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Valencia College PHI 2600 - Ethics & Critical Thinking

Summer 2015 CRN 30383

Online! INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION ! Instructor: Ralf Jenne Telephone: 407-582-1493 Email: Please use Blackboard course email Office: West Campus, Building 5, Room 239 Student Engagement Hours: See ‘Student Engagement Hours’ in the Blackboard course ! You MUST use the Blackboard course email (‘Messages’ function, available in the Blackboard course navigation panel) to communicate with the instructor and with each other. Messages sent via Blackboard email will be answered within 24 hours, except on weekends, holidays, or when the college is closed. Do NOT use the instructor’s Valencia email ([email protected]), except in emergencies when Blackboard is unavailable. NEVER email from a private email account, such as Yahoo Mail or Gmail. ! Student Engagement Hours (‘Office Hours’) are subject to change. Any such change will be announced, and the ‘Student Engagement Hours’ page in our Blackboard course will be updated accordingly. !! COURSE INFORMATION ! Course Description Study of major theoretical principles on which claims to good life and moral action have been based, such as hedonism, utilitarianism and rationalism. Each theory illustrated by representative selections from works of great philosophers from classical period to 20th century. ! Credits 3 credits ! Prerequisites None !

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Valencia College PHI 2600 - Ethics & Critical Thinking

Summer 2015 CRN 30383

Online! COURSE INFORMATION (CONTINUED) ! Course Topics This course will cover the following topics:

• Divine Law, Relativism, Egoism • Utilitarianism • Kantian Ethics • Natural Law • Social Contract Theories • Virtue Ethics • End-of-Life Issues • Violence, Terrorism, War • Abortion • Legal Punishment !

Valencia General Education Student Learning Outcomes Valencia has identified six General Education Student Learning Outcomes: Cultural & Historical Understanding, Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning, Communication Skills, Ethical Responsibility, Information Literacy, and Critical Thinking. This course is designed to develop and enhance student competency in several of these outcomes. The navigation panel in our Blackboard course contains the link ‘Valencia General Education Student Learning Outcomes’, where you can find further information. ! Textbook MacKinnon, Barbara. Ethics: Theory and Contemporary Issues. Concise, Eighth Edition. Stamford, Cengage, 2015 ! Study Materials and Resources All other study materials and resources are provided from within the individual learning modules of our Blackboard course. !

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Valencia College PHI 2600 - Ethics & Critical Thinking

Summer 2015 CRN 30383

Online! POLICIES ! Online Learning and Commitment Required This online course is highly structured and requires you to complete various learning activities within specific timeframes. While one of the big advantages of online courses is the flexibility to fit the coursework into your schedule, you need to make sure to keep up with the scheduled coursework and manage your time accordingly. This is especially important, because the timeframes and deadlines for all graded activities (self-assessments, tests, written assignments, discussions, etc.) are absolutely firm and strictly enforced. You will NOT be able to ‘make up’ a missed self-assessment, test, written assignment, or discussion, etc. ! Please understand that it is your responsibility to ensure that you are ready for online learning and competent in the use of the Blackboard course management system. This includes appropriate hardware and software, and reliable high-speed internet connection. You MUST have regular access to a properly configured computer. It is NOT possible to exclusively use a tablet or smart phone to navigate our course. Our course includes a ‘Start Here!’ section that contains resources for you to properly get set up for Blackboard. Please use the first week of the semester to sort out any technical issues you might encounter. ! The course is organized into learning modules. The learning modules contain several components and include several activities that must be completed in a specific order and - for graded activities - by the deadlines specified in the course calendar. The multitude of materials contained in the learning modules allows you to actively interact with the material in a collaborative environment, which makes the learning experience more meaningful, relevant, and fun. ! Please understand that our online course requires the same commitment as a traditional classroom course. In order to be able to successfully complete this course, it is important that you schedule enough time for study and review. As per the Valencia College Student Handbook, a three (3) credit course requires a total commitment of about nine (9) hours per week. For face-to-face and hybrid classes, this includes the time spent in the classroom. ! As a college-level class, our course requires college-level reading and writing skills. If you struggle with reading comprehension or essay writing, it is your responsibility to seek help and make use of the resources offered by the college. It is important that you take the initiative to seek out the instructor’s help, should you have any questions or concerns, or if you encounter difficulties of any kind. Please do not hesitate to contact the instructor during student engagement hours for additional feedback on self-assessments, tests, written assignments, etc., or for general advise on how to successfully complete our course. 


