Syllabus for CTR-212
PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLERS
Description | Objectives | Materials | Structure | Assessment | Grading | Strategies
Programmable Logic Controllers studies the development of the PLC, its components and operation, common methods of programming the PLC, and its applications in industry. The course is designed for students in a technical curriculum or occupation who have not had previous knowledge of or experience with PLCs and who need to develop the requisite background and skills in PLC programming to further their education and careers.
On successfully completing this course, you should be able to:
You will need the following textbook to do the work of the course. The required textbook is available from the College's textbook supplier, MBS Direct.
Programmable Logic Controllers is a 3-credit online course, consisting of seven (7) modules:
Each module comprises learning objectives, a detailed study assignment, self-check exercises, one or more discussion activities (except for module 7), and a module-ending written assignment. Each study assignment, in turn, includes readings from the course textbook and self-check review quizzes.
For your formal work in the course, you are required to participate in eight (8) graded online discussion forums, complete seven (7) written assignments, and take a proctored midterm examination and a nongraded Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills (SAILS). At the conclusion of the course, you will also complete a final, capstone project in which you apply your knowledge to a real-life PLC programming task. See below for more details.
Consult the course Calendar for assignment due dates.
Online Discussion Forums
In addition to an ungraded "Introductions" forum in module 1, Programmable Logic Controllers requires you to participate in eight (8) graded online discussion forums—in some modules there are two topics and in others just one.
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 question and subsequent comments on classmates' responses.
You will be evaluated both on the quality of your responses (i.e., your understanding of readings and concepts as demonstrated by well-articulated, critical thinking) and quantity of your participation (i.e., the number of times you participate meaningfully in the assigned forums). Responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, professional, and respectful.
Meaningful participation in online discussions 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.
Deadlines for posting responses to the discussion questions are given in the course Calendar.
Specific directions for these activities, and the questions to be discussed, are given in their respective modules.
For posting guidelines and additional help with discussion board assignments, please see the Student Handbook located within the General Information section of the course Web site.
Written Assignments
You are required to complete seven (7) written assignments. The seven written assignments draw primarily on end-of-chapter review questions and problems from the textbook. Written assignments 1 and 2 also include an essay question (minimum 300 words).
A Note about Writing and
Designing Programs and Drawing Symbols
Assignments in this course include questions and problems that ask you to write and design programs and to draw symbols, diagrams, circuits, and so on. In a traditional face-to-face classroom, you could readily do all this by hand and turn in your "hard copy" to the instructor. But in our electronic classroom, we must submit assignments electronically, and this poses technological challenges that require ingenuity and forbearance on everyone's part in using the tools available to us.
Our course does not require you to purchase, learn, and use any specific software for doing the written assignments and final project. Rather, in preparing your assignments, you have a range of options. For example:
- If you have access to a scanner, you can draw diagrams freehand and scan them into your word-processed document as images.
- You can use the drawing tools available with standard word-processing software.
- You can use special design software like Microsoft's Visio, which the writer of this course found helpful in creating the charts and diagrams displayed within this course space.
And so on. In short, you will need to find a suitable solution for the task at hand. That is your responsibility as an adult learner. Feel free to ask your classmates for suggestions and advice in the Class Lounge and to consult with your mentor.
Go to the Submit Assignments area of the course Web site to submit all written assignments.
For additional help regarding preparing and submitting assignments, see the Student Handbook located within the General Information section of the course Web site.
Midterm Examination
You are required to take a proctored, pen-and-paper midterm examination. Please refer to the "Examinations and Proctors" section of the Online Student Handbook (see General Information area of the course Web site) for further information about scheduling and taking exams and for all exam policies and procedures. Consult the course Calendar for the scheduling of the exam.
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 true-or-false and multiple-choice questions like those on the module self-check review quizzes; short-answer questions and problems like those on the written assignments; and a short essay.
Final Project
In lieu of a final exam, you are required to complete a final, capstone project for this course. The final project ties together everything covered in the course and offers you the opportunity to apply what you have learned to a real-life PLC programming task. The project is due by the last day of class (see the course Calendar).
A full description of the project and instructions for completing it are in the Final Project area of the course Web site.
Go to the Submit Assignments area of the course Web site to submit the final project.
For additional help regarding preparing and submitting assignments, see the Student Handbook located within the General Information section of the course Web site.
SAILS Test
All students in CTR-212, Programmable Logic Controllers, are required to take the Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills (SAILS) as a component for course completion. Project SAILS is the result of a Kent State University initiative to develop an instrument for standardized assessment of information literacy skills. Thomas Edison State College has adopted it as an institutional measure of information literacy for all undergraduate students.
The SAILS test is administered online. It consists of 45 multiple-choice questions, targeting a variety of information literacy skills. Most students need 35–45 minutes to complete the assessment.
The confidentiality of your responses and scores will be protected, and data from the assessment will be reported in aggregate form. Your individual score will not be recorded, but you will receive 2 percentage points toward your overall grade for completing the assessment. For further details and directions, see the SAILS Test area of the course Web site. Please consult the course Calendar for the due date for taking the SAILS test.
Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:
|
Written assignments (7) |
35 percent |
|---|---|
|
Online discussions (8) |
12 percent |
| Midterm examination (proctored, modules 1, 2, and 3) | 25 percent |
|
Final project |
26 percent |
|
SAILS test (nongraded) |
2 percent |
All assignments will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:
| A | = | 93–100 |
| A– | = | 90–92 |
| B+ | = | 88–89 |
| B | = | 83–87 |
| B– | = | 80–82 |
| C+ | = | 78–79 |
| C | = | 73–77 |
| C– | = | 70–72 |
| D | = | 60–69 |
| F | = | Below 60 |
First Steps to Success
To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:
Study Tips
Consider the following study tips for success: