PIE 5555 Foundations of Pie Making
Syllabus
Contents
Contact Information ......................................................................................... 1
Communicating with Your Instructor ................................................................... 1
Course Goal ..................................................................................................... 2
Prerequisites.................................................................................................... 2
Required Materials............................................................................................ 2
Course Organization & Online Tools .................................................................... 3
Course Schedule and Due Dates ......................................................................... 4
How Students Demonstrate They Have Achieved Course Aims ............................... 4
Naming and Submitting Documents .................................................................... 5
Late Work Policy .............................................................................................. 5
Drop Policy ...................................................................................................... 5
Assignments and Weights.................................................................................. 5
Guidelines for Success ...................................................................................... 6
Technical Support ............................................................................................ 7
Using the Alkek Library ..................................................................................... 7
Special Accommodations ................................................................................... 8
Financial Aid .................................................................................................... 8
Tuition Costs ................................................................................................... 8
Contact Information
Name: Dr. Cherry Fill
Office Location: Cook Building
Office Hours: Virtual office hours Wednesdays from 11:30am to 12:30pm and by
appointment.
Office Telephone: 512-245-5555
E-mail: cf555@txstate.edu
Communicating with Your Instructor
Office Hours
Do not hesitate to send me an email if we need to talk so we can agree on a convenient
time for a phone call, Connect session, or a meeting.
Forums Versus Email
If you have a question about course content or mechanics, I encourage you to post it to the
Problem Solver discussion forum. Doing so gives students in the course an opportunity to
help one another and allows everyone to benefit from answers to your questions. Of course,
don’t hesitate to email me directly if your concern is of a personal nature.
Email Response Time
Generally I will respond to emails within 2-3 days of receiving them. If I plan to be away
from my computer for more than a couple of days, I will let you know in advance.
Please include PIE5555 somewhere in the subject line of your email so I will know
to attend to it quickly.
TX State Instructional Technologies Support
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PIE 5555 Foundations of Pie Making
Syllabus
Course Goal
The goal of this skill development course is to develop your ability to make a wide variety of
pies (i.e. cutting in lard, rolling out dough, mixing fillings, optimum baking temperatures
and times, etc.).
Refer to Learning Modules for learning objectives for each module of instruction.
Prerequisites
Successful completion of CAKE4444 or instructor approval
Required Materials
Textbook
Pan, P., Butter R., & Flakey S. (2008). United Behind Pies (4th ed.). Allyn and Bacon.
ISBN-10: 0-555-33576-5
Computer Hardware
In order to participate in any Texas State online course, you should have easy access to a
computer less than 5-years old and a high-speed internet connection via cable modem or
DSL.
You are expected to be proficient with installing and using basic computer applications and
have the ability to send and receive email attachments.
Software

Firefox (latest version; Macintosh or Windows) http://www.getfirefox.com

Flash Player plug-in (latest version). A free download is available at
http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/

QuickTime plug-in (latest version). A free download is available at
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/

Virus protection: a free download is available at
http://www.tr.txstate.edu/software/download.html

Microsoft Office: A license to use Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook for
Windows or Entourage for Macintosh, and PowerPoint, is available for $35 at the
Texas State University Bookstore in the LBJ Student Center. A student ID is required
to purchase a license. The Windows version is Office 2007, which runs on Windows
XP and Vista. The Macintosh version is Office 2008, which runs on OS 10. To order
by phone, call the University Bookstore¹s Computer/Electronics shop at (512) 2452880 or toll-free at (877) 884-3338. They will provide a form for you to complete
and fax or mail to them along with your payment of $35.00 plus a $10.00 fee to
cover shipping and handling.
TX State Instructional Technologies Support
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PIE 5555 Foundations of Pie Making
Syllabus
Course Organization & Online Tools
Learning Modules
The course is organized into modules of instruction, called Learning Modules, as outlined in
the Course Schedule and Due Dates below. Each learning module is listed by its main topic
and contains required readings, videos, mini lectures, discussion forum assignments, essay
and framework assignments, and collaborative assignments that you complete working in
teams.
Learning module sections also include reminders to work on pie project assignments, which
are described in more detail in documents contained in Resources.
Note: Most materials used in conjunction with the course are subject to copyright
protection.
Discussion Forums
You will find the following discussion forums in the course TRACS site:

Problem Solver: Post any questions or comments you may have about course
mechanics or technical issues to this forum.

Cyber Lounge: Use this forum to celebrate your personal accomplishments,
encourage each other, post inspirational quotes, etc.

