PHI 121: Contemporary Moral Problems Course Objective: Required ...

PHI 121: Contemporary Moral Problems
What’s the workload in this course?
Reading: Moderate
Videos: Light
Writing: Moderate (16 Discussions)
Exams: Multiple Choice (8 Quizzes and 4 Exams)
Course Objective:
This course is designed to introduce you to some contemporary moral issues. Vital to learning
about these issues is engaging in them. With that in mind, we will immerse ourselves in seven
different debates. The goal here is not simply to have you decide between one side and another,
but more importantly, to help you develop positions with reasonable defenses. This course's
objectives are to familiarize you with some contemporary moral issues and to engage you in
active thinking and reasoning for yourself about these issues. At course end, you should have a
keen sensibility for identifying contemporary moral issues, as well as the skills to understand and
handle those issues.
Required Texts:
Phil 121 Custom Text: McGraw‐Hill Primis Online, ISBN 0390444359 Paperback, 185 pages.
Course Activities:
This course will include reading, writing, and regular assessments (exams and quizzes). Reading
will familiarize you with the issues, as well as with other students' points of view. Discussion
assignments will give you an opportunity to express your point of view. And finally, quizzes and
exams will assess how well you are keeping up with the material and understanding it. Since you
are responsible for all your work on your own, managing your time in order to keep up with
established assignments and due dates will be a critical factor in your success in this course.
Readings:
Every module includes a set of readings, including one or two assigned texts and a module
commentary. Your custom textbook includes all required texts. You may read the texts and
commentaries at your leisure, but you should read them before you complete that module's
discussion assignment. The texts will introduce, describe, and often present opposing sides of a
particular moral problem. Module commentaries should help you understand the bigger picture
that surrounds the particular issues. This perspective is very helpful. In addition to giving you the
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igger picture, the commentaries will explain the particular arguments in a text. Commentaries
are in the “Learning Area” option from the menu on the left. Inside the learning area, select a
module from the scroll‐shaped list. Each module has multiple sections. Be sure to read them all.
Discussion Assignments:
You will be assigned to a small discussion group to work with on the discussion assignments. You
can access your group's discussion board by selecting the "Groups" option from the menu on the
left, then selecting your group, and finally "Group Discussion Board". You will be required to
participate in a new discussion with your group each week. Every Monday, a new forum will
appear in your group's discussion board with a discussion question that is related to the issues
discussed in the current module. In addition to answering the assigned question each week, you
will be interacting with your peers. Your response to each week’s assigned question is due each
Wednesday, and you must reply to at least two of your groupmates’ responses by Friday of the
same week
Quizzes:
Quizzes are available to take any time during the first week of each module. The standard
availability period of quizzes is 12 am Monday through 11:55 pm Friday. You can take a module's
quiz whenever you are ready, but you must take it during that period. To take a quiz, select the
"Quizzes & Exams" option from the menu on the left of your Blackboard display, then select the
quiz. Every quiz (with the exception of the Syllabus Quiz) has a time limit of 15 minutes, and will
consist of 10 multiple choice or true/false questions at 3 points each. Quizzes can cover any
content associated with a module (including embedded video or audio). You may consult your
notes during a quiz. Quizzes do not require a proctor. You may take quizzes at home or outside
of class.
Exams:
At the end of every two modules you will take an exam that covers both of those modules.
Exams are available to take any time during the second week of even numbered modules (every
other module) From 12 am Monday until 11:55 pm Friday. To take an exam, select the "Quizzes
& Exams" option from the menu on the left of your Blackboard display, then select the exam.
Exams will have 45 multiple choice or true/false questions at 3 points each, and you will have
one hour to take each exam. You may consult your notes during an exam. Exams do not require a
proctor. You may take Exams at home or outside of class.
130 of the available points in this course will count as extra credit. That means there is enough
extra credit already built in to the course to raise your grade by more than a whole letter. For
this reason, no other extra credit will be offered, so take advantage of every assignment and quiz
to earn those extra points. We will not give extra credit on request.
SUMMARY:
• 8 modules, 2 weeks per module, 1 quiz per module, 1 exam every two modules
• 15 minutes to take each quiz
• 1 hour to take each exam
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• quizzes & exams are available Monday through Friday
• make‐up quizzes and exams are available Saturday through Tuesday
• ALL make‐ups will be penalized, regardless of excuse
• make‐ups and time limit violations mean that your grade will not appear until your
instructor approves it
• in case of technical problem, ALWAYS call the iSchool Help Desk immediately
• DO NOT email your instructor with technical problems
Any work you miss because of spring break is due by the end of the week that you return.
Grading:
Your final grade is made up of your Discussion Assignment grades, Quiz grades, and Exam grades.
There are a total of 1130 possible points in this course. The point breakdown by category is as
follows:
• Each discussion assignment is worth 20 points, and there will be 16 discussion
assignments throughout the course, so there are 320 points available from discussion
assignments. About 25% of your final grade comes from discussion assignments.
• Each quiz is worth 30 points, and there will be 9 quizzes throughout the course, so there
are 270 points available from quizzes. About 25% of your final grade comes from
quizzes.
• Each exam is worth 135 points, and there will be 4 of them throughout the course. This
means that 540 points, nearly half of your final grade comes from exams.
Your final grade will be out of 1000 points, so there are 130 extra points to be earned on
assignments. Since final grades are out of 1000 points, the range of point scores in each letter
grade is 100 points, in other words, each letter grade is worth 100 points, or 10% of the total
points. You can view your grades by selecting "My Grades" from the course menu.
Your final grade can be determined from your total points earned according to the following
table:
966‐1000 points: A+ 866‐899 points: B+ 766‐799 points: C+ 666‐699 points: D+
933‐965 points: A 833‐865 points: B 733‐765 points: C 633‐665 points: D
900‐933 points: A‐ 800‐833 points: B‐ 700‐733 points: C‐ 600‐633 points: D‐
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