Course Syllabus
Course Prefix and Number: Title of Course
Syllabus – Fall 2023
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Course Information
- 3 credits, Lecture: 30 hours
- TTh 3-4:20PM
- Class location: E136
- Last Day to Withdraw from Classes: Wednesday, November 22.
- The following are non-academic (no class) days:
o Tuesday, October 31 (Advising Day)
o Friday, November 10 (Holiday)
o Thursday – Saturday, November 23-25 (Holiday)
Professor Contact Information
- Dr. Cathy Zupke
- Cathy.Zupke@LWTech.com
- Canvas Inbox (http://LWTech.Instructure.com)
- I generally prefer Canvas messages for course related communication, and campus email for everything else. Campus email is also okay for course related messages.
- I teach and have office hours in the afternoons M-Th. I usually work from home on Friday. I tend to do grading on the weekend.
- I don’t mind getting emails any time of day and usually will respond within 24 hours.
- Office hours are MW 3:00 – 5:00 pm in E158 (the Innovation Lab). I’ll also keep most Fridays from 10:30AM – 1:00PM open for video office hours (by appointment). If you need to see me and can’t make office hours, you can request an appointment for some other time, and we can find a mutually agreeable time. We can do this over Teams in the evenings or weekends.
Course Description
The primary goal of this course is to provide students with the resources needed to make an informed decision about future education and career goals and to make those goals reality. This course provides an orientation to the educational options and professional opportunities in engineering. Students will develop academic and personal skills and attitudes that promote success in college study.
Prerequisites:
ABED 40 (or placement into MATH 87 or higher) and ABED 46 (or placement into ENGL 93 or higher)
Course Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:
- Develop goals for college study and identify strategies (including financial, time, stress and health management) to achieve them
- Distinguish among different fields of engineering and engineering technology
- Prepare an academic plan leading to an Associate degree and successful transfer in engineering
- Outline the specific job opportunities and educational requirements in at least one field of engineering
- Demonstrate attitudes and learning strategies that promote success in STEM study
- Successfully navigate campus resources and services including the college website, learning management system, student financial services, and various student support services
- Define, explore, and discuss the importance of diversity in today’s classroom and community
Method of Instruction
- Theory (Lecture): Students are engaged with faculty and class members in learning theoretical material and/or engaging in activities to apply the theory leading to mastery of course outcomes. Modes of instructional delivery could include but are not limited to: lecture, small group discussion, guided conversation, demonstration, case studies, role playing, problem-based inquiry, and collaborative activities. Instruction may be a mix of presentation, facilitation, and guided activities evidenced by frequent ongoing communication between instructor and students. One credit is generated by one weekly contact hour of instruction or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time. Generally, requires out-of-class student effort, typically two hours per class hour.
- Guided Practice (Lab and Clinical): Students are actively engaged in practicing and mastering skills under the supervision of the instructor. This category of instruction could include but is not limited to labs, studios, shops, clinical experiences, computer-mediated learning, hands-on projects, or other skill building activities. Instruction may be individualized or group-focused and include skills assessment. One credit is generated by two weekly contact hours of instruction or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time. May also include out-of-class student effort, typically one hour per two class hours.
Online Course Delivery
If you request in advance, it should be possible to occasionally participate in class remotely. You will be responsible for arranging to take any quizzes that occur in class (either at the testing center or by arrangement with the instructor). If you choose to not be present, I expect your camera to be on unless there are extenuating circumstances that make that not possible or impractical. It is strongly recommended that you do not routinely participate remotely as it will not be as good of an experience as being in person. However, if you are sick you are urged to stay home and participate remotely (if you feel well enough to do so).
Technology Requirements, Textbook(s), and Required Tools, Supplies, and/or Materials
Technology Requirements
To successfully participate in and complete this class, students need the following minimum technology:
- Computer capable of accessing web applications and Microsoft Office.
- Reliable Internet access
- Webcam with mic (if you ever participate remotely).
Contact the professor if you have questions or cannot currently meet the technology requirements for the course. You can check out a laptop from the Library at LWTech (their hours and contact information are available at LWTech.edu/Library). If the Library does not have any devices available, you may be able to access an Emergency Grant to purchase your own laptop or internet service. The Emergency Grant application can be completed at LWTech.edu/EmergencyGrant (scroll down to the Emergency Grant section).
Textbook (required)
There is no textbook for this class.
Supplies and/or Tools
Written work should be completed in pencil on 8.5”x11” blank paper, or Engineering paper (NOT graph paper). You’ll probably want a scientific calculator.
Grading
Per LWTech’s grading policy, a minimum grade of 2.0 is required to apply the course towards both satisfying a prerequisite and meeting college graduation requirements. However, a grade between 0.7 and 1.9, while not passing, demonstrates that you earned credit for the course to meet certain financial aid or high school requirements. Any grade below 0.7 is entered as 0.0 in Washington State’s community and technical college grading system.
Grading Scale
Your grade will be calculated as a weighted percentage of all work and assessments.
