Course Syllabus

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MAC 2147.0300: Mathematics for Calculus

Department of Mathematics, College of Sciences

Five Credit Hours

Electronic copy of syllabus

Table of Contents

 

Instructor Information 

M 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

T F 9:30 am – 11:20 am

All times listed in this course are Eastern Time

  • Office Phone: (407) 823-3185
  • Email: Lori.Dunlop-Pyle@ucf.edu or Webcourses@UCF messaging
  • Department of Mathematics Office: MSB 0207; Phone: (407) 823-6284

Teaching Assistant 

Course Information

  • Term: Fall 2021
  • Course Number & Section: MAC 2147.0300
  • Course Name: Mathematics for Calculus
  • Credit Hours: 5
  • Class Meeting Days: MWF
  • Class Meeting Time: 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM (Note: time designated for class ends at 1:20 pm.  This extra time will be allowed for the four in-class tests.)
  • Class Location: BA1 0119
  • Course Modality: M

Enrollment Requirements 

Course Prerequisites (if applicable): Solid background in algebra or trigonometry or C.I.

Course Description

This is a course for students with a good background in mathematics who do not want to go directly into calculus.  We will cover most of chapters 1-11 in the textbook.

 

Course Materials and Resources

Required Materials/Resources

 

Third-Party Accessibility and Privacy Statements

Knewton Alta: https://www.knewton.com/privacy-policy/

 

Student Learning Outcomes

A student who has taken this course will be able to complete test and quiz questions with at least 80% accuracy to demonstrate the following:

  1. Understand the concept of a function and how to identify relations that are and are not functions. Students will also be able to identify the domain and range of a function.
  2. Understand how to create new functions by performing algebraic operations of functions and compositions of functions.
  3. Define and identify one-to-one functions and understand and be able to find inverse functions. Students will also understand the relationship between a function and its inverse when an inverse exists.
  4. Perform polynomial division and find real and complex zeros of given lower degree polynomials.
  5. Identify and graph rational functions.
  6. Identify and define exponential and logarithmic functions and graph them. Students will know and be able apply properties of logarithms and be able to solve logarithmic and exponential equations.
  7. Understand and be able to apply right triangle trigonometry and understand angle measurements.
  8. Calculate trigonometric function values of angles.
  9. Understand, know, and be able to apply the Law of Sines and the Law of Cosines.
  10. Graph the six trigonometric functions in the Cartesian plane. This includes being able to apply transformation and reflection rules to assist in graphing.
  11. Know values of the six trigonometric functions for common angles using the unit circle.
  12. Verify trigonometric identities.
  13. Apply the sum, difference, double-angle, half-angle, product-to-sum, sum-to-product, and basic fundamental trigonometric identities as well as memorize those identities that the instructor requires.
  14. Know and understand the inverse trigonometric functions along with their domains, ranges, and graphs.
  15. Solve trigonometric equations.
  16. Understand the concepts of vectors and scalars and know basic properties of vectors. Students will also be able to find sums and differences of vectors, find unit vectors, and be able to solve application problems involving vectors.
  17. Know the formula and concept of the dot product of two vectors as well as properties of the dot product. Students will also be able to use the dot product in application problems.
  18. Understand and know how to plot points and equations in polar coordinates and will be able to convert points and equations from polar to rectangular coordinates and vice versa.
  19. Solve systems of linear equations in two or three variables and find the partial fraction decomposition of a proper rational function.
  20. Use matrices to solve systems of equations.
  21. Solve given systems of nonlinear equations.
  22. Identify, graph, and know terminology for conic sections (the circle, ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola).
  23. Identify and graph parametric equations, find an equation in rectangular form that also represents the graph defined parametrically and vice versa.
  24. Understand what sequences and series are as well as the difference between them. Students will also be able to use factorial and summation notation as well as find the general term of a sequence.
  25. Identify and know properties of arithmetic and geometric sequences and series. This includes being able to find general terms and being able to evaluate the convergent series.
  26. Understand why some series can be evaluated but others cannot be.
  27. Know and be able to apply the Binomial Theorem.
  28. Understand the concept of a limit and be able to evaluate given limits graphically and numerically.
  29. Understand what tangent lines and derivatives are, the relationship between them, and how to use a limit to find some basic derivatives. Students will also understand the relationship between the derivative and the instantaneous rate of change.
  30. Be able to evaluate limits at infinity and find limits of sequences.
  31. Demonstrate improved problem solving skills by the end of the semester.

