SYLLABUS - PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS 

ECN120 – On-line

Summer 08 – May 28 to August 3

 

Course Policies:

95 / 5 rule.  I believe that the majority of DMACC students love learning and are creative, energetic, and articulate when given the right learning environment.    I encourage all of you to continue to be enthusiastically engaged in your education.

 

My goal is to establish a very positive learning environment and to avoid misunderstanding or problems.  The syllabus content below is offered to help develop mutually-shared expectations, clear directions, realistic schedules, positive learning experiences, and uniform ground rules.  

 

To insure you get off to a good start, click on and complete all Action Item Links as outlined in this syllabus as soon as possible.  Action Item #1 – Click on this Word doc  Syllabus – ECN120.doc -   print it and put in a 3-ring binder for future reference – then close the Word document and continue with this htm syllabus from the internet.  Put all class printouts multi-section folder or 3-ring notebook w/divider tabs so that your course material is well organized and that you have a feeling of orderliness & control over your learning.  Success on-line requires self-discipline and organization.

 

 Instructor:

· Action Item #2 Brad Duerson ← get to know Brad by clicking on the link.

· On-line Office Hours for immediate e-mail response – M/W 2:00~3:00PM;  TH 9:00AM~noon

 

Required Resources:

· Access to DMACC’s WebCT system           

o       You are required to enter DMACC’s WebCT system for all on-line classes.   DMACC WebCT access will be accessible on Saturday, May 24.  Before that time you may access your DotLearn homepage by clicking on this link.

o       Use DMACC e-mail when you want to communicate questions or personal concerns.

o       You will access the publisher website through WebCT and use the publisher website for retrieval and submission of labs, homework, quizzes, tests, and grades.  Submit all homework through dotlearn.  You won’t have to use e-mail to submit assignments.

· E-book & key code are purchased directly from DotLearn – it is not available it the bookstore.

o       The e-book is not available from the bookstore, you may purchase the e-book online.

o       Action Item #3 Web Link ← Click on the link to the right for how to purchase e-book. 

§         Print instructions on how to register w/dotlearn and purchase on-line resources.

§         E-book title:  Macroeconomics & On-line Class Resources by David Hyman

o       Action Item #4 Web Link ← Use instructions to register on dotlearn.

o       DotLearn Tech Support Line is  1-877-981-0448.  Don’t call DMACC tech support.

· You will need daily accessibility to Internet - You will be accessing all course materials submitting all homework, quizzes, and three tests via the web.    

· Action Item #5:  Prerequisites is that you familiarize yourself within the first day of class, 5/28 (WED) on how to access DMACC’s WebCT system, which provides the only approved DMACC entry access to DotLearn’s interactive website.

Information contained in this syllabus may be modified with advance notice to enhance learning or simplify on-line instruction, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.

 

Contact Methods:

E-mail:  bkduerson@dmacc.edu    

· Use e-mail as your first mode of contact.  E-mails receive a 500% faster response rate than telephone calls because I can immediately respond the moment I log on to the computer.  I often can respond to your questions immediately if I am logged in and at the computer.

· ALL CLASS INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO YOUR DMACC E-MAIL ACCOUNT.  It is critical that your DotLearn registered e-mail be your DMACC e-mail address.  This is worth 10 points.  If you do not know your DMACC e-mail address, call DMACC helpdesk.

· For instructions on how to have mail forwarded from your DMACC e-mail to your personal e-mail, access http://www.dmacc.edu/helpdesk/webmail.htm, and follow the instructions.

· YOUR QUESTIONS ARE IMPORTANT.   My SUNDOWN RULE is to answer your questions today before the sun goes down - Monday through Thursday.  I will reply to weekend e-mails or e-mail received after Friday 1:00PM on Monday morning.

· Identify yourself by name and that you are an on-line student.  I am better able to respond quickly and effectively to your inquiries if I know who you are and what course you are enrolled in. 

· E-mails receive priority attn.  My phone is 965-7146; I check voice messages every other day. 

