Allegany College of Maryland Entrepreneurship 206 Web Syllabus

“A basic course in Sociology. Overview of the principles of Sociology using empirical knowledge and the application of the scientific method. Review of basic principles of social interaction, social roles, organization, processes, stratification, social change, group dynamics, and valuation.”

Academic Prerequisites: None

Technical requirements for the course:

If you have never taken an online course before, this course will be different for you. Our primary means of communication will be through the Internet, therefore, you should be comfortable with using the Internet and email. You must have reliable Internet access (you must provide your own ISP), an email account, and a browser (Netscape 3.0 or higher or Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher).

· If using a modem, 28.8 bps or higher is strongly recommended.

· A CD-rom on your computer is required for viewing CD lectures.

· You must have basic computer and Internet literacy skills. This includes the ability to work comfortably in a browser, send and receive email with attachments, use a search engine, and create and modify documents in MS Word. You will also need a Blackboard login account, which will be provided to you by ACM.

· You must have Windows Media Player installed on your computer. Most computer systems come with Windows Media Player already installed. If your system does not have it installed, please go to http://www.allegany.edu/dl/updates.shtml to download and install it.

· You also must have working speakers.

· You must have MS Word, or word processing software that allows you to create MS Word compatible documents.

You may also want to:

· Take the online quiz to see if distance learning is for you.

· Take the online quiz to see if you have the technical skills to succeed at distance learning.

Please note: Technical difficulties do occur during a semester. However, technical difficulties do not excuse late or incomplete assignments

Resources:

Textbook- Henslin, James, Essentials of Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach, Seventh Edition, New York: Allyn and Bacon Publishers.

· ISBN# 0-205-53920-3

· Workbook included with the text.

· “MySocLab” student access key (packaged with the textbook)

Other Materials:

Various articles, handouts – provided by the instructor.

The library, internet web sites, the instructor, and each other!

Your primary resource is the textbook. If you don't want to come to campus to pick up the book, you can either order it from the Allegany College of Maryland bookstore and ask them to mail it to you (301-784-5348, there is an additional fee for shipping) or order it online from www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, www.efollet.com, or www.half.com. If ordering online, use the ISBN number indicated above to be sure you order the correct textbook. If you choose this route, please be sure when you order that the textbook is in stock in order to avoid delays. You may start reading the text as soon as you get it, as it has a lot of content.

SMART START - If you are ordering the text from an online source, be sure to order it well in advance of the start of classes. Falling behind at the beginning of class makes the course much harder.

Course Content:

This course will present the major theories and concepts of the field of Sociology- providing an introductory background in preparation for academic transfer and applicable to contemporary life and work. Learners will develop and demonstrate an enhanced understanding of the various issues and ideas from Sociology:

· To serve as a foundation course by providing an understanding of

some of the terminology, concepts and names inherent to introduction to sociology.

· To introduce the student to the scientific method and other methods for

gathering data on human behavior in social settings.

· To help the student understand and respect people from diverse

backgrounds and cultures.

· To gain an insight into how we are socialized, and how we are

socialized differently.

· To understand the process of social stratification and types of power

and authority.

· To enable the student to gain awareness of the relevance of sociology

in his/her life and world view.

· Basically, this class can change your views of yourself, your

community, your society, your culture, and your worldview.

Course Policies

· FORM OF ASSIGNMENTS

v Reading - Students are responsible for assigned readings in the textbook, articles, and on the web.

v Pre and Post-Tests for each chapter under “Study Plan” on “MySocLab”.

v 10 Internet Homework Journal, described below.

v 15 Discussion Board postings, described below.

STUDENT CONDUCT AND PLAGRIARISM

Refer to the ACM Student Handbook.

The college has a strict policy on academic dishonesty. You are expected to understand and abide by the policy as defined in the student handbook.

The ACM student handbook defines plagiarism as:

a. “the submission, as your own work, of papers or parts of papers actually written by another;

b. including in your own work a passage written by another person without giving due credit; i.e., quoting or paraphrasing without proper citation of source.”

Academic Dishonesty also includes failure on your part to keep your current and past assignments out of the hands of other students who may misinterpret their origins. To receive credit for quantitative assignments, please show all calculations. It is also suggested that you keep a record and/or rough draft of written or other work until you have received your final grade.

For additional information on plagiarism, and how to avoid it, go to http://www.indiana.edu/%7Ewts/wts/plagiarism.html . For information on plagiarism and writing bibliographies and citations, go to www.allegany.edu/plagiarism/ .

The ACM student handbook defines cheating as “an act of conscious deception done in order to obtain an undeserved grade; or the aiding or abetting of deception in order to obtain an undeserved grade”. See the student handbook for more information about cheating and penalties.

v EXAMS

o Complete 15 weekly chapter quizzes which can be taken over the internet from home.

o Complete 4 unit exams during the semester. Exams will be given and proctored in the Student Support Services Testing Center.

v ASSIGNMENT DEADLINES

Due dates are posted in the course calendar. Please see the course calendar

for a week-by-week list. I will NOT remind you when assignments are due.

You are expected to complete all assignments on time.

v ATTENDANCE” – Failure to complete the required assignments in the first

2 weeks of class indicates “non-attendance”. Non-attendance may result in you being dropped from the course at my discretion. If at any point you choose not to continue with this class any longer, DO NOT assume I have dropped you from the class. Take responsibility of dropping yourself.