The learning outcomes will be assessed as follows:

Test 1: Learning outcomes 1-5

Test 2:  Learning outcomes 6-9

Test 3: Learning outcomes 10-17

Test 4: Learning outcomes 18-26

Final Exam: Learning outcomes 1-31

 

Delivery of Course Material

 

Face-to-Face Meetings

This course will meet face-to-face in BA1 0119 for some synchronous (“real time”) class meetings. Meeting dates and times are MWF from 11:30 am-12:45 pm.  Participation in the class meetings is required and polling questions using iClickers delivered during class meetings will make up 5% of your course grade.  Recitation will be during the class meetings on Friday from 12:15 pm-12:45 pm except for the Fridays in which we have a test scheduled.  Class meetings will be recorded in Zoom, but you will not be able to submit graded polling questions outside of the synchronous meeting times.  The Zoom recordings can be viewed by going to “Zoom” in the navigation menu in WebCourses and clicking on the tab titled “Cloud Recordings.”  You may also need to log in to your UCF Zoom account in another tab.

Please take the time to familiarize yourself with Zoom by visiting the UCF Zoom Guides at <https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/webcourses/zoom/>. You may choose to use Zoom on your mobile device (phone or tablet).

Things to Know About Zoom:

  • You must sign in to my Zoom session using your UCF NID and password.
  • Access meetings and recording by clicking on "Zoom" in the navigation menu in WebCourses.
  • The Zoom sessions are recorded and available in the "Cloud Recordings" tab in "Zoom" in WebCourses.
  • Improper classroom behavior is not tolerated within Zoom sessions and may result in a referral to the Office of Student Conduct.
  • You can contact Webcourses@UCF Support at <https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/webcourses/> if you have any technical issues accessing Zoom.

 

Asynchronous Videos

Some course content will be delivered through asynchronous videos using Panopto in WebCourses.  The pages in each WebCourses module will list links to the videos you should watch.  To access them, click on “Panopto Videos” in the navigation menu on the left side of the screen in WebCourses or click on the links in the pages in each module.  Please watch these videos by the times listed in the pages in WebCourses.  Watching these presentations before our class meetings is important as we will be doing activities during our class meetings in which knowledge of the material in the videos is assumed and class polling questions will require prior viewing of the videos.  If you have questions regarding the content in the videos, please see me during office hours or get help from the EXCEL Lab.  You can also bring questions to our class meeting sessions.  For more information about using Panopto, click on “Keep Learning” in the navigation menu in WebCourses.

 

Office Hours

Office hours will be conducted through Zoom.  A Zoom invitation is posted in a page in the first module for you to access my office hours.  You can also access this page through a link on the Home page.  Because I am setting up the office hours to be for all three of my classes, you will need to access my office hours using this link, and not by clicking on “Zoom” in the navigation menu in WebCourses as you do to access our class meetings.  The schedule and links for tutoring through the EXCEL Lab will also be listed on the same page.

 

Course Activities

Tests and Final Exam                   

Goal: The four exams help you and me assess how well you have understood recent course material.  The final exam helps you and me assess how well you understand all of the material from the course, gives you an opportunity to reflect over the course material and see broader connections of that material, and helps you assess whether you have mastered the material in order to continue to MAC 2311, Calculus with Analytic Geometry I.

 

There will be four tests and a comprehensive final exam.  Tests and the final exam will be administered in person using paper and pencil and will consist of multiple choice or short-answer questions (in which only the answer is graded) and free response problems. 

You will have the full 110-minute class period to complete each test.  The test will end at 1:20 pm, regardless of the time you arrive, so please be on time. 

Your answers, work, and notation will be graded for your free response problems.  While you take your exams, you may use a TI-30XA calculator only, but no other aids.  Your lowest test score out of the four tests throughout the semester will be dropped at the end of the semester when calculating grades.  Please note that if your test grade is a zero as a penalty for an academic integrity violation, that test grade will not be dropped.  The average of your three highest test scores (out of the four tests taken throughout the semester) is worth 50% of your course average.

 

Test Dates and Material

Test 1

Material from 8/23-9/10 (Rational Fncns.)