 

DMACC HelpDesk & DotLearn Technical Support

· The DMACC HelpDesk number is 515-965-7300.  They can help your DMACC e-mail address, your WebCT logon user name and password, and general WebCT questions.  They can not help you with DotLearn questions.

· DotLearn technical support number is 1-877-981-0448 extension 11. 

· E-mail me, Brad, first before calling Dotlearn as I can answer about 98% of all Dotlearn questions.

Economics is a Challenging Course – and Very Applicable to Daily Life
You are exposed to macroeconomics concepts each day in the news.  This course will cause you to develop a new way of processing your experiences in business, politics, society, and culture. 

 

Your total time investment expectation will be the same as a traditional class – up to 90 hours of total course time.  However, your summer block is shorter - 9 weeks.  Expect to invest 7 to 10 hours a week (every week) in this class to get a passing grade of C or above.  As a rule of thumb, students that expect to excel in class and earn an “A” should be prepared to dedicate 10 or more hours a week in study time.  If you are not prepared to invest your time as explained above, you may want to investigate other options.

 

The on-line materials are extremely easy to use.  They are also the best on-line economic learning resources available today and will help enhance your understanding far more than just trying to learn by reading out of a book.  However, a thorough reading of the text is also necessary.

 

If you are looking for an easier economics class, I highly recommend you enroll in a face-to-face class.  Studying economics on-line is more challenging than in a traditional classroom setting, because it requires you to use on-line resources to complete self-directed assignments, read thoroughly, develop new thought processes, critically analyze what you hear from the media, and to be able to apply what you have learned - without the assistance class discussion and being able to talk face-to face with the instructor.  You must also be disciplined in adhering to assignment/quiz due dates.  No late work will be accepted.

 

As a reminder, this class will run 9 weeks and cover 17 chapters – or two chapters a week – average study time of approximately 5.5 hours per chapter.

 

Grading Scale

Examinations (4)                          - 800 points                   

No exams will be dropped           - 200 points each

  93%<A-,    93> A

  83%<B-,     83<B<87,     87>B+

Quizzes (6)                                   - 200 points

                                                       - 40 points each  

 73%<C-,     73<C<77,     77>C+    

 63%<D-,     63<D<67,     67>D+

Labs & Homework  (17 chapts)    - 300 points

                                                       - 20 points/chapt

 <60% F

 

Examinations:

  1. The first exam will be taken at DMACC, Ankeny Campus, on Thursday, 6/12, at 7:30PM in Building 9 – Room 14. 
  2. This is the only on-campus activity you will have during the semester – so you may want to request that evening off if it conflicts with your work schedule.
  3. Students residing abroad, living out of state, or who require alternative test arrangements should contact me for proctoring instructions as soon as possible - by Thursday, May 29 at the latest. 
    1. Action Item #6: only for students requiring alternative  test proctoring arrangements for test #1 on Thursday, 6/12.  Access the link below for further instructions. 
    2. Test proctoring arrangements for first exam -  access link.
  4. During this first exam, you may use one 8.5” x 11” handwritten paper or cheat sheet (front & back OK).
  5. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th exams will be taken on-line.
  6. You will take one on-line test approximately every two weeks starting with the second exam.
  7. Each test covers 4 or 5 chapters.
  8. The final will not be comprehensive. 
  9. Each exam is timed allowing 90 seconds per question.
  10. Designate a back-up computer for taking the exam on-line just in case you have computer problems with your first computer.
  11. Exams must be taken during scheduled exam days. 
  12. On-line exams (the 2nd, 3rd) will be open 3 days (TH/FR/ST) during the week of the exam.  The 4th and final exam will be open (F/ST/SN) so that you may get your final grade by Tuesday morning, August 5.
  13. Do not wait until the last day minute on Saturday to take the exam.  At a minimum level, you must allow yourself enough time to get to your back-up computer with sufficient time to complete the exam if you had computer problems on the first computer.
  14. It is your responsibility to make sure that the computer and network you are using is functional. 
  15. The instructor is not responsible for computer problems.
  16. Test results will be posted the following Monday.
  17. If you miss an exam for ANY reason, 25% will be deducted off the top of your score - no exceptions.  If you miss a second exam, you will not be allowed to make it up. 
  18. If you miss an exam - communicate immediately that you missed the test by the Monday immediately following the exam.   
  19. I will respond on Monday/Tuesday by opening up a makeup exam consisting of different questions with a 25% late deduction.
  20. The exam score becomes a 0% if a makeup test has not been completed within a one week time frame of the originally scheduled exam.
  21. In order for your ECN120 credit to be transferable to four year institutions, the State of Iowa requires that we teach certain competencies and test on those competencies at the end of the semester.  The competency assessment, consisting of up to 30 questions must be taken immediately following the final.  It will not be averaged into your grade, but you may earn up to 20 points extra credit – taking the assessment will only help your grade.  However, the assessment is required - not to take the exam will result in 20 points deducted from a grade. 

