Foundations of Economic Analysis
This is an accelerated course offered in the Summer Term and is 8 weeks long. The Spring and Fall Semester versions are 15 weeks long. The Summer course is identical to the course offered in the Fall and Spring semesters with minor exceptions. This course will dominate your time in the next 8 weeks. If you do not have the time to dedicate to this intensive self-paced course please withdraw now and plan to take it later.
Instructional Days
First Day of access to course: Monday May 17, 2010
Last day to drop without adviser’s signature: – check this with your adviser
Last day to withdraw with signature of adviser and instructor: -- check this with your adviser
Last Day to turn in first writing assignment without penalty: June 20, 2010 (see chart below)
Last Day to turn in second writing assignment without penalty: July 7, 2010 (see chart below)
Last Day of access to course: Saturday July 10, 2010, 11:59 pm.
Grades recorded: Week of July 12.
Extensions of time to complete: On an individual basis – see below and contact Dr. Myers. (return to top)
Self-paced, self-disciplined Design
It is impossible to complete this course in a few weeks! Students’ report that this course is as much or in some cases much more work than a regular face to face course. We will cover approximately the entire book. Therefore, don’t expect to successfully finish the class if you wait until the last weeks of the term to start. Also, keep in mind that the College of Arts and Sciences will not permit me to give you an incomplete for the course “if you have not completed most of the course.” In light of this policy I will not even entertain a proposal for an incomplete for this course if you have not completed most of the modules before the last day to withdraw and you must have a passing average at that point. (return to top)
While a comfortable rate of progress is to complete just over one module per week, you may accelerate that pace at your own choosing. However, do not underestimate the time requirements for this distance learning class. I strongly recommend that you complete both modules 1 and module 2 in the first week and complete module 3 by the beginning of the second week. Once you have completed reading the module introduction, the chapters and PowerPoint lessons, you may take the quiz at the end of that module. At anytime you may contact the professor or other students and may through the use of discussions and online chats discuss concepts with anyone.
While this is a self-paced course there are two substantial penalties for procrastination. If you are late with your submission of either or both of the writing assignments you will lose points. Each writing assignment is worth 10 points. You will lose 1 point a week you are late on the first writing assignment. You will lose 1 point for each day you are late with the second writing assignment. These penalties are shown in the next table.
Digital Availability of the Professor
While it will be easy for you to think that your professor is available 24/7, this is not true. There are some days that professor’s time will be extremely limited which will be announced to you. I will generally be online daily to check your progress when possible, but there can be up to a two days wait between modules at times. If you haven’t been advanced to the next module within 48 hours please email the professor.
There will be exceptions to this rule. I will be completely unavailable on a few certain dates and these will be posted to the course announcement board and emailed to the class. It is your job to plan around my scheduled absences.
Introduction
Welcome to Economic Analysis. In this class we will focus both on macroeconomics and microeconomics. This is a web-based course with no required face-to-face meetings. All contact between professor and students are via the computer.
You will be able to work at your own pace and you must manage your time accordingly. The design of this course is for you to achieve mastery over the various competencies and not to be graded as in more traditional courses. The expectation is that everyone has the opportunity to earn an A in the course by the ability to succeed in each of the modules before moving on. You can think of the design of this course as learn, test, relearn, re-test.
Past student reviews of this course are online at http://gozips.uakron.edu/~myers/online. You will discover your fellow students have cautioned you not to underestimate the amount of work in this course. You need to set a plan do at least four chapters and two modules a week. (return to top)
Textbook and Course Support
The textbook for this course is by Michael Parkin, Economics 8th edition with MyEconLab Student Access Kit, Addison-Wesley Publishing; ISBN: # 0-3-2142300-3 (2008). Note that if you get a used book, you may buy online access to MyEconLab.com. You may not use the 7th edition as chapter line ups have changed and the testing is geared to the 8th edition. Nor may you use the 9th Edition.
Apparently MyEconLab for Parkin Economics 8th edition can no longer be purchased directly and may not be available at all as of Summer 2010. This may affect your choices below.
Please note that MyEconLab is a study aid for you. I will not use it directly, nor will I support it if you cannot get it running on your computer. You will have to deal with MyEconLab support directly for that.
You have choices.
- Buy a new textbook with MyEconLab which also includes the eText.
