Physics 609: Galileo & Einstein
Course Policy

Course:

View lectures on videotapes using VCR at home, at school, or in groups at a friend's home. I advise you to follow the course schedule. Exams and homework delivered through WebAssign. You will be given instructions on how to use WebAssign.

Instructor of Record:

Professor Richard A. Lindgren
Office: Physics Room 302
Office Telephone: (434) 982-2691
FAX: (434) 924-4576
Electronic Mail: ral5q@virginia.edu
Department of Physics Office (434) 924-3781

WebAssign:

WebAssign is a web-based homework and exam delivery, collection, grading, and recording service available to teachers and students. You will be given a user number and ID for you to log on to the system. Once you are logged on you have access to your homework assignments and/ or exams, etc. You may also ask any questions using WebAssign. You will submit your answers to any homework or exam using WebAssign. As a example, you may visit the WebAssign site by typing http://www.webassign.net/ and type in "demo" for username, institution, and password. We recommend that you use Internet Explorer or Netscape version 4.0 or later with a 28.8 Kbps modem or better. You will be given your own username and password after signing up for the course

Demonstrator/Lecturer on Video Tapes:

Professor Steve Schnatterly

Description:

This is a graduate credit distant-learning physics course. View Lecture/Demonstrations on video tapes at home and examine how new understandings of the natural world developed, taking two famous scientists as case studies. Galileo was the first to appreciate the importance of experiment, while Einstein was the first to realize time is not absolute and that mass can be converted to energy. This course can be used for re-certification, endorsement credit, and can be used in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Masters of Arts in Physics Education degree at UVa.

Class & Lecture Information

Up-to-date lecture notes, power point slides, homework assignments, and other course materials can be found on Toolkit (an e-class website). Click here to go to the Toolkit homepage for PHYS 609.

Exams:

Exam dates, homework due dates, and reading assignments  will be posted in the syllabus when the course begins.

Late Policy:

You must contact me before homework or an exam is due if you can not make it on time. Excuses are permitted only for illness, family illness, or death, religious holidays. Work not turned in or tests not taken will receive a zero (0 pts), far worse than a failing grade.

Video Tapes:

This course is adapted from  Stephen Schnatterly's and Professor Michael Fowler's undergraduate course phys 109. You will be several Lecture/Demonstrations on 5-6 videotapes in HMS format for home viewing on your VCR. You keep the tapes when the course is done, however, you may not copy the video tapes under any circumstances.

Grading:

There will be regular homework exercises worth 35% of the final grade.
A midterm exam will be given worth 20%
The Celestial Journal is worth 10%
A final exam worth 30%
Listserve participation 5%

Honor Code

Honor System: I trust every student in this course to fully comply with all of the provisions of the UVA honor system. In addition to pledging that you have neither received nor given aid while taking your exam, your electronic signature also affirms that you have not accessed any notes, study outlines, problem sets, old exams, answer keys, or the textbook while taking an exam and that you have not obtained any answers from another students exam. All alleged honor violations brought to my attention will be forwarded to the Honor Committee. If, in my judgment, it is beyond a reasonable doubt that a student has committed an honor violation with regard to a given exam, that student will receive an immediate grade of 'F' for that exam, irrespective of any subsequent action taken by the Honor Committee.

All UVa. Students' are bound by the UVa Honor code. Please familiarize yourself with it in the University of Virginia Graduate Record Catalog. In accordance with the U. Va. honor code, a student normally writes on the exam that they neither gave or received aid and sign it. It is not possible for the student to sign the exam, since it is submitted electronically. As a substitute procedure, the last question on the exam will be in effect " I pledge that I took the exam in compliance with the honor code". The student must answer that question yes or no. You are expected to make arrangements with your supervisor, principal, or superintendent, to proctor your exam. Ground rules and policy for proctoring the exam will be given to you and the proctor.

Proctors

A proctor can be a supervisor, principal, superintendent, Department Chair, or professional colleague. No relatives, in-laws, spouses or social friends are allowed to be proctors. It is the proctor's responsibility to assure me you took the exam according to the given instructions and that you abided by the UVa honor code. The proctor does not have to be present during the entire time you are taking the exam. Before taking any exam you will email me your proctor's name, professional relationship with you, title, email address, telephone, and snail mail address if no email is available. I will email the proctor and give him/her the instructions for you to take the exam. After you have submitted the exam electronically, your proctor will email me to inform me that you took the exam according to the honor system.

Registration:

Call 434-982-5313 to register through the School of Continuing and Professional Studies. Deadline for Spring 2003 registration is February 14, 2003. Tution rate for in-state Educator including technology and materials fee is $470. For out-of-state Educator it is $806. These rates are subject to change.
December 1, 2002