Syllabus for ELC-201-OL

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Electronic Communication Systems (ELC-201) is a comprehensive course in AM, FM, and single-sideband communication systems and an introduction to digital transmission. The course is designed to familiarize you with transmitters, receivers, modems, noise analysis, information theory, pulse modulation, sampling, coding, multiplexing, and other signal-processing techniques used in commercial broadcasting and data transmission systems.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

On completing this course, you should be able to:

• Explain how signals are transmitted over various media.
• Solve basic algebraic equations used in the electronic communications field.
• Measure electrical quantities using Electronics Workbench™ Multisim.
• Distinguish between the different methods of transmitting digital information.
• Describe the different signal processing techniques.
• Explain how to operate a LAN, both wired and wireless.
• Describe the operation of a television system, both scanned and digital.
• Describe a basic fiber-optic communication system.
• Describe the different types of antennas and their uses.

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COURSE MATERIALS

You will need the following materials to do the work of the course. The required textbook and software are available from the textbook supplier, MBS Direct.

Required Textbook

Modern Electronic Communication, 9th ed., by Jeffrey S. Beasley and Gary M. Miller (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008; ISBN-10: 0-13-225113-2).

Required Software

NI Circuit Design Suite (package), with NI Multisim (formerly Electronics Workbench Multisim), version 10.0.1, from National Instruments.

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MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

To participate fully in course activities, you need to have daily access to a personal computer and command of certain basic computer skills, including the ability to send and receive e-mail with attachments.

In addition, your computer system must meet the following minimum specifications:

• Windows Vista/XP/2000 (with SP3 or later).
• Pentium III (Pentium 4 class microprocessor or equivalent recommended)
• 256 MB RAM (512 MB RAM recommended)
• 1 GB hard disk space (1.5 GB recommended)
• CD-ROM drive
• 800 x 600 minimum screen resolution (1024 x 768 or higher preferred)
• Personal Internet access.
• A full-featured Internet browser like Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or Firefox 1.X or higher.
• Printer.

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COURSE STRUCTURE

Electronic Communication Systems is a 4-credit online course, consisting of six (6) assignment modules.

For your formal work in the course, you are required to participate in weekly online discussion activities (six "troubleshooting" forums in all), complete six (6) written assignments, and take two (2) examinations—a proctored midterm and an unproctored, online final examination.

Assignment modules are subdivided into study units, which include unit learning objectives, a detailed study assignment, a troubleshooting discussion activity, and a module-ending written assignment. The study assignments, in turn, consist of readings in the course textbook, lectures and interactive exercises, and links to self-check exercises on the textbook publisher's Web site.

For the course's six assignment modules, go to the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site. (See also the course Calendar.)

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ONLINE DISCUSSIONS

Electronic Communication Systems requires you to participate in weekly discussion activities based on the "Troubleshooting with Electronics Workbench Multisim" sections in the textbook. Altogether these discussions take place in six graded "troubleshooting" forums on the class Discussion Board. In addition you are required to participate in an ungraded "Introductions" forum in module 1.

Communication with the mentor and among fellow students is a critical component of online learning. Participation in online discussions involves two distinct activities: an initial response to a posted activity and subsequent comments on classmates' responses. Meaningful participation is relevant to the content, adds value, and advances the discussion. Comments such as "I agree" and "ditto" are not considered value-adding participation. Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a classmate, the reading, or your mentor, state and support your agreement or disagreement. You will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of your participation. Responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, professional, and respectful.

For additional information on online discussions, see Online Discussions in the Online Student Handbook.

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WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

The written assignments draw on exercises from assigned chapters in the textbook. For each assignment, answer all exercises, and show all work.

Assignments must be prepared electronically using whatever word processing program you have on your computer. When preparing your answers, please identify each exercise clearly by chapter and exercise number. Include your name at the top of the paper, as well as the course name and code and the semester and year in which you are enrolled.

Before submitting your first assignment, check with your mentor to determine whether your word processing software is compatible with your mentor's software. If so, you can submit your work as you prepared it. If not, save your assignment as a rich-text (.rtf) file, using the Save As command of your software program. Rich text retains basic formatting and can be read by any other word processing program.

