Tentative Syllabus for

Physical Science

PSC 1341

ONLINE

 

Instructor:                    Stephen Milczanowski                

Office:                    C-135, South Campus       

Phone:                    646-2074        

email: smilczan@fccj.org      

web site:  http://web.fccj.org/~smilczan

Reference number:  unknown at this time.

 

Course Description:

Students will benefit by taking high school algebra or elementary Algebra prior to enrolling in this course. This course acquaints individuals with the development of the physical sciences, with the integrating principles and theories in the physical sciences, with the practice of the scientific method and with a useful knowledge of selected areas in mechanics, electricity and magnetism, periodicity and atomic structure, and nuclear phenomena. Presentation involves on-line lectures and hopefully some on-line demonstrations. While the course will include many aspects of physics and chemistry, the course is not essentially an introductory or preparatory course for any specific physical sciences. Three contact hours.

 

Required:

·        Textbook: Krauskopf,    THE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE WITH CD-ROM AND STUDENT STUDY GUIDE PACKAGE    McGraw-Hill 9th edition.

ISBN: 0-07-228193-6             

·        Access to a computer with a soundcard.  Netscape or MS Internet Explorer.  Microsoft Word is recommended.

·        A calculator.

 

Optional:   Worsfold,  The McGraw-Hill Guide to WebCT for Students.   McGraw-Hill.

ISBN:  0-07-239721-7

You can buy these books at the college bookstore near you or you can order these books online  at http://stores.efollett.com/eFollett/umbrellaPages/fccj.html . 

 

Other Resources:

 

 

Lectures and will this class really work?

In a standard science class, a student goes to lectures and discovers “how the instructor thinks.”   The students learn problem-solving skills.  Example: “If a train is traveling west at 200 miles per hour…..” 

In my online class I hope that you will find that my web pages help you in developing these problem-solving skills.  The question I would have, as a student is, “How do I take notes?”  As an answer I hope to provide pages that you will fill in as you navigate the class pages.  These will be provided for you week by week in both an Adobe Acrobat and MS word format.  My hope is that like notes you take in a traditional class, these will provide you with another reference for studying.

One might hope that using a fast computer will increase the rate of learning.  No student that I have talked to, who has survived an on-line class, has found that to be true.  Each and every one has said that when you add the time in lecture, the time doing the homework, studying and taking tests, the traditional classes take less time per week than an on-line class.  If you are a looking for a science class that will not take up much of your time, take a traditional class.  You will be better off in the long run. 

Course interaction will be provided in a computer bulletin board for the class. Students can pose questions on the homework or some other part of the class.  Other students or the instructor will hopefully answer these questions.   It is this aspect of the class that many students will find most enjoyable.  The instructor will be able to be reached by email and a student can expect a response within two working days.

The software that will coordinate the class through the Internet is WEB CT.   It runs on FCCJ’s computers and students will not have to buy it.  It is a non-trivial course management tool and you may wish to look at the optional textbook as an important resource.  Your instructor is not a computer guru and will not be able to troubleshoot your hardware and software problems. Students should be comfortable using a browser, downloading files, installing programs, and installing a plug-in.  They should be able to send and receive E-mails, be able to attach files to E-mail, and to open an attached file.  They should have, and know how to use, a word processor.

The course will be available to registered students on January 8, 2001.  Students should check the assignment page of the course weekly.

 

Quizzes:  Quizzes will be given on-line and will reflect the difficulty and material seen in lecture and in the homework. 

 

Mid-term and Final tests.   Will be given in C-202 art South Campus or at one of the designated testing sites.

 

Evaluation:

·        There will be ten on-line quizzes in the regular semester.  Quite obviously these will by necessity be open book/open notes.  They may or may not be timed.

·        There will be a mid term and a final that you will have with me or at one of the appointed proctored sites. Examinations may contain a multiple-choice section, a problems section and/or an essay section.

·        There will be two papers, each two to three pages long.  They can be submitted as an attachment via e-mail.

·        Grades should be returned within 1 week. 

Grade Breakdown

Quizes

40%

1st 2-page paper

10 %

2nd 2-page paper

10 %

Midterm

20 %

Final

20%

Total

100%

 

 

·        Course grades will be assigned as follows:

               A: 90% - 100%               B: 80% - 89.9%                C: 70% - 79.9%

               D: 60% - 69.9%               F: below 60%                    IW grades are not given.

 

 

Incompletes will be given only if: a) at least 70% of the work is completed at the time of the request and b) the student is passing with at least a "D" at the time of the request, and c) there is a valid reason such as illness, an accident, etc. . . . Doctor's notes are required for granting incomplete grades.  Other grades such as “W” (withdrawal) and “X” (audit) may be assigned according to college policies.

 

An “NP” will be given upon request if a student has missed no more than 2 online quizzes, papers or tests at the time of the request.  Requests for an “NP” grade will only be accepted until spring break (Mar 19th) and only accepted by email. Remember that in most circumstances, a drop or a withdrawal may be preferable to a “NP” because many schools may not recognize the “NP” grade. 

 

An “AW” grade will be given if a student misses the mandatory introduction and the first two quizzes.  A student unable to attend the first introductory meeting should contact the instructor immediately.

 

Academic dishonesty will result in a course grade of F.

 

For rules regarding academic dishonesty look at the following web page.  http://www.fccj.org/catalog/Rules/dueproc.html