Welcome Letter for PSCI210, Fall 2023: Fall 2023: Welcome Letters

Welcome Letter for PSCI210, Fall 2023

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PSCI 210 - Energy and Matter

Fall 2023 at Cuesta College

This is the welcome letter for PSCI210! This letter outlines some of the policies and the timeline for the course. The syllabus for the course, which fully outlines all policies and procedures for this course, will be handed out in class on the first day of the fall semester. This letter is subject to change! It was last updated 5/8/2023.

This class is blended; you will be participating in the course both in person and online. You must participate in all parts of the course to be eligible to pass.

Description

PSCI210 is a physical science course studies matter and energy from two perspectives - chemistry (1st 9 weeks) and physics (2nd 9 weeks). Chemistry is the study of matter, the changes it undergoes, and its behavior with different forms of energy (including heat and light). While working on chemistry, you will focus on:

being a scientist, the scientific method, and taking measurements
different phases and types of matter
atoms, atomic structures, and the periodic table
interactions between substances, including dissolving and chemical reactions

Physics is the study of the fundamental and foundational behaviors of matter and energy. While working on physics, you will focus on:

Newton's 3 laws of motion and how to use them for different situations
how things that are charged or things that float behave
how things work, including musical instruments, magnets, and more!

The laboratory component incorporates material from lecture and places a specific emphasis on measurement, data analysis, and observation.

Instructors:

Dr. Kelli Gottlieb (kelli_gottlieb@cuesta.edu) lab and lecture instructor - 1st 9 weeks

Mr. Bret Clark (bclark@cuesta.edu) lab and lecture instructor - 2nd 9 weeks

Email is the best way to get in touch with us. If you email, please allow at least 24 hours for a reply on weekdays (longer on weekends). Emails must be sent from either your CUESTA email or through Canvas. A meaningful response will not be sent to any emails from non-Cuesta emails due to preserve your privacy (FERPA).

Course Information:

PSCI210 - CRN 74690

Course website: Canvas (cuesta.instructure.com - log in with your Cuesta username)

Canvas access tutorial.
Click here for help with any Canvas issues

Course dates: 8/14/2023 - 12/15/2023
Full Canvas Availability: 8/14/2023 after our first class meeting
Final Exam 1 (chemistry): 10/11/2023 from 11am - 12:50pm
Final Exam 2 (physics): 12/13/2023 from 9:45 - 11:45am (there are no other times available to take this exam)

The lecture portion of this course follows an inverted classroom format. Students will watch videos of lecture material outside of the classroom and then work on problem solving in the classroom with the instructor and their classmates.

Lecture Meetings:

You should only be enrolled in the course if you know you can meet during all of the times listed on ClassFinder. These times will not be the sum total of what you need to work on for this class; this is just the time you will be expected to be in the classroom.

You are expected to keep up with the material by sticking to the deadlines and guidelines provided on Canvas. There is a lot of work in-class as well as studying and work to be done out of class as well. You can count on the following almost every week:

something due in lab (a prelab and/or postlab)
Online lecture content to read and watch and an online assignment(s) to complete to prepare for a lecture meeting.
In-class assignments
A quiz or exam

This list details the in-class time requirements. Outside of class, you'll need to study and do practice on your own to succeed in class. You can count on a minimum of 2-3 hours/unit per week, it adds up to a lot of hours (your mileage may vary, depending on your comfort with the material - some people may take longer or shorter). This is a 4-credit hour science courseload with the work to match.

Lab Meetings:

You will be required to attend your scheduled in-person lab meetings two days a week. You should not be enrolled in the course if you do not have the time available in your schedule as most lab meetings will take the entire lab period. You cannot pass the class without participation in the in-person lab component of this course. You must earn a 70% in each of the the lab portions of the course to pass the class.

Students are required to follow the current district policies regarding personal protective equipment, sanitization, distancing, and other related measures to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. Students who do not comply will not be permitted in the laboratory and will be referred to the Vice President of Student Services for non-compliance with the Student Code of Conduct.

