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Syllabus Math 820 Section 1240
Pre-Algebra Summer 2009
MiraCosta College
Professor J. Apalatea

Welcome to online Pre-Algebra (Math 820) for the Summer 2009 semester! Please read all of the information in this syllabus very carefully and thoughtfully. You will be referring to this document throughout the semester, so please make a bookmark to it right now so that you can refer to it quickly throughout the semester.

Warning About the Class

There are a few things that you should know up-front about the class.

1. While your class materials (including e-book) are online, this class is NOT a completely online class. There is a requirement to come on-campus to complete some of your assessments. You have one Midterm and one Cumulative Final Exam that must be taken in-person on the MiraCosta campus in the Academic Proctoring Center (APC).
2. Students must be very self-motivated and self-disciplined to succeed in this class. Success in this class also depends on your ability to read and follow written directions (e.g. syllabus, announcements, etc.)
3. This class is taught by using mastery. For the majority of assignments in this class (all homeworks), you are prohibited from moving on to another assignment until you have mastered (80% or higher) the prior assignment.
4. A PC running a recent Windows operating system (2000, XP, or newer) will be needed to access your required material. Your required materials are called MyMathLab or Course Compass, either name is fine. All the computers in the Math Learning Center (MLC) room 1216 at the MiraCosta College Oceanside campus are configured to run MyMathLab/Course Compass. It is NOT required that you have your own computer at home for this class, you may use the computers in the MLC for your entire class.
5. If you have a dial-up internet connection, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS (unless you plan to come to campus to do all of your work). I have had too many problems in the past with students who have dial-up modems getting kicked off the internet in the middle of a graded assignment.
6. If you use AOL as your internet service provider, PLEASE SERIOUSLY CONSIDER NOT TAKING THIS CLASS (unless you plan to come to campus to do all of your homeworks and quizzes). I have had too many problems with past AOL users randomly getting barred from viewing pages, doing graded assignments, etc. because of or by AOL.
7. Technical difficulties are not an excuse for missing assignments. If you have technical difficulties at home that you are not able to solve quickly, you need to plan to come to campus to take the remainder of this class.
8. You have homework assignments due beginning on the first day of classes and a Quiz due the fourth day of classes.

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Instructor Contact Information

Please note that I check the Discussion Boards and Messages multiple times a day M-Th (and most Fridays). On the weekends I spend time with my family and try to leave work "at the office". You can generally expect a response from me within a day or so on the weekdays and within 3 days on the weekends.

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Required Material

The following is required for the class:

1. MyMathLab/ Course Compass Access - Stand Alone Version ­
   Ten Digit ISBN# 013157650X (or Thirteen Digit ISBN# 9780131576506)
   More information about this online tutorial can be found (a new window will open) at the coursecompass web site. Please note that a PC running a recent Windows operating system (2000, XP, or newer) will be needed to access your required material. All the computers in the Math Learning Center (MLC) at MiraCosta College are configured to run MyMathLab/Course Compass.

   It is NOT required that you have your own computer at home for this class, you may use the computers in the MLC for the entire class.

   You can purchase the access code either from the MiraCosta bookstore or online (using a credit card). Step 4 in the online orientation gives you more information about purchasing and registering your required online materials.

   Registration into MyMathLab will be needed in order to complete your mandatory orientation. Failure to purchase and register this required material will result in being dropped from the class.

2. A current MiraCosta ID or valid State/Federal issued ID – You must show current ID to the proctor when you take your on-site assessments (Midterm and Final Exam).
   
3. A scientific calculator (one that raises exponents and takes square roots) for the second half of the class only. NO calculators can be used in this class until after the Midterm. When you take your Final Exam, the APC will provide a calculator for you to use on the exam.
   
4. A notebook for note taking and working problems. Note: I don't usually check your math notebook. However, I may ask to see it (via fax or .pdf) if you begin to fall behind or start consistently scoring low on Quizzes.
   

