Syllabus for LIT-1000 fall 2015 ONLINE
Professor Spottke
MY OFFICE: Valencia West, Building 1-Room 238A
My Office Phone: 407-582-1935
My Email: nspottke@valenciacollege.edu
Communications Department Located at West Campus 5-231;
Communications Department phone number: 407 582 1313
Communications Department fax number: 407 582 1676
Face-to-Face Office Hours. These are the ONLY times you will catch me in my office.
Visit me on West Campus in building 1 room238A no appointment necessary, just drop in!:
Monday and Wednesday 1130am to 1245pm
Tuesday 930am-1030am
Conferences outside of scheduled engagement hours
may be requested by appointment
Online hours. nspottke@valenciacollege.edu
I respond to email messages during these hours ONLY:
Monday through Friday 8am to 9am
Click on the email your professor link in the tool bar on the left side of your Blackboard course page
BOOKS and MATERIALS
Kirszner, Laurie G., and Stephen R. Mandell. Portable Literature, most recent edition or last edition.
GRADES
You will earn points for each assignment you complete.
You must earn 700 points to pass the course with a C. 800 earns you a B. 900 an A.
A list of assignments, points, and due dates are posted on BLACKBOARD. You will earn points for journal
entries, discussions, writing exercises, quizzes, a presentation/brochure, a final portfolio, and online
participation.
There is no formal midterm or final exam for this class but rather a final brochure/PowerPoint presentation.
There are 25 extra points built into the semester. Because of these extra points, there will be no “bumping
up” of grades due to being “so close” and no extra credit offered. Don’t ask.
700 points is absolutely REQUIRED to pass this course and earn 3 credits.
BLACKBOARD
This is our class site. You will utilize this site to view instructions and requirements; check for important announcements;
post and respond to discussions; read through learning modules, keep track of your class standing (grades); and stay upto-date on when work is due. You are responsible for checking the announcements regularly—at least three times a week,
minimum every four days.
GETTING STARTED WITH BLACKBOARD:
WARNING: do not access Blackboard via Atlas. If Atlas goes down, you won’t be able to access Blackboard.
Access Blackboard directly via the following link: https://learn.valenciacollege.edu/webapps/login/ --Use the
same USER ID and PASSWORD as you use to access your ATLAS account.
--remove popup blocker for this site prior to logging in for the first time.
Any troubles with Blackboard?
My recommendation: Download three browsers to your computer:
Firefox, Explorer, and Chrome.
If something does not work on Blackboard, try another browser. If all three browsers show the same trouble, call Online
Courses Help Desk and make sure to ask for a confirmation code: Blackboard Help Page or 407-582-5600.
Only after doing all of this should you contact the professor and alert her of the problem—be sure to give her the
confirmation code and screen shots documenting the error as well.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This three credit course will focus on a variety of literary genres, with some emphasis on works by international authors.
Students will be introduced to methods of reading and writing critically about literature with a focus on cultural and
historical understanding.
CORE COMPETENCIES
The faculty of Valencia College has identified four core competencies that define the learning outcomes for a successful
Valencia graduate. These competencies are at the heart of the Valencia experience and provide the context for learning
and assessment at Valencia College. You will be given opportunities to develop and practice these competencies in this
class. The four competencies are: 1. Think - think clearly, and creatively, analyze, synthesize, integrate and evaluate in the
many domains of human inquiry; 2. Value - make reasoned judgments and responsible commitments; 3. Communicate communicate with different audiences using varied means; 4. Act - act purposefully, effectively and responsibly.
ACADEMIC HONESTY & PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s words, ideas, pictures, design, and/or intellectual property without the correct
documentation and punctuation. Your professor has a no tolerance approach to plagiarism. Students’ essays will be
submitted to a Blackboard program for verification of originality. If you submit work that is wholly or partially
plagiarized, you will be penalized for the offense, depending on the extent of the offense. This includes reusing old work
from a previous class without permission from your professor. Basically, if you are cutting from somewhere and then
pasting into your essay without 1. quotation marks, AND 2. citations, AND 3. a bibliographic entry on the works cited
page, then you ARE plagiarizing.
