AsULearn

Accessing AsULearn and your university email are required components of the course. You are expected to check our course AsULearn site and email daily and to familiarize yourself completely with all elements of the course housed on our site, including the syllabus, resources, assignments, etc. I’ll use the “Announcements” feature of AsULearn throughout the semester, broadcasting important information to your AppState email account and it is essential that you check your AppState email consistently and read announcements promptly.

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Moreover, to organize our learning in action, each block of AsULearn generally includes a convenient Weekly or Module Snapshot “book” that provides an overview of important module details. Module Snapshots usually include course topics, guiding questions, learning outcomes, and important dates along with a brief summary– or study guide– that describes how learning will unfold. Following this information, you’ll often find additional content, such as videos, readings, or other resources. Again, it’s expected that you interact completely with AsULearn and read weekly Snapshots in order to be fully engaged in the course.

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Attendance

If you are enrolled in a seated face-to-face or blended online class with a scheduled meeting time, then you are expected to attend all synchronous class sessions. Hopefully the discussion about engagement illuminates how learning is about SO much more than just attending a class. Yet class attendance is a key part of education and our university policy states "Students are expected to attend every meeting of their classes and are responsible for class attendance" (read more here).

 

Graduate Students: Participation in synchronous class meetings is a vital aspect of learning for your course and professional degree program. Expectations for overall course engagement include that you make every effort to attend these lively sessions. Real time synchronous classes are designed to be interactive and center student-student engagement. For this reason, recordings do not replace missing a class and will not generally be produced or provided.

 

Undergraduate Students: Participation in all class meetings is expected as the bulk of your learning unfolds through active, hands-on discussion and creative learning activities. If you're looking for a basic explanation of attendance expectations, I'll generally apply this policy adapted from the creative comics teacher, Lynda Barry (2019):

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• 1 absence = okay (must email the instructor at least 24 hours before missing class and suggested a clear plan to make up missed learning)

• 2 absences = still okay, but worrisome (will be expecting an email with plan for making up missed learning)

• 3 absences = 1/2 grade drop

• 4 absences = additional full grade drop

• 5 absences = crying time

• 6 absences = FAIL

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    Note: Being late 3 times = 1 absence

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Yet, life happens and it is understandable that you may miss a class. In these instances, email your instructor as soon as you know attendance will be impacted, along with suggesting a plan to make up for missed learning. If you are unable to anticipate an absence, then email as soon as possible after missing class, again suggesting a plan to make up for missed learning.

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Laptops, Phones, and Other Technology

Please only use your laptop or phone for class-related activities and active learning. Our class AsULearn site provides media content, articles, and links essential for our work, and you’ll often need your device to engage with these materials. However, to maintain focus on learning, please silence and stow phones, smartwatches, and other communication devices out of sight during class. If you must take an urgent call or receive a text message, inform your instructor beforehand and step outside to handle it, then return promptly. Unrelated text messaging, web browsing, or working on other class assignments during class are prohibited and will negatively affect your Engagement grade.

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Original Work

All work submitted for this course should be your original work. References and citations for any media, research articles, AI assistance, or other sources must be cited using correct APA or MLA format (citation approach may depend on your degree/program area). Complete citations are required for brief quotes, block quotes, paraphrased ideas, and AI content used in-text. Course work should not be overly reliant on verbatim quotes from other sources or AI generated text, even if you cite them. Instead, your work should demonstrate your own active application, negotiation, and synthesis of course resources and any external materials. "Submissions that are substantially AI generated [and/or reliant] do not constitute your original work. Authentic work is necessary to ensure you can compete wherever AI resources are readily available – whether in academia, research, the workplace, or other domains of society." For assistance with editing and revision at all degree levels, schedule an appointment with the University Writing Center. For more information regarding AI in academic work, visit the Sentient Syllabus Project. For details on University Policy, visit Academic Integrity.

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Backing Up Work

It is your responsibility as a student to always keep a back-up copy of your work, including work in progress and submitted work. When work has been graded and returned, you are expected to keep the work until the end of the semester, after final grades have been posted. It is not the instructor’s responsibility to retain copies or records of student work.
 

Late or Missing Work

I've worked carefully to plan space between assignment deadlines, as well as provide a guiding structure to support your success on assignments. Any work submitted after its due date will be considered late. Students may email a timely request to make-up specific late assignments, but the score may be reduced by a half point for each day of lateness. If work is not submitted, then the assignment will receive a zero. Yet life can be complex and challenging at times. If you know that you will have a delay in submitting work, then communicate with me in advance. Likewise, if you experience extenuating circumstances, reach out and we’ll develop a plan.

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Professional Conduct

Part of our community of practice means engaging in professional norms for appropriate and respectful conduct. For all dimensions of our course– including real time learning, peer and instructor correspondence including emails, and assignments– you are expected to exhibit and engage in respectful, gracious, and courteous conduct and communication. This class will likely include open discussion and all students are to address one and other, panelists or guest speakers, and the instructor with respect and courtesy. Professional conduct also includes active learning in the classroom, team-based cooperation, and collaboration during partner and group activities and work. In some cases, concerns or questions may be more appropriately raised and addressed outside of meeting times in a thoughtful email or via an arranged meeting with the instructor. Defiant, oppositional, aggressive, or other disrespectful behavior may result in a full grade drop of a student's overall course score.

 

Extenuating Circumstances

If you have extenuating circumstances or unforeseen emergencies, please communicate with me as early and expediently as possible. I prefer to be able to support your success through thoughtful accommodations before your performance in the class has been impacted. Selected support I may be able to provide include re-submissions or extensions for activities and assignments or other accommodations. When engaging in course assessment procedures, the instructor reserves the right to consider the impacts of unique extenuating circumstances in conjunction with balancing equity for all students. I’ll make decisions based on factors such as: communication records with instructor, previous engagement or grades on activities and assignments, and previous performance in other classes.

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If you are experiencing struggle, help is available! AppState offers many welcoming organizations and services. Feel free to reach out to me if you have questions and I’ll do my best to connect you with the support you need. You might also reach out directly to campus Counseling & Psychological Services. Know you are not alone and there are people and resources ready to help.