1.1 Lesson: Course & Palomar College Policies
AODS 255: Case Management, Law, and Ethics
Welcome to AODS 255. The following provides a list of course and college policies that are important to your successful completion of this course, so please read this document carefully (there will be a quiz on content). I look forward to getting to known all of you this semester and hope you enjoy the course.
Learning Online: Computer, Software & Internet Access Requirements Links to an external site.
Online classes offer additional convenience for students with busy schedules. Students must have an available computer new enough to handle the course requirements. You will also need reliable access to e-mail and the Internet. You can “attend class” at any hour of the day or night, and communicate with your instructor via e-mail or electronic discussion boards as your schedule allows. Online classes are academically equivalent to traditional face-to-face classes.
If this is your first online course, I highly recommend you review “10 Ways to Prepare for Your First Online Course.” Links to an external site. Don't forget to complete the Orientation: Student Readiness for Online Learning.
Student Computer Lab – SU 28 Links to an external site.: Students with current Student Activity Cards may work on research projects, create their papers, check email, or work within Blackboard/Canvas can work at the student computer lab. Just show your current card to the student worker, post it on your computer, sit down and go to work. The Student Computer Lab is part of the Office of Student Affairs. If you have any problems, contact mlunde@palomar.edu or dial 760-744-1150 x 2595.
Technology: New technology is being made available almost on a daily basis. During this course, you may be required to use various apps to complete a task or assignment. These will all be FREE to you. If you do not have access to a SMART PHONE, please let me know and an alternative method of completing the assignment will be provided. Remember, for an online course, it is required that you have access to a relatively new (recommended to be less than 5 years old) computer. There are computer labs available to you at the main San Marcos campus.
Class Requirements and Expectations
- Please use non-racist, non-sexist, non-heterosexist language in your written work. The community college online classroom is a very diverse place. As such, it is incumbent upon students to be inclusive in language use as I will in my instructional language.
- All written assignments must meet standards of academic and professional quality. Pay careful attention to spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Hint: If you need to do so, have someone proofread your work before submitting! Typing errors happen all the time. But, significant errors in grammar should be avoided.
- All assignments must be submitted to the correct dropbox whether that be an “assignment” or a "discussion." Please save your work as either an MS Word document (.doc or .docx), or a PDF file (.pdf). Please do not upload your assignments as .wps, .pages, .abw, .jpg, or some other format other than .doc, docx, or .pdf.
- If I cannot open a document because it has been saved in a format other than stated above, that paper may become a late paper if I am unable to open it at the due date.
Late Assignments
Due dates do matter
Although I may not grade or respond to an assignment immediately after submission, due dates keep you on track, keep everyone else on track as discussions need to close on-time and keep me on track so I know what to include in the next week’s module. I will respond to submissions as quickly as I can. I understand that today’s college student juggles family, work, and college responsibilities, and at times you may make the decision to let an assignment go for a while. I do accept late assignments, however, assignments, quizzes, and discussion posts submitted after the due date will receive a 20% penalty (measured in points), for each 24-hour period the assignment is posted beyond the due date/time.
Policy for make-up exams and assignments
- Missed quizzes must be requested and must be made up within a week of the original due date.
- Missed Reading Responses must be requested and must be made up within a week of the original due date. Points for late work can be deducted.
- Missed Online Topic Discussions may not be made up.
- Extensions for the Biopsychosocial Assessment and/or the ASI assignment will only be made upon request "for good cause" and must be submitted within a week of the original due date. Points for late work will be deducted if the paper is submitted past the extended date. If the paper is not turned in for any reason, the grade will be a zero.
- The final exam must be completed by the final day of the course. There will be no make-up final exam.
Please plan for the many things that can go wrong (slow or stalled internet connections, storms/local power outages, work schedules, personal obligations) and work ahead so that you are not stressed by last minute submission deadlines. Allow time for your document to upload from your hard drive or cloud file. An online class gives you a great deal of flexibility, which is probably one of the reasons you chose this course. Don’t let the flexibility work to your detriment.
Grading, Attendance, and Participation Policy
Letter grades will be calculated as follows:
- Grades will be calculated by a percentage of the total points earned by an individual student with that percentage converted to a letter grade. Each assignment will be awarded a point value.
- It is expected that students will clearly proofread and re-read all written assignments prior to submitting that work to this instructor. For papers that are difficult to read because of spelling and grammar issues, students may lose up to 10% of the total points possible for that project.
- The official start date for this course will be August 21, 2017. By the end of week 1 (Saturday, August 26th at 11:59 pm) you will need to have completed the tasks listed under WEEK 1 Assignments on the Syllabus. Completion of those tasks will prevent you from being dropped from this course as a “no show.”
- Attendance for online courses may seem, at first, a non-issue. You may ask yourself, “Doesn’t having a course online mean I can do things when I want?” The answer to that question is both Yes and NO. You can log into this course 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As an online course, it is expected that students will put in adequate time each week to complete the course. For this course, you will be required to log in and participate in course activities at least twice per week, with assignments and discussion posts being due on Wednesdays and Saturdays by 11:59 pm. Students should be aware that for a 3 unit course, approximately 9 hours of coursework is required per week. Some of you may need to put in more than 9 hours per week, some may be able to get by putting in less. If you are a slower reader (like me), you may need to budget more time for reading.
- Your participation in course activities and assignments is the way attendance is recorded. Logging in alone, without any completed work for each week does not qualify as “attending class” in this online course. Because of a historically high rate of student misuse of federally provided school funding, it is now the responsibility of the instructor to keep the Financial Aid Office informed of student non-participation throughout the semester.
Per Palomar College Policy Links to an external site.: All students are expected to attend classes. In an online course, attending is judged by frequency logging into the course and course participation. Failure to attend classes can result in an “F” or “FW” grade unless the student executes a drop within the time periods indicated below. Refer to the college calendar Download college calendar on the front pages of the current Palomar catalog for specific dates or check our web page at www.palomar.edu/admissions Links to an external site. for the most current information.
Communication
I am available to students in several ways: posts to the “Complaints, Questions and Concerns” discussion board, email, phone calls (including face to face calls) during virtual office hours, teleconferencing and texts.
My cell phone number for phone calls and text messages is 442.444.0255
My email address is sgraves@palomar.edu
My Virtual Office Hours are:
- Mondays 9:00 am until 10:00 am,
- Tuesdays 8:00 pm until 9:00 pm,
- Thursdays 9:00 am until 10:00 am
These times are subject to change; any changes will be posted as an announcement here on Canvas.
If you call during office hours and I don’t pick up for some reason, leave me a text and I will return your call ASAP. You can leave a voice mail message, but I am more likely to notice your text first. If you need a phone contact outside of scheduled office hours, send me a text along with the reason you are requesting the after-hours phone contact. I will evaluate the situation and respond accordingly. If I call you, and it is not in response to a call from you, it will likely be for a matter of some urgency. For less urgent matters, I will use text.
Emails, Discussion Boards, and Text Messages: Monday through Friday, 9 am to 9 pm. Expect a response within 24 hours. If your message is received on a Friday, expect a response by the same time on the following Monday. If you don't hear back from me within 24 hours, assume I did not receive your email and resend it. When sending me an email, in the Subject area, please follow this format: AODS 255, last name, first name, followed by 2 or 3 words to describe the issue you are emailing about. If this is a genuine EMERGENCY, for example, “you are in the hospital and have no way to do your assignments and will provide a doctor’s note when released” …put 911 in front of AODS 255 on the subject line of your email. This will alert me to the emergency nature of your email and allow me to prioritize it.
I am at times up very late working on various tasks, so on occasion, you may receive an email or text at an unusual hour. If I send you a text or email, I do not expect an immediate response. I am aware that all of you lead busy lives and I am fine with you texting back when it is convenient for you to do so.
Online Classroom Etiquette (Netiquette) Links to an external site.
What is Netiquette? Netiquette, or network etiquette, refers to etiquette on the Internet. Good netiquette involves respecting the privacy of others and avoiding doing anything online that will offend or frustrate other people. Rules for interacting with others in your online course:
- Unless directed otherwise by your instructor, you should write email and discussion board postings in standard written English (the kind of language you would expect to find in a workplace). Messages should be short and to the point.
- Make sure that you use a meaningful subject line so that your readers will have a clear idea of who sent the message and what the message contains.
Good example - "Subject: AODS 255, J Smith, My feedback on the Taylor article."
Poor example - "Subject: Interesting Stuff."
- Use all capital letters sparingly. Capitalize words only to highlight an important point or to distinguish a title or heading. Capitalizing whole words that are not titles is generally seen as SHOUTING and is often offensive to the reader.
- Be courteous about what you say about others in an electronic format. Never say anything in an email or on a discussion board that you would not want to see printed in the newspaper.
- When reacting to someone else's message, address the ideas, not the person.
- Be careful when using sarcasm and humor. Without face-to-face communications, your joke may be viewed as criticism.
- Be careful not to get too personal too fast.
- Be respectful of other, diverse opinions. Don't assume that everyone shares the same views or background.
- Be aware of potential compatibility problems when sharing electronic files. Even though you may be able to "attach" a file to an electronic message, your recipient(s) may not be successful in opening your file on the other end.
- Don't share copyrighted materials. Most things on the Internet are NOT "fair use." Instead of copying a relevant article or web page, provide a link to the material along with a short description of its significance.
Retrieved from http://www.pgcconline.com/aboutOnlineLearning/netiquette.html
Online Tutoring Links to an external site.
If you are a student in an online (non-hybrid) or off-site (non-Escondido) course at Palomar, you have access to free online tutoring. If you have any questions about online tutoring, please contact Erin Feld at efeld@palomar.edu.
To add this course, you may be required to obtain a permission number from this instructor. All additions to a student’s program must be processed within the first two weeks of classes. Exceptions to this deadline include late-start and open-entry classes.
There are times when a student’s family responsibilities, the demands of his/her job (s), and the requirements of this course, together may prove to be overwhelming, resulting in the need to drop this course. Being aware of the drop procedures and pertinent dates is crucial. Adds and drops are processed online through Student eServices Links to an external site.until the semester deadline date (see Class Schedule or Palomar Academic Calendar Links to an external site.).
Official Withdrawal
Students must drop classes by using Student eServices. Refer to “Dates and Penalties” below for any penalties which may be imposed. The last day to drop with no notation on record is September 9, 2017. The last day to drop with a "W" grade is October 14, 2017.
Unofficial Withdrawal
Students who simply stop attending class and do not drop through Student eServices have unofficially withdrawn. These students may receive an “F” or “FW” grade in every class they stop attending.
Administrative Withdrawal
Administrative withdrawals may occur for academic or disciplinary reasons, or for non-payment of fees. If the administrative withdrawal occurs after the refund period, the student will not be entitled to a refund or waiver of registration fees.
Dates and Penalties
If a student processes a drop during the first two weeks of a full semester course or first 20% of a short-term course, no grade will be assigned and no notation will appear on the student’s permanent record. Between the second week and the eighth week of a full semester course, or between 20% and 50% of a short-term course, a student may process a drop at his or her discretion and receive a withdrawal (W grade). After the eighth week of a full semester course, or 50% of a short-term course, only evaluative (A, B, C, D, F, FW) or Incomplete (I) grades shall be assigned.
Restrictions for Course Repeatability
• Before you decide to drop, withdraw from, or repeat a class, discuss it with a counselor, financial aid advisor, or veteran’s advisor. Always consider the consequences before you remove yourself from a class.
• Repeating a course will affect your financial aid eligibility or veterans’ educational benefits. Consult with financial aid or veterans services staff.
• Drops and withdrawals up to and including the ‘Last day to drop without a grade’ result in the course not being reflected on your academic transcript.
• Withdrawals after the drop deadline will be reflected as an enrollment on your academic transcript with a “W” grade.
• Academic History - These new regulations do not contain a grandfather clause. Past enrollment attempts count toward the enrollment limits. If you already have reached the maximum number of attempts on a specific course, your enrollment will be blocked.
Statement on Academic Integrity Links to an external site.
HONESTY, TRUST, FAIRNESS, RESPECT, and RESPONSIBILITY
The Center for Academic Integrity at Duke University* defines academic integrity as a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to five fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. From these values flow principles of behavior that enable academic communities to translate ideals into action. Palomar College is wholly committed to the idea and ideals of academic integrity. We embrace and adopt the definition and related principles of academic integrity provided by the Center for Academic Integrity stated in the paragraph above. Following are the explanations of the five principles as provided by the Center for Academic Integrity and adopted by Palomar College.
Honesty: Begins with oneself and extends to In the quest for knowledge, we must be honest with ourselves and with each other, whether in the classroom, laboratory, meeting, library, or on the playing field.
Trust: Only with trust can we believe in the research and efforts of others and move forward with new Only with trust can we collaborate with individuals, sharing information and ideas without concern that our work will be misappropriated or misused, our reputations diminished, or our academic careers harmed. Only with trust can out communities believe in the social and economic value and meaning of an institution’s scholarship and degrees.
Fairness: Important components of fairness are predictability, clear expectations, and a consistent and just response to all campus constituencies have a role in ensuring fairness and a lapse by one member of the community do not excuse misconduct by another.
Respect: Demonstrated by attending class, being on time, paying attention, following instructions, listening to other points of view, being prepared and contributing to discussions, meeting academic deadlines, and performing to the best of our Being rude, demeaning, or disruptive is the antithesis of respectful conduct. We show respect for the work of others by acknowledging our intellectual debts through proper identification of sources.
