Big Sandy Community and Technical College Course Syllabus PS Number: Semester: Fall Year: 2017 Faculty Name: Dr. Robert Arts Title: Instructor Course Prefix and Number: AST 192 Course Credit Hours: 3 Course Prerequisites: MAT085 or a minimum ACT math score of 18. Course Title: Stars, Galaxies and the Universe Catalog Course Description: Emphasizes the Sun and the universe outside the Solar System. Has a principal theme of the origin and evolution of stars, galaxies and the universe at large. Includes topics of black holes, quasars, and the big bang model of the universe. Instructor Contact Information: Campus Location: BSCTC Building & Room: University of Pikeville HPE, Room 301B Office Hours: Online or by appointment • The class meets entirely online; therefore, due to the nature of the online environment, it is more likely that we will meet online to discuss issues/questions related to the course. Feel free to either post a question within Blackboard or to email me directly! Students wishing to meet with me at my University of Pikeville office simply need to contact me for an appointment. Office Phone Number: 606-218-5476 Alternate Number: 606-437-0103 (home) Best Times to Call: (Office) M-F 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. or (Home) any time after 9:00 a.m. ET or before 9:00 p.m. ET • Please do leave a message if you call; don’t assume just because you tried to call that I know that you tried to call.
Transcript
Big Sandy Community and Technical College
Course Syllabus
PS Number: Semester: Fall Year: 2017
Faculty Name: Dr. Robert Arts Title: Instructor
Course Prefix and Number: AST 192 Course Credit Hours: 3
Course Prerequisites: MAT085 or a minimum ACT math score of 18.
Course Title: Stars, Galaxies and the Universe
Catalog Course Description: Emphasizes the Sun and the universe outside the Solar System. Has a
principal theme of the origin and evolution of stars, galaxies and the universe at large. Includes topics of black holes, quasars, and the big bang model of the universe.
Instructor Contact Information:
Campus Location: BSCTC Building & Room: University of Pikeville HPE, Room 301B
Office Hours: Online or by appointment
• The class meets entirely online; therefore, due to the nature of the online environment, it is more likely that we will meet online to discuss issues/questions related to the course. Feel free to either post a question within Blackboard or to email me directly! Students wishing to meet with me at my University of Pikeville office simply need to contact me for an appointment.
• I do not generally check email past 9:00 p.m. ET. So, please do not assume if you send a late message that I will get it until the next day. Plan ahead if you need to ask a question.
• If your question is related to one of our assignments, please post a message in the "Have a Topic Question??" discussion area within Blackboard; this allows each learner to see the question and response. However, if the question is of a more personal nature, please feel free to use my email address.
• Also, please at least check for a reply if you send me an email. Far too often I get the question "Did you get my email" and my response is "Yes, I sent you a reply" to which I get the response "Oh, I did not check." So, don't send me a message unless you actually care about the response.
• This is particularly important in this online course since it is unlikely that we will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face!!
• The email system within Blackboard automatically routes your message to my KCTCS email account; so feel free to use that option as well.
Supervisor Contact Information:
Name: Dr. Lisa Music, Division Chair
Campus Location: Prestonsburg Building & Room: Pike Bldg. 107F
Text and Supplies: Comins, N. F. (2015). Discovering the essential universe, 6th ed. New York, NY: W.H. Freeman. ISBN: 978-1-4641-8170-2
Approved Course Competencies KCTCS GENERAL EDUCATION COMPETENCY STATEMENTS & GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL KCTCS CREDENTIALS Students should prepare for twenty-first century challenges by gaining:
A. Knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural worlds through study in the sciences
and mathematics, social sciences, humanities, histories, languages, and the arts. Method to Achieve Competency: As the Homework Assignments are a synthesis of the information from the selected topics to be covered, the group of these eight completed assignments will be used to evaluate the competency of this general education outcome.