Please note that your required online class materials already contain the textbook for this class - it's an eBook. You do NOT need to purchase a hardcopy textbook for this class. If you do not like to read eBooks or you don't want to print off your eBook (maybe you want a hardcopy to read at the beach or elsewhere), you might choose to purchase a hardcopy of the textbook from a site like Amazon or eBay. To save money, you could even purchase an older version of the hardcopy book and match the content to your eBook. Please see the Class Welcome Page and Step 4 of your mandatory orientation for more information.

Whether or not you choose to purchase a hardcopy book (most students do not make the additional purchase), you still need to purchase the required online materials (MyMathLab/Course Compass) as it contains all of your homework, quizzes, etc.

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How to Register and Use MyMathLab (MML)

• Please see (a new window will open) Step 4 of your mandatory orientation for instructions.
• Course ID Code: apalatea95063

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Orientation

Students Enrolling on or Before the First Day of Class: You must complete the online orientation by 11:59 pm on Monday June 15. . Please begin the online orientation.as soon as you enroll in the class.

Students Enrolling on the on Second or Third Day of Class: You must complete the online orientation within 24 hours of your enrollment. Please begin the online orientation.as soon as you enroll in the class.

If you do not attend and complete an orientation as stated above, you will be dropped for non-attendance (i.e. dropped for not showing up on the first day of class).

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Quiz, Midterm, and Final Exam Schedule

These dates represent the latest day that you must have taken a particular assessment. Do NOT wait until the last minute to take any assessment If you are not comfortable with these deadlines, please do not take this class.

You may take any assessment before the before the deadline. You will not be allowed to take these assessments after the deadline. After each Quiz/Midterm/Final deadline has passed, a zero will be recorded for that assessment and averaged into your class grade.

Each Quiz may be attempted up to two times. See 'Quiz Procedure' below for more important information.
The Midterm and Final may only be attempted once each. See 'Midterm and Final Exam Procedure' below for more important information.

Please see the tables below as to whether or not a calculator is allowed on each of these assessments.

NO calculator is allowed until Chapter 6 material.
Thus, NO calculator is allowed until after the Midterm Exam. Students using a calculator on any material in Chapters 1-5 will, most likely, fail the Midterm and thus, fail the class.

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Grade Breakdown

Grading Scale

The grades will be calculated as the percentage of the total points possible:
A=90% - 100%
B=80% - 89%
C=70% - 79%
D=60% - 69%
F=Below 60%

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Important Dates

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Instructor Drop Policy

Students may be dropped for the following reasons:

• Not completing the mandatory orientation by the deadline
• Missing multiple assessments
• Note: If you miss a Quiz, Midterm, or Final you will automatically receive a zero on it.
• If you miss a Quiz, you will need to contact me before you may continue on in the class.
• Missing two different Quizzes (or a Quiz and a Midterm) may cause you to be dropped from the class.
• Students are responsible for dropping themselves from this class. Do NOT rely on your instructor to drop you.

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Academic Integrity

Academic integrity will be expected from all. Any breach will be dealt with by a zero on the assignment (which can not be made up) or by failing the class. Please also see the MiraCosta Student Guidebook for more about this issue.

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Discussion Board Procedure

• Built into your MyMathLab online materials are several discussion board forums. When you have questions about the material covered in class or procedural questions not answered in the syllabus or in the announcements, please post your question to the appropriate discussion board. If your question is of a private nature, please send it directly to me via 'Messages'. I will re-direct any non-personal questions back to the discussion boards.)
• Please visit the discussion boards on a regular basis to see if you are able to answer questions that others have asked. Answer other students’ questions if you are able.
• Before you post a question to a discussion board, please check to see if your question has already been answered in a discussion board (check your syllabus and the announcements before posting/asking, too)
• There is also a social discussion board forum. It is not required, but may make your experience in the class more pleasant and interesting. It is a nice place to give encouragement or to voice your frustrations. As always, please be sure to use appropriate language.

