CLAST Competencies:

This course reinforces the arithmetic CLAST competencies and teaches some of the algebra CLAST competencies. You will learn (or review) mathematics skills including arithmetic skills, geometry and measurement skills, algebra skills, reading skills including literal and critical comprehension skills, and English language skills.

Valencia Core competencies: TVCA

Valencia faculty has defined four interrelated competencies (Value, Think, Communicate and Act) that prepare students to succeed in the world community. These competencies are complex abilities that are essential to lifelong success. This course will help you develop and demonstrate the abilities to (1) think clearly, critically, and creatively; (2) communicate with others verbally and in written form; (3) make reasoned value judgments and responsible commitments; and (4) act purposefully, reflectively, and responsibly. Due to the nature of these global competencies many problems and activities will be presented in the context of an application. These applications will require students to select appropriate information from the problem and communicate effectively how to arrive at an appropriate solution.

Attendance Policy:

Due to the nature of this online course, on-campus attendance in the traditional sense cannot be enforced. However, the frequency of your visitations to the course sites will be monitored. In the event of an extended absence – that is, not logging onto course sites (WebCT and/or Academic Systems Algebra) for more than 3 days, or not replying to my emails in a timely manner (within 48 hours) –  you should contact your instructor as soon as possible to indicate the reason for the inactivity. If your absences become extreme (5 days or more), you may receive an excessive absence notification and may be withdrawn from this course.

Work Requirement:

Instruction in this course does not involve classroom lectures.  You will learn the material by reading the sections and doing the problems outlined in the Topics section in WebCT. This online course is challenging, time consuming, and it is not intended for everyone. Only  highly motivated, highly discipline and highly organized students, that can read the book and can learn the material by themselves, are successful in this course. Working with Mathematics should not be an issue for you. MyMathLab (MML) will have a limited tutorial with videos. MyMathLab (MML) will be used mainly as a testing tool for doing online Homework and taking online Quizzes . All instructional materials used throughout the course, as well as the scheduled activities, support and promote the achievement of the stated learning outcomes and unit learning objectives. (You can find the course learning outcomes and unit learning objectives on the WebCT page.) I will act as facilitator and will guide you in your learning experience. Again: I will not be teaching you the course in the traditional sense, because this is not the purpose of this online course. If you need someone to explain to you every concept, this course is not for you, and I suggest you take a classroom course.

Examinations:

There will be online homework and online quizzes for each section covered, three (3) on-site test and comprehensive (Cumulative) on-site tests Final. Any of the four (4) on-site examinations may have two parts (calculator/No calculator). On-site examinations will be closed book/ no notes, pencil and paper test.  All on-site tests have to be taken at a Valencia Testing Center, or at a certified proctoring center. There will be no set time limit to take any of the on-site examinations. Each test (including the Final Exam) can be taken up to two times; the higher of the two scores is the one that will count. Since the tests are algorithmically generated, when you retake a test you will get a different version of the test. The examinations can be taken at any Valencia Campus. If you plan to take examinations outside  Valencia, you must inform me, and you must follow the instructions found at the Proctoring link. Students living in the vicinity of one of the Valencia Campuses must take the tests at Valencia.

You must take each test after completion of the computer Homework and quizzes and after studying the "Topics and Concepts section in WebCT.  Tests must be taken according to the schedule. You can take the tests at any time on or before the deadline date, but never after!

Since the test have problems from a test bank, you can only see your test in my office after the test deadline. I can not give you a copy of the test for you to review, once you have taken it.

Grades:

There will be a total of six (6) grades in the course. An Online homework/quiz grade (one grade), three on-site tests (one grade each) and an on-site Final Exam (two grades). Your course grade will be the average of those 6 grades.  Test problems are similar to homework problems and examples in the book.

The final grade for this course will be derived from the following sources:

Three tests (Testing Center tests)                                                  50%

300 points (each test is 100 points)

Online quizzes and online homework                                             16.6%    

100 points (50 points quizzes/50points online homework)

 Final exam (Comprehensive Testing Center test)                            33.4%

200 points

The grading scale is as follows:

A  90-100%     B  80-89%       C  70-79%       D  60-69%       F  Below 60%

What it takes to earn each grade:

   A      600-540 points

   B      539-480 points

  C      479-420 points

   D      419-360 points

   F       359-0 points

Students that stop coming to class without withdrawing or do not take the final exam will receive a grade of 'F'.  Students that withdraw after withdrawal deadline will receive a WP or WF based upon the student’s average at the last day of attendance. A withdraw-passing grade “WP” will be assigned to students who withdraw after the withdrawal deadline and have a grade of at least 60%.  A withdraw-failing ”WF” grade will be assigned to students who withdraw after the withdrawal date and have a grade less than 60%.The last day for students to withdraw from the course is the official last day of classes. Students can not withdraw a course during Final Exams Week.

