AG338:
Prerequisites
Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details
Contact Information
Required Textbook: A textbook is not required for this course, but there are numerous online resources that offer free video instruction on specific functions in Word, Excel, and the other software used in this course.
Computer Requirements: For doing homework outside of class it is important to have a laptop computer that meets the following technology requirements: Access to a computer with the following specifications are the minimum requirements to be able to perform successfully in a hybrid or online learning environment, as well as in many courses offered face to face. Some academic programs may require additional software.
Device Types
- Laptops running Microsoft Windows or Apple macOS are recommended as your primary device
- Tablets running Windows may be acceptable if it meets requirements below
- Google Chromebook devices are not recommended, nor permitted as your primary device
- Devices running Android, Apple iOS (iPhone/iPad) or other operating systems are not recommended, nor permitted as your primary device
Operation Systems
- Windows OS: Windows 10
- macOS: macOS 10.15, 10.14
Computer and Processor
- Windows OS: 1.6 GHz or faster, 2-core or greater. 2 GHz or greater recommended for video calls
- macOS: Intel processor
Memory
- Windows OS: 4 GB RAM or greater
- macOS: 4 GB
Course Specific Technology (hardware/software):
- Computer must have the desktop versions of the Microsoft Office applications (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) installed
- The web-based versions of the Office applications are not sufficient
- Must be able to access the Internet via wi-fi
- Word Processing Software: You will refresh and build upon your mail merge skills.
- Spreadsheet Software: You will refresh and build upon your spreadsheet skills by completing and analyzing different types of farm business budgets. You will also learn how to create a feed ration balancing spreadsheet and summarize and report collected RFID data using both a spreadsheet and a word processor (mail merge).
- Social Media: You will revise your LinkedIn profile for professional employment purposes. You will also learn how to create a website for employment and business purposes.
- Google: You will use cloud-based storage and applications to complete some assignments.
- Geographic Information systems (GIS): Several software applications are used to demonstrate the use and development of GIS database applications.
- ArcGIS: You will use this software to learn some of the many applications of GIS technology.
- CropScape: You will refresh and build upon your skills to collect, analyze, and report crop production data.
- Mapping Software: You will use applications such as Google Earth or GeoViewer to calculate distances and area (e.g., field acres).
- Other: Additional agricultural software and technologies will be explored as time allows.
Teaching Methods: There are lectures & presentations, but the course emphasizes hands-on in-class exercises & homework.
Section M1: Tentative Schedule for Spring 2025*
| Week of: | Topic |
| January 13 | Welcome, Syllabus, update LinkedIn, budgets & other financial tools |
| January 20 | budgets & other financial tools |
| January 27 | balancing feed rations |
| February 3 | tables, objects, & graphs; reporting data via word processor & mail merge |
| February 10 | create a personal or business website |
| February 17 | collecting & interpreting GIS data |
| February 24 | collecting and analyzing RFID data; basic statistical analysis |
Final Exam – Thursday, February 27, 8:00 – 9:30 AM | |
*Schedule may change due to unforeseen circumstances.
Section M2: Tentative Schedule for Spring 2025*
| Week of: | Topic |
| March 17 | Welcome, Syllabus, update LinkedIn, budgets & other financial tools |
| March 24 | budgets & other financial tools |
| March 31 | balancing feed rations |
| April 7 | tables, objects, & graphs; reporting data via word processor & mail merge |
| April 14 | create a personal or business website |
| April 21 | collecting & interpreting GIS data |
| April 28 | collecting and analyzing RFID data; basic statistical analysis |
| May 5 | Final Exam – Tuesday, May 6, 8:00 – 10:00 AM |
* Schedule may change due to unforeseen circumstances.
- You will complete homework assignments and in-class exercises.
- All assignments will be turned in via Blackboard or cloud-based storage. Do not email assignments.
- Unless otherwise noted, all assignments are to be submitted on Blackboard by 11:59 pm, one week after assigned.
- Due dates will be given on homework assignments, homework turned in one week late will be penalized 10%, homework turned in more than one week late will receive a grade of zero
- Final grades in this course will be determined by the cumulative points, determined by the simple sum of points awarded on each graded assignment.