 

URGENT REQUEST:  If after having put forth serious effort to complete the Action Items 1-6  above and you are not able to complete the tasks, e-mail Brad, bkduerson@dmacc.edu, before Thursday, May 29.

 

Quizzes: 

  1. There will be 6 quizzes.
  2. Your first quiz will be over this syllabus content and will be due, TH, May 29 – the second day of class.
  3. Each quiz is worth 40 points.
  4. Quizzes will typically contain 20 questions.  
  5. You will have approximately one quiz every two weeks covering two chapters.
  6. Quizzes will be administered over the internet.
  7. All quiz questions will come from material presented in the text and/or assigned readings.   
  8. All quizzes are to be completed by 11:55PM on the assigned Thursday. 
  9. All your quiz scores will be increased 5% (extra credit) at the end of the semester if you have successfully taken all your quizzes as assigned by the designated Thursday 11:55PM.
  10. Quizzes are due by Thursday to get extra credit, but they will be held open until Friday in case of technical difficulties.
  11. TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES:  If there are technical problems with a quiz on an assigned Thursday, the quiz will be held open until Friday evening.  You must take and complete the assigned quiz by Friday, no exceptions or extensions. 
  12. If you take any quiz on Friday, you will no longer be eligible for the semester quiz extra credit points as explained above.
  13. The instructor is not responsible for computer problems. 
  14. It is be your responsibility to find a computer that is functional.  Quizzes not completed by Friday 11:55PM will receive a zero points.

 

Assignments

  1. Assignments will be a combination of labs and homework. 
  2. You may consider making https://webclass.dmacc.edu/webct/entryPageIns.dowebct  your homepage during this semester or at least bookmarking it as a favorite or create a shortcut.  You will spend a lot of time here.
  3. Each chapter will be a combination of lab-work and homework worth 20 points.
  4. You will complete 2 chapters a week. Both chapters homework will open two weeks before they are due and close on a Friday with the due date for extra credit being Thursday. 
  5. Start working on assignments early.  Do not wait until the day homework is due to begin the assignments. 
  6. You are required to complete two chapters per week. If you wait until the last minute – you may wind up doing 10 hours worth of homework in one day.
  7. There will be a labs and assignments for each of the 17 chapters covered in this class.
  8. All assignments are to be completed by 11:55PM on the assigned Thursday. 
  9. All your assignment scores will be increased 5% (extra credit) at the end of the semester if you have successfully taken all your quizzes as assigned by the designated Thursday 11:55PM.
  10. TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES:  If there are technical problems with an assignment on an assigned Thursday, the assignment will be held open until Friday evening.  You must complete the assignment by Friday, no exceptions or extensions. 
  11. If you complete any assignment on Friday, you will no longer be eligible for the semester assignment extra credit points as explained above.
  12. The instructor is not responsible for computer problems. 
  13. It is be your responsibility to find a computer that is functional.  Assignments not completed by Friday 11:55PM will receive a zero points.

On-line Access to  Course Syllabus
Access to the on-line course syllabus is available through both DMACC’s WebCT page and  dotlearn’s student homepage.

  For course schedule - scroll down to the bottom of the syllabus.

