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Courses taught at Valencia Community College

 

ECO 2013 - Principles of Macroeconomics

  ECO 2023 - Principles of Microeconomics  

The syllabus for my 'live' classes can be obtained by emailing me at jchambless@valenciacc.edu  For my online classes, the syllabus is on this page.   The recommended textbooks will be the same as I use in the online classes.

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ONLINE MACROECONOMICS SYLLABUS

Fall 2008*

ECO 2013

NOTE FOR SPRING 2009 STUDENTS: This syllabus will be updated between December 8-11, 2008 for your class.  Check back on Dec. 12, 2008 for your syllabus.  Orientation will be on Monday, January 12, 2009 on the west campus in building 6-221 at 6PM.  It will last approximately 45 minutes.

 

Welcome to Economics online!  Since 1999 Valencia has offered this opportunity to learn about this exciting social science from the comfort of your own home!  Here are a few things you need to know to be successful this semester.

TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS: In order to successfully maneuver through this course, the following items must be readily available to you.
1. Computer with a modem. We recommend at least a 28.8 modem. Students should not depend on Valencia Community College to provide computers for these classes.
2. Internet access.
3. Web browser with graphics capability (at least Netscape 3.0 or Internet Explorer 3.0)
4. Word processing software (MS Word or Word Perfect preferred).
5. e-mail address.
6. General familiarity with computers and the Internet.

HOW TO GET STARTED:  Go to Valencia's home page and log into your Atlas account.  From there you should be able to find WebCt where all of the discussions will be held.

PROFESSOR: Jack A. Chambless

OFFICE: Building 2, Room 225

OFFICE HOURS:  MWF 11am – Noon; TR 10 – 11:30am


PHONES: Office: 407-582-1453
Social Sciences Dept.: 407 -582-1203
Fax: 407-582-1675

E-mail:
jchambless@valenciacc.edu  I will not be using the Atlas email account.  This is the only email address where I will receive mail.

IF YOU MISS ORIENTATION:  First, don't worry.  What you need to do next is either come by my office to pick up some of the reading material I handed out or email me with your postal address so I can mail the material to you.  During orientation I go over the syllabus and point out some of the key difficulties that online students face in this class.  NOTE:  WHEN YOU EMAIL YOUR ADDRESS PLEASE MAKE SURE IT IS SUBMITTED IN A WAY THAT I CAN JUST CUT IT OUT AND TAPE IT TO THE ENVELOPE.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Economics is known by many as the "dismal science". Most people believe this social science is referred to in such a manner because this subject can be very abstract, difficult and even boring to the average student. I will change this perception this semester with cooperation and hard work from you to assist me. In this course you will learn how to THINK, ACT, VALUE and COMMUNICATE by applying the real world of economics to issues and events that impact your lives every day. Your objectives should be to fulfill this requirement with the grade that best reflects your ability and more importantly to be open-minded enough to discover why this class is one of the most important class you will ever take in college.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is the macroeconomics portion of the two-part Principles of Economics sequence. The course covers certain introductory economic principles, the role of government, national income and accounting, unemployment, inflation, the aggregate demand/supply model, the Keynesian Model, monetarism, fiscal policy, monetary policy, economic growth and the international economy.

RECOMMENDED TEXTS: Chambless, Jack A. An Applied Approach to Macroeconomics (ISBN # 1-033005-68-8), First edition, Bent Tree Press. The other required reading is The Law by Frederic Bastiat. This book must be read within the first two weeks of class. Each book can be found only on the West Campus.  It could also help to read FDR's Folly - but it is not required.


RECOMMENDED VIEWING:  There are other audio and video speeches or interviews that will help you prepare for discussions and exams.  All of them can be found on the SPEECHES link of the course website.   The speeches with an * next to them are the most important ones for exam purposes.

OPTIONAL READING:
The Wall Street Journal. Many of the class discussions and some of the exam questions will be derived from this source. To subscribe to the WSJ and get the student rate, call 1-800-JOURNAL.

GRADING: Your grade will be derived from two examinations, a term paper and participation in forum discussions. Each exam will account for 30% of your final grade. The term paper is due on November 4, 2008. Late papers will not be accepted under any circumstances.

Due to a large number of problems with emailed papers I no longer accept any emailed paper.   

