Revised 9-20-09

Syllabus
OEES 221/OEET 221 Cooperative Work Experience
NMSU Grants Campus

Back to Main Page
Links to frequently-used sections of this syllabus. (Click on them.)
General course content Textbook and materials Classroom conduct policy Phone numbers, etc. Office hours
Attendance policy Grading Weekly topics Service learning

Master Syllabus (Information pertaining to the course regardless of which semester it is being taught, or which instructor teaches it.)
Course Description in the Catalog:  Supervised cooperative work program. Student is employed in an approved occupation and supervised and rated by the employer and instructor. Student will meet in a weekly class. Graded S/U.
Credit Hours: OEES 221: 2 credits; OEET 221: 1 credit
Weekly Contact Hours: OEES 221: 4 hours; OEET 221: 2 hours
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.

Note: Due to the scarcity of electronics/electrical employers in the Grants area, we are offering students an alternative to making cooperative arrangements with an employer. Students who select this alternative will be participating in an experience similar to what they would experience in an actual work place. Students will be designing and building items to be offered to the public. (Those receiving these items will reimburse the school’s electronics club for the cost of the parts, plus an optional donation.) The following syllabus material applies to this simulated workplace.

Learning Outcomes
While taking this course, you should be learning and demonstrating skills and work habits appropriate to working as an electronics technician or an electrician. Alternatively, you should be learning and demonstrating skills and work habits needed to build &/or install such things as solar power systems, wind power systems, etc. Your success at learning skills and work habits will be gauged by observation of the instructor.

Course Overview/Content and Scope
In your chosen area of emphasis, you will be learning skills and work habits in several different ways as follows:
  • Serving as an apprentice (in an informal sense of the word) to the instructor or to other students who have knowledge of particular skills and theory appropriate to your area of emphasis.
  • Receiving training similar to what you would encounter in the workplace.
  • Providing training similar to what you might need to provide in the workplace.
  • Participating in seminars where you will find and present material you have come across, as well as listen to similar presentations by other students.
  • Improving your computer and Internet skills through repeated use.
  • Improving your typing skills unless you have already achieved a satisfactory level of speed and accuracy. Almost all jobs today (especially in the areas covered by this course) make use of computers and the Internet. Thus, skill at typing is essential. If your skill needs improving, you will be asked to spend a few minutes with the Mavis Beacon typing tutor software each class meeting.
Performance Assessment – Grading and Evaluation
The following methods will be used to measure your performance and determine your grade for the course:
  • Notes taken by the instructor regarding the quality and quantity of your work.
  • Attending class for at least 70 hours in order to get a grade of “Satisfactory.”
Textbook and Materials
  • No book is required.
  • A flash memory drive (also called "memory stick" or "jump drive") for storing files related to Internet research and seminar presentations.
Special Fees: None

Web sites
Classroom Conduct Policy
In this department, we like to run our classes in an informal manner. However, sometimes there are students who interfere with the learning of others. Thus, we have the following rules:
  • Electronic devices: Use of cell phones, mp3 players, etc., is prohibited during lecture time.
    • If you must be available for your children, etc., you may set your cell phone to vibrate-only mode during lecture time. If you have forgotten to set your phone to vibrate-only, and your phone rings during lecture time, please exit the room immediately and answer the phone once you are outside.
    • Tell those who might call you to avoid times you’re in class. (You’ll have an easier time learning if you’re not interrupted.)
  • Texting is only allowed during officially declared break times.
    • This is also true for other uses of your phone, PDA, etc.
  • Computer use: We’re supposed to be teaching good work habits, and we’ll expect you to conduct yourself as if you were at a workplace. The following are a few of the things you shouldn’t do during our classes or when at a job:
    • View pornographic or hate Web sites.
    • Play computer games, except during breaks.
    • Listen to music out loud. (The instructor will indicate whether or not it’s OK to listen with earphones.)
  • You’re expected to contribute to a positive learning environment. Conduct that is detrimental to this end can lead to your dismissal. Examples of such conduct are rudeness, disruptive behavior, poor hygiene &/or distractive clothing. In extreme cases, we may ask you to leave.
Academic Misconduct
Any student found guilty of academic misconduct shall be subject to disciplinary action. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, the following actions: CHEATING; PLAGIARISM; UNAUTHORIZED POSSESSION OF EXAMINATIONS, RESERVE LIBRARY MATERIALS OR LABORATORY MATERIALS; UNAUTHORIZED CHANGING OF GRADES ON AN EXAMINATION, INSTRUCTOR’S GRADE BOOK OR GRADE REPORT; NONDISCLOSURE OR MISREPRESENTATION IN FILLING OUT APPLICATIONS OR OTHER COLLEGE RECORDS. The following disciplinary actions and sanctions may be imposed for any of the above infractions or regulations: disciplinary probation, disciplinary suspension, dismissal, expulsion.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
If you have, or think you may have, a disability that interferes with your performance as a student in this class, you are encouraged for academic reasons to discuss this on a confidential basis with your instructor, and/or The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator in the Main Office, or at 287-7981. If you have a condition which may affect your ability to exit from the premises in case of an emergency, you are urged, for safety reasons, to notify the ADA coordinator.