You will be taught MLA citation and formatting. If you take a passage from a source, a single sentence or more without
appropriately citing that information, you will receive an F in the course. Offering a sentence, sentences, a full
paragraph(s) or even a full essay will result in an F in the course. In extreme circumstances, academic action will be taken
against you. Read the Academic Dishonesty policy found in Valencia’s online policy manual:
http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/policy/default.cfm?policyID=193&volumeID_1=8&navst=0
ONLINE PARTICIPATION
Online attendance is required and necessary for your receiving information. Logging on only once a week is not sufficient.
Just logging into the course does not count as attendance. To get the most of this course, you are responsible for logging in
and checking ALL mail messages, announcements, and discussion messages at least once every four days. The professor
reserves the right to post an announcement worth points. You will be responsible for responding to this message
immediately. Failure to respond to the message within FOUR days will result in a zero.
You will receive a warning message via Atlas mail for failure to log in as instructed for two weeks in a row during the
course of the semester BEFORE the withdrawal deadline. If you do submit work the third week, you will be withdrawn
from the course. There will be no instructor withdrawal after the withdrawal deadline (see IMPORTANT DATES below).
NOTE: Logging on to the course site/checking messages does not constitute online participation. Submitting work does.
Maintaining an online presence is required and necessary for your receiving information and earning points. Your
presence consists of reading all messages, not just ones from me but messages from your classmates. You are also
required to post & respond to your classmates for various assignments.
To comply with the Department of Education’s regulations for program integrity, online students are required to
complete all work assigned during the first week by the assigned deadline or be withdrawn for no show.
ONLINE ETIQUETTE
Go to the Blackboard course and click on the tab in the list on the left, “Online and Email Etiquette.”
WITHDRAWAL
See IMPORTANT DATES below for withdrawal deadlines (with refund or without academic penalty). A student who
withdraws from class before the withdrawal deadline will receive a grade of “W.” A faculty member is permitted to
withdraw a student from the faculty member's class up to the beginning of the final exam period, for violation of the
faculty member's attendance policy, as published in the faculty member's syllabus. A student is not permitted to
withdraw from this class after the withdrawal deadline; if you remain in the class after the withdrawal deadline, you can
only receive a grade of A, B, C, D, F or I. An I grade will only be assigned under extraordinary circumstances that occur
near the end of the semester. If you receive an I, the work missed must be made up during the following semester, at
which time you will get an A, B,C,D or F. Failure to make up the work during the following semester will result in you
getting a grade of F in the course. Any student who withdraws from this class during a third or subsequent attempt in
this course will be assigned a grade of “F.” International students on an F1 Visa may lose their F1 Visa due to an
attendance withdrawal.
Students who do not attend class during the first week of class or online students who do not complete assignments during
the first week of class will be listed as No Shows. Student on financial aid will be asked to re-pay the amount of the class.
Other scholarship sponsors may also require payment.
For a complete policy and procedure overview on Valencia Policy 4-07 please go to:
http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/policy/default.cfm?policyID=75&volumeID_1=4&navst=0
ATLAS MAIL and Student Questions—ONLINE Hours
Send me questions via ATLAS mail. I will respond during online office hours Monday through Friday
only (see hours listed above).
You MUST check your Atlas email account regularly— at least every four days—for class cancellation
notices, important announcements, etc.
You may also contact me via telephone. However, these calls will be responded to ONLY during live
engagement hours only (as listed above).
My doors are open to you according to the hours posted on my office door and at the top of the syllabus.
Want to work on homework? Discuss literature? Chat about your grade? Drop by.
Appointments for other dates/times may be made when necessary, just ask.
WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS
On your Blackboard Course Tab Menu on the left, you will see a button/tab labeled “Weekly Work due.”
Due Dates for all work are Fridays and Mondays by 11:59pm.
There is NO SUCH THING as late work. Students must use a computer with reliable internet access. No
excuses permitted due to computer error.
Work must be submitted as an attachment in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx format) ONLY to
Blackboard. Failure to submit in this format will result in a loss points for proper formatting of MLA
documentation will not be verifiable. Free Microsoft Word available via Atlas. Ask your professor for details.
IMPORTANT DATES
Mon. Sept. 7 NO CLASSES College Wide: Labor Day
Tues. Sept. 8 Drop/Refund Deadline (11:59 p.m.)
Thurs. Oct. 8 No Classes East, Winter Park, and West Only
Withdrawal deadline: Nov. 13
Wed. Nov. 25 through Sunday Nov. 29 NO CLASSES College Wide: Thanksgiving
Final Exam. There is no final for this class, only an online portfolio of your work submitted.
