Syllabus

Spanish II

1168-SPN1131VD1168-82466

    General Information

    Professor Information

    Professor Photo
    Maria Gomez
    By Appointment
    Please see Course Communication

    Course Description And Purpose

    Spanish 1131 is the second course of a four semester sequence which continues the study of the essential elements of Spanish structure, vocabulary and cultural aspects of the Hispanic countries. Attention is paid to the functional use of the structures presented in this on-line class. Spanish language knowledge and skills are developed through varied learning activities.The student will act as the main agent of her/his own learning with the instructor as the facilitator.

    Course Objectives

    Students will be able to:

    • Express and describe daily routines.
    • Talk about past events.
    • Express ongoing actions in the past.
    • Make comparisons.
    • Talk about the city and bank transactions.
    • Talk about the recent past.
    • Discuss shopping
    • Discuss about health. Talk about the body. Describe health conditions and medical treatments. 
    • Talk about the house and household chores.
    • Give instructions or suggestions.
    • Discuss about Hispanic countries and culture.

    Important Information

    Policies

    Please review the FIU's Policies webpage. The policies webpage contains essential information regarding guidelines relevant to all courses at FIU, as well as additional information about acceptable netiquette for online courses.

    Policy on Heritage Learners

    SPN 1131 is NOT designed for heritage learners or native speakers who already speak and/or understand Spanish. Heritage learners and/or native speakers should register for SPN 2340, SPN 2341 or a higher level according to their speaking and writing proficiency in academic Spanish. Please come by the Department of Modern Languages if you are not sure about the course you need to enroll in.

    Technical Requirements & Skills

    One of the greatest barriers to taking an online course is a lack of basic computer literacy. By computer literacy we mean being able to manage and organize computer files efficiently, and learning to use your computer's operating system and software quickly and easily. Keep in mind that this is not a computer literacy course; but students enrolled in online courses are expected to have moderate proficiency using a computer. Please go to the "What's Required" webpage to find out more information on this subject.

    This course utilizes Adobe Connect Pro and WileyPlus.

    Please visit our Technical Requirements webpage for additional information.

    Accessibility And Accommodation

    Please visit our ADA Compliance webpage for information about accessibility involving the tools used in this course.

    Please visit Blackboard's Commitment Accessibility webpage for more information. 

    For additional assistance please contact FIU's Disability Resource Center.

    Course Prerequisites

    This course has a prerequisite: SPN 1130 (Spanish I). Review the Course Catalog webpage for prerequisites information.

    Proctored Exam Policy

    This course requires a proctored exam.

    Through a careful examination of the syllabus, it is the student’s responsibility to determine whether this online course requires proctored exams. Please visit our Student Proctored Exam Instructions webpage for important information concerning proctored exams, proctoring centers, and important forms.

    An on-campus exam will be held at MMC on the last day of the semester (time and room TBA). For those students unable to come to campus, the exam will be available online via ProctorU:

    TitleStart DateStart TimeEnd DateEnd TimeExam DurationProctor U
    Final Exam (On Campus)
    12/10/2016
    TBA
    12/10/2016
    TBA
    120 minutes
    No
    Final Exam (Online Option)
    12/05/2016
    12:00 AM
    12/10/2016
    10:00 PM
    120 minutes
    Yes

    Textbook

    Textbook Image
    NO PHYSICAL TEXTBOOK IS REQUIRED FOR THIS COURSE

    Purchasing the Code

    Students must purchase the WilePLUS registration code online from within their Blackboard course. DO NOT purchase a registration code from the WileyPLUS website as it WILL NOT work with the Blackboard course. The WielyPlus registration code is good for SPN 1130, SPN 1131, and SPN 2200. If you already bought the access in SPN 1130, you will not need to buy a new access code. Follow the steps below to purchase a WileyPlus registration code and enroll in WileyPLUS:

    1. Log into your Blackboard course.
    2. Click on the "Lección 6" folder.
    3. Click on any WileyPLUS link.
    4. Purchase a registration code by clicking on the "Buy Course Access" button and following the checkout steps.

    If you are using the WileyPLUS Grace Period, please refer to the following to transition to full access.

    Enrolling in the WileyPLUS course

    After purchasing the code, students must then follow the registration process to enroll in the course. WileyPlus registration tutorial video provides an overview of the registration process. If you have access to WileyPlus from a previous semester, you will automatically be enrolled in the new WileyPLUS class by clicking on any of the WileyPLUS icons your Blackboard course. Follow the steps below to register for WileyPLUS after purchasing your access code:

    1. Log into your Blackboard course.
    2. Click on the "Lección 6" folder.
    3. Click on any WileyPLUS link.
    4. Enter your registration code in the "Already have a registration code?" text entry box.

