College Algebra Syllabus for 2017-2018
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Course

MATH-1314-014 College Algebra

Prerequisites

<p>Prerequisite: MATH 0303-minimum grade of C, an Accuplacer score of 75, a THEA score of 270, an equivalent score on a state-approved test or Department Chair consent</p>

Course Description

In-depth study and applications of polynomial, rational, radical, exponential and logarithmic functions, and systems of equations using matrices. Additional topics such as sequences, series, probability and conics may be included.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact your advisor, the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Hybrid

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

College Algebra, Twelfth Edition
Authors:  Lial, Hornsby, Schneider, Daniels
(Pearson Education Publishers)

Note:  The physical textbook for this course is optional.  All homework will be completed online using MyMathLab, where an electronic version of the text is accessible.  If you purchase a new book from the Amarillo College bookstore, you will also need to pay for MyMathLab, which is $99.95.  You may either purchase the MyMathLab student access kit from the bookstore, or simply pay for access online with a credit card.

Supplies

Students will need a graphing calculator for this course.  The recommended calculator is a Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus.  Other forms of Texas Instruments or Casio graphing calculators will be permitted at the instructors discretion.  Note that no TI-89s or TI-Nspires will be permitted during the midterm and final exams.

Students need access to a computer with a reliable internet connection to complete online homework assignments and chapter exams and access to a printer to produce class notes.

Other supplies include a three ring binder and dividers.

 

Student Performance

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

REQUIRED MEETINGS

This is a hybrid course, also known as enhanced online learning.  You are required to attend three classes in person on campus, and you are required to take two written exams in person on campus.  These are a mandatory part of the course.  (Please contact me at secornell@actx.edu if you are a distant resident for instructions about this part of the course.)  We will meet in Room 206 of the Durrett Hall at the following times:

Orientation:  Monday, August 21, 1-2:15
Midterm Review Session:  Monday, September 11, 1-3PM
Final Review Session:  Monday, October 9, 1-3PM

The midterm and final exams will require approximately two hours.  Take these exams at the Math Testing Lab in Durrett Hall, Room 103, on the Washington Street Campus between the hours of 8AM and 10PM.  You may take them at your convenience during the following dates:

Midterm Exam:  Monday, September 11 through Wednesday, September 13 by 10PM.
Final Exam:  Monday, October 9 through Wednesday, October 11 by 10PM.

 

ADDITIONAL EXPECTATIONS

1.    This is a difficult course! Online classes are not necessarily more difficult than in-class courses, but they require self discipline and motivation. You will be expected to learn the material through reading the textbook (or ebook on MyMathLab), completing the notes provided on Blackboard, and finishing the homework, quizzes, and exams on MyMathLab

2.    You need access to a computer with a reliable internet connection and a dependable printer to produce class notes.  By signing up for an online course, you are communicating that you have access to such tools.

3.    This class demands a great deal of time. Online courses often take more time than in-class delivery courses. Please expect to spend at least 5-20 hours each week on this course.  If your other life commitments do not allow you this amount of time to spend on the course, you may want to choose another course or delivery method.

4.    Deadlines are your responsibility. Due dates are posted on the MyMathLab website and in the class in Blackboard (through the AC Connect Portal).  However, because this is an online course, I can tailor it to your individual needs without disrupting the flow of the course.  If you need a deadline extension for online assignments (up to 2 days), please don't hesitate to ask.  No extensions are available, however, for the written midterm and final exams, which must be taken in person by the absolute due date.

5.    Technical difficulties happen. If you experience problems, email me immediately.  I will do my best to assist you.  Please don't panic, I am here to work with you.  However, completing assignments and exams a few days ahead of time ensures that if you have any technical difficulties, we can take care of them before the due date to keep you on schedule.

6.  You are responsible for taking the written midterm and final exams in person.  Amarillo residents will take them in the Math Testing Lab on the Washington Street Campus.  Non-Amarillo residents will be required to locate a proctor at a local college, school, or library and make arrangements for the exams.  Distant residents will also be required to submit their midterm and final notebooks by mail by the deadline posted on the calendar.