- Do not buy a physical textbook and buy only MyEconLab with eText.
- Buy a used textbook and buy access to MyEconLab with or without eText.
- Buy a used textbook and ignore MyEconLab.
To purchase the physical text
If you want a physical copy you can find it at the University Bookstore (http://uakron.bncollege.com) or another supplier. You must get a new copy to be assured to have free access to the MyEconLab online website. If you buy a used copy you will need to also pay for online access if you want MyEconLab or the eText. Click here for the Amazon.com link for Parkin 8th. At the time of this writing Amazon was cheaper than the bookstore. [full link - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321423003?ie=UTF8&tag=teachingand05-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0321423003]
When I checked, UA Bookstore $200.65 new ($150.50 used), Amazon $184.57 for new (used from $65.11). MyEconLab is free with a new text and $45.00 to add on to a used text. MyEconLab with eText is $80. (I am not responsible for the prices, so I can only quote what I saw online sometime in the recent past.)
To rent a copy of the text on-line
Go to http://www.myeconlab.com to access your online support resource. Press Register / Students. Then on the next page answer “no”, Parkin, Economics 8e and choose to register your access with a access kit / code or purchase access. If you purchase access you will be taken to a page that will allow you to buy access to MyEconLab without the full eText for $50 or MyEconLab with the full eText for $90.
Modular Design
q The course is organized into modules. They must be completed in order and you must master each one before being permitted to move forward. You will be advanced on the basis of filling out a Required Learning Assessment which is always the last link in each content module (except for the two writing assignments).
q Each module (2 to 15) includes various files of helpful material to help you learn the material of the chapters.
o These include for each chapter a lecture outline, a PowerPoint presentation and a set of thinking questions (including answers).
o At the end of each module is the quiz of 10 questions based on the learning objectives for each chapter.
o After you take the quiz (up to three times or until you get a 10) you must complete a learning assessment.
o After completing the learning assessment you may proceed to the next module.
Note the graphics quiz in Module 2 and the preassessments in Module 1 are not counted in your grades. They are there to provide an assessment of your skills before proceeding. (return to top)
Module Map – Which Chapters are covered?
In the following table “Parkin 8e” refers to the one volume book Economics, while “Micro or Macro” refers to the separate books (also by Parkin) called Microeconomics and Macroeconomics.
|
Module Number |
Number of quizzes |
Number of Chapters (30 in total) |
points |
Parkin 8e Chapter Number |
|
Micro or Macro Chapter Number |
|
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
NA |
|
|
|
|
2 |
2 |
2 |
10 |
1-2 (inc 1A) |
|
Micro 1-2 |
|
|
3 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
3-4 |
|
Micro 3-4 |
|
|
4 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
5-6 |
|
Micro 5-6 |
|
|
5 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
7-8 (not 8A) |
|
Micro 7-8 |
|
|
6 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
9-10 |
|
Micro 9-10 |
|
|
7 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
11-12 |
|
Micro 11-12 |
|
|
7A First Writing Assignment |
essay |
|
10 |
|
|
|
|
|
8 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
13-14 |
|
Micro 13-14 |
|
|
9 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
15-16 |
|
Micro 15-16 |
|
|
10 |
1 |
3 |
10 |
17,18,19 (inc 17A) |
|
Micro 17, 18, 19 |
|
|
11 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
20-21 |
|
Macro 4-5 |
|
|
12 |
1 |
3 |
10 |
22-23 |
|
Macro 6-7 |
|
|
13 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
24-25 |
|
Macro 8-9 |
|
|
14 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
27 & 29 |
|
Macro 11 & 13 |
|
|
14A Second Writing Assignment |
essay |
|
10 |
|
|
|
|
|
15 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
30-31 |
|
Macro 14-15 |
|
|
16 Final Evaluations |
|
|
10 |
|
|
|
|
Module 1
- … is an introductory module and contains much of the orientation of the course including a variety of pre-assessments.
- You must complete everything in Module 1 before moving to Module 2.
- You will need to be able to listen to audio (headphones recommended) for part of the introduction.
Modules 2-15
… each may contain the following parts:
- An Foundations of the chapters in each module and the learning objectives students are expected to attain. The quizzes are directly related to the learning objectives which are stated in each outline and at the beginning of each chapter.
- A written or audio Foundations of the chapter.
- An outline and Power Point slide show for each chapter provided by the publisher of our text.
- A worksheet to prompt Economic Thought on the chapter followed by the answers to that worksheet. Test yourself on your economic reasoning.
- Other supportive material as needed.
- A 10 question required quiz based on the material in the module
- A Learning Assessment – a required form for students to assess their learning and provide interaction with the instructor. This form asks open-ended questions about your comments about the module, what you learned, your remaining questions, and your recommendation for useful changes.
Modules 7A and 14A
· These are both writing assignments. The first should be answerable based on only the text and support materials in the course. The second will require you to do some internet research to collect information on the economy and to write an assessment of the current state of the national and state economy and its influence on the local economy.
Grading Policy
The final grade in the course will be based on the following:
- The sum of the scores on the module quizzes (max 10 points each for 140 points).
- Points earned on the two written essays (10 points each for 20 points)
- Points for the final evaluation module to take place after module 15 (10 points). [Points are awarded her for completion of the forms, not for what is said on the form. You may be denied the opportunity to advance to the final evaluation module and thereby to get the free 10 points if you do not complete the required learning assessments at the end of each module in an acceptable manner. This is not typical, but I reserve the right for chronic abusers of the rules.]
- No scaling of the grades will happen.
The percentage grade is calculated as the sum of your points divided by the total amount possible of 170 points. Grade Scale will be A for 92-100 percent, A- for 90-91, B+ for 78-79, B for 82-87, C+ for 78-79, C for 72-77, C- for 70-71, D+ for 68-69, D for 62-67, D- for 60-61, F below 60 percent. The class is not competitive with the other students and all will make the grade for which they are qualified.
With 5000-6000 questions in the test bank some figures and graphs may be missing or incorrect. There is an opportunity to receive compensation for errors in the text bank based on the policy at http://gozips.uakron.edu/~myers/FAQ/What_if_missing_graph.htm. This is the only extra points possible in the course and is available only to those who are allowed to enter the evaluation module. (return to top)
A Mastery-Based Course Design
“Rules of the Game”
Each module quiz will consist of 10 questions randomly drawn from the test bank within each learning objective announced for each chapter. You will have 15 minutes to complete the quiz and should wait at least one hour before you may take another quiz. [Note: Springboard makes it impossible to enforce a one hour delay between the attempts. I think it is critical that you do not take the quizzes “back to back”] The time is so that you will review your past quiz and discover your mistakes and correct them by studying before taking the next attempt. You are on your honor to review you last attempt before starting the next attempt.
If you ask for assistance and you have taken all three quizzes back to back without delay in between each attempt you should expect less sympathy and less help as you are telegraphing your lack of seriousness. In other words, if you do not score well on one attempt, what makes you think if you take it two more times without studying your mistakes that you will score higher? (return to top)
Acceptable progress
The goal is that you reach mastery over the competencies in the material before you move on. A student who makes a perfect score (10) on a module quiz and completes the module evaluation will be permitted to begin the next module. [In Springboard this is NOT automatic and you must wait until the professor moves you forward.] Students who don’t attain a perfect score on the first module quiz will have two additional attempts to do so. After the third attempt, if you have scored at least a score of 8, you will be permitted to begin the next module and the best score you received in any of the quizzes will be recorded as your grade. [Moving you forward after your three attempts can not be programmed in to Springboard and has to be done by the professor.] You will be well advised to study the material again especially in the areas you have missed before your second or third attempts. (return to top)
Unacceptable progress
Any student who receives a final score of 7 out of 10 for a module quiz will receive a warning. If you earn a score of 6 or less, you will receive a notice from Dr. Myers requesting an online or face-to-face meeting. You will not be permitted to continue in the course without that meeting and a successful resolution of the problem that led to the score of 6 or less. In short, do what is necessary to avoid that score. (Note: A 6 of 10 is commiserate with a letter grade of D- and, therefore, indicates un-acceptable progress requiring intervention.) (return to top)
Is advance Automatic or Manual?
Springboard is a great course management system, but it is not up to the design of this course because of a lack of useful programming tools for the professor. It is fine for many things, but not for self-paced independent and guided discovery according to a sophisticated algorithim. All advancement after you complete a module is done by Dr. Myers or his teaching assistant if available and can take up to 48 hours. We only advance based on our receiving and reading your end-of-module learning assessment. If you are even in doubt that something isn’t working for you, just contact me. (return to top)
Academic Honor - Important
Taking the quizzes for this course is NOT a “team” activity. The work should be entirely on your own and not done in consultation with classmates or others. Any violation of this policy including reference to any student work past or present will result in the grade of “F” for the course. You should be aware that Springboard tracks all activity that takes place within the program including which IP address you are using. In short, there is a digital record of every action you and your fellow students take. (return to top)
Computer Requirements
In order to fully participate in the course, you need to have the following:
- Each student must acquire a UAnet id (https://gozips.uakron.edu/zid/user.html). Every student should already have this.
- Each student will need to be familiar with Internet Explorer to access this course and other resources. Students may also use other browsers, but some pages might not resolve in browsers other than Internet Explorer. You will have to turn off all popup blockers if some material does not present itself. See the help option in Springboard for problems here.
- Students must use Webmail or Zipline http://zipline.uakron.edu or forward their UAnet ID to an e-mail address they read often. Go here (https://gozips.uakron.edu/zid/user.html) and choose ‘email management’ to forward your email. See communication requirements (below) for more information on email contact.
- Interested students can seek help for off-campus use in the basement of the library at the Technology Learning Support Center. Their phone numbers is (330) 972-6888, or email them at tlsc@uakron.edu. Hours are on the page listed in the next link.
- The best URL for help is the http://www.uakron.edu/its/hoss/helpdesk/index.php.
- Students are required to use the class homepage at http://springboard.uakron.edu. Specific halp might be found by emailing springboardhelp@uakron.edu.
- Other information of interest to you in that support page includes getting roadrunner (OBEN) for high-speed access. Help in using the university library including full text access from home is here http://www.uakron.edu/libraries/ (return to top)
Communication Requirements
(1) You must regularly read your UAnet email or have it forwarded to your preferred email account. See some of the links above or go to my online page http://gozips.uakron.edu/~myers/online. If I communicate to your UAnet email account I will assume you have read it within two days. There is no exception to this.
(2) We will be using the communication features of Springboard extensively in this class. I will respond to any email address you use, but when I am mailing to you I will either email internally in Springboard (less likely) or to your UAnet address (most likely) only.
(3) You might consider whether your alternate email address is suitably professional in nature, for example fun_guy@somewhere.com does not create as good impression as first.lastname@somewhere.com. In other words, keep your ‘play names’ private.
(4) On that last point you may also understand that things posted to your Facebook and other social pages are permanent and may seriously affect your ability to get a job.
(5) An excellent professional social site is http://linkedin.com.
(6) We may also use the threaded discussion and chat functions in Springboard, so make sure you are familiar with them.
(7) From time to time virtual office hours may be held via Elluminate. An email to the entire class will announce the url or link needed to participate. You will need speakers or a headset. A mic and cam are optional and likely not needed. When you log on do so by your name and your UAnetID, e.g., if you are Tom and have the UAnetID is twh12 then use the logon as “Tom (twh12)” (return to top)
How To Raise Questions Of A General Nature
Contacting Dr. Myers when you think your question is of general interest.
Use the discussion section of Springboard. Be careful to select a useful and helpful title for your discussion since these will stay in everyone’s discussion list for the entire term.
Contact fellow students when you think your question is of general interest.
The discussion section of Springboard is a great place to start conversations with other student. You may email other students as well within Springboard. (return to top)
Contacting Dr. Myers OFFLINE (Asynchronously)
- Email for Dr. Myers is myers@uakron.edu. You will get the fastest response by using that email address. This is the only email address you may use for me.
- You must include the Course number in the subject and the term, e.g., “E600 Summer 2010”
- You must always include your UAnetID with your full name in your signature of the email.
- Write professionally always. This is the way you make your primary impression.
- My Office is 445 in the New Arts and Sciences building, but this is a distance course, so that probably won’t work for every one. In the Summer I will not be in the office on any schedule d basis.
- My phone is (330) 972-7421 at the office for when I am there. Do not leave a message on the office phone. Email is the single best way to get to me.
- (return to top)
Contacting Dr. Myers ONLINE (Synchronously)
- Elluminate for Virtual Office Hours. You will be able to interact with me through your computer.
- Springboard pager. This is not a good way to communicate, but you can try if you want.