Responsibility: Shared responsibility distributes the power to effect change, helps overcome apathy, and stimulates personal investment in upholding academic integrity. Being responsible means taking action against wrongdoing, despite peer pressure, fear, loyalty, or compassion. At a minimum, individuals should take responsibility for their own honesty and should discourage and seek to prevent misconduct by others. Whatever the circumstances, members of an academic community must not tolerate or ignore dishonesty on the part of others.
Academic Honesty and Plagiarism Links to an external site.
- The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the verb "plagiarize" as "to steal and pass off the idea or words of another as one's own; to use another's production without crediting the source." In other words, a student will be guilty of committing literary theft if one intentionally or unintentionally borrows other people's words or ideas to use as one’s own.
- Plagiarism and cheating are strictly forbidden.
- If a student is found cheating or blatantly plagiarizing, no credit will be given on an assignment, quiz, or a test; and he/she will face the possibility of failing the course because of the points lost.
- Plagiarism is preventable; to avoid plagiarism, you must know when and how to properly reference someone else's work in your own writing.
- To help students prevent plagiarism, the instructor will run each paper through a plagiarism prevention website to protect all students.
- Ultimately, the University policy on plagiarism will prevail in disputes, and that policy may be harsher than the policy presented here.
Cheating on Quizzes
All of the quizzes for this course are currently made available on the first day of each unit. As you take a quiz, you will be allowed two attempts at that quiz, with the higher of the two grades standing as your final grade for that quiz. If I become aware of any student during this course, abusing my liberal availability of quizzes or my provision for two attempts at each quiz, I will shorten the time quizzes are available and I will allow for only one attempt on each quiz, with this change affecting the entire class, not just the student who has been caught cheating.
Student & Instructional Services
If you are experiencing difficulties keeping up with the coursework, please see me during Virtual Office Hours or contact the appropriate student service division below:
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
As per Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities of 1990, the college is obligated to provide accommodations to ensure equal access to the college’s programs and activities. Students are encouraged to utilize the Disability Resource Center which has staff who have had specialized training regarding the impact of various disabilities in the educational environment, and as such are uniquely qualified to recommend services and accommodations. Most instructors do not have such specialized training. Procedures for Requesting Academic Accommodations and Auxiliary Aids and Services Links to an external site.
Students with disabilities who are entitled to accommodations in learning must inform the instructor of those accommodations at the beginning of the course in order for those accommodations to be honored. If I do not know of an accommodation, I cannot honor the accommodation. Specific accommodations on quizzes/tests must be requested at least a week in advance. (For more information regarding accommodations for students with disabilities, please contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) Links to an external site. phone: 760-744-1150 x2375 or email: dsps@palomar.edu).
Veterans Services Office Links to an external site.: SSC Bldg, VRC SU-22; Mon-Thurs: 7:30AM-6PM, Friday: 7:30AM-2PM. Tutoring available in the Veterans Resource Center (SU-22) located behind the Student Union (SU) building.
Former Foster Youth: Links to an external site.Connect with EOPS and the Foster Youth Liaison, Cari Martinez at cmartinez@palomar.edu.
Counseling Services Division: Links to an external site. Students learn to apply a variety of active learning strategies to their personal goals, academic study, critical and creative thinking, and career exploration and development while acquiring technical, personal, career, and academic knowledge and skills to successfully complete courses in an education plan, contributing to an increase in district degree, certificate and transfer rates. Counseling Website Links to an external site.
For appointments call San Marcos Counseling Center at (760) 891-7511; Escondido Counseling Center at (760) 744-1150 ext. 8157; Camp Pendleton at (760) 725-6626
Other Help Issues
If you are having trouble enrolling in a class, or if you are having trouble using the eServices system, you should contact the Enrollment Services office. They can be reached by phone at (760) 744-1150 ext. 2164, or by e-mail at admissions@palomar.edu.
If you are having problems with your Palomar student email account visit the student email help website Links to an external site.. Detailed contact information may be found in the FAQs on that site.
How to use Canvas
Detailed documents and videos on how to use Canvas as a student may be found online at the Canvas Community site Links to an external site..
Reporting Problems with Canvas
If you have any technical problems with Canvas please refer to the Help menu at the bottom of the global navigation menu (visually there is a circle with a question mark in it at the lower right of the Canvas screen). If Palomar’s system or Canvas goes “offline” and you are unable to log in and complete assignments on time, do not panic. Send me an email or text to let me know you are having problems. If the system is unavailable, you will not be alone and I will provide you with alternative directions/strategies to follow until the systems are back up.