Electronic Device and Internet Skill Requirements

Because this is a hybrid course, there are certain electronic device requirements to participate in the course:

You must have constant access to a reliable computer (minimum specs for a reliable computer). This should be most days of the week, not just the days our class meets (you'll want regular access to our materials on Canvas). A smartphone will likely not be sufficient for this course.
You must have a reliable Internet connection, meaning you can be on conferencing software, Canvas, and download and upload documents.
A device for scanning. This can be a scanner or a phone app that scans (there are many free ones out there! I will provide some examples once we get started).
Optional but highly recommended: a reliable way to print documents (like a printer). This isn't mandatory but will be really useful to you as we go through the semester. It wouldn't be considered reliable if you need to pay a lot of money to be able to print (there will be alternatives).
You must have access to your my.Cuesta.edu email account (or have successfully set up email forwarding to your third party email provider).
You must have access to Canvas, Cuesta College's learning management system (LMS).
You must have a backup plan in case your internet provider or computer goes down. For issues related to accessing Cuesta's Canvas Site, email: support@my.cuesta.edu.
You must have a good understanding of the following online activities to succeed in this course: email, internet navigation, online communication, pdf creation (as well as other file-types), document uploading and downloading.

Required Materials

The following items listed below are the only course-specific materials you will need for this course. Retailers may “suggest” or “recommend” additional items (e.g., lab coats, laminated Periodic Tables, study guides, etc.). Those are not required for this course and you do not need to purchase them. You will need:

There is no textbook to purchase, we will be using online resources exclusively.
Calculator: You will not need a graphing calculator; we'll be using scientific calculators exclusively in this class.

Internet-connected device to access course materials: These are available to borrow from the Cuesta library. A smartphone will likely not be sufficient for the work in this class.
A way to scan documents
- This can be a scanner or a scanning app on a phone or other device with a camera.

Quizzes and Exams

Quizzes and exam will be administered in-person in the classroom. There is no option to complete these assessments online.

Attendance and Participation

You will need to work on material for this class each day in order to stay caught up in the course.
If you do not attend all meetings during first week of classes, you will be dropped from the course.
If you do not participate for an entire week, you may be dropped from the course.
If you fail to complete four or more labs over the course of the semester, you will not pass the course, even if you have a passing grade in the lecture portion of the course. You must have a 70% in each lab portion of the course to pass the class.

Drop Policies

If you no longer wish to be enrolled in the course, you must withdraw on your own. Make sure to check the financial aid or other implications with a counselor before you do so. (How to drop) (Drop/Withdraw FAQs)
If you do not participate during the first week of classes, you will be dropped from the course.
If you do not participate in the course for an entire week you may be dropped from the course.

Accessibility

Students with documentation with DSPS. and require special accommodations should see the instructor during the first day of class for a confidential discussion.

Academic Honesty

“Academic honesty is essential to the academic community. Students expect that Cuesta College faculty be fair, truthful, and trustworthy. Faculty expect that Cuesta College students share these same values. Students who violate these principles by cheating, plagiarizing, or acting in other academically dishonest ways are subject to disciplinary procedures.” – Cuesta College Academic Honesty Agreement

It is allowed and expected that you will work together on assignments and lab reports; it is also expected that each student will do their own work and write their answers in their own words. To avoid any academic honesty issues, it is best to talk about a question, discuss an answer, and then each student writes their answer in their own words. Perform all your own calculations; do not write the result of another student’s calculation.

Exams are meant to be completed on your own. You are committing an act of academic dishonesty if you consult resources not provided with the exam, including notes, tutors, other people in your house, or other resources that weren't specifically included with the exam. Academic dishonesty also includes posting quiz or exam questions to online forums, regardless of if the question is answered or not. While you may ask for help from online tutors for other non-assessment assignments, quizzes and exams are meant to be taken ON YOUR OWN with only the resources I provide.

Academic dishonesty also includes using AI to write answers or complete questions on assignments. You should be writing answers in your own words.

