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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 - Full term and Flex Start
Fall 2010
ECO 2013
Orientation for this class can be found on the SPEECHES link of this site. It is the first link. I highly recommend that you watch the entire orientation and email me with any questions.
Welcome to Economics online! Since 1999 Valencia has offered the 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.
IMPORTANT FACTS CONCERNING ONLINE ECONOMICS: Many students take economics online because they have busy work or family schedules that preclude them from taking this course in the traditional setting. Students like this who have a strong work ethic, a desire to read every word of material provided, a willingness to push through a great deal of material without falling behind and the ability to follow instructions and meet tight deadlines tend to be very successful. Since online students have to rely on a book, article packet and some video assistance - but no lectures by the professor in the classroom - it is critical that students be able to "self-teach" much of the material.
Some students who take this class are under the hugely mistaken impression that it will be easier than the traditional class, since many online classes have that well-deserved reputation. In this case, you are taking a class that is just as difficult as the traditional class and perhaps much more difficult because you do not have the aid of personal instruction.
To drive home this point, here is the distribution of grades for my four online courses during the spring of 2010
Out of 100 total students:
A - 1
B - 7
C - 14
D - 3
F - 3
Withdrew - 72
As you can see, 22% of my students passed with a grade of A, B or C. 78% failed or dropped the course.
Therefore, I urge you to think very, very carefully about whether this class is a good online fit for you. If you know that you do not read a lot, or if you tend to put things off or not work very hard in your classes, this class will be a complete disaster for you.
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 11, Room 200-C
OFFICE HOURS: Monday & Wednesday from 10am - Noon. Tuesday & Thursday from 11am - 11:30am and by appointment. To make an appointment please email me with the desired date and time and I will do my best to comply with this request. On Friday I have virtual office hours only (email).
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.HOW TO GET NEEDED MATERIALS: To get a copy of a sample midterm and the packet of readings you can either come by my office or email me with a request to have it mailed to your physical address. 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. Do not put your address on the same line as your name.
Example: JOE BROWN
P.O. BOX 0000
ORLANDO, FL 32811
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, 2nd edition Kendall-Hunt. See the section entitled MY BOOKS on the website to get a look at what you will be purchasing. The other required reading is The Law by Frederic Bastiat. This book must be read within the first few weeks of class. Each book can be found on the West and Osceola campuses.BUYING A LESS EXPENSIVE BOOK: I have seen my book on eBay, Craigslist and other online sites at very low prices.
RESELLING YOUR BOOK: I do not permit Valenica to buy back my book because I do not like what they pay students. As the primary copyright owner of the book this is my perogative. If you want to sell your book please email me at the end of the semester with your contact information and I will provide it to all of my classes in the following semester so that you can get a better price. You can also use Craigslist, eBay or other online sites to get a good price.
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. Note: During the summer of 2010 I added many new lectures that I had made at Valencia. These should be most helpful to you in preparing for exams. I will add more during the Fall of 2010.
REQUIRED READING: The Wall Street Journal. Many of the class discussions some of the exam questions and your research project will be derived from this source. To subscribe to the WSJ and get the student rate email me with your physical address, your email address, your major and expected graduation date (this is what the WSJ form asks for). I will mail in the form and the WSJ will send you the bill and your paper every day from Monday - Saturday. If you do not want to sign up through me you can call 1-800-JOURNAL.
GRADING: Your grade will be derived from two examinations, a Wall Street Journal research project and participation in forum discussions. Each exam and the paper will account for 33.33% of your final grade. The project is due (for all classes) on December 9, 2010. Late papers will not be accepted under any circumstances.You can mail the paper to my physical address (see the home page for that) or turn it in to the Department of Business Behavioral & Social Sciences in building 11, room 103.
Your Wall Street Journal project must follow the following guidelines. If it does not comply with the guidelines that follow you will receive a zero.
1. Find 10 articles from The Wall Street Journal print or online edition. The 10 articles should be from the term you are enrolled in.
