NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE COURSE SYLLABUS

Transcription

1 NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE COURSE SYLLABUS The North Central Texas College (NCTC) Course Syllabus provides the following as required by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB): (1) a brief description of the course including each major course requirement, assignment and examination; (2) the learning objectives for the course; (3) a general description of the subject matter of each lecture or discussion; and (4) any required or recommended readings. Contact information for the instructor is also provided. The Course Syllabus also provides institutional information to indicate how this course supports NCTC s purpose and mission. Information specific to a particular section of the course will be included in the Class Syllabus and distributed to enrolled students. Course Title: Beginning Algebra Course Prefix & Number: MATH 0305 Section Number: 311 Term Code: 131s Semester Credit Hours: 3 Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 0 Course Description (NCTC Catalog): This course includes basic algebraic concepts and notations; algebraic expressions and equations, factoring polynomials and graphing. Some algebra is required. This course does not count toward graduation at NCTC. Course Prerequisite(s): Pass Math 0303 with a C or better or THEA score placement. Course Type: - Academic General Education Course (from Academic Course Guide Manual but not in NCTC Core) - Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course - WECM Course Name of Instructor: Campus/Office Location: Telephone Number: Address: Office Hours: Gerri Evans gevans@nctc.edu Virtual hours by appointment Name of Chair/Coordinator: Linda Fuqua Office Location: Gainesville Campus MSS 823 & Corinth Campus Telephone Number: Gainesville & Corinth Address: lfuqua@nctc.edu (lowercase Q, not G) REQUIRED OR RECOMMENDED COURSE MATERIALS Required: MyLabsPlus Access Code Current address Non-graphing scientific calculator (*No graphing calculators allowed) Recommended: Tobey, Slater, Blair, & Crawford: Beginning and Intermediate Algebra, Pearson, 2013, 4 rd ed. (**e-textbook is included with the MyLabsPlus Access Code) TI-30X IIS calculator Headphones (for online lectures) Notebook MyLabsPlus website = 1

2 COURSE REQUIREMENTS, EVALUATION METHODS, AND GRADING CRITERIA # of Graded Course Elements Graded Course Elements Percentage or Points Values Approx. 33 Homework 10% Approx. 16 Quizzes 10% 4 Regular Exams 60% 1 Final Exam (required of all students) 20% Grade Scale: % = A; 80 89% = B; 70 79% = C; Below 70% = F HOMEWORK, QUIZZES, AND TESTS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES All homework, quizzes, and tests are completed online in MyMathLab (MML). You will need an access code and a course id to register at Read the announcements in Angel for instructions, and the Attendance Policy Notification that you must sign and submit no later than September 1, 2013 Plug-ins: You will need to download some plug-ins before viewing assignments. There are several places in MML for you to run the Installation Wizard. These plug-ins do not take very long to download. They are required for you to view the assignments and to generate new problems. Please call MML Technical Support at if you have issues downloading the plug-ins. I cannot answer technical computer problems. Homework: Homework is 10% of your overall grade. The homework is set up so that you have multiple attempts at each problem for a full understanding of the concept. Each problem may be done more than one time, or you may choose to do unlimited exercises of the same problem for your understanding. There are various help resources available in MLP. Each problem contains a Help Me Solve This and View an Example button. Please be aware that when you use "Help Me Solve This", you will need to complete a similar problem to receive full credit. Videos accompany certain exercises. For a comprehensive choice of videos, use the Multimedia option in MLP to choose your chapter and section that you would like to see. When you are doing your homework, you will notice an Ask My Instructor button. If you click on this, you can send me an with a link to the specific problem you are working on. Please be specific with your question. Tell me what steps you have already taken, and what numbers you computed at each step. When I reply to any sent from within MLP, the reply will go to your Lion Pride account. **Please note that the videos listed with the homework are NOT part of your grade. Quizzes: Quizzes are 10% of your grade. You are limited to 5 attempts at each quiz. If you use your 5 attempts, then you may me to raise your attempts. However, if you use all 5 attempts, then that means that you do not have an understanding of the material and I will not increase those attempts until you have shown additional work, in either the homework or study plan sections. You will need to me at gevans@nctc.edu to notify me. The grade book will only use the highest grade from multiple attempts. You must score at least an 80% on a quiz to be able to move on to the next homework assignment/quiz in a unit. Once you have taken all the quizzes in a unit and passed with an 80% or better, you are ready to take the practice test! Tests: Tests are 60% of your grade. At the end of each unit, you will take a Practice Test to determine your readiness for the Test. The Practice Test does NOT count in your average and may be repeated if needed. You must make a 70% on a Practice Test in order to take the unit Test. Each test will be taken online through nctc.mylabsplus.com. Partial credit will be given where work is shown and correct. Students will be allowed to use a non-graphing calculator on some of the tests, but cannot use notes or other class 2

