American
National Government
POS
2041 – Blended – Tarpon Springs Campus
Instructor: Heather Roberson, LY 136 (727)
712-5840
Email: roberson.heather@spcollege.edu
The best way to get in
touch with me is via email either through our ANGEL course web site or at the
address listed above
Course Objectives:
This course provides a comprehensive
overview of the American political system.
Through active learning and critical thinking students will become
familiar with the philosophical foundations of American government; the
structure and functions of the three branches of government and various federal
agencies; and the many roles individuals, groups and the news media play in
American politics and policy making.
Major Learning Outcomes & Course Objectives Stated in
Performance Terms:
Below is a link to SPC’s Curriculum
Standards for POS 2041. When viewing the
list, please scroll down to #42 and select your course, POS 2401, to view the
complete document.
http://www.spcollege.edu/central/curriculum/?path=CURRICULUM+PLA-PSY/
Course Requirements:
A large volume of material is
covered in this course and students are expected to come PREPARED each day to
discuss the scheduled topic. This
includes completing the assigned reading, any additional material as well as
staying up on current events.
This class is being conducted as a
blended course, with in-class time and combined with out of class online
activity. Due to the fact that this is a
blended course, you should expect to spend at least 5 hours per week of outside
activity on this course.
Students are expected to complete a
large portion of the course on their own time, and independent of the
traditional classroom setting. That is where the online portion of the course
factors in to assist and guide students in a blended learning environment. The online portion of this course a vital
source for interaction with the material covered in this course. Students are
required to maintain frequent online course activity throughout the session.
Online activities will include, but
not be limited to: retrieving and completing scheduled assignments, accessing
instructor notes, participating in on line discussion boards, and utilizing
assessment tools. All assignments will be submitted online and out of class
assignments will be specifically designated for the days that this class does
not meet on campus. Please refer to the
course schedule for the on campus/online class dates.
Exams
There will be four (4) exams. Exams will total 100 points each, consisting
of three multiple choice and short essay exams as well as one
detailed take home essay exam.
Writing Requirements
POS
2041 is a Gordon Rule course. As part of
the class, each student is required to demonstrate college-level writing skills
through multiple writing assignments. This will be fulfilled via the following
assignments:
·
By completing the “Take Home” Essay
Exam. Your essay exam is expected to be
an in-depth college-level essay project, incorporating APA or MLA writing
formats. This assignment must include critical
analysis and thoughtful academic elaboration of the subject matter that it
covers.
·
Multiple Choice Exams - short essay
responses: Each multiple choice exam will include a
minimum of two (2) short essay questions in which students will be asked to
write a spontaneous essay focusing on specific test questions.
·
A series of web exploration
assignments. These are out of class
assignments in which students are asked to visit certain web sites that
accompany certain subjects in the course, and then either answer a series of
analytical questions or write a short essay reporting what they found on their
web site expedition.
·
Completing an “Opinion Paper” –
which will be a methodical analysis of your views on a personally selected
political topic. There are no formal
sources for this project. However, all
essays must meet college-level grammatical standards and expectations of
college-level writers.
This course is designed to meet the
college's writing requirement. Therefore, you are expected to write at
least 2,000 words to fulfill the expectations set forth by the college. A
passing grade CANNOT be awarded to those students who do not fulfill the
writing requirement for this course.
Participation
Class participation is essential to success in this
course. Students are expected to come
prepared (having read the assigned chapter) to discuss the scheduled topics,
contribute to group activities and engage in academic discussions.
There will be a series of web exploration assignments that
students will complete throughout the semester.
They will correspond with certain chapters that we are studying and will
be assigned as homework to be completed outside of class. Successful completion of these assignments
will be counted as part of your overall participation grade.
In addition, we will be discussing daily news worthy events
and political happenings. Therefore,
students should make themselves aware of current events and be familiar with
the world around them.