Borderline policy:

If your course average is borderline (that is, 89, 79, 69, 59) after taking the final exam for the first time, you must retake the test if you want to have the opportunity to raise your course average to the next grade level.

Taking your MAC 1140 online tests:

The tests in this course will be submitted electronically via WebCT at the testing center. At the testing center, you will login to WebCT http://online.valenciacc.edu with your login name and password. Once in WebCT, under the Course Tools select “Assessments.” There you will find both the No-Calculator and Calculator parts of the tests. When you open the No-calculator part, the program will ask for a password. The testing center personnel or proctor will type a password for you. For both parts of the tests you will be allowed to use paper and pencil for calculations, of course. The testing center will provide the scratch paper which will be collected.

 As you answer the test questions, I suggest that you select “Save answers” after each problem you have completed. By doing this, if the power goes out you will not lose your work. Even if you save your answers, you can go always go back and change them. Once you finish this part, make sure you select “Save All,” and click on “Finish.” If you do not select Finish, your test will not be sent and graded. Immediately after you submit your test, the computer will give you the test score for that part.

Once you finish the No-calculator part, contact your proctor to start the Calculator Part (if any). The proctor will again provide a password. When you are done with this second part, make sure you select Save All, and then Finish. All the tests have no time limit. I recommend that you allow at least two hours to take each test (two hours or more). Both parts of each test have to be taken the same day. Again, since there is no time limit, there should be no reason to leave any question unanswered because you ran out of time.

Each test (including the Final Exam) can be taken up to two times; the higher of the two scores is the one that will count. Since the tests are algorithmically generated, when you retake a test you will get a different version of the test.

The deadline specified in the Weekly Schedule is the last day you have to take both versions of each test.  Since these dates will not change, I suggest that you take the first version of the test several days before the deadline. This way, if you need a retake, you have time to study for it.  You cannot attempt a retake the same day you take the test for the first time! If you retake on the same day, only the first attempt will count. Your second attempt will be deleted from WebCT.

Schedule your test-taking dates and times efficiently! I am not limiting you when taking tests, so please do not limit yourself.

At any time, you can see your tests grades in the 'My Grades' tab in WebCT. In My Grades, disregard the last two entries (course average and course grade). They will have no meaning until all the scores are in, at the end of the course.

At any time, you can find your course average by finding the quiz/homework grade in MML. Now, average this grade with the other test grades. That will be your course average at that time.

Make-Up:

NO make-up tests will be given. If you miss any tests due to a medical emergency or legal situation (for example, Jury Duty), that grade may be replaced by the grade of the final exam only if documentation is received and approved by the instructor. It is the student responsibility to provide such documentation. If the absence is not justified, the final exam’s score may still replace one missed test, but the highest grade that the student can achieve is an 80 (that is, there is a penalty of 20 points for having missed the test). If a test grade is replaced with the final exam grade, the final exam will count double. Only one test can be replaced per academic term.

Taking Online Quizzes in MML:

When you are ready to take an online Quiz, login to Course Compass and in Course Home, select the 'Take a Test' tab. Do not hit submit until you have finished all the questions. You can take each quiz two times; the highest score will count. Each section will have a 5 multiple choice questions quiz. You will have 30 minutes to complete each quiz. You will be able to see the answers after the quiz deadline. Every time you do a quiz, your quiz grade will be updated in your Gradebook. It is the student's responsibility to check their Gradebook to ensure that the quiz was submitted successfully.To deal with any computer or technical problem that may arise, you should always take any examination at least one day before the due day. If you wait until the last minute to do the online work, I am not responsible for last minute technical difficulties.

Non Graded Assessment:

Rules and Tips for Taking Tests at the Testing Center:

You will need at least 2 hours to complete each math test. Whether you are taking your tests at East Campus or at another Valencia campus, you are responsible for finding out their hours of operation.

Here is a link to Valencia's Testing Centers. It provides information on their locations, contact information, and hours of operation: http://www.valenciacc.edu/testingcenter/contact.asp

* Bring your Valencia issued Photo ID, otherwise, you will not be given the test! Not having a Valencia ID is not an excuse for missing a test!

The Valencia ID can be obtained at the Student Development office of your campus. The Student Development office is open from Monday to Friday during regular business hours. Call for details. Click on this link for their contact information:

http://www.valenciacc.edu/studentdev/centers.cfm

Not having a Valencia ID is not an excuse for missing a test.

* Do not bring food or beverages to the testing center.

