Syllabus

Instructor

Texts

Communications Systems and Networks
by Ray Horak (Author), Harry Newton, Mark A. Miller
ISBN: 0764548999
Format: Paperback, 720pp
Pub. Date: August 2002
Publisher: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated
Edition Description: 3RD

Pre-Requisite

None.

Course Description

This course is designed to examine the development of educational telecommunications in the United States; theories and practices.

This course has two areas of focus:

Exploring foundational issues and currently-emerging trends in telecommunications that are becoming integrated into the field of education.
Acquiring knowledge about how current telecommunications systems work.

Course Requirements

There will be four project-based assignments and a research paper/presentation.

Access to an Internet browser, an Internet service provider and e-mail will be necessary for those enrolling in this course. A Real Player plug-in is needed and can be downloaded at www.real.com.

this audio file

this video file

Many of the Audio and Video files for this course are from previous 5400 sections taught by Dr. Gerald Knezek.

The course will be using a 3D Online Learning Environment for weekly online meetings and discussions. The instructor will provide information about this software on the course listserv.

E-mail access is required for participation. All students are expected to participate in discussions via E-mail, learn to access at least one computer-based communication system, one information retrieval system, one audio-conferencing system, and one video-based telecommunications system.

To plan a minimum of six to nine hours a week of outside preparation is a safe time allocation for successfully completing this course.

Grading

A total of 100 points for the course will be allocated as follows


Paper	30 points
4 Assignments	60 points
Participation	5 points
Presentation	5 points

Total	100 points

Letter grades will be the higher grade resulting from the following two standards:


>=90	A	Top 10%	A
>=80<90	B	Next 20%	B
>=70<80	C	Next 40%	C
>=60<70	D	Next 20%	D
<=59	F	Last 10%	F

Homework

Late assignments, projects, or papers will lose 1 point each day they are past due. Any assignments not turned in by the last class meeting will be assigned a grade of zero.

Assignment Postings are due on the due date of the assignment. No redos are allowed on assignment postings. Assignment Replies can be made up the final project due date.

Final Paper

Each student will develop and submit a final paper. The student will submit a final paper proposal. After proposal approval by the instructor, the student can write their final paper.

Meeting Information

There are several online sessions schedule during the semester using the CRG 3D Online Learning Environment. Other than these times, this course will use the listserv to provide instruction, feedback, and help.

June 11, 2007	8pm	CRG Online Session
June 18, 2007	8pm	CRG Online Session
June 25, 2007	No Meeting
July 2, 2007	8pm	CRG Online Session
July 9, 2007	8pm	CRG Online Session
July 16, 2007	8pm	CRG Online Session
July 23, 2007	8pm	CRG Online Session
July 30, 2007	8pm	CRG Online Session

Contact Information

E-mail is the best method to contact us, since I check my e-mail multiple times daily. Electronic mail is also an extremely effective system for setting up appointments -- it is frequently possible to set up a meeting on shorter notice than the 24-hour minimum notice that is required when making appointments through the departmental office staff. Students may use my cell phone to contact me outside office hours. Please use appropriate discretion at what times you call.

Dr. Greg Jones
Office: Matthews Hall Room 322G
Phone (972) 672-0811
E-Mail: gjones@unt.edu

Office Hours: by appointment.

Class Attendance

Attendance and punctuality are professional behaviors expected of educators. Educational or Instructional technology is not "doing computer projects" - it is much more. Hence, you need to be in class for discussions and learning activities.

Due dates, for all assigned materials, will be announced in advance. Changes, on the assignment's requirements or due dates may be announced at later dates, in class, therefore attendance to all classes is necessary. It is the student's responsibility to keep up with these updates and to have all assignments ready on time. If you miss a class, YOU are responsible for what occurred, please make arrangements with classmate for notes, hand outs, etc. Any student, who has to be absent on an assignment's due date, may arrange to have the assignment submitted early.

You must notify your instructor in advance if any exam is to be missed. If an exam is missed without prior notification, 20% will automatically be deducted from the exam grade. Make-up exams must be taken outside of regularly scheduled class time. Any missed exam must be made up within one week of the scheduled time. Date and time to be determined by the instructor upon student request.

Academic Ethics

Students are expected to create and edit their own assignments and take tests without outside assistance. This is a programming class and it is acceptable to ask for help from others after you have put forth significant effort to debug written code that is not working correctly and when testing your software. However, asking for help in debugging does not mean you have someone rewrite your code. All work is expected to be your own. Cheating and disciplinary action for cheating is defined by the UNT Policy Manual Code for Student Conduct and Discipline. Cheating is an act of academic dishonesty. It is defined and is to be handled as follows:

"Plagiarism and cheating refer to the use of unauthorized books, notes, or otherwise securing help in a test; copying tests, assignments, reports, or term papers; representing the work of another as one's own; collaborating without authority, with another student during an examination or in preparing academic work; or otherwise practicing scholastic dishonesty."

Although there are other possibilities, you should expect that the penalty that will be assigned for such infractions will include a failing grade in the course and a recommendation that you be denied a degree. You are expected to conform to all policies of the University of North Texas and work within the honor code.

As defined by the United States Copyright Act, it is your responsibility to clearly identify all elements in your work that are not "original works of authorship". You are expected to strictly obey the provisions of all laws of the United States and the State of Texas in the completion of all course activities, taking particular notice of the provisions of the United States Copyright Act (Title 17 United States Code). This law provides that you may legally use, within certain limitations, certain copyrighted materials in the context of research and scholarship. Do not confuse your ability to legally copy materials under the "fair use" provisions of the Copyright Act with the ability to claim that such a copy is an original work of authorship.

For more information on academic dishonesty, please refer to your current student catalog.

Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance

The Department of Technology and Cognition complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act in making reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. This university will adhere to all applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to contact the faculty member outside of class to make any arrangements involving special accommodations and/or the Department ADA Representatives: Dr. Bertina Hildreth and Dr. Cathie Norris. Their offices are in Matt 316. You may schedule an appointment by call (940) 565-2057.

EEO/ADA on Discrimination

The University of North Texas does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability or disabled veteran status in its educational programs, activities, admissions, or employment policies. In addition to complying with federal and state equal opportunity laws and regulations, the university through its diversity policy declares harassment based on individual differences (including sexual orientation) inconsistent with its mission and educational goals. Direct questions or concerns to the equal opportunity office, (940) 565-2456, or the dean of students, (940) 565-2648. TDD access is available through Relay Texas: (800) 735-2989.

For more information on EEO/ADA, please refer to your current student catalog.

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