How the course is conducted

Since there will be no face-to-face class lecture, it is imperative that you are conscientious, motivated and self-disciplined. While the course is flexible in terms of when you put in the time, you can expect to average about the same amount of time as a normal lecture course -- about three hours total a week per credit. This comes out to nine hours per week. Note also that the course is NOT self-paced. Assignments are due by specific dates. You may work ahead if you like, but you may not “work behind”.

A list of all assignments and their due dates is included in the course calendar. I will not remind you of when assignments are due. You are expected to refer to the calendar and to complete all assignments on time. If you have difficulty with the assignments or have any questions, please contact me and I will be happy to assist you.

You will have opportunities to interact with other students enrolled in the course. You are encouraged to communicate with other students in the course by email, by use of the discussion board or by phone. Interacting with other students in the course will enhance your learning experience.

What you get out of this class will depend on how much you put into it. Each one of you will be helping to create the class. The more effort and participation you devote to the learning environment, the more you will derive from it. This is your education, you are paying for it, so get the most for your money!

Getting Started

You may start on the course on the first day of classes by logging into Blackboard. For information on how to log in, go to http://www.allegany.edu/dl/onlineorientation/ooblackboard.shtml. You may also want to email me. Please be sure to send me the email from the account you will be using throughout the course.

Blackboard will be the primary method for conducting the course. Be sure your email address is correct in Blackboard (see link above for information) and be sure that you change your password periodically. You are responsible for keeping your password secure.

To get started in the course, login to Blackboard, choose the course title and then read the announcement on the first page of the course. The announcement will give you instructions about how to get started in the course.

GRADING AND TESTING

Grades are based on exams, quizzes, internet homework journals and discussion board participation. The “pre” and “post-tests” for each textbook chapter on “MySocLab” are not required, but are highly recommended as they are an important resource to your success. If your semester grade is on the borderline of a higher grade, having done ALL of these pre/post-tests will raise your grade.

A total of 820 points are attainable.

Students will not receive mid-term grades in the US postal mail. However, all grades will be posted on the blackboard site, so students will always have the opportunity to review grades as soon as I have completed grading of the assignments/exams. I will complete grading of written assignments within 1to 2 weeks and will return the assignment to you using the “Digital Drop Box” in Blackboard.

Unit Exams will be proctored at the respective testing centers, depending at which campus you are registered; weekly quizzes can be taken from home and are timed.

o If using an ACM testing center, please contact the testing centers in advance to verify hours of operation. If you would like to take an exam in advance of the scheduled week please contact me to make arrangements. The exams may not be taken after the scheduled dates.

TESTING CENTER CONTACT INFORMATION

Cumberland campus: swilson@allegany.edu

Shirley Wilson, phone (301) 784-5551

Bedford campus: mclark@allegany.edu

Mary Ann Clark, phone 814-652-9319

Somerset campus: tshaffer@allegany.edu

Tiffany Shaffer, phone 814-445-9848, extension 6104

Makeup exams:

You must take the exams when they are scheduled. If an emergency does arise, you must have an official excuse and either call the faculty secretary or leave a message on my voicemail. You will need to contact me to make arrangements for a makeup exam with the approved absence.

The student’s final grade will be comprised of:

Assignment

Points

3 Exams at 100 points each, 1 at 70 points, final at 50

420

15 chapter quizzes

150

1 Internet Homework journal

100

15 Articles and Discussion Board posts

150

Total Points

820

A=820-738

B=737-656

C=655-574

D=573-492

F=491 and below

A= 90-100 B = 80-89% C = 70-79% D = 60-69% F = Less than 60%

GRADING CRITERIA

HOMEWORK JOURNAL:

There will be 10 Homework Journal Assignments over the semester, the last one due during week 14. You will be required to answer the questions that are given with the assignment in 1-2 typewritten pages per assignment. Your homework entries will consist of the exploration and application of the “major” sociological topics, ideas, models and theories to your life and worldview. An emphasis will be placed on personal examination, contemplation, reflection and insight.

You will need to write only a couple of well thought-out analytical pages per homework assignment and submit them on the “discussion board” on Blackboard. Click on “discussion board” and in the “forum” and “thread” located in that weeks folder post your work there. This will allow for your colleagues to read your thoughts, offer commentary and feedback, and provide examples for one another concerning length and depth of the assignments as we all strive for excellence.

Quizzes and Exams

Quizzes and Exams will be administered through Blackboard. The questions have been created from the textbook chapters and from the textbook publishers and will be in the form of multiple choice, true/false, and matching.

Discussion Board Posts

There will be 15 “posts” on the discussion board over the course of the semester at 10 points each for a total of 150 points. Some of these “posts” will be based on reading a sociological article, some will be responses to a posted sociological question, and some will be after accessing an internet site. Once again, depth and quality of thought is required. Your posts will be open for others to read. Offering feedback and commentary on each others work is encouraged and the hope is that we can achieve a sociological dialogue with some topics.

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE TIME

I do my best to be as prompt in my response to your work as I am able.

1) Turn-around time for most papers and tests is 1 week.

2) Email response- If your question requires a lengthy explanation/response from me, I will respond within 24-48 hours. If your e-mail is a quick question or comment, I will respond as soon as I read it.

3) Grade posting is 1 week to 2 weeks; depending on how quickly all papers are

Assignment	Points
3 Exams at 100 points each, 1 at 70 points, final at 50	420
15 chapter quizzes	150
1 Internet Homework journal	100
15 Articles and Discussion Board posts	150
Total Points	820