PHYS 2010 Syllabus
Course Syllabus
PHYS 2010 - Non-Calculus Physics I with Lab (formerly General Physics I with Lab)
4 Credit Hours
Course Information
An introductory pre-calculus online course in general physics including: mechanics, work and energy, rotation and vibration, wave motion, fluids and sound.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Explain physics principles and their applications.
2. Assess physical boundaries and limitations.
3. Solve physics questions by applying theory.
4. Employ physics principles to daily activities.
MATH 1720
Students should have a college-level knowledge of mathematics/algebra. Students must be familiar and comfortable with basic computer and Internet skills. They must be familiar with or willing to learn a variety of online tools.
- Module 1:
- Chapter 1 - Units, Physical Quantities, and Vectors
- Chapter 2 – Motion in one Dimension
- Chapter 3 - Vectors and Two Dimensional Motion
- Module 2: Chapter 4 - The Laws of Motion
- Module 3: Chapter 5 - Energy
- Module 4: Chapter 6 - Momentum and Collisions
- Module 5:
- Chapter 7 – Rotational Motion and the Law of Gravity
- Chapter 8 – Rotational Equilibrium and Rotational Dynamics
- Module 6: Chapter 9 – Solids and Fluids
- Module 7:
- Chapter 10 – Thermal Physics
- Chapter11 - Energy in Thermal Process
- Chapter 12 - The Laws of Thermodynamics
- Module 8:
- Chapter 13 - Vibrations and Waves
- Chapter 14 - Sound
MATH 1720
Students should have a college-level knowledge of mathematics/algebra. Students must be familiar and comfortable with basic computer and internet skills. They must be familiar with or willing to learn a variety of online tools.
Textbooks, Supplementary Materials, Hardware and Software Requirements
Please visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course. Move your cursor over the "Books" link in the navigation bar and select "Textbooks & Course Materials." Select your Program, Term, Department, and Course; then select "Submit."
Required Textbooks:
Please visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course. Move your cursor over the "Books" link in the navigation bar and select "Textbooks & Course Materials." Select your Program, Term, Department, and Course; then select "Submit."
Supplementary Materials:
Please refer to the Textbooks and Materials for the Course page.
There are no optional materials for this course. Any material relevant to the course may be used by the student to enhance the learning experience.
Hardware and Software Requirements:
Review the minimum hardware and software requirements
Common applications you might need:
To read a PDF file download the latest version of Adobe Reader
Don't have Microsoft Office? Explore an alternative OpenOffice
Web Resources:
Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab (for APA, MLA, or Chicago style)
Student Resources:
Technical support information can be found at the TN eCampus Help Desk.
Virtual tutoring is available FREE of charge. To access virtual tutoring, visit the course homepage, and select Virtual Tutoring under Course Resources.
Information on other student issues or concerns can be located at TN eCampus Student Resources.
Minimum hardware requirements can be found here.
Minimum software requirements can be found here.
Common applications you might need:
- To read a PDF file download the latest version of Adobe Reader here
- Don't have Microsoft Word? Explore an alternative OpenOffice here
- Accessing a PowerPoint file? Download the PowerPoint Viewer here
Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab (for APA, MLA, or Chicago style)
The Writing Center Online Writer's Handbook
- Technical support information can be found on the TN eCampus Help Desk page.
- Smarthinking virtual tutoring is available FREE of charge. to access Smarthinking, visit the course homepage and select Smarthinking under Course Resources. You also view sample sessions to see what Smarthinking offers and how it works.
- Information on other student issues or concerns can be located on the TN eCampus Student Resources page.
Instructor Information
Please see "Instructor Information" in the Getting Started Module for instructor contact information, virtual office hours, and other communication information. You can expect to receive a response from the instructor within 24-48 hours unless notified of extenuating circumstances.
Participation, Assessments, & Grading
Quizzes, mid-term exam, and the final exam will receive direct points according to the number of questions answered correctly. The mid-term and the final exams are proctored exams.
Graded Items
Description | Points |
6 of Discussion @ 40 each | 240 |
12 of Chapter Quizzes @ 10 each | 120 |
6 of Lab Activities @ 20 each | 120 |
1 of Project @ 120 | 120 |
1 of Midterm Exam @ 200 | 200 |
1 of Final Exam @ 200 | 200 |
Total Course Points | 1000 points |
A | 900 - 1000 points |
B | 800 - 899 points |
C | 700 - 799 points |
D | 600 - 699 points |
F | Under 599 points |
Quizzes, midterm exam, and the final exam will receive direct points according to the number of questions answered correctly.
