CLD120 (28700) Spring 2024 Syllabus

Plan to spend at least 2.5 hours on homework weekly. Accelerated courses will require additional time per week.

All the class material such as videos, quizzes, and labs will be on the AWS LMS (Learning Management System). The AWS Canvas is separate from MCC’s Canvas and the grades are not automatically transferred. Your grades in MCC’s Canvas will not be updated until I manually export them from AWS and import them into MCC’s grade book. This will happen two or three times a week. Don’t Panic! The most current grade for a quiz or lab is always visible in the AWS Canvas LMS.

I use Zoom to hold Live Online classes and many class sessions are recorded so you can review them later. You can access each Zoom class session from a link in Canvas. If you are new to video conferencing you can join a test meeting and test your audio and video.

Your final letter grade will be determined by the point value of work completed.

The curriculum for this course is provided by AWS and is in the AWS Canvas Learning Management System (LMS). This includes all quizzes and labs. The AWS Canvas is not linked to the separate MCC Canvas so your grades will not show up in the MCC Canvas grade book until I manually import them usually right before class each week. Don’t Panic! You will get credit for the work you do.

In this class we cover a lot of material in the short eight weeks we have together. It’s important that you set aside time each week to read the textbook and work on the labs. Studies show that short study sessions spread out over several days are more effective and less stressful than cramming at the last minute. Follow the tips in the The Study Cycle video on how to improve your study habits.

All assignments have a due date along with instructions for what to submit. You should turn assignments in by the due date. However I do accept late assignments without lose of points up to a point. If you miss a due date you can expect a reminder from me to complete the missing assignment. If you fail to turn in two consecutive lab by the due date you are in danger of being dropped from the class.

Active participation and engagement is important in the learning process. The knowledge and skills to be gained in this course are dependent on attending and participating in class.

In-Person/Live Online: Therefore, attendance and participation are required to be successful. Students who must be absent because of an emergency or illness should make every effort to speak with the instructor about it beforehand, if possible, or after the next class.

Hybrid: Therefore, attendance and active participation are essential for a successful academic experience. Students should attend all scheduled class meetings, commit to time outside of class for other required assignments, and notify the instructor of planned absences; missed assignments translate to absences.

Online On Your Own Time: Therefore, engagement in course activities and submitting assignments provides instructors the opportunity to provide feedback that guides learning. Attendance will be measured by consistent assignment submissions. Students who cannot complete assignments in Canvas by scheduled due dates should reach out to the instructor. Missed assignments translate to absences and missing two due dates in a row may result in withdrawal from the course.

If you stop attending class after the 45th day of the semester, I may award a grade of W, Y, or F depending on your status in the class up until the day you stopped attending. Please discuss any desires to withdraw from the class with me so together we can decide on the best course of action. For more information see For more information see Administrative Regulation 2.3.6 and Appendix S-7.

You can find Maricopa Community College District’s policy regarding recording faculty lectures at this link.

In this class, all work submitted must be your own. The use of generative AI tools will be considered academic misconduct see Administrative Regulation 2.3.11 1.B(b) and will be treated as such. If you are unsure if the tool or website you are using is a generative AI tool, please contact the instructor for further clarification before using the tool or website.

There are situations and contexts within this course where you may be permitted to use generative AI tools. In these cases, specific guidelines will be provided in the assignment details. If you are unsure if the tool or website you are using is a generative AI tool or if it is permitted on a specific assignment, please contact the instructor for further clarification before submitting your work.

In this class, you are permitted to use generative AI tools to complete your assignments. When submitting work that incorporates generative AI content, please clearly indicate what content was generated by AI tools. In such cases, no more than 15% of your work should be generated by a generative AI tool. If any part of this is confusing or uncertain, please reach out to me for a conversation before submitting your work.

All MCC students have access to 10 (ten) hours of free online tutoring by Brainfuse in multiple sessions throughout the semester.

Student success is important at MCC, and we encourage students to use all available resources. In addition to meeting with their instructor, students are encouraged to seek FREE tutoring and other on campus support services to reinforce their understanding of course concepts and improve performance in their course(s).

There are nine on-campus locations, seven at the Southern and Dobson campus, two at the Red Mountain campus, and a virtual option for accessing MCC Tutoring Services. For more information go to https://www.mesacc.edu/students/tutoring.

