Sample Syllabus

Required Text: List required course textbooks. Include detail such as full name of textbook, author, edition, ISBN, and where it can be purchased. If a required text is available online, indicate where it can be accessed.

Other Course Materials: List any other materials the student will need in order to successfully complete the course (i.e. course keys for math, English, Psych labs hosted by publishing companies; calculators; special software)

Microsoft Office: Texarkana College offers Office 365 to all students. Instructions on how to download this free software can be located at   https://www.texarkanacollege.edu/helpdesk/install-office-2013.

Access: This is an online course. You will need to have access to a computer. If you do not    have access to a computer off campus, there are computers located in the Palmer Memorial    Library that may be used by students. It is best if you have high speed internet access. If you    have Dial-up, it may be difficult to download videos and other materials. 

   Operating System:

   Computer Hardware Requirements:

• Internet Access: High speed internet connection such as 
     cable modem or DSL
• Processor: 2GHz processor
• Memory: 1GB RAM; 4 GB free hard drive space
• Some courses and/or assignments may require the use of a webcam.
• The learning management system is optimized for desktop displays; tablet and smartphone users should use the Mobile Apps. Always use a wired desktop or laptop to take you quizzes and exams on. 

   Browser: Texarkana College’s Learning Management System (Moodle) suggests that students  use the most current version of the Firefox browser. You can download Firefox by going to  https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/

List the learning outcomes for the course. These should be the same ones your division as developed for each course.

All communication in the course will be conducted through email, telephone, or the forum within the class page. I will respond to emails within 24-48 hours.  If you have not received a reply within that time limit, please resend.

I have created an "Ask the Professor" Forum in which you can post questions to me. I will also answer within 24-48 hours. These questions and my answers will be viewable by all students. If you have a specific question about an assignment, please check this forum out before you  ask your question. Someone else might have already asked the question and received an answer.

Feel free to give me a telephone call during office hours. Email is the preferred method of communication.

If your communication statement is not exactly like this one, that is not a problem.  Just make sure you have one and that you respond within 24 - 48 hours  unless on the weekend.

Online Issues: This is not a self-paced class. An online course covers the same material as traditional “live” sections. You have some flexibility in determining WHEN you work on the class material, but there are regular and specific deadlines for assignments and “windows” for discussions. Be sure to keep up with the timing. In this online course you may not have to be physically present at a particular place and time as in a traditional class, but it does not demand less time or effort. In fact, online classes tend to take MORE time and discipline than fact-to-face classes. I expect you to check your TC email once every 48 hours at a minimum, including weekends. This means that you will need to make sure that you have some way to be able to use the internet regularly. Have a backup plan in case your home computer/internet connection goes down. Texarkana College is not responsible for issues related to your computer or internet service. Problems with your computer or internet service is not an excuse for completing your assignments by their deadline.

Grading Scale:

            A = 90-100
            B = 80-89
            C = 70-79
            D = 60-69
            F = Below 60

Student Assessment

            Your final grade for this course will be determined by  
            the following method:

            (1) The average of your forum posts will be worth 20%
            (2) Your class project will be worth 10%
            (3) The average of your quiz grades will be worth 20%
            (4) The average of your Unit test grades will be worth 20%
            (5) Your final exam will be worth 30%

If you live outside a 50 mile radius of Texarkana College, and do not desire to drive to the college to take exams that must be taken at the Texarkana College Testing Center, you may choose to have your exam proctored at another location.  For information on having an exam proctored, click Here. It is the responsibility of the student to arrange for proctoring.   I MUST RECEIVE THIS PROCTOR REQUEST INFORMATION AT LEAST ONE WEEK BEFORE THE EXAM'S DUE DATE. 

Include a chart that gives dates, topics covered, and due dates. Below is an example of a summer class

Because you do not come on campus and sit in a classroom, attendance is determined by your active participation and communication in the course. Make sure that you log in frequently, participate in your course activities and discussions, and check your TC email regularly. Students who succeed in online classes keep a schedule just as they would if they were attending class on campus, and they communicate with one another and their instructor frequently. Attendance is vital to your success. Check TC email and Moodle at least three times per week.