Discussions, Labs, and the Project is graded by the instructor according to the rubric. All work is graded weekly and within 7 days after the deadline. The students will not have access to the discussions, labs, and projects after the deadline. The access to quizzes, midterm, and the final will not be available after the deadline. The practice quizzes will be available for practice throughout the course. The grades of the practice quizzes are not added to the total points of the course grade. The practice quizzes are only for practice and they will prepare you for chapter quizzes and exams.
Important Note: In order to pass the course, you must take the midterm and the final examinations and complete the project, in addition to receiving a passing grade in the course. If you miss either of the exams due to an illness, or any other acceptable mitigating reasons, you must provide evidence and receive the professor’s confirmation before arranging to take exams on days outside the given examination period. In such cases, the final grade would be an “I” (Incomplete), until the missing exams are taken on an alternative day.
Discussions:
Students will participate in discussions by posting answers to questions. All students are expected to respond to the main question substantially with examples where necessary and provide valid, acceptable references and then respond substantially to one other post. This is the minimum amount of work to earn the total points for a discussion. You may engage in discussions with your classmates by going beyond the requirement of one response to another post. The minimum learner interaction is a requirement.
Rubric for Discussions
Important Note: In order to receive the maximum points that are possible, please carefully take into consideration the four following standards and levels of achievement. Scroll down to the given detailed rubric titled “Detailed Rubric for Discussions” and align
your discussion posts with the criteria necessary to fulfill the “Distinguished” level of achievement for each of the four standards in order to earn the highest points that are possible. If you do not complete the discussions according to guidelines set in this rubric for the “Distinguished” level of achievement, you will not earn the maximum points that are possible. The instructor is unable to provide you with a higher grade for your discussion posts if you do not successfully meet the criteria for that relevant level of achievement within the given time frame.
There are four main standards that must be included into your discussions. The detailed explanation of how to earn the most points for each of these standards is, once again, provided in the rubric titled “Detailed Rubric for Discussions.”
The total gained according to the rubric will be doubled to match the 40 points awarded for a discussion.
Standard (1/4): Critical Thinking Skills & Content/Subject Knowledge Demonstrated in Original Post
Levels of Achievement | Scale of 0-10 Points |
Distinguished | 10 |
Proficient | 8 |
Basic | 7 |
Below Expectation | 6 |
No performance | 0 |
Standard (2/4): Participation
Levels of Achievement | Scale of 0-6 Points |
Distinguished | 6 |
Proficient | 5 |
Basic | 4 |
Below Expectation | 2 |
No Performance | 0 |
Standard (3/4): Coherence and Organization
Levels of Achievement | Scale of 0-2 Points |
Distinguished | 2 |
Proficient | 1.6 |
Basic | 1.2 |
Below Expectation | 0.8 |
No Performance | xxx |
Standard 4/4: Mechanics
Levels of Achievement | Scale of 0-2 Points |
Distinguished | 2 |
Proficient | 1.6 |
Basic | 1.2 |
Below Expectation | 0.8 |
No Performance / Severely Below | xxx |
Detailed Rubric for Discussions
Standard | Levels of Achievement | Criteria | Points |
Critical Thinking Skills & Content/Subject Knowledge Demonstrated in Original Post | Distinguished | The student’s post indicates thoughtful analysis of the presented topic, and provides valuable insight into the topic. Student thoroughly addresses all elements of the discussion prompt, and demonstrates an advanced knowledge of the topic. Student makes strong and precise connections to previous and/or current course content, or to real-life situations in initial post. The student’s post includes individual, professional discussions that further the academic conversation within the classroom. This post also highlights the student’s ability to understand the topic beyond general analyses included in the post. This post may also include novel arguments or viewpoints of the topic. | 10 |
Critical Thinking Skills & Content/Subject Knowledge Demonstrated in Original Post | Proficient | The student’s post indicates thought and analysis, but lacks depth or detail. The student thoroughly addresses all elements of the discussion prompt, and demonstrates proficient knowledge of the topic. Student relates content in initial post to current course content, or to real-life situations though the connection(s) may lack depth. The student’s post shows the ability to grasp the subject, but does not include a bulk of information to prove a distinguished academic grasp of the topic beyond what has been written. This post may also include individual discussion of current expert perspectives of the topic. | 8 |
Critical Thinking Skills & Content/Subject Knowledge Demonstrated in Original Post | Basic | The student’s post demonstrates an incomplete analysis of the topic. The student addresses most elements of the discussion prompt, and demonstrates a basic knowledge of the discussion topic, but does not provide any evidence to confirm that the student has an outstanding or above average understanding of the topic. The student’s post may also not relate the content in initial post to course content, or to real-life situations. This post meets the minimum requirements for a discussion post and does not show that the student has fully grasped the topic or has understood how to effectively present his/her knowledge of the topic. This topic may also not include expert opinion or analyses of the topic, and may generally rely on course-given basic information, without outside research. | 7 |