3 materials. You must make a 70% or better in order to move on to the next unit. You will be limited to 1 attempt per test. If you do not score 70% or better on the test you need to show additional work, in either the homework, practice test, or study plan sections for me to give you another attempt at the unit test. You will need to me at gevan@nctc.edu to notify me. The grade book will use the highest grade from multiple attempts if multiple attempts are necessary. Final Exam: The final exam will be comprehensive and is required of all students and is 20% of your final grade. The final exam may be taken on nctc.mylabsplus.com as soon as all units are completed. You will be given one (1) attempt on the final exam. The final exam must be taken on or by December 10, :59PM Central Time. Course information: This course is set up as self-paced/mastery-based. To access each quiz you must complete the associated homework assignments first. You must pass every quiz with at least an 80% to gain access to the next homework/quizzes. You must pass every quiz with at least an 80% to gain access to the test review. You must pass the test review with at least a 70% to gain access to the test. You must pass the test with at least a 70% to gain access to the next chapter, and so forth. This means that if you are not able to complete all the assignments by the end of the semester that you will not pass the course (receive an F). However, if that is the case, then the following semester, if you sign up with me again, you will be able to pick up where you leave off instead of having to start a new semester from the start. Because of this, the grade book is set up on a cumulative basis (not a current average). You have zeros for assignments not yet completed. You start your grade with a 0, and it increases as you complete assignments (always up, never down). All grades are kept in MML. You can look at your grade as the grade you would receive if today were the end of the semester. Grade book: The grade book in MML keeps a running average of your grade. I go over all quizzes and tests. I look for answers that are technically correct, but have not been submitted in good form. An example would be an answer of 14/16 that has not been simplified to 7/8. Your answers will be more complicated than this example, but you get the idea that I will be looking for answers that are technically correct. ATTENDANCE POLICY Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all College Prep classes for which they have registered. There are NO excused absences. The Department of College Preparatory Studies will notify students of absences reported by instructors and one courtesy warning notification will be sent to the students current NCTC student address when the student accrues 3 hours absence in a course. Failure to read and/or receive NCTC e- mail is no excuse for not complying with the Attendance Policy. It is the student's responsibility to maintain correct and current and local and permanent addresses with the college. After a student has been absent from class 6 hours, the student may be dropped. If the student is dropped from the only College Prep class in which he/she is enrolled and is TSI liable, the student will be DROPPED from all remaining courses for that semester. Inform the instructor in writing during the first week of class of any religious holidays observed this semester. Documentation must be given to the instructor at the class following the holiday. CLASS RULES 1. How attendance is counted: You must log in and complete assignments (homework/quizzes/test/final exam) on a weekly basis. Even if you are ahead you must still log in and complete an assignment/quiz/test each week UNTIL YOU HAVE TAKEN AND COMPLETED THE FINAL EXAM!!~ This is the way I take attendance. 3

4 4 MATH 0305 ONLINE 2. Work ahead on the assignments instead of falling behind (remember if something can go wrong it will). 3. The definition of the week for attendance purposes: Our week will run from Monday 12:00AM Central Time to Sunday 11:59PM Central Time every week beginning with the first day of class, which is August 26, If you live by one of the NCTC campuses you may go to the Math Lab during their posted hours for additional help I check my daily, and sometimes more. Please me with any questions, problems, or concerns you have. On business days (Monday-Friday) will respond within 24 hours. On weekends please allow 48 hours. If needed, we can schedule an online chat to address any concerns you have as well. (The times I am available for online chat vary but are mostly evenings and weekends). 6. The best way to contact me: Please use gevans@nctc.edu for all correspondence. (If you use the in nctc.mylabsplus.com, this is the address the correspondence will be sent to). 7. Understand where your responses will be sent to. If you send me an from your personal account (i.e. yahoo, gmail, aol, Hotmail, etc.) then the reply will go back to that address. If you send an from within Angel, the reply will go to the address you have on file in the system (I hit reply and that is the default address). If you send an from within MyLabsPlus (through communication or by Ask My Instructor ), the reply will go to your Lion Pride account. TSI COMPLIANCE At North Central Texas College, students who test but do not meet the passing scores in ALL sections of the THEA or any other THECB approved testing measurements are required by state law to obtain TSI advising and continuously enroll in a formal college preparatory studies (developmental) program every semester until all TSI requirements are satisfied. TSI program attendance is MANDATORY. Non-compliance with the rules of attendance will result in a student being WITHDRAWN from the college preparatory course and possibly from North Central Texas College. Withdrawals are subject to college policies as set forth in the college catalog. INSTITUTIONAL LEARNING GOALS A quality general education curriculum in all associate degree programs. Quality freshman and sophomore level courses in arts and sciences which parallel the lower division offerings of fouryear colleges and universities. Quality technical programs leading directly to careers in semi-skilled and skilled occupations, and quality technical education programs up to two years in length leading to certificates and associate degrees. Quality programs and services in support of adult literacy and basic skills development as a mean of workforce enhancement and expanding access to higher education. PROGRAM PURPOSE STATEMENT NCTC seeks to implement its goal of providing quality programs and services in support of adult literacy and basic skills development as a means of workforce enhancements and expanding access to higher education by preparing students for college level course work by strengthening reading, writing, and mathematical skills. DEPARTMENTAL PURPOSE STATEMENT The purpose of the College Preparatory Studies Department is to strengthen the academic skills of underprepared students in order to help them succeed in college level coursework. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES At the completion of the course the student should be able to: 1. Define, represent, and perform operations on real numbers. 2. Recognize, understand, and analyze features of a function. 3. Recognize and use algebraic (field) properties, concepts, procedures (including factoring), and algorithms to combine, transform, and evaluate polynomial expressions. 4. Identify and solve polynomial equations. 5. Identify and solve linear inequalities. 6. Model, interpret and justify mathematical ideas and concepts using multiple representations.

