Multi-Sectioned Courses and Course Coordinators
If you are teaching a course for which there is more than one section, within a term or over the Fall and Winter terms, then please ensure that you contact the Course Coordinator. The coordinator’s key role is to ensure consistency across sections and terms, and serve as a resource for instructors who are new to teaching the given course. A more detailed list of the responsibilities of the coordinator may be found here. Therefore it is crucial that coordinators meet with all instructors prior to the start of term.
Course Outlines
In general the outline is a form of binding contract with the students so care should be taken as to what to include. Please refer to this page for more information – Preparing to Teach Your First Course at Carleton – Teaching Resources
The course outline should provide the following: include contact information, dates of midterms/term tests, detailed breakdown of topics etc. If you wish to see outlines from past years for your specific course please contact Tracie Grisim in the Main Office, 4302HP, as she gathers outlines from all courses each term.
Per new University regulations, all instructors are required to make their course outlines available for fall term and full year courses by September 2nd. For those planning to post on their course web page or provide to students in some other way, please also make sure to send a copy to Tracie tracie.grisim@carleton.ca (in pdf form) so students can access from our central repository as well.
Important elements to include:
- For courses for Engineering that are not project-based, it is mandatory to include a schedule of topics. It could be a very detailed list of topics for each week. But at the least, it needs to have a title or some keywords for each week as such information is required for accreditation.
- Dates/times of lectures, tutorials, term tests etc. Contact info for instructor and TAs (if available). Note that for courses below the 4000 level, term tests may not be given within a certain period prior to the start of exams. For exact dates see below.
- Please ensure that the method of evaluation is clearly indicated so that the students are aware of the weightings of the various possible factors to be used in determining the final grade (tests, assignments, exam etc.).
- As indicated in the School Rules, there is a requirement that the final examination normally is a supervised 3-hour, formally scheduled, written final examination during the formal examination period. This exam will normally be worth at least 50% of the final mark. Instructors wishing to deviate from the above specifications must obtain the Director’s approval and should apply to the Director in writing. You will be asked to prepare your final exam, 3-4 weeks before the last day of classes, to be reviewed by a second reader.
- The outline may also specify requirements that must be satisfied for the student to be eligible to write the deferral (e.g. minimum term mark).
- Students are allowed to see their final examination papers if they wish, and that this process can drag on if you forget to make the window of opportunity clear. The school strongly recommends something along the lines of:
“Students wishing to see their examination papers must make an appointment within three weeks of the examination.” - Instructors are strongly encouraged to abide by the University Policy on Academic Integrity. In particular please advise students as to the expectations with regards to collaboration, permitted resources for assigned work, tutorials, labs and term tests. Any perceived infractions should be documented and brought to the Associate Dean of Science (Undergraduate). Instructors may also wish to consult with the Director, Associate Director and/or course coordinator. For a full listing of the university policy see:
https://carleton.ca/registrar/academic-integrity/
The University asks us to inform students about the Paul Menton Centre (for students with disabilities) and suggests the following statement be added to your outlines, see: http://carleton.ca/pmc/faculty/guides/accommodation-statement-for-course-outline/
Instructors can book the exam room for PMC students.
The Department of Equity Services requests that you also make students aware of the procedures regarding more general accommodation requests such as pregnancy or religious obligations – (for more information) - Finally, all instructors are encouraged, either verbally or in writing, to inform their students of TA opportunities within the School for future terms. Information on how to apply can be found on our School web page. In hiring undergraduate TAs, the priority shall first be given to students who have passed some of the following Honours courses: MATH 1002, 1102, 2000, 2100, STAT 2655, 2559 with grades A- or better.
Important dates:
Classes are set to begin Wed, Sept 9, and will end Fri, Dec 11/20.
Tutorials are set to begin Friday, Sept 18/20.
See the academic calendar in the link below:
http://calendar.carleton.ca/academicyear/
For dates of commonly cited religious observances see:
http://carleton.ca/equity/accommodation/employment/religious-obligations/
Some Relevant School Regulations
EXAMINATIONS
(1) The normal form of evaluation for undergraduate courses includes a supervised 3-hour, formally scheduled, written final examination during the formal examination period. This exam will normally be worth at least 50% of the final mark. Instructors wishing to deviate from this practice must obtain the Director’s approval and should apply to the Director.
(2) Students in all directed studies courses at the graduate level will write a final examination or give an announced oral report on their studies. Instructors wishing to deviate from this practice must obtain the Director’s approval and should apply to the Director.
(3) All final examinations of MATH or STAT courses must be submitted to the school by the school deadline and approved by the Director of the school. Exams submitted after the school deadline will not be sent to Examination Services and will be returned to the instructor to be duplicated and distributed on their own time.
(4) The School Director appoints examination readers who will read all 1st and 2nd year final exams. Final exams in the 3rd year courses are to be read by faculty members who previously taught that course or have expertise in that area.
(5) Failure to meet any of these exam regulations is evidence of failure to properly fulfil faculty responsibilities as defined in the Collective Agreement and may be used in consideration of discipline and dismissal.
GUIDELINES CONCERNING COORDINATION OF COURSES
The School of Mathematics and Statistics adopts the following items for information and guidelines concerning course coordination:
(i) the course coordinator, in consultation with other course instructors, will determine and order the common textbook(s) to be used for the course;
(ii) the course coordinator will be responsible for providing regular guidance, to ensure that each course section covers the official syllabus for the course;
(iii) for course sections offered in the same term, there will be one common final examination, to be prepared jointly by the course instructors under the direction of the coordinator;
(iv) the course coordinator, in consultation with the other course instructors, will determine the weighting of term mark and final examination mark in the calculation of the final course grade; this weighting is to be the same for all sections;
(v) the course coordinator, in consultation with the other course instructors, will allocate the marking of the final examination to the course instructors who are teaching the course in that term, in proportion to the number of lecture sections taught by each course instructor;
(vi) the course coordinator is responsible for reminding the course instructors to put the students’ final examination scripts on file in the School, and also place the students’ term marks on file.
Deferred Exams
Announce to your class near the end of term:
If you miss the final exam, you must contact the Registrar’s Office (301 Tory) within a specific period. You will need to fully document your application.
For more information…
Storage of Exams – Contract Instructors
Assignments:
All course assignments must be kept by the instructor until the end of the term.
Exams:
All exams must be kept for a period of one year. The exams are to be submitted to Tracie Grisim in the Main Office (4302HP) one month after the end of the term. The exams are be filed in alphabetical order and labeled with the course number, section, term and year, and instructor name.