B. Intellectual and practical skills, including
• inquiry and analysis • critical and creative thinking
• written and oral communication
• quantitative literacy • information literacy
• teamwork and problem solving Method to Achieve Competency: N/A
C. Personal and social responsibility, including • civic knowledge and engagement (local and global)
• intercultural knowledge and competence
• ethical reasoning and action • foundations and skills for lifelong learning
Method to Achieve Competency: N/A
D. Integrative and applied learning, including synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized skills.
Method to Achieve Competency: N/A
Course Specific Competencies: Successful completion of AST 192 will contribute to a student’s being able to demonstrate the following:
1. Interpret motions of the Sun, Moon, stars, and planets as viewed from the Earth’s surface and
from an inertial frame of reference.
2. Describe some basic properties of light, and recognize the different wavelength regimes of the electromagnetic spectrum.
3. Describe some observed properties of the Sun.
4. Describe, and recognize the interdependence of, techniques used to determine such stellar properties as distance, magnitude, luminosity, temperature, size, radial velocity, and mass.
5. Interpret the information on a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram.
6. Describe the process of star formation.
7. Discuss the post-main-sequence evolution of stars and the internal changes that drive such evolution.
8. Describe the structure of our galaxy.
9. Classify galaxies by type.
10. Discuss the processes that occur within galaxies.
11. Describe the observational evidence for the "big bang" and the accelerating expansion of the universe.
In addition, upon completion of the course the student will have learned:
• To build a world view based on scientific principles and methods • To understand some of the methods of astronomy • To understand about stars, galaxies, and our visible universe • To become familiar with the fundamental physical concepts associated with astronomy
Lab Competencies: (Enter N/A if this does not apply.) N/A
Course Outline:
Date Daily Outline
Monday, August 14,
2017
Getting Started: The Syllabus & Course Expectations (Logging In, Poking Around,
Reading ALL “Getting Started” materials, Downloading Syllabus, Completing
• Exam #4 = The Ecology of Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology
(Available from 12:05 a.m. - 11:55 p.m.; 120-minute time limit
once started)
Friday, December 1,
2017
** Last working day of the course...last day to submit ANY and ALL
authorized past-due work.
No late work will be accepted past midnight!!**
Saturday, December 2,
2017
Putting final touches on Research Paper
Sunday, December 3,
2017
Putting final touches on Research Paper
Monday, December 4,
2017
• Research Paper is due by midnight
** Course will be shut down at midnight!! The Research Paper will NOT
be accepted after the midnight deadline!! **
Course Structure: This course is being offered as an online course. An online course has no lectures or campus meetings of any kind, including office hours and assignments. Everything is done through the Internet, using web tools and e-mail, including homework assignments, and exams. This is NOT an observational astronomy course!
The online Lecture Notes, Useful Terms to Know, Sample Quizzes, PowerPoint’s, etc. can be found under the "Dr. Arts' Lecture Notes & Sample Materials" menu option.
• You are responsible for the complete content of the online lecture notes, the lecture PowerPoint slides, and the readings from the selected chapters. This includes, but is not limited to, any hyperlinks (web pages, images, animations, etc.) that are contained within the online lecture notes!
Technology/Media Component: As all of the course material is online and digital/computerized, students must have access to a computer with a reliable, high-speed internet connection.
• While unexpected computer problems will occur from time to time, it is expected that you have a computer available for this course at a variety of times and that the internet connection used is reliable and high-speed. You are taking an ONLINE course so access to a computer connected to the Internet is a mandatory requirement.
Service-Learning: There is no service learning component to this course. Course Requirements and Evaluation: • Following are detailed descriptions of the evaluation components of this course:
*Reading Comments & Reading Comment Peer Replies: Readings (comments & peer replies) are worth up to 60 points per topic and occur in two forms: comments on your readings and replying to TWO other student's postings.
• You own comments (up to 40 points): You are required to post a comment about your reactions to what you have read from the content of the topic; this, very simply, needs to be your reaction to the material...NOT a chapter summary! Your posting should have substance and consist of a minimum of 400 words.
• For Example: You are to have read the Understanding the Sky material first; Online
lecture notes, PowerPoint slides, and Textbook pages. Having done that....what do you think about what you read? Anything stand out to you? Did you find anything particularly interesting? What about something you might have learned about this topic that you did not know before? The answers to these types of questions are what your "Reading Comments" posting is supposed to be about. Again, it is NOT a chapter summary but rather your own personal reaction/reflections to the material you read associated with the topic.