You can mail the paper to my physical address (see the home page for that) or slide it under my office door if I am not in.
The paper should be entitled, "What Frederic Bastiat would think about our Presidential Candidates".  Your paper must adhere to the following guidelines:
1.  It must be 7-8 pages in length; typed, double-spaced with a size 11-12 font.
2.  It must have at least 15 different sources that can be easily verified.
3.  It must have footnotes indicating sources at the bottom of each page.  Do not site your sources in parentheses and attach a bibliography.  See the format of your textbook for what I want in your paper.
4.  It should examine, in detail, the policy proposals of Barack Obama and John McCain as their proposal applies to government spending/tax policy.  The title of the paper will help you figure out the rest...
5.  An extensive use of The Law is critical.  It would also help to illustrate some understanding of the Founding Fathers view of government spending and taxes. 

THE MIDTERM EXAM - The midterm will be on Tuesday, October 28, 2008.  For my flex start classes, your exam will be on November 11th. It will cover chapters 1-8 of the text; The Law and the packet of readings on The Economics of Liberty.  The assigned and recommended videos/speeches are also fair game.   It will be seven essay questions, five of which you must answer.

LOCATION OF EXAMS:  I will put a copy of your exam in every testing center that Valencia has.  You must come to the testing center of your choosing to take the exam.  No online exams will be given. If you are taking this class outside of the Central Florida area I can also arrange to have the midterm and final exam sent to a local library or college testing center for you.  Even if you are out of the country, arrangements can be made for the tests to be taken.

THE FINAL EXAM -  Date and chapters to be announced in November.  

COURSE DISCUSSIONS: The final 10% of your grade will come from participation in online discussions that I initiate. This will primarily come from questions I post and articles I post for you to read and discuss. Your grade will be based on the content of your postings.


Please bear in mind that I do not always respond to all of your postings.  When I did in the past students quickly learned to wait for my comments and then free ride on what I posted in order to increase their chances of a good grade. 


I will post questions that you can answer after reading the material, watching the videos online and by thinking about what others have posted.  This part of the course is very much like an independent study course where I will read your work from a distance and offer minimal, if any commentary.

MISSED EXAMS: You can take a make-up test if and only if you provide documented evidence as to where you were on the day of the test. This means illness that requires medical attention, unavoidable work requirements, and so forth. If I accept your documentation you will be allowed to take a make-up test during the week of final exams. That test will be five essay questions, all of which you must answer.

GRADING SCALE:
A: 90-100
B: 80-89
C: 67-79   (Note:  You must earn at least a 'C' to avoid re-taking this class)
D: 60-66
F: Below 60


ATTENDANCE: Attendance in this class will be monitored by examining assigned postings. It is very important for you to examine Valencia's attendance policy. It will be strictly enforced in this class.

ONLINE ETIQUETTE:
When you are communicating with me or other students or responding to postings made by fellow students please keep in mind a few simple common sense rules concerning online etiquette:
1. Do not correct one another's grammar or spelling.
2. Do not use profanity or refer to a posting as stupid or idiotic, etc.
3. Be polite and respectful of the opinions of others.
4. If someone's writing is unclear, politely ask for clarification.

While these rules are important we must remember that in order to grow intellectually, we must be prepared to challenge one another's ideas. Try to respond to challenges from a sane and dispassionate point of view rather than by emotion. Defend your views with facts and data, not conjecture.

WITHDRAWAL DATE:  October 31, 2008


NOTICE:  This syllabus is subject to change without prior notification by the professor.

EXTRA CREDIT: If you get published in the Orlando Sentinel with a My Word or New Voices column, you will get 24 points - so long as your essay covers some economics. The maximum number of extra credit points you can get is 24.   For more on this log on to the Sentinel website and read about the My Word and New Voices column. 

A letter to the editor, published in the Sentinel is also worth 6 or 12 points. 

_______________

ONLINE MICROECONOMICS SYLLABUS
Fall 2008
ECO 2023

NOTE FOR SPRING 2009 STUDENTS: This syllabus will be updated between December 8-11, 2008 for your class.  Check back on Dec. 12, 2008 for your syllabus.  Orientation will be on Monday, January 12, 2009 on the west campus in building 6-221 at 6PM.  It will last approximately 45 minutes.

Welcome to Economics online!  Since 1999 Valencia has offered this opportunity to learn about this exciting social science from the comfort of your own home!  Here are a few things you need to know to be successful this semester.

TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS: In order to successfully maneuver through this course, the following items must be readily available to you.
1. Computer with a modem. We recommend at least a 28.8 modem. Students should not depend on Valencia Community College to provide computers for these classes.
2. Internet access.
3. Web browser with graphics capability (at least Netscape 3.0 or Internet Explorer 3.0)
4. Word processing software (MS Word or Word Perfect preferred).
5. e-mail address.
6. General familiarity with computers and the Internet.


HOW TO GET STARTED:  Go to Valencia's home page and log into your Atlas account.  From there you should be able to find WebCt where all of the discussions will be held.

PROFESSOR: Jack A. Chambless

OFFICE: Building 2, Room 225

OFFICE HOURS:
MWF 11am – Noon; TR 10am – 11:30am and by appointment.

PHONES: Office: 407-582-1453
Social Sciences Dept.: 407 -582-1203
Fax: 407-582-1675

E-mail:
jchambless@valenciacc.edu  I will not be using the Atlas email account.  This is the only email address where I will receive mail.

IF YOU MISS ORIENTATION:  First, don't worry.  What you need to do next is either come by my office to pick up some of the reading material I handed out or email me with your postal address so I can mail the material to you.  During orientation I go over the syllabus and point out some of the key difficulties that online students face in this class.  NOTE:  WHEN YOU EMAIL YOUR ADDRESS PLEASE MAKE SURE IT IS SUBMITTED IN A WAY THAT I CAN JUST CUT IT OUT AND TAPE IT TO THE ENVELOPE.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Economics is known by many as the "dismal science". Most people believe this social science is referred to in such a manner because this subject can be very abstract, difficult and even boring to the average student. I will change this perception this semester with cooperation and hard work from you to assist me. In this course you will learn how to THINK, ACT, VALUE and COMMUNICATE by applying the real world of economics to issues and events that impact your lives every day. Your objectives should be to fulfill this requirement with the grade that best reflects your ability and more importantly to be open-minded enough to discover why this class is one of the most important class you will ever take in college.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is the macroeconomics portion of the two-part Principles of Economics sequence. The course covers certain introductory economic principles, the role of government, national income and accounting, unemployment, inflation, the aggregate demand/supply model, the Keynesian Model, monetarism, fiscal policy, monetary policy, economic growth and the international economy.

RECOMMENDED TEXTS: Chambless, Jack A. An Applied Approach to Microeconomics (ISBN # 1-933005-65-3) , First edition, Bent Tree Press. The other required reading is The Law by Frederic Bastiat. This book must be read within the first two weeks of class. Each book can be found only on the West Campus.  It could also help to read FDR's Folly - but it is not required.

RECOMMENDED VIEWING:  There are other audio and video speeches or interviews that will help you prepare for discussions and exams.  All of them can be found on the SPEECHES link of the course website..   The speeches with an * next to them are the most important ones for exam purposes.

OPTIONAL READING:
The Wall Street Journal. Many of the class discussions and some of the exam questions will be derived from this source. To subscribe to the WSJ and get the student rate, call 1-800-JOURNAL.

GRADING: Your grade will be derived from two examinations, a term paper and participation in forum discussions. Each exam will account for 30% of your final grade. The term paper is due on November 4, 2008. Late papers will not be accepted under any circumstances.


Due to a large number of problems with emailed papers I no longer accept any emailed paper. 

 
You can mail the paper to my physical address (see the home page for that) or slide it under my office door if I am not in.


The paper should be entitled, "What Frederic Bastiat would think about our Presidential Candidates".  Your paper must adhere to the following guidelines:


1.  It must be 7-8 pages in length; typed, double-spaced with a size 11-12 font.
2.  It must have at least 15 different sources that can be easily verified.
3.  It must have footnotes indicating sources at the bottom of each page.  Do not site your sources in parentheses and attach a bibliography.  See the format of your textbook for what I want in your paper.
4.  It should examine, in detail, the policy proposals of Barack Obama and John McCain as their proposal applies to government spending/tax policy.  The title of the paper will help you figure out the rest...
5.  An extensive use of The Law is critical.  It would also help to illustrate some understanding of the Founding Fathers view of government spending and taxes. 

THE MIDTERM EXAM - The midterm will be on Tuesday, October 28, 2008.  For my flex start classes, your exam will be on November 11th.  It will cover chapters 1-8 of the text; The Law and the packet of readings on The Economics of Liberty.  The assigned and recommended videos/speeches are also fair game.   It will be seven essay questions, five of which you must answer.


