GEB1011 – INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS
Welcome!
Welcome and thank you for enrolling in this course! I think you will enjoy our time together!
For some, this may be your first online course. If you are not a computer whiz, don’t worry. You don’t
need to be. From a computer standpoint, everything is simple to use and easy to navigate.
Please take a few minutes to read the syllabus in its entirety. Exploring all the topics in this syllabus and
related links will help you succeed in this course.
I am looking forward to working with you and having a great semester!
Professor XXXX
GEB1011 – INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS
Professor Information
Professor:
Office Hours:
Office Location:
Office Phone:
Email:
XXXXX
XXXXX
XXXXX
XXXXX
XXX@fscj.edu
Instructor Response
You can anticipate responses to inquiries and questions within 24 hours of receipt.
Campus Information
This online course is offered by the Florida State College at Jacksonville Open Campus. For questions
or concerns, please feel free to call (904)-632-3116. For technical assistance, please contact the
Online Support Center (904-632-3151).
Course Description
This course is an introduction to current business systems and procedures in today’s world. The orderly
presentation of the subject matter provides students with the framework for further study in the field
or the background for practical application in business and industry.
Course Information
Course Number/Title:
GEB 1011: Introduction to Business
Reference Number:
XXXX
Number of Credit Hours: 3
Term/Year/Session/Length: XXXX
Course prerequisites:
None
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
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Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of basic business concepts and terminology.
Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of management function.
Students will understand the functions of human resources, employee behavior, and key
elements in managing people.
The student will be able to describe the role of the marketing function within business.
Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the importance of ethical issues and
social responsibility in business operations.
Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of accounting and basic financial
activities.
Important Dates
Class Begins
XXXX
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GEB1011 – INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS
100% Refund Deadline
XXXX
Non-Attendance Drop
XXXX
Withdraw with “W” Deadline
XXXX
Course Evaluation
XXXX
Class Ends
XXXX
These dates are critical for this course. Additional critical dates for this course can be found by
clicking the appropriate term links in the online calendar at the Florida State College at Jacksonville
Website.
Instructional Materials and Equipment
If you have not done so already, obtain your textbook and related course materials. Visit your
nearest campus bookstore or order online via the student portal, Connections, or the Follett Online
Bookstore. Be sure to order using your course and instructor’s name and the six-digit course reference
number.
Required Text/Materials
Madura, J. (2010). Introduction to Business, (5th Edition). MN: Paradigm Publishing Inc. ISBN: 978-076383-620-7.
Recommended Materials
USB Flash Drive (thumb drive) for saving documents.
Online Delivery System
This course will be delivered using the Blackboard Learn™ course management system.
Technology Requirements
Reliable and consistent computer and Internet access is encouraged to successfully participate in
and complete online courses. Ensure that your computer meets the minimum system requirements
noted below and on the Florida State College at Jacksonville Distance Learning/Online Courses site.
Please use the following checklist to determine your computer readiness.
You should own or have access to:
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An email account
Computer with high speed access to the Internet
Access to College computers when needed
Virus-checking software
Word-processing software
Software and plug-Ins that may include (click the titles for the free downloads)
o Adobe Acrobat Reader
o Flash Player
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GEB1011 – INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS
o
o
o
o
o
Java
QuickTime
RealPlayer
Shockwave Player
Windows Media Player
It is a good idea to check your computer at the beginning of each class and a couple of times
throughout the term to ensure you have all the necessary software and plug-ins to use the
Blackboard online system and course features. After logging in to Blackboard, click on the Browser
Checker link. Review the results and click the links to the recommended software.
Please note that you will need to turn off your pop-up blocker to use all features of this online course.
Blackboard™ Supported Browsers for Blackboard Version 9.1 SP7
To view Blackboard’s most recent browser compatibility page, click here. Please note the following
when reviewing the Blackboard compatibility ratings.
Certified: 100% Compatible
Compatible: Compatible in most areas, but could have some incompatibility issues
Unsupported: Not tested and not recommended
Accessibility
If you require specific accommodations to complete this course, contact the Florida State College at
Jacksonville Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. Click here for contact information.
Your Course Participation and Assessments
Learning Communities
Students learn through interactions with each other, with their instructor, and with the course material.
To build on this, a major goal of this course is to encourage you to build learning communities within
the class. To reach this goal, we will use the discussion area to meet each other and share our
thoughts and concerns. This course has special forums to aid in building our learning community.