• Peer reply (up to 20 points): In addition, you are to respond to (comment on) TWO other students posted Reading Comments. Your response to each other needs to have substance; i.e. it should have meaning not simply an "I agree with you" sort of reply and consist of at least 100 words.
o These, obviously, will be viewed by everyone.
There will be a specific link for each topic's reading postings in the "Reading Comments" folder located under the "Course Assignments” menu option in which you will post your comments and reply to others.
*Thought Questions + Thought Question Peer Replies: Thought questions (answer & peer replies) are worth up to 50 points per topic and occur in two forms: posting your reply to the question and replying to TWO other student's postings.
• You own answer (up to 30 points): These Thought Questions are a discussion question or research topic related to each of the topics we're studying. You are responsible for researching the question online and posting an answer; sometimes the answer is more of an opinion with facts from the readings used to support your position. If you do use outside information, you will need to site where you got the information for your answer as well (Text page, Internet site, etc.). There is generally not a minimum number of words necessary to receive credit for these questions; rather, your score is based partially on your responses being as clear and as comprehensive as possible. You’ll need to explain yourself and justify that you understand the question and answer completely in order to receive full credit for your answer.
• Peer reply (up to 20 points): In addition, you are to respond to (comment on) TWO other students posted answers by approximately three days after the answers are posted. Your response to each other needs to have substance; i.e. it should have meaning not simply an "I agree with you" sort of reply and consist of at least 100 words.
o These, obviously, will be viewed by everyone.
There will be a specific link for each topic's reading postings in the "Thought Questions" folder located under the "Course Assignments” menu option in which you will post your comments and reply to others.
* Homework: Homework assignments are worth up to 40 points each. There are nine homework assignments for the semester which you must complete and turn in. Homework assignments will generally consist of four open response questions related to the material within the topic studied. Your response to these questions must be comprehensive (complete) and as clear as possible.
• Additionally, if you simply copy and paste a bunch of information from the internet for any answer, it will be counted incorrect!! The idea is that your answers are in your own words and based on the required readings for the course. This statement falls in line with the plagiarism policy of this course; of which you will read and acknowledged within our online course room.
Therefore, be certain to plan ahead when completing and submitting your homework assignments. There will be a specific link for each topic's homework in the "Homework" folder located under the "Course Assignments" menu option in which you will post your completed homework.
* Article Summary: For the article summary, you will be summarizing an astronomy article from a 2017 scientific magazine or journal. There is only one article summary required for the course and it is worth up to 180 points. The summary includes reading the article, summarizing it, and evaluating it in a logical, clear, and scientific manner. The text in the body of the summary is to be no less than two typed (12 point Times New Roman font, 1" margins, and double-spaced); this does not include the required cover sheet and your views about the article. Thus, the actual summary of the article should be at least two pages long plus an additional paragraph of your views on the content of the article. A copy of your review, including the cover sheet (article title, your name, and the date) and the article summarized are to be submitted by the due date outlined. • Your article is to be approved before you start. You must email me the link to the article you wish to do and receive email approval prior to completing your summary. No two students will be permitted to use the same article. So, get your approval early so you get the article you wish to review. Articles that do not receive prior approval will NOT be graded and will only be graded upon approval and submission; whether that means that they are late or not. Plan ahead, you know what the due date is! • If you do not submit a copy of the link to the article reviewed along with your review, I will not grade your work until I have received the actual article link! Basically, this means that your review will be counted late since you did not turn in the complete packet of material by the due date and time. • Below are some suggested website locations in which to find appropriate astronomy-relates articles for your reviews. This is not a comprehensive list nor is it supposed to be the only locations where you can locate astronomy articles.
o http://discovermagazine.com/topics/space
o http://skytonight.com/ o http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx
o http://www.popsci.com/popsci/ o http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/
o http://dsc.discovery.com/news/subjects/subjects.html?category=space o http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/
o http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
There is a link in the "Journal Article & Research Paper" folder located under the "Course Assignments" menu option to which you will post your final Journal Article.
* Quizzes: Quizzes are worth up to 40 points each. These quizzes will generally be a ten multiple choice-type questions related to the topic material. Once you begin the quiz you will only have fifteen minutes to complete it. At the end of that 15-minute time the quiz will be locked and your answers will be final. See the online sample quizzes for a typical multiple choice questions (and answers) related to each topic. These sample quizzes may be found under the "Dr. Arts' Lecture Notes & Sample Materials" menu option.
* Research Paper: It seems fitting to give you the opportunity to further study an astronomy-related topic of personal interest. A signup sheet of approved topics will be available within the first week or two of class to promote early sign-ups and to encourage you to begin your paper as soon as possible! You will conduct library and/or web research to write a report about your topic that is worth up to 370 points.
Research Paper Requirements
The final paper should satisfy the following specifications: -Use a computer to prepare the report; i.e. it must be typed! -The main body of the paper must be a minimum of five pages of TEXT using the Times-New Roman 12pt font, double-spaced, with 1" margins. This length excludes headers, footers, page numbering, pictures and diagrams. Thus, your paper may actually be longer than five pages if you actually use figures, pictures, or diagrams......regardless, you must have five clear pages of text related to your topic. -Include sequentially numbered pictures or diagrams (where appropriate) and refer to them specifically in the report. -Use good grammar, spelling and punctuation. -Include specific references in your paper for all information used. I.e. cite where you found the information you are using.
• No more than 50% of your paper should be direct quotes from your sources. The idea and spirit of any good research paper is that you present your topic in a clear and creative manner. While you will and must use references to support your topic the majority of the writing and organization of your findings must be in your own words. If every single paragraph is simply a quote from a source then you will not receive credit for the assignment. You need to put some time into organizing and bringing together the facts about your topic in a clear manner that shows your knowledge of the topic and your ability to share that with the reader.
-Be sure to include a reference page of the information sources you used for the topic. You must use at least FIVE unique references for your paper. This page is in addition to the required length. -Include a cover page on your paper that includes your name along with the title of the paper and the date. This page is also in addition to the required length.
• Paper topics are to be approved before you begin writing the paper. You must email me
the topic you wish to research (from the approved list posted in Blackboard) and receive email approval prior to completing your research. Each student will complete a paper on a different topic; therefore, no two students will be permitted to write on the same topic. Paper topics that do not receive prior approval will NOT be graded, will be returned, and will only be graded upon topic approval and re-submission; whether that means that your paper is late or not. Plan ahead; you know what the due date is!
There are two links in the "Journal Article & Research Paper" folder located under the "Course Assignments" menu option related to the research paper; one showing a list of approved paper topics and one to which you will post your final paper.
* Exams: The exams (Exam #1 - #3) are worth up to 320 points each and Exam #4 is worth up to 480 points. They will generally consist of four randomly selected essay-type questions from the previously provided pool of questions for each topic covered by the exam. Once you begin Exam #1 (8 total questions), #2 (8 total questions), or #3 (8 total questions) you will only have ninety (90) minutes to complete it; one hundred twenty (120) minutes for Exam #4 (12 total questions). At the end of that 90/120-minute time the exam will be locked and your answers will be final. See the online lecture notes for the pool of essay questions that WILL be used for each exam. These questions may be found under the "Dr. Arts' Lecture Notes & Sample Materials" menu option.
• The time restriction for the quizzes and exams is designed to assess your knowledge of the material. You certainly have access to your notes and text which basically makes theses assessments open book & open notes. As a result, a focused & fixed amount of time assures you have studied for the assessment rather than simply relying on finding the answers within your resources!
• FURTHER, it is expected that your responses to the exam questions be in your own words. Obviously, as this is an online course, you have access to a wide number of resources from which to construct your answers. You may certainly use your notes, PowerPoint slides, book, and the internet as reference material; however, what you submit as your answer to exam questions must be your words and not that of your references! Be careful. That being said, if you simply copy and paste a bunch of information from the internet for any answer, it will be counted incorrect!! This statement falls in line with the plagiarism policy of this course; of which you will read and acknowledge within our online course room.
Grading Policy:
The scale below shows the relationship between your semester percent average and the letter grade you will receive. Slight deviations from this scale are possible if they seem advisable.
