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Modern Astronomy Astronomy 105 Online |
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Office Hours
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Summer I 2008 Office S-322F
468-3001 |
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Purpose: |
This is a survey course that will stress the historical and descriptive aspects of our knowledge of astronomy. The major aim will be to give each student an appreciation and understanding of the scope and content of our universe. The methods of science will be strongly emphasized.
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Learning
Objectives: |
• Gain an understanding of the nature of science and astronomy • Gain an appreciation for the size, scale, and structure of the cosmos • See that the universe is comprehensible through the scientific principles that can be understood by everyone • Gain an increased interest in studying current events in astronomy as a life-long learning activity • Be able to describe the characteristics of objects within the solar system including the sun, planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. • Demonstrate a basic familiarity with stellar life cycles, galaxies, and extragalactic objects.
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Materials: |
The text is The Essential Cosmic Perspective, fourth edition by Jeffrey Bennett, Megan Donahue, Nicholas Schneider, and Mark Voit. Please use this link to help you access the site and register for the course. The course ID is MARKWORTH083. I will make use of some of the online material from the author. I have left some useful tips at this link for the use of masteringastronomy, if you are having trouble.
The order of the course as well as the timing of the exams is indicated in the Course Calendar link. AST 105L, the Astronomy Laboratory is a co-requisite and a new edition of the online lab manual is available in the UC bookstore only. If you are enrolled in the online lab, please purchase the Online Lab Manual, since it contains the lecture CDs, lab prep DVD, and lab supplements. Students enrolled in the face-to-face labs may pick up copies of the lecture CDs from me in my office. Textbooks may be ordered from the SFASU Bookstore online at this link.
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EMAIL: and Electronic Communications |
The course is fully developed in myCourses (formerly WebCT) and we will be using the myCourses email facility. This is a closed email system (only myCourses traffic), so that the class email will be separate from any other email accounts you may have. It is imperative that you check the myCourses email very frequently (at least once per day). Please print important email and keep the messages in a class folder. Even though I have my titan account posted above, please contact me through myCourses for class business. I can be reached via email anytime, but interactively via chat, NetMeeting, or phone during my office hours listed above. If you want to communicate by one of the internet methods during office hours, check with me in advance. I will also be setting up arranged times for the class to meet in the myCourses chatroom. SFA maintains a technical support line at 1-888-dlsfasu (1-888-357-3278) that may be of help with your computer problems. |
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Exams: |
The test dates in the Course Calendar are deadlines by which the exams must be completed. These dates are to insure sufficient progress in the course to allow you to complete it within the semester you are enrolled. Tests can be administered in three ways: 1. In the Steen Library
InfoLab 1 at 5:30 PM on the dates in the Course
Calendar. Those who are close to 2. In my office (Science
322f), if you are close to 3. If your schedule or
your distance prohibit you from making the regular test time or place, it is
possible to test remotely. Please use the following procedure for
remote testing: • Locate a proctor and a testing site. I must approve the proctor PRIOR to the administration of the test. The site may be a local school, or a library, even your place of business, but not your home. The site must have email and FAX service. The proctor may not be a relative. • Make arrangements for the remote test 3-5 days in advance. Include the FAX and phone numbers as well as the name and email address of your proctor. • Prior to the testing time, I will email the proctor instructions, including a test authorization form and test password. You and the proctor are to sign the form and return it by FAX to me. The form verifies that you are being proctored, that you are not using your textbook or notes, and that you will not copy any testing materials. • Upon receiving the return FAX, I will make the test available to your myCourses account. The test will be a form on which you simply bubble in the correct answer. At the end of the form is a submit button to send the results to me. • Timeliness is an important part of testing as well as a courtesy to your proctor. If you have any difficulty in receiving or sending the test, please get in touch with me as soon as possible. There will be four major tests each covering a limited amount of material. Consult the calendar for a breakdown of the course content. The fourth exam will contain a special section devoted to questions pertaining to the lab. Twenty-five (25%) percent of the lab portion of the course comes from this quiz. I am required to make you aware of the University policy on academic integrity and plagiarism. |
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Homework: |
Look for the masteringastronomy assignments under Course Content. Review questions on myCourses will also be assigned for each section of the course (look under the Assessments tab). Lastly, chat participation will be used as part of the lecture grade. See the next section for point values for these activities. |
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Grading: |
Each major exam will be graded on a 100-point scale. No grade curving is done on any grade in this course. The lecture and lab grades will be combined and the same grade will be recorded for both lecture and lab.
Lecture % of Lecture % of Course
Lab % of Lab % of Course
I am aware that the sum of the lecture part of the course comes to 105%. This is your “technology bonus.” Take advantage and maximize your point totals in Reviews, Homework, and Chat Participation.
A 90 – 105 B 80 - 89 C 70 - 79 D 60 - 69 F < 60
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Technical Requirements |
Other than the minimum Web-course technical requirements for any course, students will need access to a CD-ROM drive, PowerPoint software, Real Player software. Consult the tools link at here for specific download information.
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Before the Course Begins |
· Complete the startup check list located here. · Register and pay for the course just as you would any other SFA course. · An online myCourses Orientation is provided for students who cannot come to the campus orientation at myCourses Orientation.
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Resource Links: |
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• If you have slow connectivity, you may wish to order the CD, Keys to myCourses - CD, from the Office of Instructional Technology (OIT), which contains software programs such as Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, RealPlayer, PowerPoint Viewer and others to work on your assignments. http://www.oit.sfasu.edu/myCourses/oitresources.html • If you need assistance with the technology of myCourses during the semester, we urge you to follow this procedure for help: O first, refer to the "HELP" button in their myCourses course O next, refer to the Keys to myCourses Users Guide - http://www.oit.sfasu.edu/webct/webctfaq.html O then, post a questions in the course discussion area O If the points listed above have not assisted you, contact Dr. Markworth • If you need to contact a help support person directly, contact Andra Floyd, Distance Education Support Specialist, during office hours Monday - Friday, 8 - 5, at (936) 468-1919 or 1-888-357-3278.
This syllabus and other course materials can be made available in other formats. This course meets certain objectives of the ExCET/TEKS. A copy of the objectives and course correlations is available in the ExCET Advisor's office.
F-1 Visa Holders
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