The “Questions for the Professor” discussion forum is used for general questions about course content,
navigation, or flow. Please do not ask personal or specific grade-related questions in this forum, send
individual communication instead.
The “Cyber Café” is available to discuss items of interest to you and your classmates. Please
remember that in all discussion forums, you must follow all netiquette rules and guidelines.
Discussions
You will participate in a number of discussions throughout the course. The forums can be accessed
via the Discussion Board menu item.
Our discussion board forums are an opportunity to have thoughtful discussions about a given topic.
The questions raised will be general in nature and ask you to think deeply. In each discussion forum,
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GEB1011 – INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS
you will be required to give a thoughtful and comprehensive response of at least five to eight
sentences that are reflective and well-written, as well as respond to at least two other people.
Class members are expected to contribute original thoughts as well as respond to classmates’ posts.
In your responses, you will ask your classmates questions, expand on one of their ideas, ask for clarity
on one of their points, and maybe even politely disagree and explain why.
Please note that you should complete all of the readings for the week prior to posting your discussion
board forum response. You are expected to post to the forums in correct sentence and paragraph
format. Remember to check for correct spelling and grammar.
Tests
You will have an Orientation Quiz and two(2) exams. Exam 1 covers Chapters 1 – 8, and Exam 2
covers Chapters 9 - 17. The online exams can be accessed by clicking on the Assignments menu
item. These will be closed book exams and you will be allowed one and a half hours to complete
them.
You are permitted one attempt on the Orientation Quiz one time. If you score 70 points or below on
either exam, you will be allowed one(1) retake. Please email the instructor if you meet the above
criteria and would like to retake Exam 1 or 2.
Written Assignments
Turnitin®
Your written assignments should be original writing and include citations as described in the APA style
guide. Turnitin® is an online tool that scans written assignments for signs of plagiarism and may be
used to screen your assignment submissions. Please go to
http://www.turnitin.com/static/products/index.php for information about originality checks and
reports, and to http://www.plagiarism.org for plagiarism prevention resources.
APA Writing Style
Written assignments, where applicable, must adhere to APA style guidelines. APA writing resources
are available in the Blackboard Tools & Resources folder.
Note: Please refrain from using websites that claim to format your paper without reviewing the official
APA style guide. Never use Wikipedia as a reference in your assignments and papers.
Authentic Learning Task (ALT):
You will be assigned one Authentic Learning Task (ALT) which will last the entire length of the course
and will require you to apply the concepts you have learned in previous chapters to real-life, handson experiences.
This ALT will be conducted in a group format and will run throughout the length of the course. All
members of the group must participate and demonstrate understanding of the concepts being
reinforced. The ALT is described in detail and a Grading Rubric is also included under “Assignments.”
You will be assigned to Groups the first week of class.
To submit completed ALT assignments:
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GEB1011 – INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS
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Type your ALT assignment in a word processor and save to either your Desktop or your thumb
drive. If you are not using MS Word, Notepad, or WordPad as your word processor, please save
the file as an .rtf (rich-text file).
Click on “Assignments” then scroll down to the “Submission” box. Go into Microsoft Word to
complete the assignment. Save the assignment as a MS Word document. In the Submission box,
type any comments you may have. Click on “Browse for Local File” and find the directory where
you saved your file, click on the file, then click “Open” and Click on Submit. You can check your
grade by clicking on “Tools”, then “My Grades”. Assignments manually graded by the instructor
will be posted in the gradebook within 48 hours after the due date.
Student Satisfaction Survey:
A completely anonymous student satisfaction survey should be completed at the end of this course.
Course Grade
Your final letter grade will be determined by totaling the points earned on all graded coursework.
ASSIGNMENTS
POINTS
Orientation Quiz
25
Authentic Learning Task
200
Review & Critical Thinking Problems (17 @ 10
points each)
170
Interactive Quizzes (17 @ 10 points each)
170
Online Exams (2 @ 100 points each)
200
Discussion Questions (8 @ 25 points each)
200
Student Satisfaction Survey Completed
Total Points
GRADE
35
1000
POINTS
A
900-1000
B
800-899
C
700-799
D
600-699
F
0-599
FN Grade – Failure for Non-Attendance
A Failure for Non-Attendance (FN) grade may be assigned any time after the final withdrawal date.
Please refer to the College catalog for additional information.
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GEB1011 – INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS
I Grade - Incomplete
Incomplete (I) grades may be awarded based on the criteria in the College catalog.
