We will measure the extent to which you achieve the desired learning outcomes based on your performance on the assessment vehicles outlined below. Below is a brief description of the assessment vehicles and how grades will be determined.
Study Assistance Folder in Canvas. If you go to Files, and then to the Study Assistance folder, you'll find several things that will help you prepare for exams including study guides for each of our exams. Check out this resource!
Discussion Topics (4 total) - 85 total points
Throughout the semester, you will engage in discussion topics about the materials we are learning about in the textbook. These discussion topics provide an opportunity for you to both engage with your fellow classmates (since this is an online-only course) and practice critical thinking skills on the topics at hand. Think of this also as your "participation" points for the class.
These discussion topics will consist to the following:
- First Discussion: please take a few minutes and introduce yourself to the class so we can get to know one another through the Discussions area. Requires just one post, with the appropriate details as listed in the Assignments page, to get full credit (10 points).
- Second - Fourth Discussion: I will insert a topic into the Discussions area at the start of each month (September, October, and November), and each student is expected to post at least three responses or thoughts on this topic per month for full credit. There are three criteria for full credit on these discussion posts: 1) you must post on different days and these days cannot be sequential (e.g., posting three times on the last day of the month will be counted as only one post, if you didn't post other times of the month, and posting only on Sept 28, 29, 30 will count as only two posts for September). Thus, for full credit, my recommendation is that you post once between the 1st - 10th days of the month, once between the 11th - 20th, and once between the 21st - end of month. 2) your post has to keep the conversation going, either by asking a question on your post or posting your response/thought in such a way for others to be able to comment on your post and/or the original topic, and 3) each post must be approximately 2-3 sentences or a small paragraph, where I can see you can be both concise but also put some good thought in the response/thought (25 points each).
Individual Zoom Presentation - 65 points
During the first week of the semester, I will randomly assign a specific section of a chapter for each student to cover from the textbook, and you will record and upload a 6-8 minute presentation on that topic via Zoom video conferencing. These presentations will also be shared with your classmates, as these presentations can be used to assist in your individual study towards exams (beyond the reading and study guides I have provided, and these presentations allow a different way to learn). This assignment also provides students with a formal presentation opportunity (even if it's only on Zoom), with typical guidelines you'll find in the business world for covering a topic, which is a skill all managers and employees need.
Go to this assignment itself to see the Zoom presentation deadline (which is the same for all of you), and the specific topic from the textbook you have been assigned. I will provide you a PowerPoint template you can use, as well as a sample recorded presentation within the Files section so you know what the expectations are, but know you can supplement the PowerPoint with other resources beyond the textbook (e.g. examples of the principle in modern business, a short YouTube clip on the topic, etc.) to help yourself and the class understand your assigned presentation material from the book.
My basic grading rubric for your presentation consists of the following categories:
- Content coverage. Did you stay focused on the topic and create an in-depth learning experience?
- The slide presentation itself. Did you follow the PowerPoint rubric and stay within the allotted time frame?
- Your individual presentation/speaking qualities. As any student who has sat through a presentation - - especially a slide presentation - - can tell you, simply reading off the slides word-for-word is not an effective way to teach. Presenters should consider using more of an extemporaneous presentation approach - minimal content on the slides themselves, and you defining and/or teaching what the few words on the slides means. Having notes available separately is okay if you need some prompting.
Exams (5 total) - 400 total points
To demonstrate your understanding and mastery of the management principles that we will be studying, you will complete 5 exams. The fifth exam is NOT comprehensive and will cover only the last four chapters of our textbook.
All exams will consist of 50 multiple choice and True or False questions (100 points per exam) and will cover all the material in the chapters of the textbook assigned for that period. I have provided STUDY GUIDES for all the exams. Please go to the Files menu in Canvas and you'll see the study guides for each exam.
Late exams will not be accepted and makeup exams are not usually permitted, except in extraordinary circumstances, and only if arrangements are made in advance. If arrangements are not made in advance, you will receive a score of 0 for a missed exam. After the fourth exam, I will drop your lowest exam score from consideration towards your grade, meaning only your top three exam scores between #1 - #4 will count towards your grade, plus whatever you score on your final exam (exam #5). All exams will be taken using Honorlock, the university's online exam proctoring solution.
Please note the dues dates for each of the 5 exams. The exams are open from the first day of class, so you can take each exam as early as you like, but my STRONG RECOMMENDATION is that you take the exams in order and over the course of the entire semester (e.g. either the week before or the week they are due), particularly Exams 2-5 (based on the Individual Zoom Presentation assignment output) so you digest the information and be best prepared for each exam.
Establishing a Family Culture Using Our Management Text (Writing Assignment) - 100 points
Over time, educated people begin to realize that true principles and effective practices are often transferable from one field of study to another. For example, what could NASA - - an organization that takes individuals into outer space - - teach business people about starting a new business venture? Or, what could a successful business leader teach a new high school basketball coaching about leadership? What do gardening and forging a specific corporate culture have in common?
Assignment instructions: Write a 5+ page (double-spaced, Times New Roman font size 12) paper explaining how you would use our textbook - - Management: An Integrated Approach (2nd ed.) - - to build a strong family culture. Paper quality is more important than length. You can define "family" in just about any way you want to - - the only rule is that it must involve more than just you. As you think about the culture you might want to establish, you should probably first think about some values you'd like to target - - - education? service/charity? work ethic? problem-solving/making decisions and counseling together? health practices and physical activity? art appreciation? faith and/or spirituality? responsible citizenship? integrity and other virtues? etc., etc. Having a long list of specific cultural elements is not essential for this paper.
Multiple astute observations as to how you would apply the culture-shaping principles from our text are essential to getting an excellent grade. Your paper should be loaded with the vocabulary and probably some quotes from the text. Where appropriate, make sure that you use the proper text book vocabulary from the appropriate chapters. Through your paper, clearly demonstrate that you understand the principles and practices explained in the text and/or articles you may choose to cite. In your paper, you do not need to use the exact practices listed in Management, but you should discuss how the practices found in the text inspired you. In other words, feel free to tweak the basic ideas found in our text.
Format is not important (MLA, APA, etc.), but please be consistent throughout the paper. You are welcome to cite other sources (e.g., articles about family culture, etc.), and please cite these sources appropriately. However, if Management: An Integrated Approach is your only source, that's fine as well.
Your paper should be well-written, interesting and easy to understand and follow.
Grammar, spelling and punctuation are important on all writing assignments.