Fri., Sept. 17th from 11:30 am-1:20 pm 

Test 2

Material from Exp. Fncns. To 9/29

Fri. Oct. 8th from 11:30 am-1:20 pm 

Test 3

Material from 10/1-10/13 (Fund. Trig Identities to Law of Sines and Cosines)

Fri., Oct. 22nd from 11:30 am-1:20 pm

Test 4

Material from Vectors to 11/5 

Fri., Nov. 12th from 11:30 am-1:20 pm

Final Exam

All course material

Wed., Dec 8th from 10:00 am to 12:50 pm in BA1 0119 (our regular classroom)

 

Homework                     

Goal: In order to truly master the course material you must spend time regularly practicing problems related to our learning outcomes.  The online homework is designed to give you that practice along with instant feedback about whether your answer is correct to help you master the material and prepare you to be tested on it.  You should be spending a minimum of TEN to FIFTEEN hours outside of class on coursework each week (two to three hours outside of class for each of the five credit hours).  Note that most learning occurs while you are doing your homework, so this is an important component of the course.

 

We are going to use a fully integrated adaptive learning courseware called Knewton Alta. It’s designed to work the way you learn - by completing assignments.  All of your course material, including text instructions, videos, animations, and worked examples, is presented to you in Alta at the moment you need it. Once you begin an assignment, Alta recognizes pretty quickly what you know or don’t know and will adapt the assignment dynamically to your specific learning level.  When Alta identifies a knowledge gap from your past, it will give you instructional support and a few extra questions until you’ve shown that you understand the concept and can demonstrate proficiency by completing the assignment. Because Alta is adapting to your personal learning, some of you will complete the assignment quickly, and some of you may take longer. (You’ll see this in your progress bar.)  Guessing answers is highly discouraged. Guessing will only mess with Alta’s ability to recommend the right content for you and could create a longer assignment experience.  All assignments will have due dates. For each homework assignment you will earn a grade equal to the mastery you reach by the due date for that assignment. Your grade could be increased to 95% if you progress to 100% mastery within the first 24 hours after the due date. After that your grade could be increased to 90% if you progress to 100% mastery during the 24-48 hours after the due date. If your master level remains below 100% or if you progress to 100% mastery more than 48 hours after the due date, your grade will remain the same as it was on the due date.

Personal computer issues, including login errors, will NOT be a reason to offer any type of extension.    Your instructor is not able to help you with technical issues, so please contact Tech Support to help you.

If you need technical assistance while using Knewton Alta, click on the chat icon in the lower left corner of the screen.  For more information about technical support, click on the link that follows: https://support.knewton.com/en/articles/904630-how-do-i-report-feedback-or-issues

There are several websites and software systems that solve math problems using a computer algebra system (CAS).  Use of a CAS or the use of solutions from any resource for any graded assignment including online homework is a form of academic misconduct and will be treated as such.  Please refer to the section of the syllabus titled “Academic Honesty” for more information.  Disciplinary action will be taken.

Homework will constitute 17.5% of your course grade. Your two lowest homework grades will be dropped; should you miss one or two homework assignments, they will automatically count as dropped scores. Each additional missed homework beyond the first two will result in a grade of zero included in your homework average.

 

Recitation Assignments      

Goal:  The recitation assignments give you an opportunity to practice course material with multiple resources available to you: your personal hand-written notes, your classmates, your instructor, your TI-30XA calculator, your personal handwritten homework solutions, and your teaching assistant.  Thus, you can think about new concepts more deeply during class as you actively engage in the material rather than passively listen to lecture.  As you engage with the new material and questions arise, you can use the before mentioned resources to answer your questions.   This engagement and deeper thought about the material will help you to be more prepared to do your homework assignments on your own outside of class.

 

Recitation will be from 12:15 pm to 12:45 pm during our class meetings on Fridays.  You will be assigned to a study group of two to three students and will be given one or two graded problems to complete during recitation.  You are encouraged to collaborate with your group and are permitted to use your personal hand-written notes, your classmates, your instructor, your TI-30XA calculator, your personal handwritten homework solutions, and your teaching assistant to assist.  However, each student will submit his/her own unique write-up of the problems (you may not copy solutions from your group members).  The work as well as the answer and notation will be graded.  You may not use a computer algebra system (CAS), online resources, or published solutions to complete these problems (use of these aids is considered academic misconduct).  These problems may be more difficult than those we have done as examples in class.  This is in order to give you the opportunity to think through problems with multiple resources to help you.  Please use permitted resources to complete your work.  The work you complete in recitation will be completed using paper and pencil and submitted for a grade.  Recitation assignments are worth 7.5% of your course average.  The lowest recitation assignment score will be dropped at the end of the semester when calculating your course average.

 

Polling Questions

Goal: The polling questions are designed to keep you engaged with the class discussion and activities.  It also gives you and your instructor feedback to check your level of understanding of the material being discussed.

 

During our synchronous class meetings multiple choice polling questions will be asked.  These questions will make up 5% of your course average and are only available for credit during our class meetings.  You will not be able to answer them for credit while watching recordings of class meetings, nor will answers be accepted on paper.

There will be several multiple-choice clicker questions given throughout class.  Some of the questions given will be randomly chosen for scoring.  Correct answers will receive full credit, incorrect answers will receive half credit, and no credit will be given if you do not click in.  Your daily polling question grade will be calculated by averaging the scores of the randomly chosen questions for each class meeting.  The three lowest daily polling question scores will be dropped at the end of the semester when calculating your course grade.  If you have documentation to excuse an absence, please let me know as soon as possible, and we can discuss options for missed polling scores.  The polls will be administered through WebCourses, so bring a device to class to be able to access WebCourses.  If you are joining class remotely through Zoom, you will still be able to access these questions.

 

Participation                   

Goal: Participation and its components are designed to be sure you are complying with EXCEL requirements to help you succeed in the course.

 

Your participation grade will be based upon whether you are complying with weekly required hours in the EXCEL/COMPASS Lab (Technology Commons II room 223), completing your weekly study habit survey,  and turning in test corrections when required.  Each week you will earn 1 point if you have met all of the participation requirements or 0 points if you have not met all of the participation requirements.

 

Test Corrections

Goal: Test corrections are required to help you understand the material with which you struggled on the test.  This helps you both with the new material we are about to cover and helps you prepare for the final exam. 

 

If your test grade is below 70%, you will be required to write up corrections to problems in which you lost points.  These corrections need to be done on a fresh sheet of paper and uploaded into WebCourses as a PDF.  If you are not sure how to do a problem, please use your book and notes to help you.  Test corrections are due by 11:59 pm exactly one week from the day the tests are returned. Completion of these corrections is part of your participation grade, if required.  The test corrections do not affect your test grade.  Please plan ahead and do not wait until the last minute before corrections are due to submit them.  Extensions will not be granted to those who are experiencing technical difficulties or who fail to plan ahead.

Your test corrections will be reviewed by me or Ms. Parker.  If the corrections have more than minor errors, we may contact you to set up a Zoom meeting to further assist you with revising your test corrections.  Participating in the meeting and revising your corrections is required to receive credit for your test corrections if you are contacted.  We will give you a deadline for these further revisions in the email we send you to set up a meeting.

 

Weekly Study Surveys

Goal:  The weekly study surveys help you to be more aware of how you are spending your time studying for the course and helps you to consider additional strategies which you may find helpful.

 

At the end of each week you will be given a survey in WebCourses asking questions about your study strategies and work habits for that week. The surveys will be short, and their completion is part of your participation grade. To help you answer these questions and to help you be aware of how you are spending your study time, please keep a journal each week of how much time you spend on class work outside of class and what you are doing during that time (reading, working problems on Knewton Alta, working out example problems, creating flashcards for learning formulas, etc.). The purpose of this exercise is to help you utilize effective study strategies, use your time efficiently, and evaluate what strategies are helping you and which ones need to be revised.

 

Lab Hours                                                                                             

Goal:  Lab hours are required to help you succeed in the course.

Only one hour in the EXCEL/COMPASS Lab (Tech Commons II 223) will be required for the first week.  Beginning the second week of classes all students will be assigned 3 lab hours per week until after the first test has been returned.  At that point students who earn an 80% or higher on Test 1 will have no required lab hours while those who earn below 80% on Test 1 will have 3 required lab hours weekly.  These lab hours will remain in effect until Test 2 has been returned at which point the same criteria will be used to assign lab hours based on the grade of Test 2.  The procedure will then repeat once Test 3 has been returned as well.  If the average of your WebAssign scores for assignments due for the week (Monday-Sunday) is 90% or higher, we will consider that to be one of your lab hours for that week.  Please note that there will not be Nike Lab hours on Sunday evenings before Monday holidays (Labor Day and Veterans Day).  The EXCEL Lab will offer online tutoring through Zoom.  You can earn 30 minutes of lab time through Zoom daily by spending at least 28 minutes actively participating in the Zoom tutoring sessions.  A maximum of 30 minutes of lab time per day is possible using the Zoom tutoring sessions.

 

Activity Submissions

Tests and recitation assignments will be administered by paper and pencil in class on Fridays.  The final exam will also be submitted on paper and completed in person.  All other work and course resources will be accessed through WebCourses.  The Knewton Alta assignments will be completed through Knewton Alta but will be accessed by clicking on the assignment in 'Assignments' or links to the assignments in WebCourses.  You will not be logging in to Knewton Alta directly.

 

Attendance     

Goal: Class activities strive to help you understand and master the stated learning outcomes.  I want you to succeed in this course and the time we spend in class is the medium toward helping you achieve this goal.

 

Attendance of class meetings is required: Past experience indicates that the students who succeed in the class are the ones who attend, pay attention, and participate. Polling questions will be given during class meetings and make up 5% of your course average.  The lowest three daily polling scores will be dropped at the end of the semester.  If you know you will be missing a class meeting ahead of time for any reason, please notify the instructor as soon as possible, to discuss reasonable adjustments that might need to be made.

The Undergraduate Catalog states, “Reasons for acceptable absences may include illness, serious family emergencies, special curricular requirements (e.g., judging trips, field trips, professional conferences), military obligations, severe weather conditions, and religious holidays.”

If you do not feel well, please join our class live through Zoom instead of coming to class in person.

 

Regarding COVID-19 for Fall 2021

 

General Statement

I recognize and understand the difficult times we are all in. The COVID-19 pandemic impacts us all in many ways, including physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, academically, and professionally. I will work with you on challenges you may be encountering and to provide support to help you succeed. However, please keep in mind that you are accountable for your course performance.

  

Statement Regarding Masks in Classrooms

UCF expects that all members of our campus community who are able to do so get vaccinated, and we expect all members of our campus community to wear masks indoors, in line with the latest CDC guidelines. Masks are required in approved clinical or health care settings.  This guidance is for the protection of all of us and those around us outside of class who may be at high risk from COVID complications or may not be eligible for vaccination yet.  Please go to https://policies.ucf.edu/documents/PolicyEmergencyCOVIDReturnPolicy.pdf to read the UCF Covid Policy in its entirety.

 

Notifications in Case of Changes to Course Modality

If the instructor falls ill during the semester, there may be temporary changes to this course, including having a backup instructor take over the course or going remote for a short time. Please look for announcements or mail in Webcourses@UCF or Knights email for any temporary alterations to this course.

 

COVID-19 and Illness Notification

Students who believe they may have a COVID-19 diagnosis should contact UCF Student Health Services (407-823-2509) so proper contact tracing procedures can take place.

Students should not come to campus if they are ill, are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, have tested positive for COVID, or if anyone living in their residence has tested positive or is sick with COVID-19 symptoms. CDC guidance for COVID-19 symptoms is located here: (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html)

Students should contact their instructor(s) as soon as possible if they miss class for any illness reason to discuss reasonable adjustments that might need to be made. When possible, students should contact their instructor(s) before missing class.

If you are experiencing any symptoms that could be due to Covid, even mild symptoms, please do not come to campus.  You may join our class meeting live through Zoom or watch the recording of class.

 

In Case of Faculty Illness

If the instructor falls ill during the semester, there may be changes to this course, including having a backup instructor take over the course. Please look for announcements or mail in Webcourses@UCF or Knights email for any alterations to this course.

 

Course Accessibility and Disability COVID-19 Supplemental Statement

Accommodations may need to be added or adjusted since this course is in a mixed mode format. Students with disabilities should speak with their instructor and should contact sas@ucf.edu to discuss specific accommodations for this or other courses.

 

Calculators         

You may use a TI-30XA model calculator only on tests, homework, recitation assignments, the final exam , and class activities, unless otherwise stated.  Using an inappropriate calculator or a calculator when not permitted will result in a grade of zero on the assignment and possible disciplinary action.  If you are not sure whether your calculator is permitted, please ask

 

Make-up Exams and Assignments

Should you miss a quiz or exam because of official University-sponsored activities (e.g., intercollegiate athletics), religious observances (see restrictions below), legal obligations (such as jury duty), military obligations, serious illness (e.g., hospitalization) or serious family emergencies (e.g., death in the immediate family), you may make up the quiz/exam. You must however provide valid and complete documentation preferably in advance and anyway WITHIN ONE WEEK FROM THE MISSED EXAM. The test or recitation must also be made up within one week of your return from your excused absence(s).  Otherwise, a grade of zero for the missed exam/recitation assignment will be factored into your course average. It is at your professor’s discretion to determine whether the reason why you missed an exam grants a make-up exam.