Any student found to be engaging in academic dishonesty will receive a 0 on the assignment or exam in question, which may result in failure of the course. Academic dishonesty includes claiming work to be your own when it was not (copying off of another quiz or reporting data as your own when were absent from lab that day) as well as sharing your work with others.

TurnItIn software will be used for submitting all postlab reports.

Cuesta Academic Honesty

Student Learning Outcomes

Apply concepts in physics and chemistry to describe physical phenomena.
Explain the role of science in the modern world.
Solve problems using general physics and chemistry principles.
Perform laboratory experiments and explain the underlying science behind them.

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[{:section_type=>"rich_text", :content=>"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">PSCI 210 - Energy and Matter</h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Fall 2023 at Cuesta College</h2>\nThis is the welcome letter for PSCI210! This letter outlines some of the policies and the timeline for the course. The syllabus for the course, which fully outlines all policies and procedures for this course, will be handed out in class on the first day of the fall semester. This letter is subject to change! It was last updated 5/8/2023. \nThis class is&nbsp;blended;&nbsp;you will be participating in the course both in person and online. You must participate in all parts of the course to be eligible to pass.&nbsp;\n&nbsp;\n<h2>Description</h2>\nPSCI210 is a physical science course studies matter and energy from two perspectives - chemistry (1st 9 weeks) and physics (2nd 9 weeks). Chemistry is the study of matter, the changes it undergoes, and its behavior with different forms of energy (including heat and light). While working on chemistry, you will focus on:\n<ul>\n<li>being a scientist, the scientific method, and taking measurements</li>\n<li>different phases and types of matter</li>\n<li>atoms, atomic structures, and the periodic table</li>\n<li>interactions between substances, including dissolving and chemical reactions</li>\n</ul>\nPhysics is the study of the fundamental and foundational behaviors of matter and energy. While working on physics, you will focus on:\n<ul>\n<li>Newton's 3 laws of motion and how to use them for different situations</li>\n<li>how things that are charged or things that float behave</li>\n<li>how things work, including musical instruments, magnets, and more!</li>\n</ul>\nThe laboratory component incorporates material from lecture and places a specific emphasis on measurement, data analysis, and observation.\n&nbsp;\n<h2>Instructors:</h2>\nDr. Kelli Gottlieb (<a href=\"mailto:kelli_gottlieb@cuesta.edu\">kelli_gottlieb@cuesta.edu</a>)&nbsp;lab and lecture instructor - 1st 9 weeks\nMr. Bret Clark (<a class=\"inline_disabled\" href=\"mailto:bclark@cuesta.edu\" target=\"_blank\">bclark@cuesta.edu</a>) lab and lecture instructor - 2nd 9 weeks\nEmail is the best way to get in touch with us. If you email, please allow at least 24 hours for a reply on weekdays (longer on weekends).&nbsp; Emails must be sent from either your CUESTA email or through Canvas. A meaningful response will not be sent to any emails from non-Cuesta emails due to preserve your privacy (FERPA).\n&nbsp;\n<h2>Course Information:</h2>\n<h2>PSCI210 - CRN 74690</h2>\nCourse website: Canvas (cuesta.instructure.com - log in with your Cuesta username)\n<ul>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https://www.cuesta.edu/student/documents/distance_ed_students/Canvas_Quick_Reference_Students.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Canvas access tutorial.</a></li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https://www.cuesta.edu/academics/distance/technical_support.html\" target=\"_blank\">Click here</a>&nbsp;for help with any Canvas issues</li>\n</ul>\nCourse dates: 8/14/2023 - 12/15/2023 Full Canvas Availability: 8/14/2023 after our first class meeting Final Exam 1 (chemistry): 10/11/2023 from 11am - 12:50pm Final Exam 2 (physics): 12/13/2023 from 9:45 - 11:45am (there are no other times available to take this exam)\nThe lecture portion of this course follows an inverted classroom format. Students will watch videos of lecture material outside of the classroom and then work on problem solving in the classroom with the instructor and their classmates.&nbsp;\n&nbsp;\n<h3>Lecture Meetings:</h3>\nYou should only be enrolled in the course if you know you can meet during all of the times listed on ClassFinder. These times will&nbsp;not&nbsp;be the sum total of what you need to work on for this class; this is just the time you will be expected to be in the classroom.