Course description: Introduction to the universe, with emphasis on conceptual, as contrasted with mathematical, comprehension. Modern theories, observations; ideas concerning nature, evolution of galaxies; quasars, stars, black holes, planets, solar system.
Text: Understanding Our Universe, 2ed., Palen et al. 2014, ISBN 978-0-393-93631-5
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Expectations and Policies:
- General
- All work should have your full name, the section identifier, assignment title, and the due date on it, and should be presented in a clean and legible manner.
- Late work is generally not accepted. However, I understand that life happens, and if you have a good reason for being late please contact me before the due date if possible and we can work things out.
- I trust you to make decisions about phone/internet usage in class yourself; I only ask that it not be distracting to others. (This does mean silencing phones.)
- I prefer to be contacted through Canvas, but for urgent matters my email is mdurbin@uw.edu.
- Attendance and Absences
- I strongly encourage you to make attending section (and lecture) a priority. Absences do not impact your grade directly, but the more class time you miss, the more your performance will be affected. If you are absent, you are responsible for all missed work and information.
- Academic Honesty
- Ethics & Respect
- A welcoming classroom environment in which all students feel supported in their learning is very important to me. Recognizing that you each bring insights and experiences to the classroom that are different from my own, I invite your feedback in whatever form you feel most comfortable (email, in person conversation, anonymous note). In particular, if I ever use an example/analogy or make a comment that feels isolating or derogatory to you, I would very much appreciate the opportunity to learn from you and improve my practice. Similarly, if you feel isolated or disrespected by a comment made by one of your classmates, or you see or hear something you believe I should know about, please don't hesitate to bring it to my attention.
- For more information, please consult the UW nondiscrimination policy and the UW Astronomy statement on harassment.
- Accommodations for Disabilities
- If you have any kind of disability, whether apparent or non-apparent, learning, emotional, physical, or cognitive, and you need some accommodations or alternatives to section activities, please feel free to contact me to discuss reasonable accommodations for your access needs.
- Tl;dr you are responsible for your learning, and I am responsible for helping you. I can do that best if you are proactive about communicating with me.