7.    You are responsible for getting help when you need it.  On the MyMathLab website, there are power points, videos, and step by step tutorials you can access for each homework problem you complete.  Take advantage of it!  Amarillo residents may obtain free tutoring from the Math Outreach Center on the first floor of Durrett Hall on the Washington Street Campus.  Online tutoring is also available through Smartthinking.

 

ONLINE COMMUNICATION

Your online presence in the course will be established through correspondence with me and public discussions with other students in the course.  Through any venue, disrespectful language will not be tolerated.  Using foul language in emails or discussions will result in receiving a zero for that assignment and possible removal from the course.  You are expected to express yourself with courtesy and consideration at all times.  This attitude of respect also applies to the proctors for the midterm and final exams.

 

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Students who fail to comply with the standards outlined in the syllabus and "Student Rights & Responsibilities" will be subject to disciplinary action, which may include but is not limited to: removal from the course, consultation with the department chair or other AC authority, or withdrawl from the course or college.

Scholastic dishonesty shall constitute a violation of the rules and regulations described in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook under Student Conduct and Responsibilities.  Consequences for cheating may include  receiving a zero for an assignment, permanent removal from the class, or failing the course.

Grading Criteria

Your course grade (90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, 60-69 D, below 60 F) will be calculated using the following weights:

Category	Drop	Weight
MyMathLab Homework Average	lowest 2 assignments	10%
MyMathLab Quiz Average	lowest 2 assignments	10%
Notebook Average (notebook submitted at midterm and final exams)	-----	10%
Online Exams (4 total)	-----	40%
Written Midterm Exam (taken in person)	-----	15%
Written Final Exam (taken in person)	-----	15%

 

Attendance

In addition to attending the required meetings listed above under "Expected Student Behavior," you will also establish your presence online.  Several times per week, you will need to log into Blackboard to obtain the week's assignments and print class notes.  You will also need to check your email, calendar, and grades.  In addition, you will need to log into MyMathLab regularly to complete homework, quizzes, and chapter exams.

To complete the course, you will be required to take the midterm and final exams in person.   The midterm exam and the final exam will be completed by hand with pencil and paper.  For Amarillo residents, these tests must be taken in the Math Testing Lab on the Washington  Street Campus.  For those who live outside of Amarillo, you will be required to take these exams at an approved testing site, such as a testing center at a local school or a public library.

*The written Midterm Exam must be taken in person between Monday, September 11 and Wednesday, September 13 by 10PM.
**The written Final Exam must be taken in person between Monday, October 9 and Wednesday, October 11 by 10PM.

 

 

Calendar

Additional Information

HOMEWORK

Homework will be assigned in two formats: written and online. Online homework involves drill and practice problems to be completed using the MyMathLab website.  Written homework will consist of completing class notes, creating a log of written work that accompanies the online MyMathLab assignments, and building a notebook for submission at the midterm and final exam sessions.

NOTEBOOK

Students will be required to submit a structured notebook for a grade at the midterm and final exam sessions. The notebook must contain a typed coversheet with the student's name, instructor's name, class, and section number. The notebook must also contain five dividers with the following labels: Syllabus, Notes (printed from Blackboard), Homework (to accompay the online HW from MyMathLab), Quizzes (to accompany the online quizzes from MyMathLab), and Reviews (to contain the midterm and final exam review worksheets.)

Notes: Include all notes printed from Blackboard in order.  For full credit, notes must be completely filled in.  You will find the information to complete the notes by reading your textbook or by reading the e-textbook from the MyMathLab website.

Homework:  You must write down all the work necessary to work the problems on MyMathLab.  (Enter answers only into MML.)  For the homework section of your notebook, please start each section of homework on a new page.  Clearly write the section number on the title line at the top of the page.  Number each problem, write down the problem, show all work, and circle or box your answers. Skip a line between problems.  Your notebook grade will depend on how well you document your work from MyMathLab.  Carefully follow these guidelines, and show work for all problems.

Quizzes:  Similarly structure the quiz section of your notebook.  Start each quiz on a new page, write the section number at the top of the page, and document all work for the quiz just how you did for the HW section.

