ECO201
Principles of Microeconomics
Fall 2014
Online Course
Welcome:
I am your professor, Dr. Jeff Sarbaum. Please read the entire syllabus carefully and complete
each item on the Course Set-up Checklist presented on the last page of this syllabus.
1. Course Overview:
You are part of a brand new concept in education! UNCG is leading the nation in online course
delivery with the launch of ECO201: Principles of Microeconomics, to be completed by playing
an online game. REMEMBER, this is a college course. Pay attention to and take notes on the
concepts. Do not take the content lightly. There is a challenging cumulative final exam at the
end of this course.
2. Tips and Suggestions:
• As the game progresses the content and quizzes become increasingly difficult. In the past,
there have been students who did very well on the first level but then saw their grades fall
dramatically as the course progressed due to a lack of commitment and time
management. Please don't let this happen to you.
•
Listen to the relevant Podcasts as you play. There are also transcripts of the podcasts
available so that you have something from which to study. The Podcasts and transcripts
are found in the Wizard Podcasts folder in Blackboard.
•
Remember that the book/ebook is required reading for the course. Reading the book will
help you better understand the material and help you pass the Final Confrontation at the
end of the course. It is recommended that you read the relevant sections of the ebook
before taking the end of quest quizzes and Final Confrontation.
•
IMPORTANT:
Ø If you need help with an economics question, post in the Help/Question Discussion Economics Forum. Read and follow the forum rules prior to posting (available on
Blackboard under the Syllabus link).
Ø If you need help with a technical question, see the technical announcements and/or
post in the Help/Question Discussion - Tech Forums. Read and follow the forum
rules prior to posting (available on Blackboard under the Syllabus link).
3. Grading (Very Important - Please Read Carefully):
There are multiple-choice questions within the quests that are graded as you play the game. You
can revisit these questions by using the Save Point feature (see the Tutorial in the Game section
of Blackboard). Grading on these questions works like this:
- If you get a question correct on the first attempt you receive full credit (1 point).
- If you get a question correct on the second attempt you receive half credit (.5).
- All subsequent attempts yield no credit.
At the end of each quest, there is a quiz in the form of a game show. Your answers here are
final and cannot be altered. Your very first answer to a quiz question is what is graded. If you
decide to reset and go through the quiz again your recorded and graded answers from the first
time will remain. Each quiz question counts as 1 point.
At the end of each quest, there is also a Bonus Game-show that can be played for up to 5
additional points. Your very first answer to a bonus game-show question is what is graded. If you
decide to reset and go through the bonus game-show again your recorded and graded answers
from the first time will remain.
At the end of all levels, there is a Final Exam (called the “Final Confrontation” and also known
as Level 4 Quest 3); it is worth 20% of your overall grade.
There are 1055 out of 1000 possible points for the entire game. These are converted into a
percentage. Your course-wide grade will be assigned based on the following scale:
At least 99% and above:
At least 93% but less than 99%:
At least 90% but less than 93%:
At least 87% but less than 90%:
At least 83% but less than 87%:
At least 80% but less than 83%:
At least 77% but less than 80%:
A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
At least 73% but less than 77%:
At least 70% but less than 73%:
At least 67% but less than 70%:
At least 63% but less than 67%:
At least 60% but less than 63%:
Less than 60%:
C
CD+
D
DF
You can view your grade as your progress with the "My Scores" tool in the Menu area at the
bottom of the game.
4. Help with Economics Content:
•
Discussion Board
You can post questions about economics content in the Help/Question Discussion Economic forum. Read and follow the forum rules (posted on Blackboard) prior to
posting. Technical and video game related questions should be posted in the Tech
Support forum.
•
Email
You can email me at jksarbau@uncgc.edu. I will do my best to respond within 48 hours,
except on weekends. Please put ECO201 in the subject line.
5. Technical Help or Help with the Video Game Component of the Course:
•
Discussion Board
You can post technical and video game questions in the Help/Question Discussion - Tech
Support forum. Read and follow the forum rules (posted on Blackboard) prior to posting.
•
Email
onlinehelp@uncg.edu
•
There are a lot of helpful tips and hints on the following site:
http://web.uncg.edu/dcl/courses/econ201/game/help.php
•
There are a lot of answers to frequently asked questions on the following site:
http://online.uncg.edu/icampus/studentsupport/eco201.php
6. Course Schedule:
All students must complete each level by the date posted below. Please do not wait until the last
moment to work on the materials. At a minimum, you can expect to spend as much time
completing each level as you would spend in the classroom. Note that there are multiple quests
within each level.