Sequence of Work for Each Chapter – (minimum expectation of 5.5 hours study per chapter to earn an A)  The sequence of work for each chapter is as easy as point-and-click.  I am very excited about the publisher resources available; this is one of the easies to use and most dynamic learning sites available in economics today.  You will follow the same learning sequence in each chapter.  By the end of the chapter two, you should feel very comfortable in your routine. 

 

Allocating Earned Points  - Lab assignments will be worth a total of 10 points, and homework assignments will be worth a total of 10 points making a total of 20 points for successful completion of each chapter.

 

Most chapters will include the contents sequenced below:

 

1.     Chapter Slideshows –

· Action Item #7 – Access dotlearn student homepage, click on the “Chapter 1 – Slideshow” link, and follow instructions just as a practice - before TH, May 29.  IMPORTANT – THIS IS PRACTICE ONLY SO YOU CAN GET USED TO THE SYSTEM – I will wipe out all completion records on Friday, May 30, in the morning so that you can go back in and complete it as a normal assignment.

· PowerPoint slides will be available for each chapter.

· You will access these from your DotLearn student homepage

· Slideshow labs have text slideshow and require feedback. 

· You will earn points for completing slideshows.

·

 

 

2. Animations

· Action Item #8 – Access dotlearn student homepage, click on the “Chapter 1 – Animations” link, and follow instructions just as a practice - before TH, May 29.  IMPORTANT – THIS IS PRACTICE ONLY SO YOU CAN GET USED TO THE SYSTEM – I will wipe out all completion records on Friday, May 30, in the morning so that you can go back in and complete it as a normal assignment.

· You will access these from your DotLearn student homepage

· You will earn immediate points for completing an animation & submitting an answer to a question.  I will check that answer later for accuracy.  If the answer is inaccurate – I will eliminate those points.

· Most chapter animation labs have text, sound, images, and require an answer.

·

 

 

3. Lab Graphs

· Action Item #9 – Access dotlearn student homepage, click on the “Chapter 1 – Lab Graphs” link, and follow instructions just as a practice - before TH, May 29.  IMPORTANT – THIS IS PRACTICE ONLY SO YOU CAN GET USED TO THE SYSTEM – I will wipe out all completion records on Friday, May 30, in the morning so that you can go back in and complete it as a normal assignment.

· Most chapters will present an interactive lab graph that DotLearn calls SketchIt graphing.

· You will be given directions to create a graph and submit for grading.

· You will receive immediate feedback regarding the correctness of your graph and a score.

· If you have trouble with a lab graph, the computer will show you how to complete it. 

· Lab Graphs are identical to Homework Graphs – so it is to your advantage to learn how to construct the lab graph in a setting where you are given points for completion..

· You will access these from your DotLearn student homepage

· You will earn points for completing and submitting a graph.

·

 

 

4. Preassessment Self-quiz

· Action Item #10 – Access dotlearn student homepage, click on the “Chapter 1 – Preassessement Self-Quiz” link, and follow instructions just as a practice - before TH, May 29.  IMPORTANT – THIS IS PRACTICE ONLY SO YOU CAN GET USED TO THE SYSTEM – I will wipe out all completion records on Friday, May 30, in the morning so that you can go back in and complete it as a normal assignment.

· You will take self-administered practice quizzes.

· User friendly directions on how to take preassessment quizzes are provided on your student homepage.

· You will receive a score for completion –  this is a preassessment, % correct is not applicable.

· You will earn points for completion.

·

 

 

5. Chapter Reading

· Action Item #11 – Access dotlearn student homepage, click on the “Chapter 1 – Read Chapter” link, and follow instructions just as a practice - before TH, May 29.  IMPORTANT – THIS IS PRACTICE ONLY SO YOU CAN GET USED TO THE SYSTEM.

· Point-and-click to access chapter text.

·

 

 

6.  Homework Graph

· Homework Graphs are the same as lab graphs so completing all lab graphs with understanding before completing the homework graph will insure a good grade.

· If you did the lab graph, you should get full points on the homework.

· Homework Graphs are graded by accuracy, unlike Lab Graphs, which are grade for completion.

· Once you have had practice with a lab graph, you then will complete another graph or two in the homework section, which once again, is very similar to your lab practice.