2. Photocopy or print out the articles.
3. Type out a cover sheet for each article. The cover sheet will read, "Article 1" followed by the title & date of the article. You will also type out, "Topics covered" and next to that you will let me know which economics topics from the course you will be covering in your analysis of that article.4. You will provide 2-3 pages, size 12 font, double-spaced analysis of that article showing that you can apply the course material to the article you selected. IMPORTANT: Do not repeat topics! Make sure you have 10 different topics for your articles rather than 4-5 on supply & demand, etc.
5. Once you have completed your work make sure you have the cover sheet, then the article, then the analysis of article one, then the same for number two, three, etc.6. Have your work spiral bound - no folders, notebooks, stapling, paper clips, etc. and turn in.
7. You can drop your paper off at my office (sliding it under the door is fine) or mail it to me if you are out of the Orlando area. It must be postmarked on the due date or earlier. I am not responsible for projects lost in the mail.
THE MIDTERM EXAM - The midterm will be on November 1, 2010 for my full-term classes and on November 11, 2010 for my flex-start classes. It will cover chapters 1-8 and the health care chapter in the textbook; 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. Make sure you follow instructions on the exam or you will lose 5-10 points.
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 - Chapters 10-13. It will be the same format as the midterm and will be on December 13, 2010 for full-term and online classes. The videos on the SPEECHES link will be particularly important for this exam. Make sure you watch all of them that pertain to these chapters.
COURSE DISCUSSIONS: In the case of 'close calls' - grades that fall within 3 percentage points of the next highest letter grade, the posted course discussions will be used to evaluate whether you will be moved up to the next highest grade. For example, if you have an average of 87 after the midterm, final and term paper and posted a response to every discussion that illustrates a sound effort to apply sthe books, readings and videos to the discussion questions you would receive a grade of 90 and an 'A' in the course. If you do not, your grade would remain an 87 and you would get a 'B'.
Please bear in mind that I rarely respond to your postings, but do read them.. 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: November 5, 2010 for full term classes and November 19, 2010 for flex start classes.Important note on withdrawing: Valencia no longer offers a WP or WF option if you withdraw after the withdrawal date. If you wait until after the withdrawal date you will be assigned a grade based on your standing in the class after final exams are completed.
NOTICE: This syllabus is subject to change without prior notification by the professor.EXTRA CREDIT: You can watch one of the movies listed under the MISC section of the website and type a 1,500 word essay explains everywhere economics appears in that movie. This is worth 20 points. Due December 2 , 2010 for session B. Please drop your essay off at my office (under the door is fine) or mail it to me if you are out of town at the time. You may not use The Pursuit of Happyness since it will be the basis for part of your midterm exam.
A word about my “assistant professor”:
John Stossel – formerly employed by ABC – is a Fox Business News consultant with a weekly program that airs Thursdays at 8PM (Brighthouse channel 124).
From 2020
Stossel's specials tackle issues that face Americans today. They consistently rate among the top news programs and have earned him uncommon praise: "The most consistently thought-provoking TV reporter of our time" said the Dallas Morning News, while the Orlando Sentinel said he "has the gift for entertaining while saying something profound."
For ABC and Fox Mr. Stossel has consistently tackled issues that have made him one of the most controversial – and openly free market – journalists of our time. He has, and continues to examine issues like the war on drugs, public education, government spending, health care, the income tax system, government regulations, eminent domain abuse and many more topics that are rarely addressed by other journalists.
His series, Stossel in the Classroom has won many awards and it used by over 4 million high school and college students around the nation.
Stossel has received 19 Emmy Awards. He has been honored five times for excellence in consumer reporting by the National Press Club. Among his other awards are the George Polk Award for Outstanding Local Reporting and the George Foster Peabody Award.
In his early years at ABC, Stossel was consumer editor at Good Morning America. Prior to that he was a consumer reporter at WCBS-TV in New York City. He began his journalism career as a researcher for KGW-TV in Portland, Ore. Stossel is a 1969 graduate of Princeton University, with a B.A. in psychology.
Mr. Stossel has delivered speeches on the virtues of liberty and free markets all over the world (including Valencia Community College) and will be relied upon to make this class more interesting and thought provoking this semester.
_______________
ONLINE MICROECONOMICS SYLLABUS - Full-term & Flex-start
Fall 2010
ECO 2023Orientation for this class can be found on the SPEECHES link of this site. It is the first link. I highly recommend that you watch the entire orientation and email me with any questions.
