Course Orientation
(GOVT2305 –DIL)
If you have any questions after reading all the information contained in
this orientation site, please feel free to call, email or come by my office.
You can contact me at 223-3394, kevans@austincc.edu
or come by my office at 1218
This course is worth 3 credit hours. It is an approved transfer course
equivalent to University American National Government courses. This is a
sophomore level course and it is highly recommended that you complete English
Composition and History I or II before taking this course.
Required Text
The required text for this course is AM GOV by Losco and Baker published by McGraw Hill.
You may use the 2009, 2010 or 2011 edition. It can be purchased at one of the bookstores around the ACC campuses or online. There is also an electronic version of the text available at www.coursesmart.com..
In addition, you are expected to stay informed concerning current
political events through national news sources, such as the New York Times ,
the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the L.A. Times,
The Economist, or other reliable national newspapers, all available in
print or online.
Other information, including detailed assignment instructions and a course calendar, is posted online
at the course Blackboard website accessible via the ACC home page.
This course is designed as a DIL (computer based distance learning) course. What this means is that this course can be completed off campus by accessing the course blackboard site at http://acconline.austincc.edu. You will then be required to log on to the course site by entering your user id. There is a link to click on explaining what to do if you are a first time user. Your id is the first letter of your official first name followed by your ACC id #. After you enter your user id, you must enter your password, which you create.
The Blackboard course site allows me to post announcements that you will see on the main page. Please check the site regularly throughout the semester to read these announcements. The course site also contains various links on the left side of the home page that take you to information, including my contact information and the syllabus, with information on assignments and tests. There are also links to the Discussion Boards, Learning Outcomes and Chapter Quizzes.
If you are new to Blackboard, I recommend that you read the information provided via the Student Support links, including information posted on using the Discussion Board and the Grade Book.
ACC issues all students a gmail account through which all messages will be sent. You must set up your ACC email account to receive messages from me. You can access information on your account through the ACC email links provided on ACC's homepage and on the main Blackboard page.
All of your assignments may be turned in by sending them directly to me at kevans@austincc.edu. Please make sure you include your name on all emails. You may paste the assignment in the body of the email or send as an attachment. If you send an attachment, please use a common program like Microsoft Word so I do not have difficulty opening it.
Your grade will be whatever you want it to be. I do not grade on a curve; consequently, everyone can earn an "A". The course is divided into five units. For each unit you will have a quiz grade, a discussion board grade and a learning outcome grade. I will drop the lowest grade for each of these assignments, meaning your final grade will consist of your four highest unit quiz grades, your four highest discussion board grades and your four highest learning outcome grades. The possible points are distributed in this manner:
4 Unit Quiz Grades worth 100 points each
=
400
points
4 Discussion Board Grades worth 50 points each
=
200 points
4 Learning Outcome Grades worth 100 points each =
400
points
TOTAL = 1000 points
Letter grades will be assigned based on the total number of points accumulated.
900-1000 points =
90-100% = A
800-899 points = 80-89% = B
700-799 points = 70-79% = C
600-699 points = 60-69% = D
0-599 points = 0-59%
= F
Online Quizzes
There is a discussion board forum for each unit located on the course Blackboard site. You will be asked to respond to questions about U.S. policy issues by reseraching the debate online. Each discussion board forum is worth 50 points for a total of 200 points. Only the top four out of five discussion board grades will count toward your final grade. More information on how to respond to the discussion boards, including the deadlines for each, is posted on the course Blackboard site.
Learning Outcome Assignments
In the event that a student successfully completes 2/3s of the
coursework, but fails to adequately fulfill the remaining requirements and has
acceptable documentation explaining the reasons (hospitalization,
incarceration, military duty) for their inability to do so, I will give an Incomplete final grade. You are then responsible for making
arrangements with me to fulfill the remaining course requirements by the end of
the next semester. At that time, the Incomplete will be changed to the
appropriate letter grade in your files.
Withdrawal Policy
Another alternative in the case of failure to meet the course requirements, is to officially withdraw from the class. It
is your responsibility to officially withdraw from class if necessary. Withdrawal
forms are available from the Admissions Office at each ACC campus.
Instructor Conferences
My office is located in Room 212 in the Attache
building at 1209
Scholastic Dishonesty
As described in the ACC Student Handbook, scholastic dishonesty
constitutes a violation of college rules and regulations and is punishable
according to the procedures outlined in the Handbook. Scholastic dishonesty
includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an exam (either providing answers
to or stealing answers from another student), plagiarism and collusion.
Plagiarism includes use of another author’s words or arguments without
attribution. Collusion is defined as the unauthorized collaboration with
another person in preparing written work for fulfillment of any course
requirement.
In the event of scholastic dishonesty, I will meet with the student to
discuss the alleged offense. If evidence supports the charge, I will inform the
student and the Assistant Provost in writing. The Assistant Provost shall asses
a penalty appropriate to the charges and shall inform the student of such in
writing. The student may appeal the decision of the Assistant Provost.
Disability Services
If you have a documented disability and wish to request accommodations,
you should contact the Office of Students with Disabilities at any of the ACC
campuses. The office director will meet with you and recommend appropriate
accommodations and services after you have submitted the required
documentation. Individuals eligible for services include, but are not limited
to, those with chronic problems related to health, mobility, orthopedic,
hearing, vision, speech, traumatic head injury, attention deficit, learning or
psychiatric disabilities.
Academic Freedom
Please be assured that your grade will not be adversely affected by any
beliefs or ideas expressed in discussion board assignments or your news journal.
I believe every person’s views are legitimate and I expect each of you to
respect the views of others. All comments directed at other students should
reflect this mutual respect.
Additional
Information
Please contact me with any questions not answered in this orientation site. My number is 223-3394 or you can email me at kevans@austincc.edu.
Don't forget to send me the following information:
Information I Need About You
Name
Student ID Number
Street Address
Phone Number(s)
E-mail Address
Sentence telling me you have read the
orientation
information and you understand the information
Good Luck in the Course!