Repeating the Course
You may repeat a course in an attempt to improve a grade previously earned. However, you are
limited in your attempts to courses where a “D,” “F,” or “FN” grade was earned. You have only three
total attempts in any course, including the original grade, repeat grades, and withdrawals. Upon the
third attempt in a course, you must be given an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F”.
When you repeat a course at Florida State College, only the last grade earned is calculated in your
cumulative grade point average (GPA). If you have an excessive number of “W” or “FN” grades and
repeat courses to improve your GPA, you may jeopardize your admission to programs in the Florida
State University System (SUS) or other institutions.
Calendar of Activities
The Calendar of Activities is a summary of the weekly lessons and course activities.
Special Note: The instructor reserves the right to modify this syllabus. You will be notified of any
changes.
Week
Week 1
XXX-XXX
Week 2
XXX-XXX
Week 3
XXX-XXX
Topic(s) and Reading
Assignments and Activities
Read Orientation, Syllabus,
and Assignments sections
and become familiar with
the course web site.
1) Read the first forum on the Discussion Board
and reply to it by posting an introduction of
yourself to the class. Tell us who you are, what
your major is, your computer and office
experience and any other personal data you
would like to share.
2) Take the Orientation Quiz by clicking on the
“Assignments” tab.
3) Look for your Group Number by clicking on
“Groups”. You should see either Group 1, 2, or
3. Click on “Group Discussion Board”, then
“Group Intros” to post a greeting and check in
with your group members.
Read Chapters 1 & 2
Read Chapter 3
Due
Dates
1) Complete and submit assignments as
described above in this document (Review &
Critical Thinking and Interactive Quizzes).
2) Participate in Discussion #1 by clicking on the
class Discussion Board. Remember to post
and then reply to at least 3 of your
classmates.
1) Complete and submit the Review & Critical
Thinking questions and Interactive Quiz.
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GEB1011 – INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS
Week
Week 4
XXX-XXX
Week 5
XXX-XXX
Week 6
XXX-XXX
Week 7
XXX-XXX
Week 8
XXX-XXX
Week 9
XXX-XXX
Topic(s) and Reading
Assignments and Activities
Read Chapter 4
1) Complete and submit the Review & Critical
Thinking questions and Interactive Quiz.
2) First Assignment for ALT 1 due by end of week
(see ALT under “Assignments”). Post this to the
Class Discussion Board.
3) Participate in Discussion#2. Remember to post
and then reply to at least 3 of your classmates.
Read Chapters 5 & 6
1) Complete and submit the Review & Critical
Thinking questions and Interactive Quiz.
2) ALT Group Portfolio Update due to Instructor
by end of week.
Read Chapter 7
1) Complete and submit the Review & Critical
Thinking questions and Interactive Quiz.
2) Participate in Discussion#3. Remember to post
and then reply to at least 3 of your classmates.
3) ALT Group Portfolio Update due to Instructor
by end of week.
Read Chapter 8
1) Complete and submit the Review & Critical
Thinking questions and Interactive Quiz.
2) Participate in Discussion#4. Remember to post
and then reply to at least 3 of your classmates.
3) ALT Group Portfolio Update due to Instructor
by end of week.
Read Chapter 9
Read Chapters 10 & 11
Due
Dates
1) Complete and submit the Review & Critical
Thinking questions and Interactive Quiz.
2) ALT Group Portfolio Update due to Instructor
by end of week.
3) Complete Exam 1 which covers Chapters 1 – 8
by clicking on “Assignments”, then ‘Exams”.
4) Stock Market Update 1 for ALT due by end of
week (post to Class Discussion Board and
submit to instructor).
1) Complete and submit the Review & Critical
Thinking questions and Interactive Quiz.
2) ALT Group Portfolio Update due to Instructor
by end of week.
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GEB1011 – INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS
Week
Week 10
XXX-XXX
Week 11
XXX-XXX
Week 12
XXX-XXX
Topic(s) and Reading
Read Chapter 12
1) Complete and submit the Review & Critical
Thinking questions and Interactive Quiz.
2) Participate in Discussion#5. Remember to post
and then reply to at least 3 of your classmates.
3) ALT Group Portfolio Update due to Instructor
by end of week.
4) Stock Market Update 2 for ALT due by end of
week (post to Class Discussion Board and
submit to instructor).
Read Chapter 13
1) Complete and submit the Review & Critical
Thinking questions and Interactive Quiz.
2) Participate in Discussion#6. Remember to post
and then reply to at least 3 of your classmates.
3) ALT Group Portfolio Update due to Instructor
by end of week.