· You will earn points for accurate completion.

· The computer grades the graph exactness – so be careful to be as accurate as possible.

· The graphing function is very user friendly!

·

 

 

7.  On-line Discussions

· We will be doing on-line discussions about current events later on in the course during in some chapters that do not have graphing related exercises. 

· I will share more information about this with you as we progress into later chapters.

·

 

 

8.  Homework Multiple Choice

· This is very similar in content and application to the lab graph.

· Each multiple-choice homework consists of 5 to 10 questions – there are no T/F questions.

· You will earn points for completion.

·

 

 

 

9.  Quizzes

· Action Item #12 – Take the syllabus quiz by before 11:55PM on TH, May 29. 

· Refer to quiz explanation above for all other necessary information.

·

 

10.  Simulations

· Simulations do not count as part of your grade.  Simulations are provided for your use in helping you to gain a better understanding of economic concepts and relationships. 

·

 

 

Late Assignments
Unfortunately, no late assignments will be accepted.  I have so many students that I can not judge the appropriateness of an excuse for missing an assignment or quiz so no explanations are necessary or requested.  However, to be understanding and allow for personal situations or technical problems, a Friday buffer as explained above (minus end of the semester extra credit) is provided.

 

Exam Cheating Policy: 

For over 98% of you who are honest in every aspect of your life, this isn’t a problem at all.  For the less than 2% of students who might be tempted to test the system, I must state this clearly. 

 

Cheating will not be tolerated.  Cheating on an exam will result in a zero for that exam.  Cheaters will be turned over for full college reprimand (i.e., a permanent mark on your transcripts … thrown out of DMACC … etc.)  See academic integrity policy in DMACC handbook.  Cheating also includes students working together during quizzes/tests and or passing on quiz/test questions to students who are simultaneously or will later take the quiz/test.

 

The testing system has several built in functions to monitor test taking, which will be used throughout the semester to encourage all students to exercise proper academic integrity.  These include log-in time and duration for every activity and reporting of students logging in within 30 minutes of each other during test and quiz time and IP addresses.

 

Grading Philosophy:

Grades are truly earned.  Falling behind in homework is something that should be and can be avoided.   Procrastination is a conscious choice.  Accountability for poor performance in these areas is not something that can be made up for at the end of the semester.

Economics is a class where focus, discipline, and keeping up on homework is critical.  Students might hear other students say, "Professor Jones gave me an A, or Professor Smith gave me a  D."  Both statements contain a mistruth - the student who received an A earned an A through studying diligently, handing in assignments, and doing well in quizzes and tests.  The student who earned a D did so by failing to take responsibility in one or several of the areas mentioned above. 

Disabilities
It is the policy of DMACC to accommodate students with disabilities.  Any student with a documented disability who requires reasonable accommodation should contact the special needs coordinator at 515-964-6850 voice or 515-964-6810 TTY. 

Weekly Instructions
Access the www.dotlearn.com student home page.  It will provide you with an easy to understand and follow sequence of point-and-click instructions to complete your labs/homework/quizzes.  Not started and completion status are designated along with due dates.  Labs/homework/quizzes are due each Thursday by 11:55PM.  Feel free to e-me.  Good luck!

 

Links For Your Convenience:

Course Competencies matched up to dotlearn’s Macroeconomic text  à  Macro

 

Course Schedule 
Advance to the next page to see the course schedule in its entirety.

 

Monday

Tuesday

Wed

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Weeks Activities

5/26

 

27

 

28

Class Start

29          

Quiz #1 Due

30                        Quiz & Homework Chapt 1 & 2  Start Prep

31

May/Jun-Week 1

Quiz #1

 

6/2                  

3

4

5               Both Chapts homework due

Quiz #2 Due

6             Chapt 3 & 4 Homework and Test #1 Prep Start

7

June-Week 2

Chapters 1 & 2

Quiz #2

 6/9                 

10

11

12               Both Chapts homework due Exam #1 @  DMACC

13                Quiz &                       Homework Chapt 5 & 6
Start Pr