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Valencia College PHI 2600 - Ethics & Critical Thinking

Summer 2015 CRN 30383

Online! POLICIES (CONTINUED) ! Online Attendance and Participation In order to successfully complete our online course, you must log into our course on a regular basis and complete all learning activities during the scheduled timeframes listed in the course calendar. As all course communication is conducted using Blackboard, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to check course announcements and your Blackboard course email on a daily basis. According to Valencia’s ‘Program Integrity and Documentation of Online Course Attendance’ guidelines, you must show attendance. Merely logging into an online course does NOT constitute attendance. Online course attendance is established by the completion of an ‘academically-related activity.’ In our case, you MUST complete the mandatory orientation quiz in the timeframe specified in the course calendar, or you will be withdrawn from the course. Open, honest, respectful, and inclusive discussions are essential for an optimum learning experience. You are expected to not only fulfill the minimum requirements for the completion of graded discussions, but you are also strongly encouraged to work collaboratively with your classmates, using the tools provided in the course. ! Student Conduct In order to facilitate meaningful class discussion, you are expected to behave as responsible adults and conduct yourself in a civilized and respectful manner at all times. The term ‘netiquette’ is used to describe the code of conduct in electronic environments. The ‘Student Resources’ section in the Blackboard course contains links to Valencia’s netiquette guidelines as well as general student conduct guidelines. Violation of netiquette guidelines, general student conduct guidelines, and/or Valencia policies will not be tolerated and may lead to disciplinary action. ! Academic Integrity In cases of academic dishonesty, it is up to the instructor to determine the appropriate consequences, including a ‘Failed’ grade for the assignment or for the entire course. The ‘Student Resources’ section in the Blackboard course contains links to Valencia’s Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Resources. !

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Valencia College PHI 2600 - Ethics & Critical Thinking

Summer 2015 CRN 30383

Online! POLICIES (CONTINUED) ! Students with Disabilities Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a letter from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs with the instructor. The Office for Students with Disabilities determines accommodations based on appropriate documentation for disabilities. The ‘Student Resources’ section in the Blackboard course contains a link to Valencia’s Office for Students with Disabilities. ! Mandatory Orientation Quiz At the beginning of the semester there will be a mandatory orientation quiz that tests your understanding of course policies and procedures. The orientation quiz will be taken online from within the Blackboard environment and has a similar format to our actual self-assessments and tests. Detailed instructions will be provided. ! The orientation quiz will be available for a specific timeframe only and must be completed with a perfect score, or you will be withdrawn from the course. Within the specified availability period, the orientation quiz can be taken over and over again until a perfect score is obtained. The availability period for the orientation quiz will NOT be extended under any circumstances. The availability period for the orientation quiz is visible in the Blackboard course calendar. The orientation quiz is a prerequisite for continuation in the course, but does NOT count towards your total score for the course. ! Drop/Refund Deadline The Drop/Refund Deadline is listed in the Blackboard course calendar. ! Withdrawal Policy The withdrawal deadline to receive a ‘W’ grade for this course is listed in the Blackboard course calendar. Students who withdraw from this course by this date will receive a ‘W’ grade for the course. A ‘W’ grade will not be calculated into the student’s grade point average. In order to receive a ‘W’ grade, YOU must withdraw before the withdrawal deadline. The instructor will NOT withdraw you. If you miss the withdrawal deadline, you will receive a letter grade (A, B, C, D, F), based on your performance in the course. It is YOUR responsibility to withdraw from the course and adhere to the withdrawal deadline. !