Critical Thinking Skills & Content/Subject Knowledge Demonstrated in Original Post | Below Expectations | The student’s initial post is weak and lacks analysis of the discussion topic, and may miss the point of the discussion topic entirely. The student fails to address a majority of the elements in the discussion prompt, and does not demonstrate basic knowledge of the topic. The student does not clearly relate the topic of the discussion to any course content, or to real-life situations. This post may also not include any real analytical discussions or assessments, and does not meet the general requirements for a discussion post. | 6 |
Critical Thinking Skills & Content/Subject Knowledge Demonstrated in Original Post | No Performance / Minimal Attempt | Student has not submitted an original post for this discussion. OR Student has submitted a post that demonstrates no critical thinking or original thoughts. The initial post is severely limited and includes only a few lines. The student demonstrates no content/subject knowledge in initial post. The initial post may | 0 |
Standard | Levels of Achievement | Criteria | Points |
Participation | Distinguished | The student responds with thorough and constructive analysis to the required number of peers, while relating the response to relevant course concepts. The student may also post pertinent follow-up thoughts or questions about the topic, and demonstrate respect for the diverse opinions of fellow learners. The student may also actively engage on the discussion board with fellow classmates by taking part in professional debates or analyses, whilst maintaining a sense of respect. | 6 |
Participation | Proficient | The student responds substantively to the required number of peers, while relating the response to relevant course concepts. The student demonstrates respect for the diverse opinions of fellow learners. The student has demonstrated a sense of respect for diverse views of the topic. However, the student has not provided responses that prove a distinguished level of achievement, and may not have actively taken part in engaging, subject-related discussions. | 5 |
Participation | Basic | The student responds to the required number peers. However, the peer responses lack adequate analysis, offering a superficial reaction to the peer’s initial post. Student demonstrates respect for the diverse opinions of fellow learners. The students responses generally focus on the organization of the post or rely on phrases, such as “Good work,” “Interesting post,” “Nice job,” etc. | 4 |
Participation | Below Expectations | The student responds to fewer than the required number of peers, and/or student’s peer responses are brief and lack substance. Student may fail to demonstrate respect for the diverse opinions of fellow learners. | 2 |
Participation | No Performance / Minimal Attempt | The student has not provide any peer responses. OR The student provided peer responses that were off-topic and did not contribute to the academic discussion of the subject in any form. The student may have also failed to demonstrate respect for the diverse opinions of fellow learners. | 0 |
Standard | Levels of Achievement | Criteria | Points |
Coherence and Organization | Distinguished | The student effectively communicates a central idea or point that is weaved throughout the entirety of the post, in a coherent and logical manner. Post is easy to understand. The student may have also included headings within the post or aligned each response under the relevant question to make reading the post easier. This post may have also included transition words that allow for a smooth reading flow. | 2 |
Coherence and Organization | Proficient | The student communicates a central idea or point that is weaved through most of the post in a coherent manner. The post is, for the most part, easy to understand. This post may not include transition words or may not include headings to allow for a smooth reading flow. | 1.6 |
Coherence and Organization | Basic | The student communicates a main idea or point in the post, but may incorporate other unrelated topics, as well. Coherence and organization are somewhat visible in the post. The student has met the general requirements for coherence and organization, but does not show any effort to go beyond these general requirements. | 1.2 |
Coherence and Organization | Below Expectations | The student communicates several unconnected ideas or points in the discussion response, with no apparent pattern or coherence. The student does not tie all information together, but includes seemingly random statements that do not flow well. | 0.8 |
Coherence and Organization | No Performance / Minimal Attempt | The student has not provided an initial post. OR The student does not display any sense of organization or coherence. The initial post lacks any expression of ideas or points. The post is difficult to read and lacks any sense of formatting or organization. | 0 |
Standard | Levels of Achievement | Criteria | Points |
Mechanics | Distinguished | The initial post contains very few (zero to two mistakes), if any, minor errors related to grammar, spelling, and/or sentence structure. The post is easy to read and understand. The student properly cites resources (if applicable), per instructor expectations. This post demonstrates high grammatical skills | 2 |
Mechanics | Proficient | The initial post contains several minor errors (two to four mistakes) related to grammar, spelling, and sentence structure, but they do not distract the reader from the content of the post. The student properly cites resources (if applicable), per instructor expectations. | 1.6 |
Mechanics | Basic | The initial post contains errors related to grammar, spelling, and sentence structure (four – six mistakes). The errors do not distract the reader from the content of the post. Student cites resources (if applicable), per instructor expectations. | 1.2 |
Mechanics | Below Expectations | The initial post contains major errors related to grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and citations (more than six mistakes), which may distract the reader from the content of the post. | 0.8 |
Mechanics | No Performance / Minimal Attempt | The student has not provided an initial post. | 0 |
Lab Activities and Project:
Students will also carry out lab activities and projects and submit the work using dropbox. The lab activities and projects provide the students with an opportunity to explore learning in real life situations. The lab activities and projects should be presented with supporting references and must answer all the questions.