    Once enrolled in WileyPlus, students will have access to the electronic version of the DICHO Y HECHO textbook.

    Additional Information

    Complete a browser check to ensure full functionality of the WileyPlus features. Please contact WileyPlus Support if you encounter any technical issues with WileyPlus.

    Students will need to complete the Work Manual, Lab Manual, and Videos activities for each chapter.

     

    Expectations Of This Course

    This is an online course, which means most (if not all) of the course work will be conducted online. Expectations for performance in an online course are the same for a traditional course. In fact, online courses require a degree of self-motivation, self-discipline, and technology skills which can make these courses more demanding for some students.

    Students are expected to:

    • Review the how to get started information located in the course content
    • Take the practice quiz to ensure that your computer is compatible with Blackboard
    • Interact online with instructor/s and peers
    • Review and follow the course calendar
    • Log in to the course every day each week
    • Respond to discussion boards, blogs and journal postings within 6 days
    • Respond to messages within 1 day
    • Submit assignments by the corresponding deadline

    Course Detail

    Course Communication

    Communication in this course will take place via Messages.

    Messages is a private and secure text-based communication system which occurs within a course among its Course members. Users must log on to Blackboard to send, receive, or read messages. The Messages tool is located on the Course Menu, on the left side of the course webpage. It is recommended that students check their messages routinely to ensure up-to-date communication. 

    Visit our Writing Resources webpage for more information on professional writing and technical communication skills.

    Discussion Board

    Interaction among students will be achieved through the Discussion Board (DBs) on a given topic per lesson. You can find the topics for each of the five discussion boards under Group Discussion Board. Students will be divided into groups for each discussion board and are required to read and reply to the comments of the other group members about the topic. You do not need to wait for the other members of your group to comment in order to post your entry about the chapter topic. You can start writing your comments once you see your group link. Groups will be created once the add/drop period ends on the second week of class. The instructor will notify students once the groups are available. Each discussion board will close at 11:55 PM on the ending date of its corresponding lesson as indicated in the course calendar. All postings must be in Spanish.

    Discussion Board grades will be assigned based on several factors: the number of postings per student per topic, as well as how interesting, appropriate and relevant the comment is. Grammar accuracy will not be as important in terms of participation grade as long as posting is understandable. Students who post more entries will receive a better grade. Entries such as "Sí", "No", "Yo también" or "Estoy de acuerdo" are not acceptable and will count as not having posted anything. Postings do not necessarily need to be extremely long (5-6 lines would be acceptable) as long as the comment made is relevant, appropriate, and interesting. Two entries of about 5-6 full sentences each should be a good guideline to go by as you post your entries in the discussion boards throughout the semester.

    Keep in mind that board discussions are public, and care should be taken when determining what to post.

    Category 0 points per category 1 point per category 1.5 points per category 2 points per category

    2.5 points per category

    Delivery of Post Does not post One or two sentences, many errors in spelling Three sentences, some errors in spelling. Four sentences, some errors in spelling More than five sentences, some errors or very few in spelling
    Relevance of Post Does not post Posts do not relate to the discussion topic Occasionally posts off topic; and offer no further insight into the topic Posts are  related to the discussion topic; prompts further discussion of topic Posts are related to the discussion topic; provides additional information related to topic
    Contribution to the topic Does not post Does not make effort to participate in the group discussion as it develops; seems indifferent Occasionally makes effort to become involved in group Frequently attempts to contribute to the group posting, interacts freely Consistently attempts to motivate the group discussion and contributes very often
    Participants' Quantity of Posts Does not post One or two sentences and no replies. Three sentences and no replies. Four sentences and one short reply (one or two sentences) More than five sentences and two or more replies of three or four sentences each

    Assignments

    Students will need to complete the Work Manual, Lab Manual, and Videos activities for each chapter in WileyPLUS. In addition, you will be required to write a total of 2 compositions during the semester. Both compositions must be AT LEAST 150 WORDS LONG and written IN SPANISH. Lists of words, songs, dialogs, and copies of other texts are not acceptable compositions. Copying sections of another classmate's composition will result in a grade of zero for that composition. Please note that if your instructor suspects that you have used the aid of a translator or of another person to write your composition, you will receive a zero.

    Students have two days after the composition deadline to submit compositions. Late compositions will receive a 20% deduction. After 2 days, no compositions will be accepted. You can see the composition topic and the submission instructions by clicking Assignment Dropbox in Blackboard's course menu.

    Compositions will be evaluated using the grading criteria below:

    • 9-10 points
      • Addresses the topic assigned.
      • Uses a wide variety of the vocabulary covered in the lessons.
      • Control of grammar is what would be considered typical for this level.
    • 7-8 points
      • Addresses the topic assigned.
      • Uses a wide variety of the vocabulary covered in the lessons.
      • Control of grammar is somewhat less than what would be considered typical for this level.
    • 5-6 points
      • Addresses the topic assigned.
      • Uses some variety of the vocabulary covered in the lessons.
      • Control of grammar is considerably less than what would be typical for this level.
    • 3-4 points
      • Addresses the topic assigned.
      • Uses only minimal variety of the vocabulary covered in the lessons.
      • Control of grammar is significantly below what would be considered typical for this level.
    • 0 points
      • Does not address the topic.
      • Uses a translator or the aid of another person to write the composition.
      • Lists words, sentences, songs or copies other texts.

    Adobe Connect Pro Meeting

    Adobe Connect is an online meeting room where you can interact with your professor and fellow students by sharing screens, sharing files, chatting, broadcasting live audio, and taking part in other interactive online activities. Students will have the opportunity to orally interact with an online assistant via Adobe Connect.

    This communicative activity will be done for each chapter. Each oral session will last 45 minutes and students will need to participate once per chapter (5 oral meetings total). Participation is mandatory. Students will receive 10 points per each oral meeting if they do not arrive late to the oral meeting, come prepared, and engage actively in the activities conducted by the instructor.

    Requirements for using Adobe Connect:

    • Disable any window pop-up blocker.
    • Adobe Flash Player is required to successfully run your Adobe Connect meeting. You can test your computer to make sure your computer and network connections are properly configured to provide you with the best possible Adobe Connect meeting experience.
    • Use of a combination headset and microphone with USB connection is recommended to ensure quality sound and reduce technical difficulties.

      Reference Adobe Connect (Tutorials & Help) to learn about the tool, how to access your meeting rooms and recordings.

    Assessments

    There will be two partial exams administered through Blackboard. Partial Exam 1 covers chapters 6 and 7, Partial Exam 2 covers chapters 8 and 9. Each chapter exam will consist of the following sections:

    • Vocabulary
    • Grammar
    • Listening comprehension
    • Culture

    Exams are intended to help the students to review the material learned up to that point. The dates of the partial exams are stated on the syllabus. You will be able to take the partial exams only once, and since you have a week to take each exam no make-ups will be given, except in exceptional circumstances, in which case you must contact your instructor immediately. There will be no make-ups without a documented and valid reason. Exam feedback will be available after the exam's scheduled availability period.

    Final Exam

    The Final Exam for this fully-online section of SPN 1131 will be comprehensive and it will be administered ON-SITE at MMC. If a student cannot come on the final exam date, s/he should take the exam with Proctor U.

    Proctor U is a virtual proctoring center recommended by FIU that allows students to take exams from any comfortable and private location. Please note that should a student need to take an assessment at a location other than their home or a private room, the student will need to gain prior approval from the professor. ProctorU connects students to a real person who can be seen and heard. This person will walk students through the exam process and provide assistance in the event that the student should run into any technical problems.

    Review the Preparing for Your Exam and the Getting Started pages for information on how to successfully register with ProctorU.

    Students who choose ProctorU will be responsible for:

    • An additional fee associated with every exam (Note: Exams over two hours will be allocated an extra charge unless the student has other accommodation requests from the Disability Resource Center.)
    • Complying with the ProctorU requirements, including but not limited to a functioning web cam.

    The second option for students who live outside South Florida is to find a proctoring center via the National College Testing Association where a proctor can administer the Final Exam during the last week of the semester.

    The ProctorU option is highly recommended.

    Students must notify their professor if they will take the final exam with ProctorU or at a proctoring center. Please review the Student Proctored Exam Instructions page for complete instructions, proctor agreement form, and additional information.

    The final exam will cover the following topics:

    • Listening comprehension
    • Reading
    • Vocabulary
    • Grammar
    • Writing

    Students are requested to write one (1) composition about one of the topics provided. Failure to write this composition may indicate to the instructor that the compositions and/or the postings for the discussion boards written by the student throughout the semester were not his or her own. This could significantly affect the student’s final grade. Students will also need to answer some personal questions in complete sentences.

    Students need to be aware that the final exam will not be open book.

    In order to mitigate any issues with your computer and online assessments, it is very important that you take the "Practice Quiz" from each computer you will be using to take your graded quizzes and exams. It is your responsibility to make sure your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements.

