COURSE OBJECTIVE: This
course surveys the major developments in the history of the United
States
and its people to 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 at apurcell@austin.cc.tx.us
For questions, please email the instructor at apurcell@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 1301 "Study Guide" on-line, which will be e-mailed to the instructor.
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
1301
"Study Guide" on-line.
TEXTBOOK: Robert
A.
Divine et al.
America Past and Present, Volume 1, (6th edition)
DEADLINES: All
tests
must be taken in the ACC Testing Centers at the RGC, NRG, RVS, CYP,
EVC,
SMC, FBG, ROR 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: Wednesday, May 26,
2004
Test #2: Wednesday,
June 2, 2004
Test #3: Wednesday,
June 9,
2004
Test #4: Wednesday, June 16,
2004
Test #5: Wednesday, June 23,
2004
You MUST have the topic for your A-Level Objective (the term paper) approved by the instructor by Wednesday, June 16, 2004.
You MUST turn in your B-Level Objective (the analytical book review) or your A-Level Objective (the term paper) by the deadline of Monday, June 28, 2004.
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 1301 "Study Guide" on-line. 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, June 22, 2004. 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 Monday,
June 28, 2004 at 11:00AM.
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:
M T W
H 6:30AM to 11:30AM in ATT
214
 |
TELEPHONE: 223-3398 |
E-MAIL:apurcell@austin.cc.tx.us
 |
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.
|
LAST WORDS OF CAUTION:
1. If you use the RGC Testing Center for this self-paced course, please be sure to mark the Testing Center "Student Test Request Form" for "Distance Learning." Otherwise you may receive my classroom test that is slightly different from the test you are prepared to take. (A quick way to tell the difference is the distance learning tests all have 30 questions and my classroom tests have 33 questions.) Please make sure that you take the self-paced (30 question) test.
2. Be aware that the RGC Testing Center becomes exceptionally busy in the last few weeks of the semester. Therefore you may have to wait an hour or MORE from the time you arrive before you can be seated and take the test. So please plan ahead, EITHER:
a. Make sure you arrive several hours before the closing time of the RGC Testing Center
b. Use a Testing Center at another campus.
3. Please use your official name on the test scantrons and do not use "nicknames" or variations of your proper name.