Last reviewed by Bruce McDowell on 2-20-09
 
Operational Syllabus (Information pertaining to the course as it is being taught this semester and by this instructor)
Fall 2009
Instructor: Bruce McDowell
A Service Learning Component Is Part of this Course. Click here to see it.

Recommended Preparation
Having taken an electronics/electrical course in the past, or taking one simultaneously with this class will help you succeed.

Contact Information
Office phone: 287-6636; Bruce’s home phone: 285-4600; Bruce’s e-mail: bruce@mounttaylor.com; Mark’s e-mail: meversol@nmsu.edu .

Office Hours
Bruce: Tue., Wed., Thur.: 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Tue., Thur.: 4  to 5 p.m.; or by appointment. Mark: 8:00 to 5:00, except when teaching a class.

Class Meetings
Friday afternoons

Attendance Policy
You will be maintaining a timesheet. If you have not put in the minimum required hours by the end of the semester, you will get a grade of U (unsatisfactory). OEES 221 minimum hours: 48; OEET 221 minimum hours: 32.

Grade for the Course  
This course is graded S/U (satisfactory/unsatisfactory).

Points
Presentations and  research 20 
Instructor’s evaluation (A subjective assessment taking into account observations of your knowledge in the classroom and the lab, attendance, giving help to other students, getting help from other students, and classroom behavior.)  80
Total possible 100 

To receive a grade of S (satisfactory),  you will need to have at least 70 points determined according to the above table. In addition, you will need to have attended class for at least 70 hours.

Projects
There will be several projects to choose from. Alternative energy power systems (such as solar electric, solar heating, and wind turbines) are among the projects that are usually part of this class. If you are working toward an electronics certificate, you should choose projects involving electronics. If you are working toward an electrical trades certificate, you should choose projects involving at least some work similar to that an electrician would perform. (Of course, today's electricians often work with electronics as well as with traditional wiring work.)

Service Learning Activity: Building, troubleshooting, and installing heat storage units for small greenhouses.
  • What is Service Learning? The American Association of Community Colleges offers a concise definition: “Service learning combines service with academic instruction, focusing on critical, reflective thinking and personal and civic responsibility. Service learning programs involve students in activities that address community-identified needs, while developing their academic skills and commitment to their community.” Basically, Service Learning is NOT volunteer work, but an opportunity for you as a student to apply what you are learning in the NMSU classroom in a community setting. Not only does this help you to learn course objectives, but it also helps a community-based program at the same time. 
  • There are 4 parts to Service Learning: Academics (what you learn in your NMSU class), Service (What you do for the community), Reflection  (we want to know what you learned and what affect this experience has had on you!), and finally Civic Responsibility (How has this experience made you more civically engaged with our community and society?).
  • How is this option connected to this course’s objectives?  Acquiring and refining skills needed for working as an electronics technician or an electrician is the major objective for this course. This service learning option gives you the opportunity to achieve this objective by participating in the following activities:
    • Assisting in the design of control electronics for the greenhouse heat storage unit and associated solar &/or wind power system (that will power the electronics, fan, and heater needed for the heat storage unit).
    • Building the electronics &/or electrical portion of heat storage units and power systems.
    • Installing the heat storage units and power systems.
  • What is required in this service learning activity?
    1. Sign up during class when the Service Learning coordinator meets with us to explain the program.
    2. Participate in the solar projects during our scheduled class time.
    3. Track your service learning hours (those hours spent on the solar project) on your Time Sheet, given to you by the Service Learning Coordinator.  Have your instructor sign your Time Sheet each time you work on the solar project.
    4. Turn in your Time Sheet to your instructor no later than the due date near the end of the semester. 
  • How will I be graded?  Your grade will be based upon your understanding of course objectives, not upon hours served on the service learning project.  You will be assessed through the assignments listed in this syllabus.
Modifications to This Syllabus
This syllabus may be modified as necessary during the semester to meet the needs of the class. Major changes will be discussed and announced a minimum of one week in advance.

Reviewed by Bruce McDowell 2-20-09

Back to Main Page