(This page was last updated August 27, 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 8:00 AM Friday meetings at the Palmdale Center, classroom SV3K. The first meeting, Aug 27, is for orientation where you'll learn about course conduct and administration. The other three meetings are for exams.
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.
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.
The following on-campus meetings are required. Meetings are on Fridays at Palmdale Center in room SV3K.
You may be dropped from the course for any of these reasons:
You don't register (in Educo) and complete assignments within the first week.
You miss any one of the above meetings
You miss 6 or more assessments (online assignments)
References & Resources
Syllabus: where you'll find grading procedures among other things.
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.
Educo Tips: How to view your grade and score on each assessment. How to view the solution to any question on any submitted assessment.
Screen Capture in Windows: Tells how to capture your computer screen using Windows. This can be quite useful for capturing math problems and solutions displayed in Educo.
Math skills. You need basic math skills -- Math 50 or equivalent.
Computer Internet Access -- We'll be using the Educo online learning system that goes with the textbook. You need broadband internet access (DSL, Cable, Satellite, Fiber, or faster). See this link for computer capabilities required by Educo.
Textbook is Pre-Algegra, Sixth Editon, by Sharma/King/Mittal, published by Educo International Inc., 2008. Textbook access is required -- either printed or online.
1. Purchase a new textbook at the AVC book store ($100) or order from Educo ($95 + shipping). 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.
2. Purchase Educo registration online with a credit card for $49.50 which includes the online textbook. This is a good option if you are comfortable reading a textbook online.
Educo Registration Page takes you to online registration where you can register with your access code (that came with textbook) or purchase registration. When you register, make sure you select the CRN for this class, 73766.
Educo Guest Account. I can give you a Guest Account which gives you free Educo registration for two weeks. Send me an email if you want a Guest Account.
After your two week guest registration expires, you cannot login and continue the online assignments until you purchase Educo registration.
You have one week after Orientation to register in Educo AND complete the first week assignments. If you don't, you will be dropped from the course.
Please let me know if you have problems with Educo.
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 50 repeat. I would expect a student with the prerequisite skills to spend an average of around 12 hours per week on homework. Plan for it!
Study. There are several learning resources:
The textbook (printed or online E-book)
Educo Online Tutorials
Homework Solutions
Learning Center, AV Campus
Math Computer Lab (Educo), AVC Campus, ME100, M-Th 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Fri 9:00 AM to 3:00PM
"Assessments" in Educo means homework and quizzes -- the elements of Educo that assess your knowledge.
Homework is assigned online in one-week increments, due on each Friday at 8:00 AM, 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 20%,
Quizzes 20%,
Midterm-1 20%,
Midterm-2 20%,
Final Exam 20%.
Your scores will be available in Educo. This is a pass/fail course, letter grades are not recorded at AVC. However, letter grades are shown in Educo. A minimum C grade (70%) in Educo is required to pass the course.
Crashers
If you have been selected to add (crash) this class, you will be given an "Add Authorization Code" (AAC) that will allow you to add the class online. See www.avc.edu/studentservices/adminrec/aac.html for instructions.
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.