Course Syllabus

Instructor Information

• Betsy Zahrt Geib
• E-mail: please use the email function in Canvas for quickest response. I can also be reached at elizabeth.zahrtgeib@bellevuecollege.edu
• Phone: 425.564.2708 (I check phone messages only about once a week; email is the best option)
• Campus Office location: A200A
• Campus office hours: variable, please contact me to request
• Virtual office hours: I am always available via Canvas email and should respond within a day, unless it is over the weekend in which case I might not respond until Monday morning. If you want to request a one-on-one chat or video conference, please email me and we'll find a time to do that virtually. I have office hours on campus on Fridays from 11:30-12:30.

 Required Materials 

• Sapling Learning online homework system, cost: $40
• please contact Sapling Learning for technical or grading issues, contact me for other Sapling issues
• PlayPosit account, cost: Free
• Taylor, Timothy: Principles of Macroeconomics: cost: Free
• The material from this text is embedded into this Canvas course as well as available through your Sapling Learning account. If you would like a print version, please go to: https://openstaxcollege.org/textbooks/principles-of-macroeconomics/get
• Reliable internet connection

After completing this class, students should be able to:

1. Acquire and critique the use of primary source statistics in assessing the health of a macroeconomy.
2. Explain the relationships between economic growth, unemployment, and inflation.
3. Recognize the importance of the Federal Reserve’s regulatory role in money and banking.
4. Evaluate the pros and cons of proposed macroeconomic stabilization policy.
5. Examine factors that influence long-run growth and productivity.
6. Describe how the internationalization of our economy has changed the outcomes and choices of our domestic economy.
7. Critically analyze the positive and negative impacts of markets as they relate to social justice and environmental issues.
8. Represent and understand economic concepts and outcomes in numerical and graphical form.

Bellevue College Learning Practices

In addition to the course level learning outcomes, courses at Bellevue College promote the following learning practices:

1. Creative & Critical Thinking: The ability to utilize a range of thought processes to evaluate information and opinions, generate new ideas, and identify creative and successful outcomes

2. Communication: The ability to communicate effectively using written, oral, visual, and/or electronic means, as appropriate to a given situation.

3. Connections: The ability to identify and explore connections, themes, and patterns in the social and natural world, and to see commonalities within dissimilar circumstances.

Online Learning Atmosphere

 It is expected that you:

• check-in online several times per week; (i.e., don't try to do all assignments due each week in a single sitting);
• go through the modules/chapters in the order they are presented
• contact the instructor immediately when:
• you don't understand a concept or are having difficulty with an assignment,
• there is a possibility that you may miss the deadline for an assignment;
• contact Sapling Learning when you have technical questions with their product; 
• interact positively with classmates;
• attempt all assignments, even if you are unsure of your results;
• students receive 2 attempts at many assignments in Canvas
• students receive unlimited attempts at problems in Sapling; however, there is a 5% reduction per wrong answer for that component of the question
• read and/or watch, and be prepared to discuss, class assignments as they are assigned;
• post or submit all assignments on time (this means 11:59 pm on the due date with the exception of Sapling problem set, which are due at 11:55 pm);
• ask questions and voice your opinion
• check your grades often and notify the instructor when there is a discrepancy

Grades

Your total grade for this course will be computed using the following weights. 

• Sapling Problem Sets:  Test and practice your knowledge of concepts presented in the textbook and the weekly video lessons through the problem sets at the end of the week. You get unlimited attempts at the questions with a 5% penalty for each incorrect answer.  
• Weekly Video Lessons: Interactive weekly video lessons are intended to substitute for the in-class experience (lecture). You receive points for watching and participating in the lessons. You receive 7/10 points for participating in the lessons with the remainder of points based on how well you do with the questions each week.
• Weekly quizzes: There is a timed quiz at the end of each week. Questions will be in the form of multiple choice. You are allowed to drop your lowest quiz grade.
• Pre/Post Discussion: You have the opportunity to engage with fellow students (in groups of 6-8) throughout the week on a question about the week's material. Your score for these discussions is based on a 6 point rubric.
• Applications: Applications invite you to explore data and concepts in the "real world." Applications may show up as a discussion, a quiz, or an assignment. If the application is a quiz, please note that it is a quiz only in name as you area allowed 2 attempts at the problems and your highest score is kept.
• Participation: Online courses function best when students are engaged in the material and with each other. You earn participation points by "showing up" and participating by the due date, as well as by engaging and reflecting on material with your reflection group (6 students per group) over the quarter.
• Final Exam: The final exam is an online timed exam. It opens on Sunday, June12th at 12:01 am and closes on Wed., June 15th at 11:59 pm.

Deadlines/Due Dates

Each assignment has a due date.To help schedule your work load, these assignments due dates are always on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday nights. For simplicity, all assignments with the exception of of the Sapling problem sets are due at 11:59 pm on the due date. Sapling problem sets are due at 11:55 pm (due to a quirk with their system). Please make every attempt to begin assignments well before the due date. The instructor will accept up to 3 late assignments as long as the assignments are turned in within 3 days of the original due date, excluding discussions, quizzes, and the final exam. Further missed assignments may result in a score of 0 for that assignment. No late submissions will be accepted for the quizzes or the final exam. 

Extra Credit

Students may earn 3 points of extra credit added to the final exam score when they turn in proof that they have evaluated this course. Students can also replace their lowest discussion score by submitting the end or course survey at the end of the quarter.

Scoring Rubrics

Scoring rubrics are used for the Pre/Post Discussions and the Video Lessons. Please read through the rubrics before submitting your work so you are aware of how you will be assessed on each assignment.

Distribution of Grades

Throughout the quarter, you will be able to see your total points in Canvas. Be sure to check grades often and notify the instructor of any potential discrepancies. End-of-quarter grades will not be posted in Canvas (total points will, but not letter grades), in the Social Science Division or in faculty offices, and secretaries will not give out grades.  Students should access their grades through the BC Web site. Please refer to the Bellevue College Grading Policy to read more about grading criteria: 

Student Code

Cheating, stealing and plagiarizing (using the ideas or words of another as one’s own without crediting the source) and inappropriate/disruptive classroom behavior are violations of the Student Code of Conduct at Bellevue College. The instructor can refer any violation of the Student Code of Conduct to the Vice President of Student Services for possible probation or suspension from Bellevue College.  Specific student rights, responsibilities and appeal procedures are listed in the Student Code of Conduct, available in the office of the Vice President of Student Services.”  The Student Code, Policy 2050, in its entirety is located at: http://bellevuecollege.edu/policies/2/2050_Student_Code.asp                           

Inclusion

I am committed to maintaining an environment in which every member of the campus community feels welcome to participate in the life of the college, free from harassment and discrimination. I highly value our different backgrounds, abilities and interests at Bellevue College. Students with disabilities who have accommodation needs are encouraged to meet with the Disabiilty Resource Center (DRC) office located in B132 to establish their eligibility for accommodation. If you have already established eligibility, please make me aware of your accommodation needs in the first week of the quarter. The DRC office is located in B 132 or you can call their reception desk at 425.564.2498.  Deaf students can reach them by video phone at 425-440-2025 or by TTY at 425-564-4110. Please visit their website for application information and other helpful links at www.bellevuecollege.edu/drc

Bellevue College is committed to maintaining an environment in which every member of the campus community feels welcome to participate in the life of the college, free from harassment and discrimination. I value our different backgrounds at Bellevue College. Students who expect to miss classes, examinations, or any other assignments as a consequence of their religious observance will be provided with a reasonable alternative opportunity to complete such academic responsibilities. It is the obligation of students to provide me with advance notice of the dates of religious holidays on which they will be absent in the first week of the term. Students who are absent on days of examinations or class assignments will be offered an opportunity to make up the work without penalty (if they have previously arranged to be absent), unless it creates an unreasonable burden to me. Should disagreement arise over what constitutes an unreasonable burden or any element of this policy, parties involved should consult the department chair, or Dean.

 Bellevue College does not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity; color; creed; national origin; sex; marital status; sexual orientation; age; religion; genetic information; the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability; gender identity or veteran status in educational programs and activities which it operates. For further information and contacts, please consult College Anti-Discrimination Statements.

Resources

There are many resources available both on campus and online for you to successfully complete your education at Bellevue College. A great resource for macroeconomics is me, your instructor! I am committed to helping you learn the material and am happy to do so.

The Academic Success Center is also a great place to find out about other resources. There is a link to their home page in the left sidebar menu in Canvas.

Other online resources for economics include Khan Academy videos and Jody the Econ Girl videos.

Deadlines and important dates

 Withdrawals

You may formally withdraw from this course by the end of the seventh week of the quarter to avoid receiving a letter grade at the end of the quarter.

 Hardship Withdrawals

You may request that I assign the grade of “HW” (hardship withdrawal) in the event that you are not able to complete the coursework due to extreme and exceptional circumstances. You may also contact the Enrollment Services office BEFORE grades are assigned in cases of hardship.

 Other dates

The Bellevue College Academic Calendar is separated into two calendars. They provide information about holidays, closures and important enrollment dates such as the finals schedule.

• Enrollment Calendar - http://bellevuecollege.edu/enrollment/calendar/deadlines/. On this calendar you will find admissions and registration dates and important dates for withdrawing and receiving tuition refunds.
• College Calendar - http://bellevuecollege.edu/enrollment/calendar/holidays/0910.asp. This calendar gives you the year at a glance and includes college holidays, scheduled closures, quarter end and start dates, and final exam dates.

Public Safety

Public Safety is located in the K building and can be reached at 425-564-2400 (easy to remember because it’s the only office on campus open 24 hours a day—2400). Among other things, Public Safety serves as our Parking Permits, Lost and Found, and Emergency Notification center. Please ensure you are signed up to receive alerts through our campus alerting system by registering at RAVE Alert Registration

 If you work late and are uneasy about going to your car, Public Safety will escort you to your vehicle. To coordinate this, please phone ahead and let Public Safety know when and where you will need an escort.

 Please familiarize yourself with the emergency postings by the door of every classroom and know where to go in the event of an evacuation. Your instructor will be asked if anyone might still be in the building, so check in before you do anything else. Emergency responders will search for anyone unaccounted for. 

If a major emergency occurs, please follow these three rules:

1) Take directions from those in charge of the response -We all need to be working together.

2) Do not get in your car and leave campus (unless directed to) - Doing so will clog streets and prevent emergency vehicles from entering the scene. Instead, follow directions from those in charge.

3) In an emergency, call 911 first, then Public Safety.

 Please do not hesitate to call Public Safety if you have safety questions or concerns at any time. You may also visit the Public Safety web page for answers to your questions.