    Assessments in this course are not compatible with mobile devices and should not be taken through a mobile phone or a tablet. If you need further assistance please contact FIU Online Support Services.

    Grading

     

    Course Requirements Number of Items Weight
    Discussion Boards 5 10%
    Compositions 2 10%
    WileyPlus Homework 15 25%
    Oral Component Meetings 5 15%
    Partial Exams 2 15%
    Final Exam 1 25%
    Total 30 100%
    Letter Range Letter Range Letter Range
    A Above 93 B 83 - 86 C 70 - 76
    A- 90 - 92 B- 80 - 82 D 60 - 69
    B+ 87 - 89 C+ 77 - 79 F 0 - 59

    Course Calendar

    Weekly Schedule

    Date Lesson Assignments

    WEEK 1

    Aug 22 - 28

     ¡Bienvenidos
    a SPN1131!

    • Print syllabus and read it thoroughly, especially the explanations about each coursework component.
    • Get familiar with the course content.
    • Sign up for WileyPlus.


    WEEK 2

    Aug 29 - Sept 4

    Lección 6: La vida diaria
    • Study Lección La vida diaria (e-book)
    • Study the PPT for this lesson.
    • WileyPlus homework (Work Manual, Lab Manual, Videos) for this lesson is due on Saturday, Sept 3 @ 23:00 EST.


    WEEK 3

    Sept 5 - 11

    Lección 6: La vida diaria
    • Discussion Board 6 closes Saturday, Sept 10 @ 23:55 EST


    WEEK 4

    Sept 12 - 18

    Lección 7: Por la ciudad
    • Study Lección Por la ciudad (e-book)
    • Study the PPT for this lesson.
    • WileyPlus homework (Work Manual, Lab Manual, Videos) for this lesson is due on Saturday, sept 17 @ 23:00 EST.


    WEEK 5

    Sept 19 - 25

    Lección 7: Por la ciudad
    • Discussion Board 7 closes Saturday, Sept 24 @ 23:55 EST


    WEEK 6

    Sept 26 - Oct 2

    Partial Exam 1
    • Partial Exam 1 will include the chapters 6 & 7: access opens Monday, Sept 26 @ 00:00 EST; access closes on Saturday, Oct 1 @ 23:55 EST

    WEEK 7

    Oct 3 - 9
     
    Composition 1
    • Composition 1: Wednesday, Oct 12 @ 23:55 EST.


    WEEK 8:

    Oct 10 - 16

    Lección 8: De compras
    • Study Lección De compras (e-book)
    • Study the PPT for this lesson.
    • WileyPlus homework (Work Manual, Lab Manual, Videos) for this lesson is due on Saturday, Oct 15 @ 23:00 EST.

    WEEK 9

    Oct 17 - 23
     
    Lección 8: De compras
    • Discussion Board 8 closes Saturday, Oct 22 @ 23:55 EST

    WEEK 10:

    Oct 24 - 30
     
    Lección 9: La salud
    • Study Lección La salud (e-book)
    • Study the PPT for this lesson.
    • WileyPlus homework (Work Manual, Lab Manual, Videos) for this lesson is due on Saturday, Oct 29 @ 23:00 EST.
     
    WEEK 11:

    Oct 31 - Nov 6
     
    Lección 9: La salud
    • Discussion Board 9 closes Saturday, Nov 5 @ 23:55 EST

    WEEK 12

    Nov 7 - 13
     
    Partial Exam 2
    • Partial Exam 2 will include the chapters 8 & 9: access opens Monday, Nov 7 @ 00:00 EST; access closes on Saturday, Nov 12 @ 23:55 EST

    WEEK 13

    Nov 14 - 20
     
    Lección 10: Así es mi casa
    • Study Lección Así es mi casa (e-book)
    • Study the PPT for this lesson.
    • WileyPlus homework (Work Manual, Lab Manual, Videos) for this lesson is due on Saturday, Nov 19 @ 23:00 EST.


    WEEK 14

    Nov 21 - 27

    Lección 10: Así es mi casa THANKSGIVING WEEKEND HOLIDAY

    WEEK 15

    Nov 28 - Dec 4 
     
    Composition 2
    • Discussion Board 10 closes Saturday, Dec 3 @ 23:55 EST
    • Composition 2: Saturday, Dec 3 @ 23:55 EST.


    WEEK 16

    Dec 5 - 10

    (on campus final Sat, Dec 10)

    Review the Study Guides.
    FINAL EXAM
    • On-Campus Final Exam at MMC. Study lessons:  6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 (time and place TBA)