End of Level 1 (Quests 1-3): Monday, October 20th at 11:59 PM
End of Level 2 (Quests 1-3): Monday, November 3rd at 11:59 PM
End of Level 3 (Quests 1-3): Monday, November, 17th at 11:59 PM
End of Level 4 (Quests 1-2): Monday, December 1st at 11:59 PM
Bonus Gameshows: Monday, December 1st 11:59pm
Final Confrontation (Level 4 Quest 3): Wednesday, December 3rd (8:00 AM -10:00 PM)
Note: Level 2 Quest 1 is challenging, please prepare and budget your time accordingly. The
Final Confrontation is very challenging, please prepare and budget your time accordingly!
7. Eco 201 Web Textbook:
The ebook can be purchased for viewing as a website or for download as a .pdf file. It is
recommended that you purchase the .pdf download if you will have access to the same personal
computer throughout the course. The ebook is considered required reading for the course. It is
available at https://create.mheducation.com/shop/#/catalog/details/?isbn=9781121248076. The
ebook expands upon and provides additional examples of many of the concepts you will be
taught during the game. The ebook should be read in parallel with the game.
Table of Contents Synchronized with the Game
Level 1: Quest 1, Quest 2, Quest 3
• Guell - Chapter 1. Economics: The Study of Opportunity Cost
• Sarbaum – Level 1: Economic Concepts
Level 2: Quest 1
• Sarbaum - Level 2 Quest 1: Speed / Utility Maximization and Demand
Level 2: Quest 2
• Frank & Bernanke – Chapter 2. Comparative Advantage: The Basis for Exchange
Level 2: Quest 3 and Level 3: Quest 1
• Sharp, Register, & Grimes - Chapter 2. Economic Systems, Resource Allocation, and
Social Well-Being
Level 3: Quest 2
• Guell – Chapter 2. Supply and Demand
• Guell – Chapter 3. The Concept of Elasticity and Consumer and Producer Surplus
Level 3: Quest 3
• Guell – Chapter 29. Rent Control
• Guell – Chapter 27. Farm Policy
• Guell – Chapter 28. Minimum Wage
• Guell – Chapter 16. Tobacco, Alcohol, Drugs, and Prostitution
• Guell – Chapter 17. The Environment
Level 4: Quest 1
• Guell – Chapter 4. Firm Production, Cost, and Revenue
Level 4: Quest 2
• Guell – Chapter 5. Perfect Competition, Monopoly, and Economic versus Normal Profit
• Guell – Chapter 32. Antitrust
8. Instructions for the Final Confrontation:
It is your responsibility to read these instructions prior to completing the Final Confrontation.
The Final Confrontation (Level 4 Quest 3) is the final exam. It will be located in the
Game folder in Blackboard on (and only on) June 18 from 8:00AM until 10:00PM.
Note, you may need to scroll down the page to find the link titled Click Here to Enter the Final
Confrontation on the day of the final. Once you start the Final Confrontation you will have three
hours to complete it; you MUST complete it in one sitting and before 10:00 PM. The Final
Confrontation is very challenging. My advice is to keep up with your textbook readings in
conjunction with the game and to review the material in the Final Exam Review folder in
Blackboard.
Remaining technical instructions include the following:
1. Disengage call waiting if you happen to be using dial-up (hopefully this is not the case).
2. NEVER use the back button on your browser or re-size the window. You will lose your
exam session.
3. NEVER try to print the screen. You will lose your exam session.
4. DO NOT try to work with other browser windows while you are taking your exam.
Something unexpected could happen, and you could lose your exam session.
5. Once you begin the exam the timer will start and will continue running regardless of what
happens to your computer. If for whatever reason you leave the game or the game closes
you will be brought back to the beginning of whichever section you were working on
with as much time as you have remaining.
6. You can minimize the timer button by clicking on the timer icon in the upper right corner
during testing. You should do this if the timer button covers up part of a question and you
are unable to see the entire question.
7. VERY IMPORTANT
The exam consists of four sections (with approximately 25 questions each). You may
skip a question within each of the sections if you decide you want to come back to it
later. You are given a chance to review each section before a final submission of the
section. However, AFTER you continue to the next section you can no longer review and
update questions from previous sections.
Course Set-up Checklist:
Now that you have read this syllabus, complete the following checklist in order:
o Read the Game Player's Manual. This file is located in the Before Entering the Game
folder in Blackboard.
o Watch the Tutorial video located in the Game folder in Blackboard.
o Before you begin – Create an Account, the link for which is located in the Game folder
in Blackboard.
o Enter the Game. The link is located in the Game folder in Blackboard