\nYou are expected to keep up with the material by sticking to the deadlines and guidelines provided on Canvas.&nbsp;There is a lot of work in-class as well as studying and work to be done out of class as well.&nbsp;You can count on the following almost every week:\n<ul>\n<li>something due in lab (a prelab and/or postlab)</li>\n<li>Online lecture content to read and watch and an online assignment(s) to complete to prepare for a lecture meeting.</li>\n<li>In-class assignments</li>\n<li>A quiz or exam</li>\n</ul>\nThis list details the in-class time requirements. Outside of class, you'll need to study and do practice on your own to succeed in class. You can count on a minimum of 2-3 hours/unit per week, it adds up to a lot of hours&nbsp;(your mileage may vary, depending on your comfort with the material - some people may take longer or shorter). This is a 4-credit hour science courseload with the work to match.\n&nbsp;\n<h3>Lab Meetings:</h3>\nYou will be required to attend your scheduled in-person lab meetings two days a week.&nbsp;You should not be enrolled in the course if you do not have the time available in your schedule as most lab meetings will take the entire lab period. You cannot pass the class without participation in the in-person lab component of this course. You must earn a 70% in each of the the lab portions of the course to pass the class.&nbsp;\nStudents are required to follow the current district policies regarding personal protective equipment, sanitization, distancing, and other related &nbsp;measures to reduce the transmission of&nbsp;COVID-19. Students who do not comply will not be permitted in the laboratory and will be referred to the Vice President of Student Services for non-compliance with the Student Code of Conduct.\n&nbsp;\n<h3>Electronic Device and Internet Skill Requirements</h3>\nBecause this is a hybrid course, there are certain electronic device requirements to participate in the course:\n<ul>\n<li>You must have constant access to a reliable computer&nbsp;(<a class=\"external\" href=\"https://www.cuesta.edu/academics/distance/faqs_technical.html\" target=\"_blank\">minimum specs for a reliable computer</a>). This should be most days of the week, not just the days our class meets (you'll want regular access to our materials on Canvas). A smartphone will likely not be sufficient for this course.</li>\n<li>You must have a reliable Internet connection, meaning you can be on conferencing software, Canvas, and download and upload documents.&nbsp;</li>\n<li>A device for scanning. This can be a scanner or a phone app that scans (there are many free ones out there! I will provide some examples once we get started).&nbsp;</li>\n<li>Optional but highly recommended: a reliable way to print documents (like a printer). This isn't mandatory but will be really useful to you as we go through the semester. It wouldn't be considered reliable if you need to pay a lot of money to be able to print (there will be alternatives).</li>\n<li>You must have access to your my.Cuesta.edu email account&nbsp;(or have successfully set up email forwarding to your third party email provider).</li>\n<li>You must have access to Canvas, Cuesta College's learning management system (LMS).</li>\n<li>You must have a backup plan in case your internet provider or computer goes down.&nbsp;&nbsp;For issues related to accessing Cuesta's Canvas Site, email:&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:support@my.cuesta.edu\">support@my.cuesta.edu</a>.&nbsp;</li>\n<li>You must have a good understanding of the following online activities to succeed in this course: email, internet navigation, online communication, pdf creation (as well as other file-types), document uploading and downloading.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n<h3>Required Materials</h3>\nThe following items listed below are the only course-specific materials you will need for this course.&nbsp; Retailers may “suggest” or “recommend” additional items (e.g., lab coats, laminated Periodic Tables, study guides, etc.).&nbsp; Those are not required for this course and you do not need to purchase them.&nbsp; You will need:\n<ul>\n<li>There is no textbook to purchase, we will be using online resources exclusively.</li>\n<li>Calculator:&nbsp;You will not need a graphing calculator; we'll be using scientific calculators exclusively in this class.</li>\n</ul>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>Internet-connected device to access course materials: These are available to borrow from the Cuesta library. A smartphone will likely not be sufficient for the work in this class.&nbsp;</li>\n<li>A way to scan documents\n<ul>\n<li>This can be a scanner or a scanning app on a phone or other device with a camera.