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Homework Procedure

• No calculator is allowed on any Homework until after the Midterm.
• There is one Homework assignment for each section that we cover in class.
• Homework assignments can be found in your MyMathLab online materials.
• You may choose to do your Homework assignments at home, at work, in the MLC, etc.
• When you feel that you have learned the material well enough (watching videos, reading the eBook, viewing the Power Point presentations, etc.) to try some exercises, go to the 'Learn' section in MML and open up the chapter and section that you are working on. Select the 'Tracked Tutorial Exercises' and work those until you feel confident. Note that working the 'Tracked Tutorial Exercises' helps you create a Study Plan to know what material you need to study. The 'Tracked Tutorial Exercises' are not part of your grade, so use these to play around and get mastery of the material.
• Please be sure to copy the questions into your math notebook and show all work neatly – even though you will type your answer into the computer. This will help you when you go back over your work later. Also because when I go to grade your paper Midterm and Final, I expect you to show neat, clear, logical, and complete work.
• Once you are correctly doing most of the 'Tracked Tutorial Exercises' for that section, go to the ‘Do Homework’ section in MML and choose the Homework assignment that you need to complete.
• The 'Do Homework' section contains the Homework assignments that count towards your grade and that must be successfully passed with an 80% (or more) in order to move on.
• Homework assignments must be completed in the order assigned.
• Again, please be sure to copy the questions into your math notebook and show all work neatly – even though you will type your answer into the computer.
• Once you have completed a Homework assignment with an 80% or more (you get unlimited chances to earn that 80%), the next Homework assignment will open up for you.
• If you do not earn an 80% on your first try, you just need to rework the problems that you missed. You do NOT need to rework Homework problems that you got correct. Thus, most students actually work the homeworks until they earn 100% (although only 80% is required).
• Once you have satisfactorily (80% or more) completed the last Homework assignment covered for a Quiz, the Quiz will become available for you to take. Please be sure to follow the Quiz Procedure below.
• Each Homework assignment is assigned to be completed no later than a specific day (see your MML calendar). It is STRONGLY advised that you keep up with your Homework assignments and have them completed no later than the day they are due (the day they appear in your MML Calendar). These Homework deadlines will help you keep pace in the class. If absolutely necessary, homework can be completed up through the day of the Quiz – but no later.
• If you do not satisfactorily complete your Homework assignments for a particular Quiz, your Quiz will not open. You can send me a message telling me that you are not going to complete the Homeworks for that Quiz and I will fill in zeros for those Homework assignments. Then your Quiz on that material will appear and you can complete that Quiz. Note, this is NOT recommended as it will mean zeros on assignments which count towards your grade. Also, you need to send me a message and let me know far enough in advance that I can fill in the zeros in time for you to complete your Quiz (at least a full day on the weekdays or two days on the weekends).
• Please do the Homework assignments on your own (NO books, notes, friends, etc.)
• Please remember that No calculator is allowed until Homework 6.1

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Quiz Procedure

• No calculator is allowed on any Quizzes until after the Midterm.
• There is approximately one Quiz for every chapter we cover in class. You have a maximum of two attempts at each Quiz. Your final score on a Quiz will the the average of both attempts (or the first score you earn if you choose to attempt the Quiz only once).
• Quizzes can be found in your online MyMathLab/Course Compass materials.
• Please pay attention to the date and time that each Quiz is due. If you choose to wait until the day that a Quiz is due, pay special attention to the time that it is due. The Quiz will automatically close at that time whether or not you are done.
• Your Quiz will become available to you once the last Homework assignment covered on that Quiz has been completed with an 80% or more. Please remember that Homework assignments and Quizzes must be completed in order. Thus, you do not have access to a Quiz until you have completed all Homework assignments (for a particular Quiz) with an 80% or more.
• When you think that you are ready for the Quiz, open up your MyMathLab and go to the take the ‘Take a Quiz' area and take a Practice Quiz. Practice Quizzes do not count as part of your grade but will help you greatly on the actual Quiz.
• Study the sections of the questions you missed on the Practice Quiz until you can complete those types of problems successfully. Try the Practice Quiz again until you feel confident that you will do well on the real Quiz.
• Once you are ready to take a Quiz, go to the ‘Take a Quiz' area.
• Open the Quiz which you wish to take. Please be sure that you have completed the Homework assignments required for your Quiz to be available.
• Please be sure to copy the Quiz questions into your math notebook and show all work neatly – even though you will type your answer into the computer. This will help you when you go back over your work later. Also because when I go to grade your paper midterm and final, I expect you to show neat, clear, logical, and complete work.
• NO notes, friends, books, references, or the like are allowed while taking a Quiz.
• Please be sure that you have ample time to complete the Quiz in one sitting. Each Quiz is approximately 25 questions.
• Although there is no time limit on a Quiz, allow yourself at least 60-90 minutes for each Quiz.
• When you are done with your Quiz, click on ‘Submit Test' and your Quiz will be automatically graded.
• If the Quiz marks something as wrong that you think is right (e.g. you type in – ½ and the Quiz says that the correct answer is -1/2), please send me a message and I'll take a look at it and possibly give you points back. Please do this only once you are done with all of your attempts for that Quiz.
• If you do not complete your Homework assignments for a particular Quiz, your Quiz will not open. You can email me and tell me that you are not going to complete the Homeworks for that Quiz and I will fill in zeros for those Homework assignments. Then your Quiz on that material will open and you can complete that Quiz. Note, this is NOT recommended as it will mean zeros on assignments which count towards your grade. Also, you need to email me and let me know far enough in advance that I can fill in the zeros in time for you to complete your Quiz (at least a full day on the weekdays or two days on the weekends).
• Failure to take a Quiz will result in a zero for that Quiz and for any unfinished associated Homework assignments.
• If you miss a Quiz, you will need to contact me before you may continue on in the class.
• Please do the Homework assignments on your own (NO books, notes, friends, etc.)