LOCATION OF EXAMS:  I will put a copy of your exam in every testing center that Valencia has.  You must come to the testing center of your choosing to take the exam.  No online exams will be given. If you are taking this class outside of the Central Florida area I can also arrange to have the midterm and final exam sent to a local library or college testing center for you.  Even if you are out of the country, arrangements can be made for the tests to be taken.

THE FINAL EXAM -  Date and chapters to be announced in November. 


COURSE DISCUSSIONS: The final 10% of your grade will come from participation in online discussions that I initiate. This will primarily come from questions I post and articles I post for you to read and discuss. Your grade will be based on the content of your postings.


Please bear in mind that I do not always respond to all of your postings.  When I did in the past students quickly learned to wait for my comments and then free ride on what I posted in order to increase their chances of a good grade. 


I will post questions that you can answer after reading the material, watching the videos online and by thinking about what others have posted.  This part of the course is very much like an independent study course where I will read your work from a distance and offer minimal, if any commentary.

MISSED EXAMS: You can take a make-up test if and only if you provide documented evidence as to where you were on the day of the test. This means illness that requires medical attention, unavoidable work requirements, and so forth. If I accept your documentation you will be allowed to take a make-up test during the week of final exams. That test will be five essay questions, all of which you must answer.

GRADING SCALE:
A: 90-100
B: 80-89
C: 67-79   (Note:  You must earn at least a 'C' to avoid re-taking this class)
D: 60-66
F: Below 60


ATTENDANCE: Attendance in this class will be monitored by examining assigned postings. It is very important for you to examine Valencia's attendance policy. It will be strictly enforced in this class.

ONLINE ETIQUETTE:
When you are communicating with me or other students or responding to postings made by fellow students please keep in mind a few simple common sense rules concerning online etiquette:
1. Do not correct one another's grammar or spelling.
2. Do not use profanity or refer to a posting as stupid or idiotic, etc.
3. Be polite and respectful of the opinions of others.
4. If someone's writing is unclear, politely ask for clarification.

While these rules are important we must remember that in order to grow intellectually, we must be prepared to challenge one another's ideas. Try to respond to challenges from a sane and dispassionate point of view rather than by emotion. Defend your views with facts and data, not conjecture.

WITHDRAWAL DATE:  October 31, 2008


NOTICE:  This syllabus is subject to change without prior notification by the professor.

EXTRA CREDIT: If you get published in the Orlando Sentinel with a My Word or New Voices column, you will get 24 points - so long as your essay covers some economics. The maximum number of extra credit points you can get is 24.   For more on this log on to the Sentinel website and read about the My Word and New Voices column. 
You can also participate in the Orlando Sentinel's Friday Forum.  Each published letter - if it applies to economics will be worth 12 points (24 maximum).  If your letter does not apply to economics you will get 6 points.


A letter to the editor, published in the Sentinel is also worth 6 or 12 points.

____________________

ECO 2930 - Applied Economics*

*Applied Microeconomics is only offered in the spring. It is recommended that you complete ECO 2023 with a grade of 'B' or higher before you enroll in this course. This is a course that began in 1997 and is designed for students who wish to gain an appreciation for what it takes to operate a business in today’s economic environment.  In ‘the real world’ our economic system is dynamic and often mirrors activity in an evolving ecosystem.  For more see "Evolution, Uncertainty and Economic Theory" by Armen Alchian.

The biological approach to economics is not new, but this is the only course offered in any community college in the United States that teaches economics from the biological perspective.  While this course is primarily focused on business issues, it also covers socio-economic issues related to our daily lives.  Note: I am not sure at this time when this course will be offered again.  It all depends on student interest.  Please email me if you would be interested.  I have to have at least 24 students to start this class in the spring of 2009 or 2010.

 

 

 

Photo taken at the Jacksonville, Florida Anheuser-Busch brewery.  Every spring my ECO 2930 class takes a VIP tour of this facility to learn more about technology, productivity, economies of scale and marketing.  For more photos from this tour keep scrolling.

 

                     

The only use for hops is in the production                    Fermentation tanks - the plant has four floors of

of beer - proving that God does care                               these tanks.

about us...

 

             

And some people think the pyramids are impressive.           This plant can fill 1,200 bottles per minute.

 

 

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