</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n<h3>Quizzes and Exams</h3>\nQuizzes and exam will be administered in-person in the classroom. There is no option to complete these assessments online.&nbsp;\n&nbsp;\n<h3>Attendance and Participation</h3>\n<ul>\n<li>You will need to work on material for this class each day in order to stay caught up in the course.</li>\n<li>If you do not attend all meetings during first week of classes, you will be dropped from the course.&nbsp;</li>\n<li>If you do not participate for an entire week, you may be dropped from the course.</li>\n<li>If you fail to complete four or more labs over the course of the semester, you will not pass the course, even if&nbsp; you have a passing grade in the lecture portion of the course. You must have a 70% in each lab portion of the course to pass the class.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n<h3>Drop Policies</h3>\n<ul>\n<li>If you no longer wish to be enrolled in the course, you must withdraw on your own. Make sure to check the financial aid or other implications with a counselor before you do so. (<a class=\"external\" href=\"https://www.cuesta.edu/student/studentservices/admrreg/arpolicies/dropcourse.html\" target=\"_blank\">How to drop</a>) (<a class=\"external\" href=\"https://www.cuesta.edu/student/studentservices/admrreg/arpolicies/dropclassfaq.html\" target=\"_blank\">Drop/Withdraw FAQs</a>)</li>\n<li>If you do not participate during the first week of classes, you will be dropped from the course.&nbsp;</li>\n<li>If you do not participate in the course for an entire week you may be dropped from the course.&nbsp;</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n<h3>Accessibility</h3>\nStudents with documentation with&nbsp;<a class=\"external\" href=\"https://www.cuesta.edu/student/studentservices/dsps/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">DSPS.</a>&nbsp;and require special accommodations should see the instructor during the first day of class for a confidential discussion.&nbsp;\n&nbsp;\n<h3>Academic Honesty</h3>\n“Academic honesty is essential to the academic community. Students expect that Cuesta College faculty be fair, truthful, and trustworthy. Faculty expect that Cuesta College students share these same values. Students who violate these principles by cheating, plagiarizing, or acting in other academically dishonest ways are subject to disciplinary procedures.” – Cuesta College Academic Honesty Agreement\nIt is allowed and expected that you will work together on assignments and lab reports; it is also expected that each student will do their own work and write their answers in their own words. To avoid any academic honesty issues, it is best to talk about a question, discuss an answer, and then each student writes their answer in their own words. Perform all your own calculations; do not write the result of another student’s calculation.\nExams are meant to be completed on your own. You are committing an act of academic dishonesty if you consult resources not provided with the exam, including notes, tutors, other people in your house, or other resources that weren't specifically included with the exam. Academic dishonesty also includes posting quiz or exam questions to online forums, regardless of if the question is answered or not. While you may ask for help from online tutors for other non-assessment assignments, quizzes and exams are meant to be taken&nbsp;ON YOUR OWN&nbsp;with only the resources I provide.&nbsp;\nAcademic dishonesty also includes using AI to write answers or complete questions on assignments. You should be writing answers in your own words.\nAny student found to be engaging in academic dishonesty will receive a 0 on the assignment or exam in question, which may result in failure of the course. Academic dishonesty includes claiming work to be your own when it was not (copying off of another quiz or reporting data as your own when were absent from lab that day) as well as sharing your work with others.\nTurnItIn software will be used for submitting all postlab reports.&nbsp;\n<a class=\"external\" href=\"https://www.cuesta.edu/about/documents/vpss-docs/StudentConducttrifold-brochure_2017.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Cuesta Academic Honesty</a>\n&nbsp;\n<h3>Student Learning Outcomes</h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Apply concepts in physics and chemistry to describe physical phenomena.</li>\n<li>Explain the role of science in the modern world.</li>\n<li>Solve problems using general physics and chemistry principles.</li>\n<li>Perform laboratory experiments and explain the underlying science behind them.</li>\n</ul>\n</div>"}]

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