IMPORTANT LINKS
POOKY’s PANTRY
For students who are homeless and or hungry, non-perishable items are available in the Student Development office,
building 3 room 147.
If you need or would like to donate, the pantry is open Monday through Thursday 8am to 7pm and Friday 9am to 5pm.
A Valencia ID is needed and five items per day may be retrieved from the pantry.
Communications Center
Writing Professionals available to work with you on research and overall writing skills (1/2 hour appointments; 1 hour
appointments available for research paper). West Campus Building 5, room 155; (407) 582-1812. For more information,
please visit http://valenciacollege.edu/learning-support/communications/writing.cfm. There are also writing centers at
every campus, not just West. Check the campus website for whichever campus is closest to you.
Computer Lab at the Library
Computers available for student use. Software support for all disciplines. Internet & word processing for research
papers. Atlas & E-mail, Software catalog available in Lab. Photo ID required.
Valencia Library West Databases
Log in to ATLAS, Click on "Search the Library." Click on "Databases A-Z."
Scroll down through this list of various databases. Choose one, click on it, and begin searching that database.
Valencia’s databases are the best resource for conducting credible research.
Having trouble with Blackboard?
Do NOT contact your professor, contact the Online Courses Help Desk:
For most common problems: http://d2.parature.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=8191
If the above link proves unhelpful, call: 407-582-5600
Tutorials on Evaluation of Web Resources: http://faculty.valencia.cc.fl.us/infolit/evaluation/default.htm
Offices for Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a Notification to Instructor (NTI) form
from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs with the professor, preferably during the
first two weeks of class.
The Office for Students with Disabilities determines accommodations based on appropriate documentation of disabilities.
Contact information:
East Campus
Bldg. 5, Rm. 216
Ph: 407-582-2229
Fax: 407-582-8908
TTY: 407-582-1222
West Campus
SSB, Rm. 102
Ph: 407-582-1523
Fax: 407-582-1326
TTY: 407-582-1222
Osceola Campus
Bldg. 1, Rm. 140A
Ph: 407-582-4167
Fax: 407-582-4804
TTY: 407-582-1222
Winter Park Campus
Bldg. 1, Rm. 212
Ph: 407-582-6887
Fax: 407-582-6841
TTY: 407-582-1222
Valencia College is interested in making sure all our students have a rewarding and successful college experience. To that
purpose, Valencia students can get immediate help with issues dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, adjustment
difficulties, substance abuse, time management as well as relationship problems dealing with school, home or
work. BayCare Behavioral Health Student Assistance Program (SAP) services are free to all Valencia students and
available 24 hours a day by calling (800) 878-5470. Free face-to-face counseling is also available.
Security Statement from Valencia College’s chief of security: We want to reassure you that our security officers
are here around the clock to ensure the safety and security of the campus community. It’s important to remain alert and
aware of your surroundings, especially during the early morning or evening hours. Remember that you can always call
security for an escort if you feel uncomfortable walking alone on campus. White security phones can also be found in
many of our buildings; simply pick up the phone and security will answer.
Finally, report any suspicious persons to West Campus Security at 407-582-1000, 407-582-1030 (after-hours number) or
by using the yellow emergency call boxes located on light poles in the parking lots and along walkways.
FINANCIAL AID NOTICE: In order to academically maintain financial aid, students must meet all of the following
requirements: Complete 67% of all classes attempted, and Maintain a Valencia GPA of 2.0 or higher, and Maintain an
overall GPA of 2.0 or higher, and Complete degree within the 150% timeframe. Detailed information about maintaining
satisfactory academic progress (SAP) can be found at: http://valenciacollege.edu/finaid/satisfactory_progress.cfm
STUDENT GRIEVANCES: Valencia College is committed to providing each student a quality educational experience. Faculty
members have set high standards of instruction for themselves and for you. If you have a problem in a class, your first step is to talk to
your instructor. If you are still dissatisfied, you may talk with the academic dean of the division for your class. We will work together to
resolve any issues that arise.
FINAL NOTE:
Some students seek “extra credit.” The professor does not offer extra credit, for such translates to extra work for the
professor, and she hasn’t the time for it. Instead, points can be offered at the end of the semester for visits made to either
the professor’s office or the writing center for extra help.
THIS SYLLABUS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.