Faculty Syllabus

Minimum Technology Requirements

• Reliable Internet access with at least  5 Mbs download/upload speeds (enough to watch those cat videos you love)
• A reliable computer (Capable of surfing the web, watching cat videos, and playing video games)
• A web camera and microphone (for collaboration, and proctored testing)
• Microsoft Office (Excel, and Word are your friends)

Minimum Technical Skills 

As part of your online experience, you can expect to utilize a variety of technology mediums as part of your curriculum:

• Communicate via email including sending attachments  
• Navigate the World Wide Web using a Web browser such as Google Chrome
• Use office applications such as Microsoft Office (or similar) to create documents   
• Be willing to learn how to communicate using a discussion board and upload assignments to a classroom Website   
• Be comfortable uploading and downloading saved files   
• Have easy access to the Internet   
• Navigate Blackboard, including using the communication component within Blackboard. 

Homework (10%):

Homework will be assigned for each module. Most of the homework will be completed through the Expert TA online homework system ($32.50 fee, but you get a 14 day trial so get started right away) Homework is due on Sunday night of each week (before the module test). Homework is intended as practice to help you learn the material, so no points are deducted for incorrect attempts, but you must get the right answer to get credit (20 attempts max)

Exams (40%):

There are 15 Module tests, and 4 Unit Reviews. I will take the highest 15 grades from this set to calculate your Exam Grade.

Module tests: These tests can be taken anytime before their Due date. They are short tests (30-40 minutes) that have several multiple-choice conceptual questions, and a show your work question. The show your work part must be scanned and uploaded (file response) in a timely manner, so make sure you know how to quickly scan and upload your work. There are instructions for both Android and iPhone devices on Blackboard. I require all scanned images be in pdf-format to avoid issues. Module tests are protected, so these questions can never be shared with anyone except your instructor. If I you share any of these questions with anyone, you will automatically be given a zero on your module test.

Unit Reviews: Each of the 4 units will have a single review sheet that contains similar questions to what was found in the module tests. This review sheet is intended as a study guide for the final exam, and a key will be posted for it after the official due date. If you do not turn this in before the due date, you will automatically be assigned a zero. It is considered optional since I drop the lowest 4 grades (there are 4 Unit reviews) but they can essentially replace your lowest 4 module test scores if you turn them all in on time. The unit review is not available until you complete the last module test in that unit.

Final Exam (25%):

The final exam will be given in class on the final day (Wed Dec 8, 2021). Since the final exam takes about 2.5 hours to complete, I will allow the following two-time options for students taking this exam

1:30pm – 4:20pm or 4:30pm – 7:20pm Please let me know which option you prefer before the final week so I can have your exam ready. The room is TBA for now but most probably HLC1 2405.

Labs (25%):

There are 12 labs and a final lab project this semester. For each lab, you will need to fill one of 3 roles: Leader, Recorder, or Assistant. For each Unit, you must be a Leader once, a recorder once, and an assistant twice.

Leader (10%): The Leader will be required to submit a lab report following the Technical Memo format (there is a template and rubric available on Blackboard) It is the leader’s responsibility to make sure all trails and calculations are done properly. They should delegate the work the rest of the group so that responsibilities are shared for completing the work.

Recorder (5%): The Recorder will be required to make a journal entry which gives the details of how your group performed the lab. The journal entry should include details about who did what, and what types of discussion took place during the lab meeting. I should have a clear feel for how things went in your group by reviewing the journal. Also, any raw data should be recorded here so that the leader and assistants can use this information to do their part. The recorder should never do calculations, the focus here is on RAW information.

Assistant (5%): The assistants are responsible for helping the leader perform the experiment and do calculations. I ask that the assistants also complete the handout and submit it at the end of lab. (Until we can return to class, just submit this as a journal entry on Blackboard)

Final Project (5%): For the last 3 weeks of the semester we will utilize the lab time to work on the final project. The final project involves building a simple device and then testing it to identify its parameters of operation. You should use the same types of testing you learned in the first 12 labs to test your device, but you are free to choose how you test these parameters. I will allow students to submit additional journal entries during this time to replace their lowest journal scores, but the journal entries are not required during the final project. At the end of the project, each group will give me a design guide (how to make your device) a testing guide (how to test your device) and the group will give an oral presentation (with visual support) explaining to the class how their project went and the results of their experiments.

The final project grade is 30% design paper, 30% testing guide, and 40% oral presentation. 

Textbooks

1. Openstax University Physics Volume 1  (Free to download)
2. Openstax University Physics Volume 2  (Free to download)

Homework System

1. ExpertTA online homework system. (Cost: $32.50 / semester)   https://theexpertta.com/

Student Learning Outcomes

Course-Level Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Prepare laboratory reports that clearly communicate experimental information in a logical and scientific manner.
• Conduct basic laboratory experiments involving classical mechanics.
• Relate physical observations and measurements involving classical mechanics to theoretical principles.
• Evaluate the accuracy of physical measurements and the potential sources of error in the measurements.
• Design fundamental experiments involving principles of classical mechanics.
• Identify appropriate sources of information for conducting laboratory experiments involving classical mechanics.
• Determine the components of linear motion (displacement, velocity, and acceleration), and especially motion under conditions of constant acceleration.
• Solve problems involving forces and work.
• Apply Newton's laws to physical problems.
• Identify the different types of energy.
• Solve problems using principles of conservation of energy.
• Define the principles of impulse, momentum, and collisions.
• Use principles of impulse and momentum to solve problems.
• Determine the location of the center of mass and center of rotation for rigid bodies in motion.
• Discuss rotational kinematics and dynamics and the relationship between linear and rotational motion.
• Solve problems involving rotational and linear motion.
• Define equilibrium, including the different types of equilibrium.
• Discuss simple harmonic motion and its application to real-world problems.
• Solve problems involving the First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics.

General Education Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will demonstrate competence in:

• Critical Thinking

Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information.

• Interpersonal Skills

Interacting collaboratively to achieve common goals.

• Quantitative and Empirical Reasoning

Applying mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods.

• Technology Skills

Using appropriate technology to retrieve, manage, analyze, and present information.

• Written, Oral and Visual Communication
  Communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.