Grade Range Associated # of Points
A = 100.0% - 90.0% 3700 - 3330
B = 89.9% - 80.0% 3329 - 2960
C = 79.9% - 70.0% 2959 - 2590
D = 69.9% - 60.0% 2589 - 2220
E = 59.9% - 0.0% 2219 - 0
• Your final average in the class will include the points from any extra credit that you complete.
Extra credit can only serve to help move you into a higher grade bracket.
• I reserve the right to move you into a higher grade bracket if you have a border-line grade and if it is deemed appropriate.
• For example: Say you earn a final course grade of 68%; clearly that is a "D." Whether or not I
would consider bumping that grade to a "C" is based solely on YOUR semester-long, course performance. Did you submit all of the required assignments (RC, TQ, Peer Replies, & HW)? Did you make up all missed quizzes/exams? Was it just that a few of your completed assignments were below average and dropped your overall score or was it that you elected to not submit one or more assignments? Basically, if you've done everything you were supposed to do and just missed the mark a bit, then I'll likely give you a bump. However, if your score includes missing work then you clearly "dropped the ball" and could have earned a higher course grade on your own; as such your final percentage will have also to stand on its own.
• I've already done my part ahead of time by offering extra credit. So, the rest is up to up!
Attendance Policy: Seeing as this course is being delivered online, there is no official attendance policy! Work must be completed in accordance with the due dates outlined previously.
• Please be aware that the course outline shows that we have assignments on nearly every weekday from the beginning of the term until the end; I have avoided making assignments due on the weekends!
• Don't just disappear from the course room for an extended period of time and
assume everything will be okay. You are responsible for the material that is due and for any announcements that get posted.
o This warning is particularly important if you have vacation time scheduled (or you will be out of town) during any of the term. You must contact me regarding the time you will be away. You are still responsible for keeping up with your work and in making whatever arrangements necessary to continue your participation but I will try my best to work with you as long as you are forthcoming with the information and are not taking advantage of myself or the course policies.
• As indicated in one of the course announcements, please be aware that
this course will cover the same content and have the same assignments as the in-class, full-semester version of the course. Do not assume that since this term's version is online that there will be less work; there will NOT.
Missed Work:
• As all the material is important to your understanding of the course you will need to make arrangements to make up or submit any missed assignments. I will only give permission for a make-up provided a valid excuse is presented within 24 hours of the missed assignment. In addition, if you are aware of an upcoming assignment that will be missed due to prior obligations, please contact me ahead of time to make arrangements to complete or turn in any assignments that are due that day. I acknowledge that you have additional responsibilities outside of this class (work, family obligations, school functions, etc.). However, this is no excuse for missing class work and should not present too much of a problem in this online, time-flexible environment. Do not assume I will ask you to make up or submit any missed work; because I will not. It is your responsibility to contact me and make these arrangements!
o A missed exam/quiz, given permission, must be made up prior to the next scheduled exam/quiz. Failure to complete the makeup within this time frame will cause you to forfeit your right to complete that item and will result in a zero for the grade.
o Missed postings (reading comments, thought questions, peer replies) or homework assignments, are subject to the deduction policy outlined below.
Late Assignment Policy: Finally, if you are aware that you will be unavailable on the day when an assignment is due, you are still responsible for submitting that assignment on time! This means that you basically have two options:
(1) Submit the work early, (2) Understand that there will be a deduction if you submit the assignment after the due date/time.
The penalty for late work is as follows (which includes weekends, holidays, etc):
• Not on time but less than 12 hours late (< 0.5 day) = -10% • 12 hours (0.5 day) - 24 hours late (1 day) = -20% • 24 hours (1 day) - 36 hours late (1.5 days) = -30% • 36 hours (1.5 days) - 48 hours late (2 days) = -40% • 48 hours (2 days) - 60 hours late (2.5 days) = -50% • 60 hours (2.5 days) - 72 hours late (3 days) = -60%
• 72 hours (3 days) - 84 hours late (3.5 days) = -70% • 84 hours (3.5 days) - 96 hours late (4 days) = -80% • 96 hours (4 days) - 108 hours late (4.5 days) = -90% • Greater than 108 hours late (> 4.5 days) = -100% = Zero Credit
Finally, regarding late postings (Reading Comments, Thought Questions, and Peer Replies)....once the exam for a particular set of topics has begun, late
posting work will no longer be accepted for those topics covered by the exam; regardless of the number of days late! These items are designed to strengthen
your understanding of the material for those topics and as such are a moot point once the exam has begun. So, please do them on time and do not ask to submit
them on or after the exam date!