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Midterm and Final Exam Procedure

• You have one Midterm Exam and one Final Exam. Midterms and Final Exams are paper-and-pencil tests which do NOT involve a computer.
• Midterms and Final Exams are proctored on campus in-person in the Academic Proctoring Center (APC)..a
• You will need to plan ahead of time when you will go to them to take your Midterm and Final Exam. You will need to make an appointment with the APC to take your exams.
• Below are the steps that you will follow when you are taking your Midterm/Final (the proctor may add a few steps, too):
  • You must show the proctor a current MIRACOSTA ID or current State/Federal issued ID.
  • The proctor will give you a blank Midterm/Final and send you to a desk/table to complete your exam.
  • Show all work on the exam.
  • NO scratch paper is to be used. Use the front and back sides of the exam ONLY.
  • NO notes, books, reference sheets, etc. are allowed while taking an exam. Place everything except your exam, calculator (if allowed), and pencil/eraser under your desk/table where you can not see them (or put them wherever the proctor tell you to).
  • NO cell phones or pagers are allowed while taking a Midterm/Final. Turn them off and place them under your desk/table where you can not see them (or wherever the proctor tells you to).
  • While taking a Midterm/Final, you may not be listening to any kind of music player or similar device.
  • The APC will furnish you with a calculator to use on your Final Exam (NO calculators are allowed on the Midterm or on any assessments prior).
  • Each Midterm/Final must be completed in one sitting. Please be sure to use the restroom before you begin your Midterm/Final (please contact me if you have a verifiable medical reason that you are not able to site for 2-3 hours without using the restroom).
  • If you must leave during a Midterm/Final, your Midterm/Final will be collected and given to me regardless of how many problems have been completed. It will be graded on whatever work is completed.
  • Show all work. Be as neat as possible. Partial credit may be given. No credit may be given for guessing. If you show no work, you may get no points on that question. So, please show work (your set up, etc.) even if you think the question is easy.
  • If you do not show work, you may not receive full credit on problems where you get the right answer. Stating, "I typed numbers into my calculator and this is the answer I got!" is not considered showing work.
  • There is no time limit on the Midterm, however you should leave yourself at least 2 - 3 hours to complete the Midterm. The Midterm is 25-40 questions.
  • There is no time limit on the Final Exam, however, you should leave yourself at least of 2 - 3 hours to complete it. The Final Exam is 25-40 questions.
  • If you do not allow enough time to finish and the Academic Proctoring Center is closing (or you must leave), there is nothing the proctor can do for you. Your Midterm/Final will be collected and it will be graded on whatever work is completed.
  • When you are done, hand in your answer sheet to the proctor and it will be returned to me.
• Once your Midterm/Final has been graded by hand (it will take approximately 1 - 1½ weeks), your score will be entered into your MyMathLab gradebook.