5 7. Connect and use multiple strands of mathematics in situations and problems, as well as in the study of other disciplines. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF SUBJECT MATTER FOR EACH LECTURE/DISCUSSION Topic General Description of Subject Matter Equations, Inequalities, & Solving linear equations involving multiple steps; solve linear inequalities; Applications solve application problems for an unknown amount Graphing & Functions Graphing points in the coordinate plane; finding the slope of a line; graphing lines using slope and intercept; writing equations of lines; and introduction to functions and functional notation Systems of Linear Equations Solving systems of linear equations using various methods; solve application problems for two unknown amounts Exponents & Polynomials Simplify algebraic expressions using exponent rules; multiply and divide in scientific notation; combine polynomials with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division Factoring Use the Greatest Common Factor to factor expressions; recognize and use factoring patters for various types of polynomials; solve quadratic equations by factoring MATH LAB Students who need help with any math class, from Math 0303 to Math 2414, can visit the NCTC Mathematics Lab to receive assistance from our well-trained Math Tutors. No appointments are necessary to meet with a Math Tutor. The Math Lab is a walk-in lab on campus, where tutors circulate, helping students as they work through math problems. TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE: GAINESVILLE 114 CORINTH 182 FLOWER MOUND Mon., Tues., & Thurs. 9 am 4 pm Mon., Tues., & Wed. 9 am 6 pm Mon. & Wed 9 am 3 pm Wed. 9 am 6 pm Thurs. 9 am 4 pm Tues. & Thurs. 2 pm 4 pm Fri. 10 am 2 pm Fri. 9 am 3 pm Fri. 9 am 11 am Online 24/7 Tutoring - Offered by GradeResults Tutoring available for most college courses including mathematics, reading and writing, and science Access GradeResults by Angel or going to Use your ANGEL username and the password - studentsuccess - to login. Last day to Withdraw Student Rights & Responsibilities Scholastic Integrity For the Fall 2013 semester, the last day to withdraw from a course with a W is November 15, NCTC Board policy FLB (Local) Student Rights and Responsibilities states that each student shall be charged with notice and knowledge of the contents and provisions of the rules and regulations concerning student conduct. These rules and regulations are published in the Student Handbook published in conjunction with the College Catalog. All students shall obey the law, show respect for properly constituted authority, and observe correct standards of conduct. Scholastic dishonesty shall constitute a violation of college rules and regulations and is punishable as prescribed by Board policies. Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES 5

6 Disability Accommodations MATH 0305 ONLINE The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. A disability is anything that can interfere with learning, such as a learning disability, psychological challenge, physical illness or injury. Accommodations may include extra time on tests, tests in a distraction reduced environment, volunteer note taker in class, etc. On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 in the Administration (100) Building or call Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call to arrange for an intake appointment with OSD. North Central Texas College is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L ). Student Success Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Veterans Service Tobacco-Free Campuses The Student Success Center is designed to help all students at NCTC develop tools to achieve their academic goals. This program also links students to FREE tutoring, including a Writing Center, a Math Lab, and free 24/7 online tutoring and helps new students acclimate to college by providing computer lab services for prospective students. All students are invited to visit the Student Success Center on the Corinth Campus go to rooms 170, 182, or 188; on the Gainesville Campus go to rooms 114 or 111; on the Flower Mound Campus go to room 111, on the Bowie Campus go to room 124. The Financial Aid Office is responsible for administering a variety of programs for students who need assistance in financing their education. The first step for financial aid is to complete a FAFSA. For more information, please visit your nearest Financial Aid Office. Beginning January 1, 2012, ALL campuses of North Central Texas College will be tobacco-free. NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco on campus property. Information on tobacco cessation program is available for students, faculty, staff who wish to stop using tobacco products. Go to and click on "Tobacco Cessation Programs" for more information. For questions or concerns please contact the Office of Vice President of Student Services at