Absence in an online course is defined as the lack of an active post or submission within the course including discussion board posts, written assignments, and tests. This standard will be used to determine all absentee issues, including but not limited to, 12th Day Census Reports, last date of attendance, and involuntary withdrawal from a course due to absences. All online students must complete an Enrollment Verification activity within the first week of class (activity depends upon the professor); otherwise the professor may drop the student for not having attended.

If you have any specific attendance requirements for your course, this would be a good place to insert them.

A student should not stop attending a class without formally withdrawing from the course by the institutions published Last Day for Students to Drop. If a student stops attending class after the published Last Day for Students to Drop, the student may receive a grade of “F” in the class. The instructor will submit the last date of attendance for students receiving a grade of “F” or “W”.

Withdrawal from a course(s) may affect a student’s current or future financial aid eligibility. Students should consult the Financial Aid Office to learn both short and long term consequences of a withdrawal.

Scholastic dishonesty, involving but not limited to cheating on a test, plagiarism, col­lusion, or falsification of records will make the student liable for disciplinary action after being investigated by the Dean of Students. Proven violations of this nature will result in the student being dropped from the class with an “F”.

This policy applies campus wide, including TC Testing Center, as well as off-campus classroom or lab sites, including dual credit campuses. This information can be found in the TC Catalog/Student Handbook at https://texarkanacollege.edu.

Texarkana College complies with all provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act and makes reasonable accommodations upon request. Please contact Larry Andrews at 903.823.3349, or go by his office located in the Palmer Memorial Library.

If you have an accommodation letter from his office indicating that you have a disability which requires academic accommodations, please present it to me so we can discuss the accommodations that you might need for this class. It is best to request these changes at the beginning if not before the start of class so there is ample time to make the accommodations.

Attention! Dropping this class may affect your funding in a negative way! You could owe money to the college and/or federal government. Please check with the Financial Aid office before making a decision.

The complaint process can be found at https://www.texarkanacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/online-classes-complaint-procedure.pdf.

“Netiquette” is the term used to describe rules of courtesy in using electronic communication. These rules are intended to help use the medium effectively and considerately. The ideas below are intended to help with electronic class discussion.

When communicating in an online course you are addressing a group of people. The following guidelines will help you to communicate effectively.

• Don’t say things that you wouldn't say in a face-to-face environment, or in any public place.
• Don’t share confidential information.
• Use the subject line to identify the content of the message.
• Stay up-to-date on forum postings by reading them regularly.
• Always comply with copyright by citing your references when posting online content.
• Use individual e-mail for messages to individuals rather than tying up the group list.
• Do not forward emails or discussion forum postings without asking permission to from the original author.
• Electronic communication does not provide visual cues, such as smiles or frowns that face-to-face communication allows. Therefore, humor and/or sarcasm in written text might be misunderstood and interpreted as rude or inflammatory in the online environment. Choose your words carefully to avoid hurting, or angering anyone. Should emotions become inflamed, do not promote the anger. Take a cooling down period, perhaps overnight, before you engage in the online activity again.
• Avoid using all capital letters in your text. This is considered ‘shouting’ in the online classroom.
• Aim for clarity and readability in your text.
• Use proper English and remember to spell check.
• If you do not understand the assignment’s directions or the posts of your classmates don’t be afraid to ask for clarification.
• The online classroom is a community of learners. Participate actively in the community and reach out to your classmates with a helping hand.

Texarkana College offers students several ways to access technical assistance for IT issues as well as their Moodle classrooms.

General IT issues

Help Desk Link from TC's main webpage: https://www.texarkanacollege.edu/helpdesk
Phone: 903-823-3030
Email: helpdesk@texarkanacollege.edu

Moodle Issues

TC Online Web Page: https://www.texarkanacollege.edu/online
Vernon Wilder: 
     Email: vernon.wilder@texarkanacollege.edu
     Phone: 903-823-3252

Rusty Hatchett:
     Email: harold.hatchett@texarkanacollege.edu
     Phone: 903-823-3053