Read Chapter 14
1) Complete and submit the Review & Critical
Thinking questions and Interactive Quiz.
2) ALT Group Portfolio Update due to Instructor
by end of week.
3) Stock Market Update 3 for ALT due by end of
week (post to Class Discussion Board and
submit to instructor).
Read Chapter 15
1) Complete and submit the Review & Critical
Thinking questions and Interactive Quiz.
2) ALT Group Portfolio Update due to Instructor
by end of week.
Read Chapter 16
1) Complete and submit the Review & Critical
Thinking questions and Interactive Quiz.
2) Participate in Discussion#7. Remember to post
and then reply to at least 3 of your classmates.
3) ALT Group Portfolio Update due to Instructor
end of week.
Read Chapter 17
1) Complete and submit the Review & Critical
Thinking questions and Interactive Quiz.
2) ALT Group Portfolio Update due to Instructor
by end of week.
3) Stock Market Update 4 for ALT due by end of
week (post to Class Discussion Board and
submit to instructor).
Week 13
XXX-XXX
Week 14
XXX-XXX
Assignments and Activities
Week 15
XXX-XXX
Due
Dates
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GEB1011 – INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS
Week
Topic(s) and Reading
Week 16
XXX-XXX
Assignments and Activities
Due
Dates
1) Complete Exam 2 which covers Chapters 9 –
17.
2) Participate in Discussion#8. Remember to post
and then reply to at least 3 of your classmates.
3) Complete the Student Satisfaction Survey
located under “Assignments.”
4) ALT Group Portfolio Update due to Instructor
by end of week.
Course Guidelines/Policies
Academic Dishonesty Policy
Academic dishonesty, in any form, has severe consequences. Click here to view FSCJ’s academic
dishonesty definitions and procedures.
Attendance Policy
Attendance is measured in this course by your weekly access to the online content and timely
completion of required course activities. If you fail to sufficiently participate in the online course prior
to the official refund deadline, you can be dropped for non-attendance. If the official withdrawal
date has passed and you fail to sufficiently progress in the online course, you can be awarded a
Failure for Non-Attendance (FN) grade.
XXXXX
Late/Make Up Work Policy
XXXXX
Expectations of Student Conduct
It is expected that each of you use appropriate, professional language and respect when addressing
classmates, as well as your instructor, in any part of the online classroom. That same level of
professional conduct should extend to all assignments submitted. It is expected that you will not
make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the class. Read the comments of
other classmates thoroughly before entering your remarks and responses. Be positive, thoughtful,
and constructive in your comments and responses.
Recommendations for Success in this Course
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Have a place where you can study and set aside an appropriate amount of time to do it.
Generally, a 3-credit hour course requires a minimum of 12 hours of self-study time each week
in addition to the time spent completing assignments.
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Practice and repetition are the best way to ensure your mastery of the material.
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Communicate with your instructor to ask any important questions and to discuss important
concepts.
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GEB1011 – INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS
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Complete all reading assignments and view and review all chapter resources.
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Complete and review all online classroom activities.
College Resources
Florida State College at Jacksonville offers many resources to help you become successful in your
course and academic career. A brief description of some of these resources follows.
Library and Learning Commons
The Library/Learning Commons (LLC) is an instructional area of the College designed to offer a
variety of teaching, learning and research resources to students enrolled in courses at Florida State
College at Jacksonville. LLC services include individual and small group tutoring; traditional and
virtual library services and materials; subject-specific instruction including orientations; free workshops;
study areas; and access to tutorials, computers, and multimedia technology. Click here to access
the LLC website.
Online Support Center/Technical Helpdesk
If you have any problems with Blackboard, viewing online content, email or Connections, visit the
Florida State College at Jacksonville Online Support Center. There you can browse helpful guides
and material, search the knowledge base, and contact the technical support team directly via
completion of an online form or live chat. The Support Center is also available via phone at
904.632.3151 or toll free at 866.886.4952.
Please remember that answers to questions about your course materials, tests, quizzes, or assignments
can only be provided by your instructor.
Tutorials/Online Demonstrations
To view demonstrations of common Blackboard and computer activities, go to
http://www.fscj.edu/tutorials/index.html.
Success in Online Learning Workshop
This free and optional workshop sets you up for success in online courses. Click here to view the
workshop topics and schedule.
The Next Step
I hope you have enjoyed exploring this syllabus and find it useful. Your next step is to become familiar
with the Blackboard classroom and begin the assignments for Week One.
See you in the online course!
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