Course Syllabus

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Contact Information: Ms. Baltosser baltosse@lcps.net

Online/Office Hours 10:20-11:15 Tues.-TRS

NOTE: Contact information for your eTeacher can be found on the Home Page.  It is important that the primary method of communication be through the INBOX button.  Other methods of contact in case of an emergency or non-access to Canvas will be listed - please keep note of this information for you and your parents.

Unit Requirements & Pacing Guides

This is an open-ended, self-paced course. The recommendation is to work through one module each week, but you may do more or less as your schedule allows (Please see suggested pacing guide. You should work through the lessons in order, however, as ideas and concepts are built upon throughout the course in a fairly linear fashion.

The course schedule (Pacing Guide) is available in the Navigation Bar in Canvas.  Please save and keep a record of all available and due dates for each unit, assignments, quizzes and the final exam.  It is the responsibility of each student to keep a copy of this pacing guide for reference.  Your eTeacher will announce any changes to the schedule.

MODULES

There are a total of 12 MODULES, each includes the following:

  • Overview & Objectives
    • Includes introduction, topics, covered, and specific module objectives
  • Read About It
    • Includes the content and instructional narrative for the module
  • Write About It
    • Writing assignments for your class Journal
  • Test Your Learning
    • Practice quizzes and assessments to test your knowledge of class concepts

MATERIALS

  • There is no textbook required for the course. All materials are contained within the course modules and the external links document.
  • You will need a blank journal of some kind for the course.This can be a hard-copy item that you purchase or you can create a digital journal on your computer.

GRADES

There are no graded assignments for the course. The quizzes are automatically graded and may be repeated multiple times for practice.

TIME COMMITMENT

Time to complete each lesson will vary depending upon your interest in the content for that lesson, the time that you spend on the narrative section (reading, looking at images, exploring links and videos), and the time that you spend writing (and the number of journal prompts you decide to complete). If you want to get the most out of the materials presented, you should plan to spend at least 4 - 5 hours on each module.

PREREQUISITE

There is no official prerequisite for this course although a writing course (such as English 101) is recommended.

Course Policies & Procedures

Your eTeacher will contact you, your parents and your Learning Coach if it appears you are having difficulty completing your assignments on time, or if the quality of your work needs improvement, or if you are not participating and regularly logging into the course.  It is important each student logs in each school day in order to check for any announcements, messages, and to review and complete assignments, discussions, quizzes and exams.  Canvas provides the eTeacher a record of log in and activity for each student.

  • Course routines: Log in each school day.
  • Due Dates: Be sure to print and follow the course Pacing Guide. Assignments are due by 11:59 pm on the due date.
  • Penalties for submitting late assignments: Submitting late assignments will cause you to fall behind in the course. Non completion of course work will result in a low grade. If you have a situation where you need extra time or will be turning in a late assignment, please notify your eTeacher immediately. 
  • Turnaround time for responses to communications: The eTeacher will respond within 24 hours.
  • Turnaround time for returning grades assignments to students: The eTeacher will grade all assignments within 48 hours of the due date.
  • Discussion participation: Discussions questions will be graded after the due date and all grading will be completed by the end of the Unit. This will allow for students to post their initial discussion and then come back later in the week to respond to others.
  • Academic Integrity: Academic integrity is important to your success in this class. Remember to cite sources you use. If the idea is not your original thought, it is important to give the original writer recognition by listing the source of the information. For more information on citing work of others and to see models of writing, check out Purdue Owl Writing Lab and also Indiana University's Writing Tutorial Services on Plagiarism: What It is and How to Recognize and Avoid It. Plagiarism is a serious academic offense.
    • if cheating is confirmed, the student's school official will be asked to advise online staff regarding appropriate consequences in accordance with school and district policy.

    Grading & Late Work Policy

    Friday due dates. Late work is Accepted until grading period ends.

    Grading Criteria

    The grading scale is based on the percentage of the total number of points correlating to a letter grade.

    100-90=A
    89-80 =B
    79-70 =C
    69-60=D
    59 and below =F

    Communications

    STUDENT/eTEACHER INTERACTION: This course is developed with an understanding that students have school access to the course if part lab time is part of their schedule and home access if completing the course outside of the regular school day. If at any point during the course students encounter technology problems or needs, it is of the highest importance to contact your site coordinator and teacher immediately.  Depending on your academic progress "real time" (synchronous) tutoring may be required. These "real-time" sessions will be arranged by each teacher, as needed using a phone conference or web conference.
  • STUDENT/STUDENT INTERACTION: Some assignments will require collaboration with your fellow students in particular through the course discussions.
  • STUDENT SITE COORDINATOR INTERACTION: Interaction with a site coordinator (Learning Coach) at your local school is available.

WHEN SHOULD YOU CONTACT YOUR eTEACHER? Contact your eTeacher if you don’t understand an assignment or if you are having trouble accessing the course materials. The method of contact should be through the INBOX button within the course on Canvas.

Technology Requirements & Basic Success

  • Access to a computer with Internet capability and a printer.  Students are required to have the computer capability of viewing and saving PDF, Power Point and Word documents.
  • A valid email address for emergencies-the primary method of communication should be through the INBOX, located in the Navigation bar in Canvas.
  • 2.The capability to print and save course materials (it is recommended that students purchase a portable thumb drive for portability). .Check regularly the course on a daily basis for Inbox MESSAGES, Announcements and Discussion Board postings.
  • Good time management skills are required in order to be successful in a course that is offered online in a distance-learning environment.
  • Students are responsible for developing and practicing good time management skills in relation to course activities and requirements.

    OTHER TECHNOLOGY

    • Screen Size: Canvas is best viewed at a minimum resolution of 800x600. To view on a device with a smaller scree, please use the Canvas mobile app.
    • Operating Systems: Windows 7 and newer | Mac OSX 10.6 and newer | Linux – Chrome OS
    • Mobile Operating System Support: As of January 5, 2019, Android apps require version 5.0 or later and iOS apps require version 11 or later. All Android and iOS both support the two most recent versions of their respective operating systems.
    • Computer Speed and Processor: Use a computer 5 years old or newer when possible
      1GB of RAM
      2GHz processor
    • Software: Some courses require specific software. See the course or message from your eTeacher for specific information of other software.
    • Modem: High Speed Internet Minimum of 512kbps (connection problems can arise with dial-up)

    • ADA Compliance & Information

      If you have or believe you have a disability, you may wish to self-identify. You can do so by providing documentation to your school. If you are not sure how to do this, contact your site coordinator or your building principal so they can help you.  Appropriate accommodations can then be provided for you.

      If you have general questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please visit the American’s with Disabilities Act website.

      Accessibility within Canvas

      Canvas officially supports the following screen reader and browser combinations:

      • Macintosh: VoiceOver(latest version for Safari)
      • PC: JAWS(latest version for Internet Explorer)
      • PC: NVDA(latest version for Firefox)
      • There is no screen reader support for Canvas in Chrome

Course Summary:

Date Details Due