Withdrawal Policy: • From the date to drop a course without a grade through mid-term, you may officially withdraw from the class and receive a grade of W. However, in the unlikely event that you wish to withdraw from the course I'd appreciate you contacting me first. I will do what I can in order to help keep you enrolled in the course; if there is anything that can be done. • After the mid-term date through the end of class work (see Academic Calendar), I will allow you to withdraw only under extraordinary circumstance such as illness, accident, etc. If you have stopped showing up, have not contacted me, and wish to withdrawal after the mid-term date, then I will not be as receptive to helping you and you may simply have to live with the consequences of your actions. You are an adult and I will treat you as such. From the same standpoint, if you treat me with the respect I deserve than I will be willing to do the same for you. Please keep an open line of communication at all times regarding your involvement in this course.
Additional information can be found at the following site:
You are REQUIRED to use your KCTCS email address for this course during the semester!! I will
send email to you from time to time and you are responsible for timely responses to these
emails; in addition to reminders and announcements sent from Blackboard. DO NOT say that
you did not get the message because you do not use your KCTCS email...this is not an excuse.
You are being told that you must use this email account for this course! I would ask that you
check your KCTCS email at least once a day and I will agree to do the same. This way, if there
are issues that need to be addressed, we can do so quickly.
Academic Conduct: Instances of plagiarism or academic dishonesty may result in your
receiving a failing grade for the activity, being requested to withdraw from the course, or
receiving a failing grade for the course according to the perceived intent and extent of the
instance(s) of academic dishonesty.
• This means don't copy your friend's assignments! Do your own work!
• From time to time, I have noticed that some reading comment postings are simply cut-and-paste versions of other student’s work. This is, of course, a violation of the plagiarism policy for the course and highly dishonest. These instances will result in a zero for the first offence and removal from the course for any subsequent violation.
• If you “catch” someone doing this, and are the first to inform me, you’ll receive extra credit points that will be added to your overall course grade!!
Once you have downloaded and read this syllabus, and have had an opportunity to ask any
questions, you are required to acknowledge the syllabus by posting in the discussion area
created for this purpose in Blackboard. Basically, this is an acknowledgement that you have
downloaded, read, and understood the policies and procedures associated with this course, as
outlined in the syllabus.
▪ Additionally, there is also a plagiarism document that needs to be read and acknowledged as well.
▪ If you do not complete BOTH of these items by a set point in the course, your name will be submitted to the Registrar’s office as a no-show and you will be subsequently dropped from the course. It is NOT sufficient that you have merely logged into the course, you MUST complete these two acknowledgments in order to be considered enrolled. So take care of these ASAP to avoid and problems down the road. There will be a Blackboard announcement addressing these items and the associated dates.
Final Thoughts:
* Studying for Exams and Quizzes:
Within my online lecture notes I have provided you with sample quizzes as well
as copies of ALL of the exam essays that I will use for the course. The quizzes
have a key with them but the exam essays do not. DO NOT assume by simply
taking or memorizing these samples that you will be able to pass the class
quizzes. They are provided as examples of sample quiz questions relevant to the
course material NOT necessarily the questions you will definitely see; nor all the
possible questions from that topic. Certainly, those questions are good ones and
they may show up on a class quiz but do not assume so. Read the text, read the
notes, and generally attempt to study the material covered for each exam or
quiz. In addition, as indicated, I have provided you with the exact essays for each
exam. There are MANY possibilities listed for each exam and you WILL be
answering 4 of these from each topic for any given exam; for a total of eight-
twelve essay questions per exam. So, study them ALL. No, they do not have the
answers listed nor will I provided them for you. You must read and answer them
for yourself! Basically, STUDY!!
Disclaimer
The schedules and policies associated with this course may be subject to
revision or change as a consequence of changing circumstances or events.
Reasonable notification will be provided prior to any major changes in course
