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Instructors have provided the following information to generally describe what to expect in their classes.


Astronomy

Class Format

Content in my face-to-face classes is delivered by use of traditional lectures, demonstrations, discussions, quizzes, class activities, labs and after-hours observing sessions.

In online courses, where students are expected to learn more independently, there is more reliance on the textbook, lecture videos, lecture slides and discussion board interactions (where I do my active teaching in my online courses). There are no on-campus meetings.

Content in my hybrid courses consist of the same online components as online classes, but we also meet on campus for labs, class discussions and after-hours observing sessions. Content in my online courses requires much less math than in my face-to-face and hybrid classes, partly because of the lab component.

In all class formats, Canvas is used to submit homework, take unit exams and check grades. Due dates are provided on the course homepage in Canvas.

Resource Use

Textbook: Extensive
Calculator: Extensive (face-to-face and hybrid only)
Software: Limited

The textbook is online and free! Anyone desiring a hard copy may feel free to print it at his/her expense. Face-to-face students also need a scientific calculator (does NOT have to be a graphic calculator).

Assessment

Unit exams and the comprehensive final exam comprise a majority of the grade. My face-to-face and hybrid students also take short weekly quizzes before lab. My online students must take the final exam in the JCCC Testing Center or arrange an off-site proctor to be approved by the instructor. Face-to-face and hybrid students must take an in-class final according to the official JCCC final exam schedule. There are no make-up exams, but the lowest unit exam score is dropped.

Homework Policy

In my classes, there are explicit homework assignments such as concept questions, exercises, discussion participation, an article review or other written assignments, depending on the class format (face-to-face, hybrid or online). There are also ongoing implicit homework assignments that include reading the textbook and using the extensive and detailed study guides to prepare for exams. No late assignments are accepted.

Attendance Policy

There are no attendance points to be gained or lost in my classes, but poor attendance in a face-to-face class typically results in lower exam grades. Poor online attendance may result in missing important announcements, emails or due dates. 

Availability

My office hours are provided on the first day of classes.  Additional times may also be arranged. There are links to various help discussions in Canvas, which is the preferred method for obtaining help in online and hybrid classes. Emails sent to me need to be sent through Canvas or using your JCCC student email address. The most it should ever take me to respond to a discussion post or email is 8 hours. The amount of time depends on the time of day.