Table 1. Grading Scale
|
% |
GP |
|
95-100 |
4 |
|
94 |
3.9 |
|
90 |
3.5 |
|
89 |
3.4 |
|
85 |
3 |
|
84 |
2.9 |
|
80 |
2.5 |
|
79 |
2.4 |
|
75 |
2 |
|
74 |
1.9 |
|
70 |
1.5 |
|
69 |
1.4 |
|
65 |
1 |
|
64 |
0.9 |
|
62 |
0.7 |
|
< 62 |
0 |
Weighting of Course Components
- 10% Class participation/team membership
- 15% Homework and in class work (one assignment dropped)
- 15% Quizzes
- 20% Midterm(s)
- 25% Final Exam
- 15% Project(s)
Note: The calculation of the final score for the course will be done in Excel and may differ from what is shown in Canvas. The instructor will try to configure Canvas so that it is close, but there may be aspects of the grade calculation that are not possible in Canvas. If you see any errors in your recorded scores, or you have any questions about them, you are encouraged to speak with the instructor.
Course Policies and Procedures
Class Expectations
- Check Canvas and your student email daily. These are the college’s and the professor’s primary means of communication with you outside of class.
- You should expect to spend approximately 3-4 hours per credit on this course each week. As a 5-credit class, that is about 15-20 hours per week.
- Live sessions in this class may be recorded and available to students upon request. Contact your instructor for links to recordings when needed. The following guidelines will be applied to all recorded sessions:
- Students are informed that sessions are recorded and give their express permission for the sessions to be recorded.
- If students do not want to be recorded, they have permission to not share video of themselves and to stay muted (i.e., keep their video off and audio muted). They can submit their comments via chat. If the class is being held via Teams, when you sign into an online class session, you will need to list your initials instead of your full name if you do not want it to appear in the recording.
- If the recordings are shared with captions or a transcript, they are only shared within the Canvas site for the course with which it corresponds.
Exam Make-Ups and Late Work
- Late work to be graded by the instructor will be accepted after grading of that assignment has started, but with a 25% late penalty. Due dates are posted on Canvas and late work (submitted after grading has started) will not be counted at full credit unless an extension has been granted. Each student can have ONE late assignment be counted without penalty, with no questions asked.
- Missed quizzes and exams can be made up if there is a documented excuse for missing class (death in the family, severe illness, etc.) and the student has communicated this by email or phone before the test. I am open to scheduling a different time if you know you have a conflict in advance.
- Students who miss class meetings are still responsible for lecture material covered, handouts, and announcements. Contact a class member for additional instructions and/or assignments given in class. Students are encouraged to make an appointment with the instructor or meet during office hours for any further clarification.
Attendance, Participation, and Tardiness
- Attendance will be taken and to earn full Class Participation points you are allowed two unexcused absences.
- Being present but disruptive (or otherwise not participating reasonably well) may result in a deduction equivalent to an unexcused absence.
- Students will be called on randomly. This is meant to provide equal opportunity to participate and will be done in a supportive way. It is OK to not know an answer or to be wrong.
Absences and Accommodations for Faith and Conscience
Students who will be absent from course activities due to reasons of faith or conscience may seek reasonable accommodations so that grades are not impacted. Such requests must be made within the first two weeks of the quarter and should follow the procedures listed online (LWTech.edu/StudentServicesPolicies in 5.P.08).
Academic Integrity
Students should review the Academic Dishonesty Program Dismissal/Appeal and Final Grade Appeal policy. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, and fabrication.
- Cheating includes any attempt to give or obtain unauthorized assistance relating to the completion of an academic assignment.
- Plagiarism includes taking and using as one’s own, without proper attribution, the ideas, writings, or work of another person in completing an academic assignment. Prohibited conduct may also include the unauthorized submission for credit of academic work that has been submitted for credit in another course.
- Fabrication includes falsifying data, information, or citations in completing an academic assignment and also includes providing false or deceptive information to an instructor concerning the completion of an assignment.
Artificial Intelligence Tools
While AI tools like ChatGPT can be very helpful if you know what you are doing, they are easy to use as a crutch which will interfere with learning. They are prone to hallucinations so any output they give may be completely incorrect. Most tools do not give sources for their information and are no better, and perhaps worse, than asking a stranger off the street. If you wish to try to use AI tools to help with written work, you have to document how you used it (for example, including the prompt and raw output). Your work is what will be graded, which is the prompt, not the output. So, if you were tasked with writing a 1000 word essay on how to design a bridge, and your prompt was “Write a 1000 word essay on how to design a bridge” that prompt would probably get a zero. Using output from an AI tool without attribution and documentation will be counted as plagiarism.
Internet resources and collaboration with others
It is the expectation that any work you submit for credit is your own. Looking up answers to questions on the Internet is explicitly forbidden. This does not mean you can’t get help from the Internet or from other students. However, you can’t use a complete solution to the same problem (if the problem is the same, but has different numbers, that still counts as being the same problem). If you are getting or giving help, focus on understanding of the underlying concepts. You should be able to repeat the entire solution without any help. If you let another student copy your work, that is also a violation and will earn a zero on the assignment. You are explicitly forbidden from posting any questions from this class on the Internet—this includes sites like Course Hero and Chegg, and also AI systems like ChatGPT. Doing so may result in failure of the course.
