Expectations

Class Culture and Learning Process

Treat our time with respect

We have a very short time together for learning. Make sure that each time you approach our class, you are ready to learn when the class starts. Try to settle your mind, limit your distractions, and stay engaged until you have finished the work.

Approach your classmates with kindness and respect

Learning is best done in a collaborative and supportive environment. Being successful in this class will mean being able to rely on those around us when necessary. Be the type of person you'd like to turn to when you are in need of help.

Struggle Productively

My goal is to give you what you need to make an attempt at chapter problems, lab assignments, and ultimately your quizzes and exams, but I don't expect you to be able to complete all of your practice problems and assignments on your own and successfully. I want you to work hard and independently, but I don't want you spending all of your time trying to figure out one concept or problem. If you find yourself not making progress, please contact me, or a chemistry tutor, directly. A little bit of direction and guidance can make a big difference.

Learning is a Process

This class is set up so that you do smaller amounts of work over several days. An hour of work spread over four days is much more productive than four hours worth of work on a single day. It is my job to assign you the right amount of work and it is your job to complete that work in good faith. I always say that learning chemistry is like learning a language, learning to play an instrument, or learning to play a sport: you have to practice a little each day. If you have ever participated in a sport, think about all the time you spent practicing and training and how it was over time, like a season, and not all at once. That same model should be applied to this class. "Cramming" and marathon sessions will not only be stressful, but also not best for learning.

Commitment

• Please note that we cover a lot of information in a short 16-week semeste! Consequently, you must complete the work for several topics each week.

• You will be required to do a great deal of reading, calculating, and thinking about Chemistry over the semester. It will be very intense at times. Please reconsider your enrollment in this course if you are unable or unwilling to do the following each week:

  • Read a minimum of one textbook chapter and post questions and comments and/or respond to classmate's posted questions and comments

  • Engaging in several hours of lecture

  • Participate in your lectures by following along with the examples and by submitting the prompts

  • Completing dozens of homework problems for each chapter

  • Submit lab assignments each week

  • Completing dozens of calculations each week for practice

  • Preparing for 4 lecture (or "midterm") exams and a final

It sounds like a lot, I know, but you are capable of completing these and I am here to guide you through this work.

Hours per week

We will be covering just under 3 hours of lecture material per week and another 3 hours of lab material each week. This is considered the "class time."

*AND*

Outside of class time, you will still need to be devoting another 12-15 hours of your own studying (reviewing lecture material on your own, working through problems, preparing for labs).

**This means approximately 20 hours of each of your weeks will be dedicated to chemistry**

Considering all of your commitments: your motivation, other courses, family responsibilities, work, social obligations...can you invest the necessary time and energy required to succeed in this course? We are here to support you, but unfortunately, we are unable to add more hours in each day.

Attendance

You will need to log onto our Canvas class page and access the course materials at least once every two days (i.e. at least once every other day, except weekends).

As mentioned above, you should be working through the material a little bit each day.

Involuntary Withdrawal

Attendance in CHEM 101 is based on participating in scheduled class discussions, taking quizzes, and completing assignments (just logging into Canvas and looking at course content is insufficient). Students who have not completed any graded work for two weeks are subject to involuntary withdrawal from the course at any point until the last date to withdraw with a "W" (i.e. October 28, 2022).

Late Work

Late work: Deadlines are firm and established and known in advance. If you have an extenuating circumstance, please contact me by email so we can discuss options.

Extra Credit

Extra credit is available on each chapter (except chapter 1) by submitting up to ten comments/questions/replies throughout the chapter (after the required 3 interactions are met).

Other opportunities, if there are any, will be announced accordingly.

Student Success

Students should complete chapter readings before attending lectures (or watching course videos), watch any and all required or recommended additional online videos, complete all activities, and complete all suggested chapter problems. Students should be self-motivated and respectful, and interested in improving their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Students may use each other, Chemistry Department tutors, Canvas Net tutors, and the instructor for help on material and problems.

**Successful performance in this class requires a significant amount of problem-solving. If you find yourself struggling at any point during the semester, please let me know as soon as possible. I will do my best to help.**

If you find it necessary to drop the course, it is your responsibility to complete all appropriate paperwork required by the Admissions & Records Office by the drop deadline (October 28: drop with a “W”, for Fall 2022). If you do not drop by this deadline, you cannot obtain a “W”; the instructor must assign a grade.

Academic Integrity

Students in this course are expected to comply with SBCC’s Academic Honesty Policy. Dr. Napoleon, Dr. Carrera, and SBCC will not tolerate any form of academic dishonesty. As an SBCC student, you have an obligation to conduct your academic work with honesty and integrity. It is expected that all work that you submit will be your own and that you have actually done the work that you are submitting. Such dishonesty consists of, but is not limited to: cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, and plagiarism. Should you be found to be guilty of cheating, you will receive a zero for that exam or assignment, and a record of that misconduct will be filed with the Dean of Educational Programs office. Please follow the link below for more information:http://www.sbcc.edu/distanceeducation/policiesandprocedures.php