The Writing Center provides one-on-one appointments with English faculty to help students during any phase of the writing process: brainstorming, pre-writing, researching, drafting, and revising. The Writing Center is located on the 1st floor of the MCC Library. However, for our Fall 2020 semester, our highest priority during the COVID-19 crisis is the health, safety, and well-being of all students, faculty, and staff; thus, our services can be accessed online at https://www.mesacc.edu/students/tutoring/tutoring-online.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) and its associated colleges are committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities to students with documented disabilities (e.g. mental health, attentional, learning, chronic health, sensory, or physical). Each class/term/semester that a student needs academic adjustments/accommodations, the qualified student is required to work with the Disability Resources and Services Office (DRS) at their individual college(s). College DRS offices may only offer accommodations/academic adjustments for their own college. Contact with the DRS should be made as soon as possible to ensure academic needs are met in a reasonable time. New and returning students must request accommodations each semester through DRS Connect online services. To learn more about this online service process, please contact your local DRS office.

If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations, you are welcome to contact DRS by using the information listed on the following web page: https://district.maricopa.edu/consumer-information/disability-resources/contacts.

The DRS office offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and/or temporary health conditions qualifying for accommodations/academic adjustments. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your faculty, and DRS; and only those academic adjustments/reasonable accommodations granted by the DRS are recognized by the college and MCCCD. It is the policy and practice of the MCCCD to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law.

MCC and other Maricopa Colleges use Canvas, an online learning management system (LMS). Whether your class is face-to-face, hybrid, or entirely online, course materials should be accessed by students in Canvas.

You can access the Canvas LMS at https://learn.maricopa.edu/ and learn more about how to use Canvas at https://www.mesacc.edu/online/learn-about-canvas.

All students are provided with an institutional email account (MEID@maricopa.edu). Students should use this account for all school business as it assures a student’s identity and privacy. Students should communicate with instructors through this email account or through the Canvas messaging Inbox.

To access this email account click here: http://mail.maricopa.edu

For technical support with your student email account click here: https://www.maricopa.edu/students/technical-support/student-email

Mesa Community College fosters an environment of religious inclusion where students of faith will be welcomed and supported. If you have religious practices and needs (as protected by Title IV of the Civil Rights Act) and would like to discuss possible accommodations, please review the Religious Accommodation Procedure and contact your instructor.

https://district.maricopa.edu/regulations/admin-regs/appendices/non-discrimination/nd-4

Mesa Community College is committed to providing a personal education for each of our students, and the Care Team is a key part of this vision. When parents, faculty, or staff members are concerned about the physical, emotional, academic or personal health of a college student, the Care Team can assess the situation, offer support, and provide referrals to the breadth of resources on-campus. https://www.mesacc.edu/employees/student-affairs/care-team.

Members of the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) community must notify Risk Management if they are diagnosed with COVID-19 or if they believe they have been exposed to COVID-19. This includes students who are enrolled in either in-person, hybrid (in-person and online combination) and/or online classes at Mesa Community College.

Your personally identifiable information, including name, address, and medical conditions will remain confidential and will not be shared with instructors, other students, or staff but your information may be shared with local health authorities as permitted under the ADA. For more information and/or to submit a COVID report, visit:

https://www.maricopa.edu/covid-19

The Counseling Department at Mesa Community College provides a variety of counseling services to assist students in addressing their personal, academic, career development, prevention, and intervention challenges. Services are offered free of charge to students. Counseling faculty support and empower students in the process of setting and attaining their academic, career, and personal goals. To schedule an appointment to meet with a counselor call:

https://www.mesacc.edu/departments/counseling

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the MCCCD prohibits unlawful sexual harassment against any participant in its education programs or activities. Sexual harassment includes quid pro quo (this for that) harassment, hostile environment, sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, and stalking. This prohibition against sexual harassment - including sexual violence - applies to students, MCCCD employees, and visitors to campus.

The policy of the MCCCD is to provide an educational, employment, and business environment free of sexual violence, unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct or communications constituting sexual harassment as prohibited by state and federal law. Incidents of Sexual Misconduct should be reported to the college Title IX Coordinator, as outlined in policy. MCCCD will provide on its Title IX and Preventing Sexual Harassment web page a link to all Title IX Coordinators at the MCCCD. Reports may be filed anonymously at: https://district.maricopa.edu/consumer-information/reporting.

Pregnant Student? Student of Faith? Please discuss possible accommodations with your instructor in advance of those needs. MCC strives to foster an environment where students will be welcomed and supported.