Forums related to collaborative and discussion assignments, as described in Learning
Module sections
My role in discussion forums is that of a facilitator. I will occasionally correct misconceptions
and/or redirect conversations that need redirecting. I may also post comments following the
completion of discussion indicating my general impressions of the comments and
conclusions.
Connect
In addition to the learning activities noted above, I will also hold Connect sessions during
the semester at dates and times to be announced. For more information about Connect,
visit http://www.its.txstate.edu/services/adobeconnect.html.
Assignments
Unless indicated otherwise in Learning Modules, you will submit essays, frameworks, and
pie project assignments using the Assignments tool. The due dates in Assignments match
the due dates in the schedule below.
Resources
In Resources you’ll find documents that describe the pie project, including rubrics for the
project, and for discussion forum posts.
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PIE 5555 Foundations of Pie Making
Syllabus
Course Schedule and Due Dates
Be sure to note the following:

The schedule below lists only the assignments with due dates. There are numerous
other required assignments in Learning Modules, including reading
assignments, videos, and mini lectures. Learning Modules will walk you step by step
through the instructional sequence for this course. (All students in the class are
required to submit all assignments below except those assigned to a facilitator.)

All assignments are due by midnight of the dues dates below.
Module
Welcome to
PIE 5555
Why Pies?
Understanding
Problems With
Pies
Populations Who
Like Pies
Assessing Pie
Eating Outcomes
Planning and
Evaluating
Successful Pies
Fostering
Successful Pie
Sales
Serving Pies to
Hundreds
Pie Regulations
Pie Regulations
Assignments
Syllabus Quiz
Connect: Introductions
Discussion Forum (first post,
response)
Team Activity
Module Quiz
Discussion Forum (first post,
response)
Fried Pie Tasting
Module Quiz
Discussion Forum (first post,
response)
Cooking Wisely Activity
Module Quiz
Discussion Forum (first post,
response)
Customer Survey
Module Quiz
Discussion Forum (first post,
response)
Essay
Module Quiz
Discussion Forum (first post,
response)
Taste Test
Module Quiz
Discussion Forum (first post,
response)
Kitchen Clean Up
Module Quiz
Discussion Forum (first post,
response)
Team Activity
Module Quiz
Discussion Forum (first post,
response)
Final Pie project
Module Quiz
TX State Instructional Technologies Support
Due
Points
9/4
TBA
9/4,9/8
9/6
9/8
1
1
2
5
3
9/15,20
9/19
9/20
2
3
5
9/22,26
9/24
9/26
2
5
3
9/28,10/3
10/1
10/3
2
5
3
10/6, 10
10/8
10/10
2
5
3
10/15, 19
10/17
10/19
2
5
3
10/22, 28
10/24
10/28
2
5
3
10/30,
11/20
11/15
11/20
11/30, 12/6
12/2
12/6
2
5
3
2
13
3
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PIE 5555 Foundations of Pie Making
Syllabus
TOTAL:
100Error!
Bookmark
not
defined.
How Students Demonstrate They Have Achieved Course Aims
Forum Participation
An important part of your class investment/professionalism grade will be based on your
participation in forums. See the discussion rubric in Resources for a more information about
how forum posts will be graded.
Essays and Team Activities
You will be assigned to write essays and complete activities described in your textbook.
These assignments are designed help you develop ideas and explore approaches to your pie
project, which is described below. In many cases, the text you develop for essay and
activity assignments can be adapted or used directly in your project.
Pie Project
You will also participate in a semester-long pie project. Many of the activities in this class
are directly related to the components of your pie project.
The pie project must be submitted as described in the pie project documents in Resources.
You will also record a presentation of key aspects of your pie. I will evaluate the draft and
final versions of your pie project and your pie project presentation using the pie project
rubric included in Resources.
Naming and Submitting Documents
Before you submit a document, name your file according to the format below. Avoid special
characters and spaces in file names. Use a single underline _ to separate words.
The name of your…
…should follow the format:
Example:
Essay
LastNameFirstInitial_Essay.doc
SmithJ_Essay.doc
Late Work Policy
Serious late-work penalties apply if work is not submitted on time—at least a letter grade a
day. If you do not submit the final pie project, and presentation assignments, you earn an
automatic F, no matter what your total points are. No late posts to forums will be accepted.
You are responsible for keeping a back-up copy of all submitted work.
Drop Policy
Permission to drop this class with a "W" will only be given after the student consults with
the instructor. It is the student's responsibility to complete University paperwork and pay
the required fees.
Assignments and Weights
Your overall course grade will be based on the assignments listed above, as follows:
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PIE 5555 Foundations of Pie Making
Syllabus
Component
Forum participation
Quizzes
Essays and team activities
Final pie project
Pie project presentation
Total
Weight
10%
10%
40%
25%
15%
100%
Each graded assignment is assigned a percentage score, and assignments are weighted as
indicated above to arrive at a final percentage score for the course. A conventional grading
scale is used to determine your final grade:
A: 90-100%
B: 80-89%
C: 70-79%
D: 60-69%
F: below 60%
Guidelines for Success
Conduct and Civility
Every student is held accountable for abiding by the tenants of required conduct outlined in
the TX State Student Handbook (http://www.dos.txstate.edu/TxState-Handbook.html).
Students are expected to contribute to the learning environment by respectfully interacting
with their colleagues and professor regardless of any difference of opinion. When students
voice opinions with which you do not agree, feel free to voice your opinion in a polite and
civil manner. This approach can help us enhance the free flow of ideas. Students must not
interfere with the learning of their colleagues.
Communication Skills
All students must have adequate writing skills to communicate content in a professional and
concise manner. Students must be proficient in their written presentations including
strategies for developing ideas, citing scholarly references, writing style, wording, phrasing,
and using language conventions. Students must follow APA guidelines, use non-racist and
non-sexist language, and include sufficient references to support their thesis and ideas in
the paper.
Academic Honesty
Students must demonstrate high standards of integrity. They should do their own work on
all material submitted to meet course requirements. Since dishonesty harms the individual
and his/her fellow students, as well as the integrity of the University, School, and
profession, the School and University will strictly enforce policies on academic dishonesty.
You must read and abide by the academic honesty policies as stated in the Texas State
Official Student Handbook. If you have any questions or reservations about this policy or
your obligations under it, see your academic advisor immediately.
Time Commitment
Online courses are typically just as time intensive as traditional courses. In fact, many
students claim that online courses require more time and commitment. As you begin this
course, you would be wise to schedule 8 or more hours per week for studying materials and
completing assignments.
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PIE 5555 Foundations of Pie Making
Syllabus
Falling behind in this course is particularly problematic because the concepts we cover are
cumulative. This means that not becoming proficient with information and objectives
presented and assessed in a particular week can lead to low scores for that week as well as
in subsequent weeks.
Active Participation
Online courses require your active participation. Here are some tips for success:

In discussion forums, you learn from one another by posing questions, justifying
your comments, and providing multiple perspectives. When you prepare for
discussions through thoughtful reflection, you contribute to your own successful
learning experience as well as to the experience of your peers.

Log in to the course frequently (at least several times per week for long semesters
and daily for summer sessions) and check the announcements. This will keep you
apprised of any course updates, progress in discussions, assignment information,
and messages requiring immediate attention.

Be aware of and keep up with the Course Schedule in the Syllabus.

Participate in team activities to the best of your ability. How well your team does—
and how well you do—depends on all the team members working cooperatively.
Technical Support
TRACS Support
If you have questions about TRACS, click TRACS Facts on the TRACS login page. Then click
the For Students tab at the top of the page. The TRACS Facts site contains training
documents, tutorials, and tips on using TRACS. If you are unable to find an answer to your
question in TRACS Facts, contact the ITS help team by email at tracs@txstate.edu, or by
telephone at (512) 245-2319.
Help/ITAC
The IT Assistance Center (ITAC) can help you resolve problems with campus technology
(e.g., Internet connectivity, usernames and passwords, university network outages,
peripheral equipment issues, desktop software/hardware, etc.). You can contact ITAC by
phone/voicemail at (512) 245-4822, by email (itac@txstate.edu), by live chat
(http://remotehelp.css.txstate.edu/) or on campus in MCS 262. The call center and chat
hours are 8:00-5:30, and the Service Desk hours are 8:00-6:00.
If you have technical issues that you cannot resolve through ITAC, please describe the
problem in an email to me or in a post to a discussion forum in your course site.
Using the Alkek Library
Reference librarians at the Alkek Library help students with a wide variety of course-related
and personal research needs. For example, reference librarians help with database and web
searches, research strategy, article indexes, and the library catalog. Librarians also assist
students with obtaining library materials (such as books, journal articles, and online texts)
from the Alkek and other libraries.
Reference Assistance
Barbara Potts, 866-255-3511, bp02@txstate.edu
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PIE 5555 Foundations of Pie Making
Syllabus
Helpful Links
Library Website: http://www.library.txstate.edu
Ask a Librarian: http://txstate.cb.docutek.com/vrlplus/vrl_entry.asp
Many full text articles are available from the library’s databases:
http://www.library.txstate.edu/ref/access/e-indexes.htm, which you can access from your
home or office. All you need is your Texas State University NetID and password. Some
articles may only be available in print at the library. These articles and other library
materials such as books and videos can be mailed to your home address.
If a needed book or article is not in the library, you can use the Interlibrary Loan service:
https://illiad.library.txstate.edu/illiad/. The item(s) will be mailed to you.
Special Accommodations
Texas State University provides upon request appropriate academic adjustments for
qualified students with disabilities. It is the student's responsibility to notify the professors
of any modifications that are required within the first two weeks of the semester. Students
must be registered with the office of disability services in order to request academic
adjustments.
Suite 5-5.1, LBJ Student Center
601 University Drive
San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone: (512) 245-3451 (voice/TTY)
Fax: (512) 245-3452
http://www.ods.txstate.edu/
Texas State’s policy statement that establishes policy and defines responsibility for the
administration of services available to students with disabilities through the Office of
Disability Services can be found at: http://www.txstate.edu/effective/upps/upps-07-1101.html
Financial Aid
You can access information about financial aid at http://www.finaid.txstate.edu/.
Tuition Costs
To learn about tuition and fees, go to http://www1.txstate.edu/catsweb/sa/index.htm.
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