Personal travel plans are not valid reasons for taking tests at a different date/time than scheduled.

The lowest of your four semester test grades will be dropped when calculating your test average. Should you miss an exam, you will receive a grade of zero, which will automatically count as your lowest exam grade.  Should you miss an exam for a reason other than those listed above, you will receive a grade of zero, which will automatically count as your lowest exam grade.

Note: If a student receives a grade of zero on an exam as a result of academic misconduct, he/she will not be allowed to make up that exam, nor to drop this zero in calculating the test average.

From page 3 of the UCF Covid Policy:

“Students who have received testing and treatment from UCF Student Health Services can request a release to return to work or school from UCF Student Health Services. Students not receiving treatment from Student Health Services or who prefer to see their own provider should contact the UCF COVID Line (407-823-2509) for a release. Student employees at UCF should provide the release to their supervisor. Students should also provide a copy of the release to their instructor(s), as needed.”

 

Assessment and Grading Procedures

The table shows the weight distribution for each assignment.

Assignment

Percentage of Grade

Test average (Highest 3 of 4 tests)

50%

Final Exam

15%

Recitation assignments

7.5%

Knewton Alta average

17.5%

iClicker polling questions

5%

Participation

5%

Total

100%

 

Letter Grade

Points

A

90 – 100 %

B+

86 – 89 %

B

80 – 85 %

C+

76 – 79 %

C

70 – 75 %

NC

Between 50% and 69% and NC criteria met

F

Between 50% and 69% and NC criteria NOT met

F

Below 50%

 

There will be no curves and no extra credit activities. Your course grade will solely depend on your performance in the graded assessments listed in this syllabus.

 

NC Grade             

To earn the grade of NC you must meet all of the following criteria

1) Course average is between 50% and 69%

2) Student must have taken all tests.  Note that even though I drop a test score when calculating your test average, no test scores are dropped when determining eligibility for the "NC" grade.  If you miss a test, you no longer qualify for an "NC."

3) Student earns 0% on no more than two online homework assignments.  Note that the two dropped homework scores are only dropped when calculating the homework average.  No homework scores are dropped when determining eligibility for the NC grade.

Consult the latest Undergraduate or Graduate catalog for regulations and procedures regarding grading such as Incomplete grades, grade changes, and grade forgiveness.

 

Grade Dissemination 

 Grades will be posted in WebCourses.

 

Communication

All official class communications will be sent to the Knights email addresses, or through WebCourses announcements. Students are responsible for checking their Knights email accounts and WebCourses announcements regularly and for the information contained in their instructors’ emails and announcements. Students should contact faculty exclusively via Knights email or via the WebCourses email; emails sent from a different email will not be answered. See www.knightsemail.ucf.edu and webcourses.ucf.edu for further information. All communication between student and instructor and between student and student should be respectful and professional. Make sure the emails you send contain your name, your section number, and a subject related to the topic about which you are writing. Please give me at least 2 business days to reply to your messages.

 

Religious Policy

It is the practice of the University of Central Florida to reasonably accommodate the religious observances, practices, and beliefs of individuals in regard to admissions, class attendance, and the scheduling of examinations and work assignments. A student who desires to observe a religious holy day of his or her religious faith must notify his/her instructor in writing at the beginning of the term (prior to 5:00 PM on Friday, September 3rd) to be excused from classes to observe the religious holy day.  Please note that documentation will be requested.

 

Financial Aid Requirement 

All faculty members are required to document students' academic activity and engagement at the beginning of each course. In order to document that you began this course, you will need to complete an activity titled “Syllabus Quiz”  in Webcourses@UCF (Canvas) no later than Friday, August 27th, 2021 by 5:00 pm. Failure to do so will result in a delay in the disbursement of your financial aid.