70% Exams 20% Opinion Paper 10% Participation
= 100%
Grading Scale: 100 – 90 A
89 – 80 B
79 – 70 C
69 – 60 D
59 and below - F
Please note that in order for this class to count towards
satisfying the Gordon
Rule requirement, you must earn a grade of “C” or higher.
Attendance / Participation Policies:
Daily attendance is essential to
success in this course. Students are
expected to attend class and complete all assignments & exams by their due
dates in order to demonstrate continuous active participation in
this course. In order to maintain active
participation in the course, students must complete web assignments as we
progress through the semester, take each exam as scheduled, and complete the
opinion paper project, in addition to weekly engagement in the course.
If a student accumulates 4 unexcused
absences or ceases to complete the scheduled assignments and/or exams in a
timely manner, he or she will be considered non-participating and therefore
eligible for a “WF” at the 60% point in the semester. If a student’s status changes to
non-participating after the 60% drop date, the student will be awarded a
failing grade for the course.
Students are responsible for all
assignments due and material covered during an absence. If you are absent it is necessary to call or
email your instructor and find out what you have missed. Again, you must contact your instructor
immediately if you miss class in order to keep current on assignments and
maintain active participation in the course.
You may withdraw yourself with a “W” on or before the designated
drop date (60% date) each semester. Students will receive a “WF” for
withdrawals after the voluntary withdrawal deadline.
Students are expected to attend the
entire class period. You should plan to
arrive on time and leave only when the class has ended. Excessive tardiness or leaving the classroom
early on a regular basis disturbs others & is not considered good academic
conduct.
Since this course touches on various
political subjects and the sometimes controversial dynamics of American
Government, it is essential for us to maintain a civil classroom
environment. Students are expected to
show the utmost respect and courtesy for their peers and those with differing
viewpoints.
Assignment/
Exam Completion:
You are allowed only one (1)
prearranged “make-up” for a missed exam.
If you do not contact me THE DAY
OF YOUR MISSED EXAM (via email, phone or other) you will receive a ZERO for the
test.
ALL
assignments will be submitted online and ALL exams will be completed online
unless prearranged with your instructor. This means that if you have any technical
concerns or documented reasons for NOT completing assignments or exams online
via ANGEL – you must arrange an alternative method of completion BEFORE the
assignment or exam is due. This is done
by contacting your instructor, discussing the concerns and obtaining written
permission to turn in assignments or exams in an alternative manner to online
submission.
ALL
assignments/exams completed through ANGEL must be submitted or completed within
the assignment or exam folder. Emailed
assignments will NOT be graded.
Again, assignments or other files that are emailed will not be accepted
and the student will receive a zero for the task. If you experience a technical problem and it
impedes your ability to submit the assignment/exam properly, it must be
documented and verified by the SPC technology helpdesk (727) 341-HELP. In addition, you must contact me before the
due date/time to let me know your technical problem. Remember, your phone works well if your
internet is out. You will know all due
dates and deadlines well in advance, so you should make sure to plan ample time,
well in advance of the due dates, to be online via your computer or the college’s
computers in order to complete coursework for this class. As with the exams, only one technical
difficulty “mulligan” is permitted if you contact me by the due/closing
date/time AND with proper documentation and verification of the problem.
Cheating
and plagiarism are strictly prohibited and will be dealt with according to SPC
policies!
SPC Syllabus addendum: Please read through the SPC policies and
deadlines.
http://www.spcollege.edu/central/asa/addendum.htm
OPTIONAL RESOURCES
Tutoring/Study Skills Information:
http://www.spcollege.edu/tsc/info_commons.htm
Technical Support Help Desk: 727-341-4357 http://www.spcollege.edu/helpdesk/
Automated System Check Tool for ANGEL:
http://www.spcollege.edu/Central/utilities/systemCheck/
Accident and Health Insurance information is available in the Business
Office
Counseling: 727-712-5761
International Students: See
Guide to Online Learning: http://www.spcollege.edu/ecampus/help/tips.htm