About Online Classes: Taking MTH 161 with Mr. C
It depends.
Online classes are convenient.
Most of them are asynchronous, so you work at your own time/pace.
However, they demand a lot of time especially if you are struggling with the subject/course.
I am not trying to scare you. I am just being honest with you.
There are several factors that probably made you choose an online class: family demands, extended family demands, and work demands among others.
I understand all these demands.
Hence, the course is set up for you to acquire the knowledge while maintaining a family – work – school balance.
Be it as it may, I am more concerned with your successfully passing the course.
This includes:
(I.) Acquiring the knowledge: of the topics in Math for School Teachers
(eText; Notes; Videos; Learning Aids: Help Me Solve This, View an Example; Multimedia Resources among others)
(II.) Discussing the knowledge: (Discussion Board)
(III.) Applying the knowledge: (Project-based Learning), and
(IV.) Mastering the knowledge: (successfully completing the MyLab Math assignments).
Notable Notes about this Course
(1.) You will do a lot of work on your own in this course.
(
Did I just scare you? I hope not. I am just being honest with you.
The good thing is that I am here to help you.
But, you will do most of the work on your own.
)
You will do a 15-week course load (the onsite course runs for 15 weeks) in 10 weeks.
Besides, you will do a lot of reading/studying/learning/solving a lot of assignment questions on your own.
So, this is a lot of work in a small amount of time. Yes, 10 weeks is a small amount of time. By the time you know it, the semester is over.
Online course requires very active independent student learners.
I provide the resources.
You review those resources.
We meet weekly during the Student Engagement Hours/Live Sessions.
I answer any questions you may have regarding the resources I provided.
This is the flipped-classroom approach.
You will spend a lot of time to read, view videos, view the multimedia resources (according to your learning style) and solve problems.
For those problems you cannot solve on your own, that is when I come in and help you.
But do not think I am not doing any work. Trust me I will do a lot of work also to guide your learning.
I shall maintain weekly Student Engagement Hours/Live Sessions to answer any questions.
I shall answer any question you cannot solve anytime anyday, provided you send it to me on time and as my
schedule demands, but I'll respond to you. I do not ignore my students.
I shall monitor and guide the discussions to ensure a safe, conducive, and inclusive learning environment.
I shall provide comments to the DB posts and responses (some of them) accordingly.
I shall grade discussions and provide feedback.
I shall review your project draft submissions and provide feedback.
I shall grade your projects and provide feedback.
That is also a lot of work. So, we are doing a lot of work together.
If you are not prepared to do a lot of work/learning on your own, I advise you to please take this course in-person.
The weekly Student Engagement Hours/Live Sessions are not required. But they are highly recommeded.
The link to the Zoom session is provided for you in the Canvas course and in your course syllabus.
If the days/times do not suit your schedule and you need to have a live session with me, please send an
email to me with your available days and times. I shall check my schedule and respond.
How did I set up this course to help you succeed?
Please note that I set it up this way to help you succeed while ensuring that I provide RSI–QM
(Regular and Substantive Interaction – Quality Matters) with my students according to
the United States Department of Education (USDOE) regulations.
(2.) Assessments: There are three types of assessments for this course:
(a.) MyLab Math (MLM) also known as MyMath Lab assignments: This is 70% of your final grade.
(i.) Every assignment is open for you from the first day of class.
There are many assignments for you.
But you get the credit for it.
If you complete all the MLM assignments with a 100%, you make a 70% in the course.
I do not pick and choose questions when assigning the sections because I want to expose you to all the various types/forms of questions for each
section.
It is a lot of work. But you get the credit for it if you complete it successfully.
It will be good if you make a 100% on all of them, but you must not. It depends on the grade
you want for the course. Please review the Grading example in your course syllabus.
(ii.) Each section has two due dates: initial due date and final due date.
It is not timed. However, it has due dates.
(iii.) If there is any section you are unable to complete by the initial due date, you may continue to
work on it, and try to complete it by the final due date without any penalty.
(iv.) If there is any section you did not attempt by the initial due date, you will earn a zero score in the Canvas gradebook when grades are updated. When you
attempt that section and earn a grade, that grade will be updated the next time grades are updated.
(v.) Grades for MLM assignments are updated in the Canvas gradebook biweekly (every other week).
(vi.) Several questions on an MLM assignment have learning aids.
The learning aids include: Help Me Solve This and View an Example among others.
You are encouraged to use these learning aids.
The learning aids typically uses one approach/method to solve the question.
If you do not understand that approach/method, that is where I come in.
Please Ask My Instructor and/or contact me with the question/question ID.
I shall use another approach to explain the question so you may understand.
Further, the solved examples on my websites (as listed in the Pacing Guides) contain some of the questions on your MLM assignments.
(vi.) There are unlimited attempts for your MLM assignments.
Typically, if you do a certain type of question three times without getting it correct, that question will be marked as incorrect.
But, no worries. Please click on Similar Question usually at the bottom right corner.
If you get a similar question correct, that question will be marked correct, and you get the credit for it.
Please use only a computer (laptop or desktop only; no tablets/iPads, no smartphones) with internet access.
(viii.) The final due date for all MLM assignments is the last day of class, or sometimes the day following the last day of class (depending on the day).
Please review the course syllabus for the exact date.
(ix.) After the final due date, please do not ask for an extension.
(x.) All MLM assignments are done in the Pearson learning management system via Canvas learning management system.
(b.) Project-based assessment:
Please do only one of the four projects available to you.
This is 10% of your final grade.
(i.) Please review the requirements, instructions, directions, and the projects from my previous students.
(ii.) If your application meets the project requirements, you should begin to work on your draft. It is
highly recommeded that you submit your draft to me as soon as possible. Review your
course syllabus for the due date to submit drafts.