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Valencia College PHI 2600 - Ethics & Critical Thinking

Summer 2015 CRN 30383

Online! STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ! Baycare Behavioral Health’s Student Assistance Program Valencia is committed to making sure that all our students have a rewarding and successful college experience. To that purpose, Valencia students can get immediate help that may assist them with psychological issues dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, adjustment difficulties, substance abuse, time management as well as relationship problems dealing with school, home or work. Students have 24 hour unlimited access to the Baycare Behavioral Health’s confidential student assistance program phone counseling services by calling (800) 878-5470. Three free confidential face-to-face counseling sessions are also available to students. !! EVALUATION ! Tests There will be four tests in this course, spread out evenly over the semester. In the tests you will demonstrate your mastery of the material covered in the learning modules. The tests focus on evaluating your understanding of the moral theories, including underlying arguments and assumptions, and their application to concrete moral situations. The knowledge of the material covered is expected to be cumulative. The tests will consist of multiple-choice questions. Detailed test-taking instructions will be provided. ! The tests will be taken online from within the Blackboard course and will be available for a specific timeframe only. This timeframe and the deadline for each test will be listed in the Blackboard course calendar. The deadlines for tests will NOT be extended under any circumstances. You will NOT be able to ‘make up’ a missed test. If you wait until the last day (or minute) to take the test and encounter problems of any kind, there is nothing that can be done. It is strongly suggested to take the test at the beginning of the availability period. It is your responsibility to ensure proper hardware and software configuration and reliable internet connection. Tests MUST be taken online from within the Blackboard course and cannot be submitted in any other way. Tests MUST be taken on a computer and NOT on a tablet or smart phone. Do NOT use the Blackboard mobile app to take the tests. The fourth and last test is our final exam. This Test 4 features the same format and similar availability timeframe as the preceding three tests. Each test is worth 100 points. !

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Valencia College PHI 2600 - Ethics & Critical Thinking

Summer 2015 CRN 30383

Online! EVALUATION (CONTINUED) ! Self-Assessments Prior to each of our four tests you will complete a self-assessment, in order to evaluate your understanding of the material before taking the actual test. The self-assessments will consist of true/false questions. Detailed instructions will be provided. ! The self-assessments will be taken online from within the Blackboard course and will be available for a short timeframe only. This timeframe and the deadline for each self-assessment will be visible in the Blackboard course calendar. The deadlines for self-assessments will NOT be extended under any circumstances. You will NOT be able to ‘make up’ a missed self- assessment. If you wait until the last minute to take the self-assessment and encounter problems of any kind, there is nothing that can be done. It is strongly suggested to take the self-assessment at the beginning of the short availability period. It is your responsibility to ensure proper hardware and software configuration and reliable internet connection. Self- assessments MUST be taken online from within the Blackboard course and cannot be submitted in any other way. Self-assessments MUST be taken on a computer and NOT on a tablet or smart phone. Do NOT use the Blackboard mobile app to take the self-assessments. Each self-assessment is worth 25 points. ! Writing Assignment There will be one writing assignment (‘paper’) in this course. In the writing assignment you will demonstrate your mastery of the material in a more formal and polished manner. The writing assignment focuses on evaluating your ability to apply your understanding of moral theories and arguments to the public debate surrounding contemporary moral issues. Detailed instructions and a grading rubric will be provided. All writing assignments will be checked for plagiarism. ! The writing assignment MUST be submitted online from within the Blackboard course and in the manner and file format(s) specified in the instructions. Writing assignments submitted by any other means or in any other format will NOT be accepted. Writing assignments submitted via Blackboard email will NOT be accepted. Writing assignments submitted via Atlas email will NOT be accepted. !

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Valencia College PHI 2600 - Ethics & Critical Thinking

Summer 2015 CRN 30383

Online! EVALUATION (CONTINUED) ! The deadline for writing the assignment submission will NOT be extended under any circumstances. You will NOT be able to ‘make up’ a missed writing assignment. If you wait until the last day (or minute) to submit a writing assignment and encounter problems of any kind, there is nothing that can be done. It is strongly suggested to submit the writing assignment early during the availability period. It is your responsibility to ensure proper hardware and software configuration and reliable internet connection. Writing assignments MUST be submitted using a computer and NOT from a tablet or smart phone. Do NOT use the Blackboard mobile app to submit writing assignments. ! The deadline for the writing assignment submission will be visible in the Blackboard course calendar. The writing assignment is worth 100 points. ! Reading Response Assignments There will be ten short reading response assignments in this course. For the reading response assignments you will provide short answers to questions pertaining to the primary readings assigned for each learning module. Detailed instructions and a grading rubric will be provided. ! The reading response assignments MUST be submitted online from within the Blackboard course and in the manner and file format(s) specified in the instructions. Reading response assignments submitted by any other means or in any other format will NOT be accepted. Reading response assignments submitted via Blackboard email will NOT be accepted. Reading response assignments submitted via Atlas email will NOT be accepted. ! The deadlines for reading response assignment submissions will NOT be extended under any circumstances. You will NOT be able to ‘make up’ a missed reading response assignment. If you wait until the last day (or minute) to submit a reading response assignment and encounter problems of any kind, there is nothing that can be done. It is strongly suggested to submit the reading response assignment early during the availability period. It is your responsibility to ensure proper hardware and software configuration and reliable internet connection. Reading response assignments MUST be submitted using a computer and NOT from a tablet or smart phone. Do NOT use the Blackboard mobile app to submit reading assignments. ! The deadlines for reading response assignment submissions will be visible in the Blackboard course calendar. Each reading response assignment is worth 20 points. !

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Valencia College PHI 2600 - Ethics & Critical Thinking

Summer 2015 CRN 30383

Online! EVALUATION (CONTINUED) ! Opening Discussions For each module, there will be an opening discussion.In the opening discussion you and your classmates will reflect directly on a moral problem or issue in preparation for a thorough examination of the moral theories or issues covered in the module. ! The opening discussions focus on evaluating your ability to participate in a rational debate while being critically aware of your own moral point of view. Detailed instructions and a grading rubric will be provided. ! Discussion posts for opening discussions MUST be submitted using the proper discussion threads in the Blackboard course and in the manner specified in the instructions. Discussion posts submitted by any other means or in any other format will NOT be accepted. ! The deadlines for the opening discussions will NOT be extended under any circumstances. You will NOT be able to ‘make up’ a missed discussion. If you wait until the last day (or minute) to post a discussion and encounter problems of any kind, there is nothing that can be done. It is strongly suggested to submit the discussion early during the availability period. It is your responsibility to ensure proper hardware and software configuration and reliable internet connection. Discussions MUST be submitted using a computer and NOT from a tablet or smart phone. Do NOT use the Blackboard mobile app to submit discussions. ! The deadlines for the opening discussions will be listed in the Blackboard course calendar. Each opening discussion is worth 20 points. ! 


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Valencia College PHI 2600 - Ethics & Critical Thinking

Summer 2015 CRN 30383

Online! GRADING ! The overall grade for the course will be calculated based on a 1,000-point system as follows: !

!! Your final letter grade will be as follows: !

! 40 points of extra credit are available for two additional extra credit discussions. The deadlines for these extra credit discussions will be listed in the Blackboard course calendar. Each extra credit discussion is worth 20 points. There will be NO other opportunities for extra credit in this course. Your scores for self-assessments, tests, the writing assignment, reading response assignments, opening discussions, and extra credit discussions can be accessed using the ’My Grades’ tool in the Blackboard course. ! This syllabus is subject to change. Any changes will be announced via the ‘Announcements’ tool in Blackboard, and the syllabus will be updated accordingly.

Assessment Score

Self-Assessments 4 x 25 = 100

Tests 4 x 100 = 400

Writing Assignment 1 x 100 = 100

Reading Response Assignments 10 x 20 = 200

Opening Discussions 10 x 20 = 200

Possible extra credit 2 x 20 = 40

Total 1,040

Points Letter Grade

1,040-900 A

899-800 B

799-700 C

699-600 D

599-0 F

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