Welcome to Economics online! Since 1999 Valencia has offered the 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.
IMPORTANT FACTS CONCERNING ONLINE ECONOMICS: Many students take economics online because they have busy work or family schedules that preclude them from taking this course in the traditional setting. Students like this who have a strong work ethic, a desire to read every word of material provided, a willingness to push through a great deal of material without falling behind and the ability to follow instructions and meet tight deadlines tend to be very successful. Since online students have to rely on a book, article packet and some video assistance - but no lectures by the professor in the classroom - it is critical that students be able to "self-teach" much of the material.
Some students who take this class are under the hugely mistaken impression that it will be easier than the traditional class, since many online classes have that well-deserved reputation. In this case, you are taking a class that is just as difficult as the traditional class and perhaps much more difficult because you do not have the aid of personal instruction.
Out of 100 total students:
A - 1
B - 7
C - 14
D - 3
F - 3
Withdrew - 72
As you can see, 22% of my students passed with a grade of A, B or C. 78% failed or dropped the course.
Therefore, I urge you to think very, very carefully about whether this class is a good online fit for you. If you know that you do not read a lot, or if you tend to put things off or not work very hard in your classes, this class will be a complete disaster for you.
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 11, Room 200-C
OFFICE HOURS: Monday & Wednesday from 10am - Noon. Tuesday & Thursday from 11am - 11:30am. To make an appointment please email me with the desired date and time and I will do my best to comply with this request.
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.HOW TO GET NEEDED MATERIALS: To get a copy of a sample midterm and the packet of readings you can either come by my office or email me with a request to have it mailed to your physical address. 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. Do not put your address on the same line as your name.
Example: JOE BROWN
P.O. BOX 0000
ORLANDO, FL 32811
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 microeconomics portion of the two-part Principles of Economics sequence. The course covers certain introductory economic principles, the role of government in business and individual decisions, the study of the creation of prices, output, revenue and costs as well as the decision making process of businesses and individuals. An extensive examination of capitalism, socialism and the political economy will also take place.
REQUIRED TEXTS: Chambless, Jack A. An Applied Approach to Microeconomics, 2nd edition Kendall Hunt . See the section entitled MY BOOKS on the website to get a look at what you will be purchasing. The other required reading is The Law by Frederic Bastiat. This book must be read within the first few weeks of class. Each book can be found on the West and Osceola campuses.BUYING A LESS EXPENSIVE BOOK: I have seen my book on eBay, Craigslist and other online sites at very low prices.
RESELLING YOUR BOOK: I do not permit Valenica to buy back my book because I do not like what they pay students. As the primary copyright owner of the book this is my perogative. If you want to sell your book please email me at the end of the semester with your contact information and I will provide it to all of my classes in the following semester so that you can get a better price. You can also use Craigslist, eBay or other online sites to get a good price.
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. Note: During the summer of 2010 I added many new lectures that I had made at Valencia. These should be most helpful to you in preparing for exams. I will add more during the Fall of 2010.
REQUIRED READING: The Wall Street Journal. Many of the class discussions some of the exam questions and your research project will be derived from this source. To subscribe to the WSJ and get the student rate email me with your physical address, your email address, your major and expected graduation date (this is what the WSJ form asks for). I will mail in the form and the WSJ will send you the bill and your paper every day from Monday - Saturday. If you do not want to sign up through me you can call 1-800-JOURNAL.
GRADING: Your grade will be derived from two examinations, a Wall Street Journal research project and participation in forum discussions. Each exam and the paper will account for 33.33% of your final grade. The project is due on December 9, 2010. Late papers will not be accepted under any circumstances.You can mail the paper to my physical address (see the home page for that) or turn it in to the Department of Business Behavioral & Social Sciences in building 11, room 103.
Your Wall Street Journal project must follow the following guidelines. If it does not comply with the guidelines that follow you will receive a zero.
1. Find 10 articles from The Wall Street Journal print or online edition. The 10 articles should be from the term you are enrolled in.