MCC has identified learning goals integrated throughout the student experience: Communication, Critical Thinking, Cultural and Global Engagement, and Civic Engagement. Taken cumulatively, these goals are designed to provide an educational experience that reflects the college mission which includes academic and co-curricular programs. This course assesses at least one of these student learning goals and provides students, instructors, and the college with meaningful data on our effectiveness. Ideally, students progress toward these goals throughout their journey at the college. The course-level assessment of the learning goal associated with this course is a snapshot of students' progress toward the learning goal.

Learning requires honesty, responsibility, and professional behavior. It is college policy to respond to academic misconduct and dishonesty whether it was committed intentionally or not.

Students who officially withdraw from credit classes during fall, spring, or summer semesters within the withdrawal deadlines listed below will receive a 100% refund for tuition, class and registration processing fees. Deadlines that fall on a weekend or a college holiday will advance to the next college workday except for classes fewer than 10 calendar days in length or as specified by the college. Calendar days include weekdays and weekends. Refer to individual colleges for withdrawal and refund processes.

Never attending is not an allowable refund exemption or an excuse of the debt incurred through registration.

Course fees and registration processing fees will be refunded only if the student qualifies for a 100% refund. Debts owed to any MCCCD college must be satisfied before any refunds are paid to the student. Refunds for students receiving federal financial assistance are subject to federal guidelines. Requests for exceptions to the refund policy must be filed within one year from the semester in which the course was taken.

Learn and Earn! Do you have a 3.25 GPA? The Honors Achievement Award ($244 to $500 per semester) is open to students who have completed 12 college-level credits within the Maricopa Colleges, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 and are currently enrolled in at least 6 graded credits. To be awarded funds, you must maintain a 3.25 GPA, complete an honors course (or honors contract in a regular course) with at least a "C" grade and participate in one co-curricular activity during the semester. Any students who qualify for this award should contact the Honors Office at 461-7079, Kirk Center 35S, or ask me about it! Learn more and apply online at https://www.mesacc.edu/honors/honors-achievement-award-scholarship.

I am so glad that you are in my class! You bring diversity and a world perspective to the classroom and that helps me to fulfill one of MCC’s student outcomes --- Cultural and Global Engagement. Please know that you must adhere to the attendance policy that is set for this class and is listed in this syllabus. If you are withdrawn by me from the class for nonattendance, I will not place you back into the class. If you earn a W or Y for nonattendance and this brings you below the required 12 credits that you need to maintain your F-1 status in the USA, I will not change your grade to an F. You are given the grade that you earn. If you fall out of status, you can go through a process called F-1 Reinstatement with the International Education Office (IE) located in Building 36N. IE regularly sends messages to your MCC email regarding immigration matters. Be sure to check it regularly! They also check attendance reports for all F-1 students on a weekly basis. You are here in the USA to be a student on your F-1 full time study visa and MCC will help you to maintain that status.

It is the student’s responsibility to understand the policies listed in this syllabus as these are the guidelines that the instructor will follow for grading, attendance, etc. It is also every student’s responsibility to read and understand the college policies included in the student handbook as they may apply in the case of an incomplete grade or withdrawal. In addition to this syllabus, all students should be aware of the district Administrative Regulations that articulate student rights and responsibilities.

The Student Handbook answers many of your questions about attending classes at Mesa Community College.

Student Handbook Online

The college catalog is a collection of information about Mesa Community College, our programs, policies and services.

College Catalog Online

At this link you will find in depth information on how the college is run. Included are a complete set of academic calendars

Administrative Regulations Online

MCC is here to help you! If you need support with academic or basic needs such as tutoring or transportation, there are resources available to assist you. Follow the link below for a comprehensive list of services available to MCC students. Student Resource Referral Guide.

https://www.mesacc.edu/get-help

Syllabus policies and course schedule are subject to change to accommodate the needs of the course, by agreement between instructor and all students, or as needed by administration. Students will be notified of any changes in schedule, requirements or policies. Students are responsible for knowing and complying with syllabus information and all college catalog and student handbook policies. Continued enrollment is acceptance of this responsibility. The most recent version of this syllabus is found at https://dennisk.freeshell.org

Near the end of this course, students will receive an invitation to complete a course survey. Constructive feedback plays an important role in shaping quality education at MCC. All responses are completely confidential, and student names are not stored with answers in any way. Instructors will not see survey results until after final grades are submitted. Student participation is greatly appreciated.