N.B. All writing in all assignments must be your own work.
Project Rubric: Please refer to the rubric given under the project instructions within the course.
Lab Activity Rubric - Total Points 20
Section | Criteria | Points |
Section 1 - Laboratory Report | Title | 1 |
Section 1 - Laboratory Report | Introduction | 1 |
Section 1 - Laboratory Report | Procedure | 4 |
Section 1 - Laboratory Report | Results - qualitative or quantitative | 4 |
Section 1 - Laboratory Report | Discussion/Conclusion | 4 |
Section 2 - Questions | Equally divided among questions | 6 |
Total | 20 |
Students are expected to communicate with the instructor on a regular basis and check the calendar, news, and email frequently for announcements or changes in the course. Students must actively participate in the class consistently and at a steady pace.
To receive full credit, all assignments, including discussions, labs, projects, chapter quizzes, midterm exam, and the final exam must be submitted on time. Once the deadline is passed, students may lose access to submitting the assignments. Students who are able to work on class assignments only in the evenings should make plans to complete assignments on the evening before the day of the deadline. The late submission is acceptable only when there are mitigating circumstances and the request is submitted with evidence.
Course Ground Rules
The following two statements (1., 2.) were derived from the TBR System-wide Student Rules document, released January 2012:
RULES OF THE TENNESSEE BOARD OF REGENTS STATE UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM OF TENNESSEE SYSTEMWIDE STUDENT RULES CHAPTER 0240-02-03 STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS
Read the document in its entirety here.
1. Standards of Conduct:
- Students are required to adhere to the same professional, legal and ethical standards of conduct online as on campus. In addition, students should conform to generally accepted standards of "netiquette" while sending e-mail, posting comments to the discussion board, and while participating in other means of communicating online. Specifically, students should refrain from inappropriate and/or offensive language, comments and actions.
2. Review the TN eCampus Academic Integrity/Academic Honesty Policy:
- In their academic activities, students are expected to maintain high standards of honesty and integrity. Academic dishonesty is prohibited.
Such conduct includes, but is not limited to:
- an attempt by one or more students to use unauthorized information in the taking of an exam
- to submit as one's own work, themes, reports, drawings, laboratory notes, computer programs, or other products prepared by another person,
- or to knowingly assist another student in obtaining or using unauthorized materials.
Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited.
Students guilty of academic misconduct, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance, are subject to disciplinary action through the regular procedures of the student’s home institution. Refer to the student handbook provided by your home institution to review the student conduct policy.
In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed, the instructor has the authority to assign an "F" or zero for an activity or to assign an "F" for the course.
Other Course Rules:
Students are expected to:
- Participate in all aspects of the course
- Communicate with other students
- Learn how to navigate in Brightspace
- Keep abreast of course announcements
- Use the assigned course management (Brightspace) email address rather than a personal email address
- Address technical problems immediately:
- Observe course netiquette at all times.
Guidelines for Communications
Email:
- Always include a subject line.
- Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way. Be careful in wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.
- Use standard fonts.
- Do not send large attachments without permission.
- Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.
- Respect the privacy of other class members
Discussions:
- Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a lurker then a discussant.
- Try to maintain threads by using the "Reply" button rather starting a new topic.
- Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group. Be respectful of other’s ideas.
- Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks.
- Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks.
- Be positive and constructive in group discussions.
- Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.
Library
The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in TN eCampus programs and courses. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading will be included within the course modules. To access the Virtual Library, go to the course homepage and select the Virtual Library link under Course Resources.
Students with Disabilities
Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.
Syllabus Changes
The instructor reserves the right to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and posting both notification and nature of change(s) on the course bulletin board.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this syllabus is for general information purposes only. While we endeavor to keep this information up-to-date and accurate, there may be some discrepancies between this syllabus and the one found in your online course. The syllabus of record is the one found in your online course. Please make sure you read the syllabus in your course at the beginning of the semester. Questions regarding course content should be directed to your instructor.