2. Photocopy or print out the articles.
3. Type out a cover sheet for each article. The cover sheet will read, "Article 1" followed by the title & date of the article. You will also type out, "Topics covered" and next to that you will let me know which economics topics from the course you will be covering in your analysis of that article.4. You will provide 2-3 pages, size 12 font, double-spaced analysis of that article showing that you can apply the course material to the article you selected. IMPORTANT: Do not repeat topics! Make sure you have 10 different topics for your articles rather than 4-5 on supply & demand, etc.
5. Once you have completed your work make sure you have the cover sheet, then the article, then the analysis of article one, then the same for number two, three, etc.6. Have your work spiral bound - no folders, notebooks, stapling, paper clips, etc. and turn in.
7. You can drop your paper off at my office (sliding it under the door is fine) or mail it to me if you are out of the Orlando area. It must be postmarked on the due date or earlier. I am not responsible for projects lost in the mail.
THE MIDTERM EXAM - The midterm will be on November 1, 2010 for my full-term classes and November 11, 2010 for my flex-start classes. It will cover chapters 1-8 and the health care chapter of the textbook; The movie, The Pursuit of Happyness; 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. Make sure you follow instructions on the exam or you will lose 5-10 points.
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 - Chapters 9-12. It will be the same format as the midterm and will be on December 13, 2010 for all classes. The videos on the SPEECHES link will be particularly important for this exam. Make sure you watch all of them that pertain to these chapters.
COURSE DISCUSSIONS: In the case of 'close calls' - grades that fall within 3 percentage points of the next highest letter grade, the posted course discussions will be used to evaluate whether you will be moved up to the next highest grade. For example, if you have an average of 87 after the midterm, final and term paper and posted a response to every discussion that illustrates a sound effort to apply sthe books, readings and videos to the discussion questions you would receive a grade of 90 and an 'A' in the course. If you do not, your grade would remain an 87 and you would get a 'B'.
Please bear in mind that I rarely respond to your postings, but do read them.. 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: November 5, 2010 for full term classes and November 19, 2010 for flex-start classes.Important note on withdrawing: Valencia no longer offers a WP or WF option if you withdraw after the withdrawal date. If you wait until after the withdrawal date you will be assigned a grade based on your standing in the class after final exams are completed.
NOTICE: This syllabus is subject to change without prior notification by the professor.EXTRA CREDIT: You can watch one of the movies listed under the MISC section of the website and type a 1,500 word essay explains everywhere economics appears in that movie. This is worth 20 points. Due December 2, 2010. Please drop your essay off at my office (under the door is fine) or mail it to me if you are out of town at the time. You may not use The Pursuit of Happyness since this movie will be on your midterm.
A word about my “assistant professor”:
John Stossel – formerly employed by ABC – is a Fox Business News consultant with a weekly program that airs Thursdays at 8PM (Brighthouse channel 124).
From 2020
Stossel's specials tackle issues that face Americans today. They consistently rate among the top news programs and have earned him uncommon praise: "The most consistently thought-provoking TV reporter of our time" said the Dallas Morning News, while the Orlando Sentinel said he "has the gift for entertaining while saying something profound."
For ABC and Fox Mr. Stossel has consistently tackled issues that have made him one of the most controversial – and openly free market – journalists of our time. He has, and continues to examine issues like the war on drugs, public education, government spending, health care, the income tax system, government regulations, eminent domain abuse and many more topics that are rarely addressed by other journalists.
His series, Stossel in the Classroom has won many awards and it used by over 4 million high school and college students around the nation.
Stossel has received 19 Emmy Awards. He has been honored five times for excellence in consumer reporting by the National Press Club. Among his other awards are the George Polk Award for Outstanding Local Reporting and the George Foster Peabody Award.
In his early years at ABC, Stossel was consumer editor at Good Morning America. Prior to that he was a consumer reporter at WCBS-TV in New York City. He began his journalism career as a researcher for KGW-TV in Portland, Ore. Stossel is a 1969 graduate of Princeton University, with a B.A. in psychology.
Mr. Stossel has delivered speeches on the virtues of liberty and free markets all over the world (including Valencia Community College) and will be relied upon to make this class more interesting and thought provoking this semester.