Reviews:  For the Review section, include the completed midterm and final exam review worksheets printed from Blackboard.

 WEEKLY ROUTINE

1.)  LOG IN  TO BLACKBOARD (via the AC Connect portal at www.actx.edu) at the beginning of each week.  Navigate to the link for each week's folder on the menu at the left of the page. 
2.)  READ the Week's Activities document.  Here you will find information about what you need to complete for the week. 
3.)  PRINT AND COMPLETE THE NOTES from the week's folder in Blackboard.  Fill in the blanks, work the problems, and complete the graphs.  Obtain the information by reading the textbook or the e-text book from MyMathLab.  File these notes in your notebook.  This should be completed before you start the homework on MyMathLab.
4.)  WORK THE MyMathLab HOMEWORK at www.pearsonmylab.com. Before you are allowed to take the corresponding quiz, you must make at least 70% on the HW. 
5.)  BUILD YOUR HW LOG.  As you work the homework on MyMathLab, carefully document each problem on notebook paper.  This means you should write the problem from MyMathLab on notebook paper, show all work necessary to complete the problem, and write down the answer.  Enter answers in MyMathLab to check for correctness. File your written work in your notebook.
7.)  TAKE ASSIGNED QUIZZES at www.pearsonmylab.com.  Remember that you will not even have access to the quiz until you make at least 70% on the corresponding section of HW.  Record the problem, the work, and the answer on notebook paper for the Quiz section of your notebook.
6.)  TAKE ASSIGNED REVIEWS AND EXAMS on MyMathLab by the deadlines posted on MyMathLab.

GETTING STARTED WITH MYMATHLAB

 To access MyMathLab where your online homework is located, first log into our course in Blackboard.   You will need the following information:

Student Access Code: If you chose to purchase a new textbook, the student access code can be found in the MyMathLab kit wrapped with your textbook. If you chose not to purchase the textbook, you can buy the access code online with a credit card during the registration process.

Email Address: Use the address you check most often.

To register and enroll

1. Log into your Blackboard course.  Click the MyMathLab link at the left of the page.

   Tip: If you have previously linked your Blackboard and Pearson accounts, you are taken directly to the Pearson payment page. Go to step 4.

2. Review the license agreement and privacy policy and click I Accept.

    If you are prompted to enter a course ID, cancel the procedure and return to step 1.

3. To link your Blackboard and Pearson accounts, enter your Pearson account username and password.

   If you do not have a Pearson account, click Create and follow the instructions.

4. Select an access option:
   • Enter the access code that came with your textbook or was purchased separately from the bookstore.
   • Or, Buy access using a credit card or PayPal account.
   • Or, get temporary access by clicking the link near the bottom of the page.  You will be able to update your account by making a payment at a later time.

5. From the You’re Done page, click Go to My Courses.

   You'll also get a confirmation email.

To get started after registering:

1.)  Log into Blackboard by clicking the AC Connect button at the college website www.actx.edu. 
2.)  Click the MyMathLab link at the left of the page in our course in Blackboard.
3.)  Click the SECOND link, "MyMathLab with Pearson e-text Course Home."
4.)  To work on assignments, click the “Homework” button, and choose the section you wish to complete.
5.) To access the textbook, click the “Chapter Contents” button, and choose the chapter and section you wish to view.
6.) To view a power point presentation of a particular section, click the “Multimedia Library” button, and choose the chapter and section you wish to view or print.
7.) Under the “Homework” button, START YOUR FIRST HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT, “Orientation”

ADDITIONAL FREE RESOURCES FOR HELP

1.)  MyMathLab has videos, examples, and helps for solving the problem at the click of a button as you work your homework.
2.)  Free one-on-one tutoring at the Student Outreach Center. You will need your AC ID to sign in.

Hours:
Monday - Friday:  8AM - 8PM
Saturday:  9AM-8PM
Location:
Washington Street Campus
Durrett Hall (adjacent to Engineering Building)
Room 104

3.)  Free online Smarthinking tutoring on AC Online. This is available 24 hours a day. You will need to log on to AC Connect and navigate to the Smartthinking link to create an account.