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Assessment Results

• Homework results will be given as soon as you complete the assignment. Your grade on each Homework assignment will appear in the MML gradebook automatically.
• Quiz grades will be given as soon as you complete the assignment. Your grade on each assignment will appear in the MML gradebook automatically.
• Midterm/Final results will appear in your MML gradebook within 1 - 1½ weeks of taking it.
• If you would like to have a copy of your Midterm once it has been graded, I can scan it and email you a .pdf of your Midterm. Please request this via email within a week of completing the Midterm.
• If you would like to have a copy of your Final Exam once it has been graded, I can scan it and email a .pdf of it to you. Please request this via email BEFORE completing the Final Exam (at least 2 days before the last day of the semester).
  

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Guide to Success in Your Online Class

***Get to know MyMathLab! *** Everything you need to be successful is contained in this program.

Consult the Announcements and Assignment Schedule/Course Calendar and Discussion Boards in MyMathLab several times each day.

1. Watch the video lectures for the sections you are working on. As with any other math lecture, TAKE NOTES in your math notebook and work the problems along with the teacher.
2. Read the eBook and work each example in your math notebook.
3. Watch the Power Point presentations.
4. Work the 'Tracked Tutorial Exercises' until you are earning approximately 80%.
5. Do the assigned Homework.
6. Post questions to the Discussion Board if you have any. Answer other students’ questions if you are able to.
7. Come in to the MLC to get help with questions/concepts that you still don’t understand.
8. Practice then rework any missed homework problems until you earn at least an 80% on that Homework.
9. Do this for each homework assignment until the last homework before a Quiz on that material.
10. Review for the Quiz and take the Practice Quiz.
11. See your Study Plan for what types of problems you missed and study further those sections/objectives.
12. Once you understand the material on the homeworks and Practice Quiz, take the graded Quiz.
13. If you are not happy with your score, study and attempt the graded Quiz again. Your score will be the average of both attempts (or your first score if you only attempt the Quiz once).
14. Repeat the steps 1-13 for all chapters that prepare you for the Midterm.
15. Use to Practice Midterm to help you study for the Midterm. Post to the Midterm Discussion Board if you have questions or can help answer questions.
16. Take the Midterm in the APC.
17. Repeat steps 1-13 for all chapters between the Midterm and Final.
18. Study for the Final Exam. Be sure to use the Practice Final to help you study. Post to the Final Exam Discussion Board if you have questions or can help answer questions.
19. Take the Final Exam in the APC.

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Resources

The Academic Proctoring Center (APC)

Your Midterm and Final Exam are proctored assessments (i.e. you must come to the MiraCosta campus to take them). All will be proctored in the Academic Proctoring Center (APC). The Academic Proctoring Center has various hours of operation. Please see the Academic Proctoring Center's web page for their times and locations. Also, there is a section in your MyMathLab materials with links to the APC. You must schedule an appointment with the APC to take your Midterm and Final Exam.

The Math Learning Center (MLC)

The Math Learning Center is a place where all MiraCosta College mathematics students can come to get help for free. The Aides and Student Workers are there to help you. It is a great place to study (or do class work on their computers) because you have immediate help if you get stuck. They are aware of my online students not being allowed any help on homeworks and quizzes, so please don't try to cheat. Please feel free to ask them their help on the Practice Quizzes or Tracked Tutorial Exercises.

If you have a need for more than just a few minutes of help, you can make a free 1-hour private one-on-one tutoring appointment with the Tutoring and Academic Support Center (TASC) at x6698 or x7748. They may or may not do online math tutoring depending on their availability of staff and budget.

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American Disability Act

Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, or psychological, who believe that they may need accommodations in this class, are encouraged to contact Disabled Students Programs & Services as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely manner. Their phone number is 795-6658 and they are located in Building 3000-Student Services, Room 3009, adjacent to Parking lot 3C.

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Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will be able to translate applied problems with ratio and proportion into computational problems involving a variable and solve.
2. Students will be able to verify solutions of linear equations.
3. Students will be able to apply the rules of signed numbers and rules of exponents to simplify algebraic expressions.

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