- The assignments are significant, they account for 80% of the total grade
Grading Policy
From the Wilmington College Faculty Handbook: It is the policy of Wilmington College to strive for fairness in grading and avoid grade inflation. Faculty are encouraged to regard "C-" as a satisfactory grade, which means the student is meeting College standards, and will treat it as such in talking with students, unless otherwise noted in the College Catalog. The grade "A", on the other hand, should mean outstanding achievement, with a grade of "B" in between. The grade "D" represents minimally acceptable achievement, and the grade "F" indicates failure.
| A = 100 - 96 | A- 95.9 – 91 | B+ = 90.9 – 88 | B = 87.9 - 85 | B- = 84.9 – 82 | C+ = 81.9 – 79 |
| C = 78.9 – 76 | C- = 75.9 – 72 | D+ = 71.9 – 69 | D = 68.9 - 66 | F = BELOW 66 |
Grading Activities*^
| Assignments | 240 points |
| Final Exam# | 60 points |
Total | 300 points |
*The actual number of assignments may vary due to unforeseen circumstances.
^Unless otherwise indicated, assignments are worth 20 or 30 points each.
#The final exam is comprehensive. NO optional final exam in half semester courses. All students take the final exam
Instructor Course Policies
- Attendance is required for all class weeks. Students must demonstrate that they are actively participating in the course by submitting required assignments and attending scheduled physical classroom sessions.
- If you are sick or do not feel well, do not come to class if you are sick! Please email the instructor prior to class.
- You are expected to be in class, on time, every time. If you miss more than 1 class for reasons other than illness, emergency, or other excused absences approved by the instructor, your final grade will be reduced one letter grade for each day missed.
- You are responsible for communicating with the instructor about completing missed work
- The opportunity to makeup missed work may be given only if the absence is excused
- See the current Student Handbook for the College’s Attendance policy especially as it pertains to excused absences.
- If you are absent due to athletics, field trip, or other event where you officially represent the College, please email the instructor at least one week prior to the event. Understand that although these are excused absences, you can only complete missed work IF you let the instructor know ahead of time.
- If absent due to illness or emergency, contact the instructor as soon as you can
- Exams, quizzes, & assignments missed due to unexcused absences will receive a 0 when calculating your final grade
- Absolute honesty is expected. Cheating, plagiarism, lying, or disrespect for other students or the instructor will not be tolerated by the instructor or the College.
- Unless asked to use artificial intelligence (AI) apps such as ChatGPT to help you complete an assignment, all work (essays, test answers, homework answers, etc.) that you submit in this course must be originally produced by you and not by AI. Failure to comply with this policy will result in penalties for academic dishonesty (see below).
- Plagiarism will not be tolerated. All references should be provided, if in doubt, provide a reference (this includes works produced with the assistance of AI).
- Academic dishonesty is not acceptable. Assignments, which are plagiarized, will not be accepted and will receive the grade of zero. Cheating on a test or quiz will also receive a grade of zero.
- Penalties for plagiarism or cheating in this class may range from a zero on the assignment to an F in the class. In addition, all cases will be reported in writing to the Office of Academic Affairs. In the case of serious infractions, the Academic Standards and Appeals Committee may take further action.
- “See the current Student Handbook for the college’s Academic Integrity policies as they pertain to examinations, plagiarism, classroom behavior, and the process for handling academic misconduct charges.”
Taking an Online Exam or Quiz:
Cheating is a serious offense and subject to disciplinary action. Some examples of this offense are:
- Any copying or recording of the exam/quiz questions or answers, including taking screenshots, pictures, or video, and disseminating them to anyone before or during the exam.
- Opening browsers and searching for content.
- Using mobile devices/smart phones, other web browsers, software, or other computers during the exam/quiz.
- Bringing in resource materials other than those allowed (e.g., calculator).
- Allowing other individuals to come in and out of the room during the exam.
Plagiarism Policy:
Plagiarism is defined as the representation of another’s words, ideas, concepts, research, or creative production without proper attribution whether intentional or unintentional. It is the student’s responsibility to be informed about what constitutes plagiarism. Plagiarism can occur in the submission of one’s own work or in work submitted by a group.
Examples of plagiarism include the following:
- Paper(s), information, quiz & test answers, homework assignments, etc. created by AI apps such as ChatGPT
- The submission of a paper not one’s own, including turning in a paper that has been purchased from a commercial research firm or obtained from the internet
- Copying word for word information without quotation marks
- Paraphrasing information (that is, the use of one’s own words with only minor changes to the original)
- Use of information not considered general knowledge without proper citation
- Listing of misleading or false sources on a reference page
- The use of a paper or project for one course that was previously submitted for another course, either at Wilmington or at any other institution
Plagiarism is a serious academic offense and carries serious academic consequences. Violations will be recorded by the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Main Campus and Vice President of External Programs at the Cincinnati Branch Campus.
