(This page was last updated Feb 1, 2010)
Instructor: Larry Gorden Telephone: 661-946-1646
Note: This web page will be briefed in the Orientation class and the Educo system will be demonstrated.
This is a hybrid course conducted primarily online but with four on-campus meetings. This course is not recommended for students who have previously been unsuccessful in math, who have math anxiety, or who are not comfortable using computers. Those students should choose a traditional classroom setting.
Study/learning assignments include textbook reading supplemented with online tutorials and learning material. All homework and quiz assignments are given online, completed by the student online, and graded online with immediate results. A high-speed internet connection (DSL, Cable, or faster) is recommended.
The following on-campus meetings are required, no exceptions. Meetings are on Thursdays in room SSV236.
References & Resources:
Syllabus: where you'll find grading procedures among other things. Please read it.
Schedule for the semester week by week.
Course Description: AVC description of this course and prerequisites.
www.educosoft.com: Educo web site home page where you register and login.
If you miss an exam: Only students who are keeping up and doing reasonably well qualify to make up a missed exam.
Math skills. According to the Course Description, "This course is for the student who has been very successful completing elementary algebra and who is comfortable taking math classes". You are required to have Math 70 skills or equivalent (two semesters high school Algebra).
Computer Internet Access
-- We'll be using the Educo online learning system that goes with the
textbook. Dial-up internet access will not likely be satisfactory, you'll
be much happier with broadband access (DSL, Cable, Satellite, or faster).
See
this link for computer capabilities required by Educo.
Textbook is Intermediate Algebra, Seventh Editon, by Sharma & Little, published by Educo International Inc., 2008. The textbook is required but you may use either the printed textbook or the online textbook available in Educo (see below).
1. Purchase a new textbook at the AVC book store ($99.35), an Educo registration access code comes with the book which allows you to register an online account for no additional charge. You also get the online textbook for no additional charge. Note that when you purchase the textbook, it cannot be returned. This is the most desirable and the most expensive option.
2. Purchase Educo registration online with a credit card for $44.95 and the online textbook for $9.95. Be sure you are comfortable reading a textbook online (I'm not).
3. Purchase Educo registration online with a credit card for $44.95 and buy a cheap used textbook.
Educo home page is www.educosoft.com where you can register with your access code (that came with textbook), purchase registration, or login. When you register, make sure you select the CRN for this class, 33302. You are not required to register until after the Orientation class.
Educo Guest Account. I can give you a Guest Account which gives you free Educo registration for two weeks. You must purchase Educo registration (or textbook with access code) and convert your Guest Account to a regular account before the end of those two weeks.
You have one week after Orientation to register in Educo AND complete the first homework assignments. If you don't, you will be dropped from the course.
Call me if you have difficulty with Educo. This is my second semester using Educo and there were problems with it in the first semester -- such as correct answers getting counted as incorrect -- so be on the watch for that!
About the Course:
It is a lot of work! If you have the prerequisite math skills, you'll zip through much of it quickly as much of the course is Math 70 repeat. If you do not have the prerequisite skills, you might survive but you'll spend more time doing course work. I would expect a student with the prerequisite skills to spend an average of around 12 hours per week on course work. Plan for it!
"Assessments" in Educo means homework and quizzes -- the elements of Educo that assess your progress.
Homework is assigned online in one-week increments, due on Thursday, which allows you to make your own weekly schedule for getting the work done. Make sure you are able to answer all the homework questions without any assistance -- if you can, you'll be in good shape for the quizzes and exams. Allow plenty of time to do the homework, do not wait, get started early. If you don't keep up with homework, you will likely flunk the course!
Quizzes will be given online, one quiz after each homework assignment. You will be allowed to take a quiz three times and use the best score. The quizzes are a good indicator of how you are going to do on the exams -- assuming you completed quizzes without assistance using only your knowledge.
Exams. There will be two on-campus closed-book midterms and a final exam. Most of your grade will be based on these exams. These exams will be on paper and you are asked to show your work.
Grading. Homework 15%, Quizzes 20%, Midterm-1 20%, Midterm-2 20%, Final Exam 25%. See Syllabus for details.
Your Instructor, Larry Gorden. I have taught Math and Computer Programming courses at AVC since 1998.
I am retired from 32 years civil service at Edwards AFB where I worked in aircraft flight test as a mathematician and computer scientist. I have a B.S. in Mathematics and M.S. in Computer Science.