":
the student may earn this grade
under either Option #1 OR Option #2.
For
the grade of "B" (Option #1): In addition to the
two course contacts, the student must take all 5 tests and make an overall
course average of 80% (24 correct out of 30 questions) AND complete
one B-Level Objective (the analytical book review) described in the
HISTORY 1302 (PCM) "Study Guide" handout, which will be e-mailed
to the instructor.
OR
For
the grade of "B" (Option #2): In addition to the two course
contacts, the student must take all 5 tests and score 80% (24 correct
out of 30) or better ON EACH TEST. There are no further requirements
for the grade of "B" under this option.
For
the grade of "A":
In addition to the two course
contacts, the student must take all 5 tests and make an overall course
average of 80% (24 correct out of 30 questions) AND produce one A-Level
Objective (the research paper), which will be e-mailed to the instructor.
The A-Level Objective is described in the HISTORY 1302 (PCM) "Study
Guide" handout.
TEXTBOOK: Robert
A. Divine et al. America Past and Present, Volume 2, (6th edition).
DEADLINES: All
tests must be taken in the ACC Testing Centers at the RGC, NRG, RVS,
CYP, EVC, SMC, FBG or PIN campuses. The student MAY take the tests as
early as he/she is ready, however the student MUST take the tests by
the following deadlines:
Test #1: Thursday, July 10, 2003
Test #2: Thursday,,
July 17, 2003
Test #3: Thursday,,
July 24, 2003
Test #4: Thursday,,
July 31, 2003
Test #5: Thursday,
Aug 7, 2003
You MUST have the topic for your A-Level Objective (the term paper) approved by the instructor
by Friday, July 25, 2003.
You MUST turn in your B-Level Objective
(the analytical book review) or your A-Level Objective (the term paper) by the deadline of
Saturday, Aug 9, 2003.
All of these deadlines will be strictly
enforced! There will be no extensions for these deadlines and you will
NOT receive credit for any work (either tests,
retests, or A-Level or B-Level Objectives) submitted after the forgoing
deadlines.
TESTING POLICY:
Each unit has a 30 question test that focuses on the
learning objectives found in the HISTORY 1302 (PCM) "Study Guide"
handout. You MUST score 21 correct answers out of 30 (70%) to pass the
test. If you do not pass the test the first time you take it, then you
may retest once. There are two restrictions on the retest: 1. The
highest grade possible on the retest is 70. Therefore if you have passed
the test the first time, there is no point to retaking it. You CAN NOT
make a score higher than 70 on the retest. 2. You must retest BEFORE
the deadline date for the test. You may NOT retest after the deadline
date even if you took the test for the first time before the deadline
date. Also keep in mind that ACC Testing Center policy prohibits anyone
from retesting a test on the same day they took it for the first time.
Therefore if you feel you may need to retest, you should take the test
for the first time AT LEAST one day before the deadline date.
After you test or retest, the Testing
Center will give you a "feedback" form with your score. KEEP
THIS FORM!!! If, as very occasionally happens, your test is delayed
in the intercampus mail; the "feedback" form is your proof
that you completed the test at the appropriate time. DO NOT THROW AWAY
ANY "FEEDBACK" FORM UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED YOUR FINAL GRADE
AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER!!!!!
WITHDRAWAL POLICY:
If you fail to meet the test deadlines, you ARE SUBJECT to being withdrawn
from the course by the instructor. This is at the discretion of the
instructor. If you determine during the course of the semester that
you will not be able to successfully fulfill the requirements of this
course, YOU MAY WITHDRAW YOURSELF! The deadline for withdrawing is Tuesday,
July 29, 2003. No withdrawals or reinstatements
may be made after this deadline.
COURSE COMPLETION VERIFICATION:
Each student is REQUIRED to CONTACT the instructor, either in person,
by telephone, or by re-mail after they have completed Test #3 and Test
#5. The contact after Test #5 will serve as a course
completion verification and must be done before Saturday, Aug.
9, 2003.
During this conference we will verify your test scores, review any projects
submitted for an "A" or "B", and determine your
course grade. FAILURE TO COMPLETE THIS CONFERENCE REQUIREMENT MAY IMPERIL
THE PROMPT REPORTING OF YOUR GRADE!!!! This is as much a requirement
of the course as any other grading requirement.
OFFICE HOURS: MTWTh
10:00-2:00, TW
4:00-6:00
TELEPHONE: 223-6686
INCOMPLETES: The
grade of "I" (Incomplete) will only be awarded for medical
reasons verified by a satisfactory letter from a physician. All "Incompletes"
must be completed within the first four weeks of the following semester.
There are no exceptions to this policy.
SCHOLASTIC
DISHONESTY: Any form of scholastic dishonesty by the student will
automatically earn the grade of "F" for this course.
GO
TO STUDY GUIDE