Music Fundamentals: Music 101, Section 8123, online class, Spring 08
Instructor: Kurt Festinger
Email: professorimprov@sbcglobal.net
Office hours: Online, 7:30-8:30 pm, Tuesday, via ETUDES-NG Private Messages system.

Textbook: All class material, our text, is incorporated into this website, accessed via the Modules link at the left hand side of the ETUDES-NG screen. The text is divided into chapters, which ETUDES refers to as "modules".

Students with disabilities who believe they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disabled Students Programs and Services located in HRLC 119, phone number 310-287-4450 as soon as possible to better ensure such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.

Our course objective is to cover the following concepts: staff, clefs, note names, note types, rests, piano keyboard, sharps, flats, naturals, intervals, durations, meter, major scales, circle of fifths, double sharps, double flats, minor scales, and triads. Although there are sound files throughout the text, and they are critical to your understanding, ear training is not required for music fundamentals, and there will be no sound files on graded tests.

This course will help students achieve the following institutional Student Learning Outcomes (as listed in the Winter and Spring 2006 Schedule of Classes, page 3):

A. Critical Thinking: Analyze problems by differentiating fact from opinions, using evidence, and using sound reasoning to specify multiple solutions and thier consequences.
Assessment: Students will assimilate principle of music theory in constructing scales and chords. Students will analyze musical examples in terms of beat, meter, and tempo.

B. Communication: Effectively communicate thought in a clear, well-organized manner to persuade, inform, and convery ideas in academic, work, family and community settings.
Assessment: Students will ask and answer questions and carry on meaningful class discussions via the written medium of the ETUDES Forums. Students will organize their thoughts into written form in submitting assignments.

Grading policy:

45% Assignments
45% Chapter tests, midterm, and final
10% Forum participation

Assignments are worth 100 points each. Each week's assignment will be available on Monday morning, and will be due in 2 weeks time on Sunday night. If your completed assignment is inadequate, I'll assign a grade, and ask you to resubmit it. There is no penalty for resubmission. If you make the necessary corrections, you'll earn full marks. After 2 weeks time you will no longer be able to submit the assignment.

Each week's tests will be made available on Monday morning. They will be due in 2 weeks time on Sunday night. Once the due date has passed, you will not be able to access the test. Chapter tests are worth 50 to 100 points each. The midterm and final are worth 200 points each. The midterm will be cumulative, inclusive of the Key and Key Signature module. The final exam will be available during the final week of the class, and will also be cumulative. Tests will be timed. You will have 2 hours for chapter tests, and 3 hours for the midterm and final. You'll be able to submit module tests twice. ETUDES-NG will record your highest score. You'll be allowed only one submission on the midterm and final exam.

Your base final grade will be determined by adding all assignment and test scores. I'll add points for discussion group participation onto this total. These points are based on my subjective determination of your involvement in the discussions. Did you have the courage to ask questions? Did you thoughtfully respond to fellow students' questions? Did you join in class discussions? Did you offer to help other students who posted with ETUDES-NG nuts and bolts problems, or share items of interest such as an interesting music website? These are all examples of what I would call meaningful participation. The points I assign here could be as much as 10% of your base final grade. If your base final grade is near a cutoff point, your discussion participation could easily put you into the next grade bracket. For instance, if you earn 3300 total points on assignments and tests, and earn full credit for Forum participation (10% of that total, or 330 points), your final grade total would be 3630 points, moving you from a B to an A. Cutoff points for each letter grade are as follows:

Total possible points = 3860
3500 and up = A
3000 to 3499 = B
2500 to 2999 = C
2000 to 2499 = D
Below 2000 = F

Important note: all assignments must be completed! You cannot accumulate 3500 points and cease your course work. I will deduct any assignments left unsubmitted subsequent to accruing 3500 points.

Contact the instructor for confidential concerns via the Private Messages system, accessed via the Discussions and Private Messages link at the left hand side of the ETUDES-NG screen. Most communication with me, though, should happen in the discussion groups.