Instructor: Prof. Mark Brodwin

Department: Physics & Astronomy Office: 250L Flarsheim Hall

Telephone: (816) 235-5975 Email: [email protected] (Preferred contact method) Office hours: By Appointment

Prerequisites: none

Credit hours: 3

Attributes: UMKC Essentials

Course Format: Lecture + collaborative learning environment

Course Instructional Mode: Online Asynchronous Instruction

Course Restrictions: None

Textbook: None (readings will be provided via Canvas and will likely vary from semester to semester based on recent discoveries or topical events)

Other materials:  Students will be expected to use Canvas and access materials online. Course Schedule: Up-to-date online schedule, use it DAILY

Catalog Description:

This course will explore the natural and physical science through the question “How do I live in a changing world?”.  Students will propose a hypothesis, discovery or invention and propose

methods, collect and analyze data and draw evidence-based conclusions. This section will

explore the possibilities for life beyond planet Earth and investigate questions and problems related to the search for extraterrestrial life.

Student Learning Outcomes for Critical Thinking Courses of UMKC Essentials.

In this course, students will:

i. identify a topic, problem, or issue to be addressed,

ii. locate relevant information representing various points of view,

iii. evaluate alternative points of view,

iv. synthesize diverse points of view, and

v. draw a conclusion that is a logical inference from the evidence.

Note:  in science, we are concerned with facts rather than opinions, thus, we can interchange  “lines of evidence” or “interpretations of observed phenomena” to mean points of view in the above SLOs.

Life Beyond Earth Course overview:

In this course, we will focus on the exciting new sciences of Exoplanetology and Astrobiology. Specifically, we will explore the challenges of identifying suitable locations beyond Earth

that may possibly harbor life. This is a special new kind of college science course in which

students from any major will experience an authentic, hands-on introduction to the processes of science. This means you will participate in activities and carryout a guided, semester-long

research project using NASA data that will engage you in the real-world complexities of the

search for extraterrestrial life. In doing so, you will acquire important and broadly transferrable skills needed for a host of rewarding and in-demand careers.

Town Hall:

A Town Hall is a meeting between politicians or government agencies with their citizens and

stakeholders to evaluate and determine a course of action.  The class will hold a Town Hall

meeting based on a relevant scenario, where you will represent a variety of stakeholder groups. Each group will develop a position statement related to the scenario to advocate for a specific     action. Each group will then select a speaker to present the position of the group. This requires   preparation and participation ahead of time. By the end of the Town Hall, an action plan will be  selected based on the contributions and votes of the stakeholders. The instructor will moderate the Town Hall.

Semester long project:

All students will participate in a semester-long group project to answer a question related to life beyond Earth. The instructor will select the focus topic, but each group member is responsible    for identifying their question, collecting data, analyzing the data, and answering the question.

At the end of the semester all GE CRT SCI 101 courses will participate in a virtual poster day,    showing off the results of their projects. Assignments throughout the semester will help build towards the final project. All community members will also be responsible for individual

reflections and evaluations of their peers.

Grading and Evaluation:

Percentage to Letter Grade Conversion:

Incomplete Grade: The instructor may assign the grade of I (incomplete) to students who have been unable to complete the work of the course because of illness or serious reasons beyond   their control. An incomplete grade is appropriate only when enough work in the course has

been completed for students to finish the remaining work without re‐enrolling in the course or attending additional classes. This means the student should be in good standing (C- or above)   and not have unexcused absences prior to the petition. The work must be completed within

one calendar year or the incomplete grade will automatically lapse to an F. Students should not re‐enroll in a class for which they earned an incomplete.  Students may not earn a degree or

graduate with an incomplete on their transcript.

Resources & Policy Statements

Attendance Policy: This is an online, asynchronous course.  New lecture videos will generally be available each Monday for all of that week’s videos.  You are responsible for watching all videos and posting comments within 24 hours of their nominal “airdate” (see the course schedule for    exact dates) --  these comments area key component of your participation grade.  Your full

participation is an essential component of your success.  Owing to unforeseen circumstances,    you are allowed two (2) unexcused “absences”, where you are unable watch/respond to videos in a timely fashion.  Note that excused absences require official (UMKC, medical or other)

documentation.

*Late Assignments* : Unless otherwise noted, all assignments are due in Canvas by 11:59pm on  the due date noted on the assignment. A penalty of 10% per day past due (including weekends and holidays) will be assessed to any late work. Assignments submitted more than 10 days

late will not earn any credit, unless accompanied by documentation of extenuating

circumstances.  In some cases, it may be in your best interest to turn in partial work on time, rather than complete work too late.

Important UMKC Resources and Policies are applicable to every course and every student at

UMKC. These are located in the Canvas site for this course by clicking the Help question mark     on the left side of the screen, and then selecting ‘UMKC Resources and Policy Statements’. As a

UMKC student, you are expected to review and abide by these policies. If you have any questions, please contact your instructor for clarification.

This course follows the “Faculty allowing recording” option of the Academic Inquiry, Course Discussion and Privacy policy. Faculty allowing recording - University of Missouri System

Executive Order No. 38 lays out principles regarding the sanctity of classroom discussions at the university. The policy is described fully in Section 200.015 of the Collected Rules and

Regulations. However, the redistribution of any audio or video recordings of statements or

comments from the course to individuals who are not students in the course is prohibited

without the express permission of the faculty member and of any students who are recorded, including those recordings prepared by an instructor. Students found to have violated this

policy are subject to discipline in accordance with provisions of Section 200.020 of the Collected Rules and Regulations of the University of Missouri pertaining to student conduct matters.

UMKC Resources and Policy Statements (click me)

*Use of Email* : Dueto FERPA regulations, I am unable to discuss this course, particularly your   grades, via email to a non-UMKC email address. As a result, please ensure that you are checking your UMKC email regularly, and that you have a sufficiency of space below your quota to

receive new incoming emails.

Other Policies: Students should assume that University policies apply at all times to this class, even if not explicitly covered in this syllabus. Students are referred to the Undergraduate or    Graduate Catalog and other relevant documents for references to policies that may not be

covered in this document.

Extra Credit: No.  With a class of this size, unfortunately there can be no exceptions to this rule.

Please organize your schedule so that you can submit work on time.

Food and Drink:  Go for it.

Evaluation: At the end of the semester, all students will have the opportunity to evaluate this course – this information is valuable tome as an instructor and to my department. These

evaluations, conducted online through RooEval, will remain anonymous and will not be shared with faculty until after the final grades areturned in.

Link to RooEval:https://net3.umkc.edu/intapps/rooeval