When satisfied that your assignment represents your best work, submit it to your mentor by means of the

>>View/Complete Assignment

link provided at the bottom of the respective assignment page. Use the Browse button within this link to locate and attach your assignment file. Click to turn in the assignment.

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EXAMINATIONS

You are required to take two examinations: a proctored midterm examination and an unproctored, online final examination. Consult the course Calendar for the scheduling of these exams.

Midterm Examination
The proctored midterm exam covers all material assigned in modules 1, 2, and 3 and is two hours long. The exam is closed-book and consists of twenty (20) multiple-choice questions and sixteen (16) short problems and questions drawn from chapters 1–7 of the textbook. You are permitted to use a scientific calculator but are not allowed to bring your textbook or notes of any kind (including graded or ungraded assignments) to the exam site. Equation sheets and necessary charts will be provided.

You may take the examination only during the designated exam week, at an approved location, and with an approved proctor. In this regard, you need to schedule your exam and submit your "Proctor Request Form" with the necessary documentation no later than the end of the first week of the semester (see Administrative Forms in the General Information area of the course Web site).

If you are on a course extension and have not yet taken the midterm exam, you must let your examination proctor know when you plan to take the exam and contact the Office of Test Administration (609-984-1181) two weeks in advance to request that your exam be sent to the proctor.

For more information on scheduling a proctored examination, see the section Examinations and Proctors in the Online Student Handbook.

Final Examination
The unproctored, online final exam covers all material assigned in modules 4, 5, and 6 of the course and is two hours long. Like the midterm, the final exam is closed-book and consists of twenty (20) multiple-choice questions and sixteen (16) short problems and questions drawn from chapters 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17, and 18 of the textbook. You are permitted to use a scientific calculator but are not allowed to use your textbook or notes of any kind (including graded or ungraded assignments). Equation sheets and necessary charts will be provided.

The final exam is taken online in Blackboard. An exam link will be activated and made available to you in the Tests & Quizzes area of the course site at the start of the last week of the semester. You may take the exam at any time during that week, but no later than midnight Saturday (eastern time). If you are on a course extension, you will need to arrange with your mentor a time to reschedule the final exam.

Statement about Cheating
The final examination in this course is an unproctored exam. That means you will not be supervised while taking the test. You are on your honor not to cheat during the exam. Cheating means:

• Looking up any answer or part of an answer in an unauthorized textbook or on the Internet, or using any other source to find the answer.
• Copying and pasting or in any way copying responses or parts of responses from any other source into your online test. This includes but is not limited to copying and pasting from other documents or spreadsheets, whether written by yourself or anyone else.
• Plagiarizing answers.
• Asking anyone else to assist you by whatever means available while you take the exam.
• Copying any part of the exam to share with other students.
• Telling your mentor that you need another attempt at the exam because your connection to the Internet was interrupted when that is not true.

If there is evidence that you have cheated or plagiarized in your exam, the exam will be declared invalid, and you will fail the course.

Please also note that the exam is time-limited. That means you only have the allotted time in which to complete the exam. If you exceed the time limit on the exam, you will be penalized by having two points deducted for every minute that you exceed the time limit. This may also result in your failing the course.

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GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or better (for an area of study course) or D or better (for a nonarea of study course), based on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings, etc.). You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted.

Letter grades for online discussions, written assignments, and examinations are based on the following numerical grades:

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STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success
To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

1. Read carefully the entire Syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.



2. Take the time to read the entire Online Student Handbook. The Handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course, how to schedule exams and arrange for proctors, and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State College.



3. Arrange to take your midterm examination by following the instructions in the Online Student Handbook. Then complete the "Proctor Request Form" and submit it to the Office of Test Administration (OTA). You must make arrangements to take your examination and send in your "Proctor Request Form" to OTA before the end of the first week of the current semester. (See Administrative Forms in the General Information area of the course Web site.)



4. Familiarize yourself with the Blackboard environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.



5. If you are not familiar with Web-based learning, or specifically with the Blackboard platform, be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting assignments before class begins.

Study Tips
Consider the following study tips for success:

1. To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the course Calendar. The calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting assignments, posting discussions, and scheduling and taking examinations. For details on each assignment module and a complete listing of learning activities, go to the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site.



2. Check the Announcements page and class Discussion Board regularly for new course information.

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