(iii.) The project has two due dates as noted in the Tentative Class Schedule on your course syllabus
and in the Pacing Guide. After the initial due date, a zero grade will be entered in the Canvas gradebook
for any student who has not satisfactorily completed the project, regardless of whether I am reviewing your
draft or not.
(iv.) You may continue to work on your project after the initial due date and submit it by the final due
date. After the final due date, please do not request for an extension.
(v.) All projects (not drafts) are submitted in the appropriate area (forum) in the Canvas learning management system.
(c.) Discussion Board (DB) assessment: This is 20% of your grade.
(i.) Please review the Discussion Board in the course navigation link.
(ii.) The course is 10 weeks. Each week has a DB assessment.
This implies that there are 10 DB assessments.
(iii.) Each DB assessment requires a DB Post and a DB Response. At least one response to the initial
post of your fellow student is required.
(iv.) Each DB assessment is 2% of your grade. The grading rubric is provided for you accordingly.
(v.) There is only one due date for the DB Post and only one due date for the DB Response. Any work past
any of those due dates attracts a penalty according to the grading rubric.
Let me explain. It is important that you submit your initial posts on time (by Thursday) so your
colleagues will have some time to respond to your post. Some students are very busy during the
weekends. They might not be able to log in during weekends. Hence, they would like to complete the DB
assessments on time. I am considering those students too.
(vi.) Let me explain the reason for having only one due date for each of DB Post and DB Response. Most
students, typically do not continue the discussion past the week that it is due. They
move on to the next discussion. Hence, if a student posts or responds past the due date, that post or
response may not be read by another student.
What is the purpose of discussing with your colleagues if they will not read what you wrote? Do you understand what I mean?
(3.) I believe in giving my students a lot of opportunities to succeed: unlimited attempts for the MLM
assignments; two due dates for MLM assignments; and two due dates for the project among
others including my availability and willingness to answer your questions.
In that regard, I do not believe in bonus points. I do not believe in extra credit. Only the three types
of assessments are the graded assessments.
Please do not ask for bonus points.
Please do not ask for extra credit.
Please do not ask for the grading to be curved. (normal distribution curve).
Please do not ask for re-dos after the project is graded. Those re-dos should be drafts. But once you submit your project, that is it.
Please do not ask for re-dos after the DB assessment is graded. Attend Student Engagement Hours/Live Sessions and ask questions.
Please ask questions instead.
What should you do?
What are some tips for succeeding in the class?
(4.) You control 70% of your final grade.
I control 30% of your final grade.
(a.) You are the one to decide the grade you want in the class. Make 100% on what you control: the MLM
assignments; you earn a 70%...a C
Then, work with me by submitting your draft for the project on time. Work with me and address any issues
till I give you the green light to submit your project...that should give you
a 100% (in most cases)...which is 10% of your final grade. You now have: 70% + 10% = 80%...a B
Follow all the DB Requirements. Submit your initial post on time and address any comments I make as
applicable. Even if I do not make any comments to your post, review the comments I make
to the posts and/or responses of your colleagues. You can even address the comments I make to the post
of your colleague as a substantive response, if applicable. Contact me via email
and/or during Live Sessions/Student Engagement Hours for any comment you do not understand. You can make enough points on
the DB assessment to earn an A. in the course.
Making a grade of C is basically your entire/complete decision to make.
You can also make a grade of A or B or C by reviewing my comments to your
colleagues (based on the DB), and also
based on the project samples and requirements provided to you. I understand some of you have busy
schedules, hence your choosing to take an online class. But, please know that you can
email me your available days and times. I will check my schedule and respond. We can work out something
even if the day and time of the Live Sessions/Student Engagement Hours is not convenient for you.
(b.) Let us discuss how you can make a 100% on the MLM assignments:
The MLM assignments consists of 25 main sections: 59 sections: 1352 questions.
You have about 70 days to complete 1352 questions.
Please note that some questions have children (sub-questions).
So, if we count each question and sub-question, the number is higher.
But you have about 70 days to complete all the questions.
For 70 days:
$\dfrac{1352}{70} = 19.31428571 \approx 20$ (rounded up to the nearest integer) questions per day.
If you complete 20 questions (including any sub-questions) per day, you will complete all MLM assignments in about 68 days.
If you complete 25 questions (including any sub-questions) per day, you will complete all MLM assignments in about 55 days.
If you complete 30 questions (including any sub-questions) per day, you will complete all MLM assignments in about 46 days.
It is required that you complete at least 20 questions (including any sub-questions) per day.
It is highly recommended that you complete at least 25 questions (including any sub-questions) per day.
It is recommended that you complete at least 30 questions (including any sub-questions) per day.
It is doable. It just requires your time and effort.
It is important you practice Math daily to master it.
(c.) Please make sure you do all these assignments yourself.
(i.) Use the Learning Aids provided for you by Pearson MLM.
(ii.) Use my websites (especially the Solved Examples ... as noted in the Pacing Guides). I have
solved, and I am still solving your MLM questions on my websites.
My explanations of the solutions are clear, as testified by some of my students. Please let me know
otherwise.
(iii.) Do not use online calculators, even my own online calculators.
Mr. C is even asking you not to use his own online calculators.
Here's the reason: if a calculator solves the question for you, did you really learn to solve the question?
You probably know the websites that have online calculators. I do not think you learn the topics/concepts if you use such online calculators.
(iv.) Do not use the mobile Mathematics apps that will solve the questions for you. You probably know
the mobile apps including the one where you take the picture of the question with your
smartphone and it gives the answer. I do not think you learn the topics/concepts if you use such mobile apps.