When an instructor discovers plagiarism, the instructor will first consult with the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs if a main campus student, or the Vice President for External Programs if a branch campus student, in order to determine if the student is a first-time offender. For first offenses, the instructor has the ability to determine the penalty for the offense. Students with academic integrity violations may not be eligible for academic awards and honors (i.e., Academic Honors, Dean’s List/Merit List, Green Key Honor Society, Quaker Impact Award, and other Honorary Societies). For a second offense or more, the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Main Campus or the Vice President for External Programs for students at the branch campus, will report the offense to the academic standards and appeal committee and gather evidence for a hearing with the student. It is possible that the student will receive a substantial reduction in grade for the course or will fail the course. Multiple instances could even lead to suspension or expulsion from Wilmington College.
There are many university, college and private websites students may consult about how to avoid plagiarism. Sites with particularly helpful suggestions can be found at: https://www.plagiarism.org/preventing-plagiarism http://citationmachine.net/index2.php
Electronic Device/Texting Policy
- You need to focus on the materials we are discussing in class. The use of electronic devices is distracting and limits your ability to stay focused in class. Other than a computer you bring to class for taking notes, do not use these devices in class. Also, stay on task with your laptop computer. Do not surf the web, text, etc. when you should be learning the material.
Repeated violations of this policy may reduce your next grade 10% (e.g., if you earned a 70% on the next exam, your grade would be reduced to 60%)
Expectations: - Academic Integrity, Electronic Device/Texting Policy, Attendance, and other expectations
- You are expected to read the assigned material and be prepared for discussion on the material. As a general rule, you should have the reading done for the week at the beginning of the assigned week.
- Wilmington College and federal financial aid authorities require that students commit a minimum of two hours of time per week outside of class for each hour of time they are in class.
- You are responsible for the materials in lecture and in all assigned reading
WC Blackboard Use
- May be used for: quizzes & exams, lecture outlines, assignments, instructions, due dates, readings, posting grades
Blackboard Help
- If you are having trouble using Blackboard, accessing content, submitting assignments, taking assessments, participating in discussion boards, viewing your grade, or using your technology device, contact the IT helpdesk at helpdesk@wilmington.edu, 937-481-2459, or https://wilmington.freshservice.com/support/home
ONLINE COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES & EXPECTATIONS
Communicating with Faculty
- The best way to reach me is by my College email address: daryl_nash@wilmington.edu
Student Email Etiquette
- When communicating via email, there are some important guidelines to follow:
- Think of your email as a professional, business communication. Include an informative subject line.
- Make sure that your email is grammatically correct. You should think about your email as a chance to show your instructor that you care about the class, and that you are willing to take the time to proofread your message before sending it. Keep your tone friendly and respectful and keep your emails concise and to the point.
Video Conferencing Etiquette
If you attend class via Zoom, below are a few things to keep in mind:
- Requests to attend class via Zoom for reasons other than illness or emergency must be approved by the instructor at least 1-day in advance. If the reason is due to sudden illness or emergency contact the instructor as soon as you can. Requests will be honored if the reason for attending class fits within the College’s Attendance policy in the Student Handbook (i.e., illness, emergency, approved excused absences). I overslept or do not feel like getting out of bed are not valid reasons for attending class via Zoom.
- Consider your appearance on the webcam. The less seriously you take the video conference, the harder it will be to learn the material or participate in the class.
- Consider what is in the background of your video. Nothing is more embarrassing than an awkward or inappropriate poster or item in your background. A blank background is easiest to work with but be considerate.
- Remember that a video conference has the same degree of respect as a live class. You would not randomly call out or fall asleep during class (let’s hope!), so please continue that respect on the webcam.
- Keep your video on.
- Unless you are speaking keep the mute on. This will avoid background noises.
Mode Of Delivery
Hybrid course:
- The course will be taught in-person on Tuesdays in RCC-101A
- The course will be taught via ZOOM on Thursdays
- Here is Daryl’s personal Zoom link (to be used for Thursday classes & illness or other excused absences):
- https://wilmington.zoom.us/j/3722916687?pwd=VWxqTk54UjFxR2dQNERsWmpjU0phdz09
- meeting ID: 372 291 6687
- passcode: 2Ebwzk
- https://wilmington.zoom.us/j/3722916687?pwd=VWxqTk54UjFxR2dQNERsWmpjU0phdz09
- Here is Daryl’s personal Zoom link (to be used for Thursday classes & illness or other excused absences):
You are not required to attend Zoom classes in the RCC computer lab. However, it might be an easier environment for you to learn in. You can earn 2 extra credit points per class you attend in the RCC when we are on Zoom. Your SI, Bria Nelson has agreed to be there when I am on Zoom with you to answer questions and setup the Zoom link on the projector and screen in the computer lab. If you go to the lab, you will not need the Zoom link. Bria will set it up for you.
WC Mission Statement
- The mission of Wilmington College is to educate, inspire and prepare each student for a life of service and success.
- To fulfill that mission, Wilmington College provides a high quality undergraduate and graduate educational environment shaped by the traditions of the liberal arts, career preparation and the distinctive practices of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). By offering academic programs, practical experience, and co-curricular activities in a variety of settings to students from diverse backgrounds, the College leads students to gain an awareness of the world, to acquire knowledge of career and vocation and to seek truth and social justice.
- In keeping with the rich heritage of the liberal arts, the College seeks to educate the whole person – intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual – in ways that foster critical thinking, reflection, the free exchange of ideas, open inquiry, respect for all persons and a desire for lifelong learning. The liberal arts are integrated with career preparation to help students develop the knowledge and skills to succeed in a career or further education.
- As an academic community, Wilmington College is rooted in historic Quaker values, also known as testimonies, which include integrity, service, stewardship, equality, peace and social justice and respect for all persons. These historic testimonies motivate those who learn and work at the College to make positive contributions to their professions and their communities.
Institutional and Program-Level Policies
All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.
Out-of-class Work Expectation A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week. |
Instructional Course Delivery |
Academic Integrity Policy The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions. |
Academic Misconduct - Examples [10/24]
ACADEMIC CODE OF CONDUCT
This policy is directly related to the first Testimony, which is part of the Student Code of Conduct. “I will practice personal and academic integrity.” The initial responsibility for dealing with academic misconduct lies with the individual faculty member in whose classroom or course of study the offense occurs. The responsibility includes determination of the consequences for the offense. The goal is for faculty to confront cheating and plagiarism, to teach ethical behavior, and to provide an appropriate consequence based on the nature of the incident. Faculty are encouraged to explicitly address academic misconduct and its consequences in the course syllabus.
EXAMPLES OF ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
A. Examination offenses include, but are not limited to, the following:
1.Taking unauthorized materials into or out of the examination room.
2.Leaving the examination room without authorization before completing an examination.
3.Talking in the examination room without authorization.
4.Discussing the examination outside the examination room during the course of the examination.
5.Attempting to observe the work of another student.
6.Taking an examination for another person or permitting someone else to do so.
7.Collaborating improperly by discussion, joint research, or joint effort in any way expressly prohibited by the instructor. This includes using a cell phone or other device to access information from another source or another student.
8.Improper knowledge of contents of an examination - No student shall knowingly acquire unauthorized knowledge of an examination or any part of an examination, or solicit, offer, or give information about any part of an examination.
B. Student work offenses include, but are not limited to, the following, which are expressly prohibited in the absence of prior written approval of the instructor or instructors involved:
1.Resubmission of work - Submitting work which has been previously submitted for credit.
2. Plagiarism - Submitting work done wholly or partly by another, including the unattributed copying of all or parts of a published work or internet document. Using generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) sources to produce work (when not expressly permitted) is also a form of plagiarism. Some instances of plagiarism are the result of ignorance rather than dishonesty. When plagiarism is encountered, the instructor should be sure that the student knows proper procedures for attributing content.
3.Prohibited sources - Consulting material or persons contrary to the directions of the instructor.
4.Improper collaboration - Engaging in any discussion, joint research, or joint effort of any kind expressly prohibited by the instructor.
5.Deception - Misrepresenting the authenticity of sources, citations, or principles in any written work.
6. Sharing work – Students who share their work with others are responsible for how that work is used. For example, if a student shares a paper with another student to help him or her understand an assignment, and that student submits the work as their own, the author of the paper shares responsibility for the plagiarism committed by the other student.
D. Other misconduct - Engaging in any other improper conduct as specified by the instructor.
E. Lying – deliberately providing false information relevant to academic matters, such as misrepresenting the inability to take an examination because of illness.
F. Disruptive or disrespectful classroom behavior – causing a disturbance in the classroom, interrupting instruction, speaking rudely or threatening students or faculty.
Class Attendance Policy |
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
Students with Disabilities
In accordance with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973), Wilmington College provides access through reasonable accommodations to students with documented physical and psychological disabilities.
Students who wish to access Services need to meet with the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services and provide verification of their disability. To register with Accessibility and Disability Services, students submit an Application for Services. In addition, the student must provide the Disability Verification form accompanied by current disability documentation from a licensed professional. For more information, contact the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services at accessibility@wilmington.edu or 937.481.2444, 114 Robinson Communcation Center.