 

Audio and Video Recording Policy

Students may, without prior notice, record video or audio of a class lecture for a class in which the student is enrolled for their own personal educational use. A class lecture is defined as a formal or methodical oral presentation as part of a university course intended to present information or teach enrolled students about a particular subject. Recording class activities other than class lectures, including but not limited to lab sessions, student presentations (whether individually or part of a group), class discussion (except when incidental to and incorporated within a class lecture), clinical presentations such as patient history, academic exercises involving student participation, test or examination administrations, field trips, private conversations between students in the class or between a student and the faculty member, and invited guest speakers is prohibited. Recordings may not be used as a substitute for class participation and class attendance, and may not be published or shared without the written consent of the faculty member. Failure to adhere to these requirements may constitute a violation of the University’s Student Code of Conduct as described in the Golden Rule.

 

Online Learning

This is a mixed mode class, so part of the instruction is online.  You are responsible for utilizing the online instructional tools through Panopto and Knewton Alta.  Online learning is not for everyone; some people may not be able to manage a course that does not fully meet face-to-face to learn. Online learning requires lots of planning and self-pacing so that you may be successful in my course. Since I will be covering much material in 16 weeks, I would highly recommend treating this course like a regular lecture course, and keeping up with lectures and assignments. Please do not be tempted to skip two weeks of lectures and expect to catch up easily.

 

Time Commitment

For most students striving for B grades or higher, I recommend that you schedule about 15 hours per week outside of class engaging with this course. Your background knowledge/experience and other variables may require you to spend additional time. Please plan accordingly by scheduling time on your calendar now. Several factors influence student academic performance and long-term learning. Active engagement in all course activities (e.g., class participation, readings, homework, assignments, projects, studying, etc.) will contribute to your learning and to success in this course. According to research, a metacognitive learning approach combined with practice testing and distribution of practice over time is most effective. UCF offers a wide range of free academic resources to support student success, including services offered by KARS (Knights Academic Resource Services), SARC (Student Academic Resource Center), UCF Libraries, the University Writing Center, the Math Success Center, the Chemistry Tutoring Center, and VARC (Veterans Academic Resource Center). I am available during office hours if you are seeking more information on how to be successful in this course. Your academic advisor is another helpful resource to assist you in meeting the requirements of this course.

 

Cell Phones   

Cell phones must be turned off (not on vibrate) before class begins.  Use (defined as having one physically in your hand, on your desk, or on your lap) of a cell phone or any electronic device during a test will be considered contact with another person/possession of unauthorized material and will be viewed as a form of academic dishonesty because I cannot be assured that you have not accessed unauthorized material, taken a picture of the test, sent a text regarding the test, etc.  Such defined use of a cell phone during a test will result in a grade of zero and possible disciplinary action.  Thus, do not touch your phone or any electronics during a test or quiz.  Wait until after you submitted the test and have left the classroom.

 

Copyright

This course may contain copyright protected materials such as audio or video clips, images, text materials, etc. These items are being used with regard to the Fair Use doctrine in order to enhance the learning environment. Please do not copy, duplicate, download or distribute these items. The use of these materials is strictly reserved for this online classroom environment and your use only. All copyright materials are credited to the copyright holder.

 

UCF Cares

During your UCF career, you may experience challenges including struggles with academics, finances, or your personal well-being. UCF has a multitude of resources available to all students. Please visit UCFCares.com if you are seeking resources and support, or if you are worried about a friend or classmate. Free services and information are included for a variety of student concerns, including but not limited to alcohol use, bias incidents, mental health concerns, and financial challenges. You can also e-mail ucfcares@ucf.edu with questions or for additional assistance. You can reach a UCF Cares staff member between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. by calling 407-823-5607. If you are in immediate distress, please call Counseling and Psychological Services to speak directly with a counselor 24/7 at 407-823-2811, or please call 911.

 

Course Schedule

Click on the following link to see the course schedule: Course Schedule

Note: This syllabus may be partially modified.

You will be notified of any changes via WebCourses announcements.

 

 

 

University Services and Resources

Academic Services and Resources

A list of available academic support and learning services is available at UCF Student Services. Click on "Academic Support and Learning Services" on the right-hand side to filter.  

Non-Academic Services and Resources

A list of non-academic support and services is also available at UCF Student Services. Click on "Support" on the right-hand side to filter.  

If you are a UCF Online student, please consult the UCF Online Student Guidelines for more information about your access to non-academic services.

Policy Statements

Note: When you click on the '+' below, the statement should expand so that you can read it.  If this does not happen, please try refreshing your screen or switching to a different internet browser like Firefox or Chrome.

 

 

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due