Violations of academic honesty, including plagiarism, may result in a zero on the assignment or assessment in question. A second violation of academic integrity may result in automatic failure of the course. All violations of academic integrity shall be reported to the college's confidential database, which may result in additional investigation and corrective action through the student conduct process.
Computer and Cell Phone Usage
- During class, cell phones, laptops, and classroom computers may be used for class activities only. If you have the need to use your phone not related to class, you may leave the room to do so (except, of course, during exams).
- LWTech computer users are limited to applications listed on screen menus. They are not allowed to install programs or alter system configurations, defaults, system settings, system files, program files, data files, desktop configuration.
Community Standards
It is expected that we will respect the rights and dignity of students, faculty, and all others on campus and online at all times. This includes doing our part to create a safe, distraction-free, and collaborative learning environment. Homophobic, racist, sexist, and other demeaning language and/or actions are not permitted. If you would like to report a bias incident use the bias incident reporting form. (https://www.LWTech.edu/About/Campus-Safety/Incident-Reporting/Bias-Response-Team/)
Tentative Topic Schedule
The following schedule is subject to change. Check Canvas regularly for updates to assignments and due dates.
|
|
|
Topics |
||
|
Week |
Dates |
College |
Cognition/Learning |
Engineering |
|
1 |
9/26, 9/28 |
Introduction to course, Introduction to Canvas, How is college different from K-12? How to read a syllabus. |
|
Engineering challenge |
|
2 |
10/3, 10/5 |
|
How we learn: Brain Rules, Bloom’s Taxonomy |
3D modeling with Onshape |
|
3 |
10/10, 10/12 |
Interacting with faculty, Ethics |
intrinsic v. extrinsic motivation |
3D modeling with Onshape, 3D printing, , Innovation Lab, |
|
4 |
10/17, 10/19 |
|
Note taking, Active Reading, Study Techniques, |
Units |
|
5 |
10/24, 10/26 |
Midterm |
|
Unit conversion |
|
6 |
11/2 |
Basics of Research |
|
Truss Structures |
|
7 |
11/7, 11/9 |
Presentation skills |
|
Truss Lab, types of engineering |
|
8 |
11/14, 11/16 |
Teamwork |
|
Characteristic Time Lab(CTL) |
|
9 |
11/21 |
|
|
CTL |
|
10 |
11/28, 11/30 |
|
|
CTL |
|
11 |
12/5, 12/7 |
Final |
|
|
Student Conduct Expectations
All students must conduct themselves as responsible college community members by following the Student Code of Conduct (www.LWTech.edu/StudentConduct). The Student Code of Conduct applies to conduct on-campus (at all times), while participating in off-site college sponsored activities (including field trips and online classes), and off-campus (when the actions/behavior impact the college community). While students are participating in face to face or online classes, prohibited behavior includes but is not limited to: use of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco products, and/or being observably under the influence of drugs or alcohol while participating in classes. Adherence to LWTech’s Health and Safety guidelines, such as truthful answers to on-campus door monitoring questions and proper mask wearing on campus are also required. All potential student conduct violations will be referred to the student conduct officer.
Disability Support Services
If you have a physical, psychological, medical, or learning disability that may impact your course work, you may request accommodations and apply for services through DSS Online (https://Cascade.AccessibleLearning.com/LWTech/ApplicationStudent.aspx).
After you provide documentation of a disability, the office will coordinate directly with your faculty to ensure you are given reasonable accommodations to support your success. All information and documentation is confidential. You can reach DSS by phone at 425-739-8300 or by email (dssInfo@LWTech.edu). For additional information please refer to LWTech.edu/dss.
Non-Discrimination
Lake Washington Institute of Technology is committed to equality of educational opportunity. LWTech does not discriminate in offering access to its educational programs and activities on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a mother breastfeeding her child, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability (RCW 49.60.215).
Title IX
LWTech provides a safe learning environment for all students that is free of all forms of discrimination and sexual harassment, including sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. If you (or someone you know) has experienced or experiences any of these incidents, know that you are not alone.
As an institution of higher learning that receives federal funds, LWTech is required to abide by Title IX, which states: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” For more information on Title IX, including contact information, go to the college’s Policies and Procedures, Title IX webpage (https://www.LWTech.edu/About/Policies-and-Procedures/title-ix-and-Sexual-Misconduct/). In many cases, such discrimination violates state and federal law. The Executive Director of HR, Meena Park (Meena.Park@lwtech.edu) handles inquiries regarding LWTech’s non-discrimination policies.
Student Support Resources
Visit www.LWTech.edu/StudentSupportResources for more information on each of the following:
o Financial Assistance: Financial Aid and Workforce Development
o Information Technology Services
o Justice Involved Students: Re-Entry Support
o Library
o Student Representation and Advocacy
o Supplemental Instruction (Help with Writing, Math, Computer and Software Development)
o TRiO
o Tutoring
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|