* Cell phones and other electronic devices (beepers, watch alarms, etc.) must be turned off and stowed away during testing. If your phone rings (same for beepers, etc.), you will be asked to stop testing and sign out, and you will miss one of the two opportunities you have to take the test. Ouch! Do not let this happen to you!

* All memory and programs should be erased from your calculator before taking tests.

* Allow enough time to take a test. The Testing Center will not give a test the last hour before closing (for example, if the Center closes at 9:00 p.m., the last test is given out at 8:00 p.m.); it will not give a Final Exam within two hours of closing.

* In addition to these rules, your instructor’s test policies will apply.

Student Code of Conduct:

Valencia Community College is dedicated not only to the advancement of knowledge and learning but is concerned with the development of responsible personal and social conduct.  By enrolling at Valencia, a student assumes the responsibility for knowing and abiding by the rules articulated in the Student Code of Conduct (6Hx28:10-03, 6Hx28-10-18). Students are required to see http://valenciacc.edu/generalcounsel for full details. The primary responsibility for managing the classroom environment rests with the faculty.  Students who engage in any prohibited or unlawful acts that result in disruption of a class may be directed by the faculty member to leave the class.  Violation of any classroom or Valencia’s rules may lead to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from Valencia.  Disciplinary action could include being withdrawn from class, disciplinary warning, probation, suspension, expulsion, or other appropriate and authorized actions.

In addition, Valencia Community College strives to provide a drug-free learning environment for all those involved in the academic experience.

Policy: In compliance with the provisions of the Federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1989, Valencia Community College will take such steps as are necessary in order to adopt and implement a program to prevent the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol by Valencia Community College students or employees on college premises or as part of any college activity. The student code of conduct applies to the online classroom environment as well.

Withdrawal:

If you decide to withdraw from this course, you must follow the proper ATLAS procedure.  Students should familiarize themselves with Valencia Community College’s withdrawal policy.  The withdrawal deadline for the Fall 2009 term is Friday November 6, 2009. After this date, any student withdrawing from this course will receive either a WP or WF, based upon the student’s average at the last day of attendance. 

 Academic Honesty:

All students are expected to be in complete compliance with the policies on academic honesty (see the Valencia Community College website for details on this policy, 6Hx28-10-16 ). Students are required to see http://valenciacc.edu/generalcounsel for full details. In no instance will cheating of any type be tolerated in this course. Students who violate any of Valencia’s academic honesty policies will risk penalties that can go from receiving a grade of “F” to dismissal from class and/or expulsion from the college. The professor reserves the right to determine the appropriate penalties within the aforementioned policies

Important Dates:

Caution: The last day to login to MML is Friday January 22, 2010. After this date, if you have not started working online, you will be withdrawn from the course (as a No-Show) for excessive absences (see the attendance policy).

Withdrawal Deadline: Friday March 26, 2010

Final Exam Deadline:  Monday April 26, 2010

Academic Support:

In addition to the computer lessons and guidance and assistance from your instructor, you have supplementary academic support:

1. Tutors can be assigned to students through the Tutoring Center.

2. Math Support Center (walk in tutoring) Great Help!

3. Video tapes and tutorial software are available at the Instructional Media Center.

Here is a link to the tutoring services: http://www.valenciacc.edu/tutoring

The following link will provide you with more information on our math resources:

 http://www.valenciacc.edu/math

For computer lab hours, click here: http://www.valenciacc.edu/labs

Student with Disabilities:

Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a

letter from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs

with the professor, preferably during the first week of class. The Office for Students with

Disabilities (East: Bldg 5-216) determines accommodations based on appropriate

documentation of disabilities. The goal at the OSD is to open doors, remove barriers

and assist you in any way they can. The key to success is matching your needs to the

services provided. Please discuss your individual needs with your instructor. 

Valencia’s OSD can be found online at http://www.valenciacc.edu/osd

Student Support Services:

Here are some links that you can use for additional help in areas that affect your learning experience at Valencia, such as advising, registration, financial aid, and others. I hope that you find them useful:

Answer center: http://valenciacc.edu/studentservices/AnswerCenter.cfm

Advising and counseling: http://www.valenciacc.edu/advising

How-to site (provides help with registration, financial aid, etc.): http://www.valenciacc.edu/students/howto

Help with career and educational goals (LifeMap): http://www.valenciacc.edu/lifemap

For assistance with planning your class schedule, please visit with an academic advisor (if you are seeking an Associate in Arts degree) or with a Career Program Advisor (if you are seeking an Associate in Science degree).

Course Completion:

Students enrolled in the same college-level course at Valencia more than two times shall pay the full cost (100) of instruction fee (you will have to pay out-of-state tuition after your second attempt). Please see a  counselor or advisor if you must repeat a course for the third time.

Disclaimer: