Course Policies / Course Syllabus
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Coursework and Grading
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ACC Policies
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The Academic Online Interactive Math Software (Page
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Other Useful Things
ACC Services
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Course Policies and Information / Course Syllabus
MATD 0370 - Elementary Algebra
Distance Learning (Open Campus)
Fall 2007 - Synonym 07966 (Section 028)
August 27, 2007 - December 16, 2007
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Software Technical Support phone number
(M-F 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Central Time):
1-800-681-4357
Textbooks and software - IMPORTANT
- The textbook/license can only be found at the official ACC bookstore (not at Bevo's or other bookstores). Those are on campus at all campuses except for RGC, where it is located at 817 W. 12th. (See the ACC bookstore website for more information.) Also, please be sure to get the version for your semester (sometimes the edition changes from summer to fall). When you purchase your materials for this course, you are mainly purchasing a license for you to use the software for one year. The software comes on three CDs (one installation CD and two lesson CDs) and there is a book with some examples and many problems for homework.
At the end of the second week of the course, you must enter a validation number in order to continue using the software. That number is on the CD sleeve (white envelope) with the installation CD. In order to work, it must not have ever been used by any other student.
If you do not have a validation number on your CD sleeve, please contact the Bookstore right away (before the software asks for it).
You must keep your CD sleeves at least until after you enter that number into the software. You cannot enter this validation number earlier than the end of the second week. Complete instructions for buying your book (and to be sure you have the right book) can be found here. If you have any question about whether you have the correct materials, don't unwrap it. Send me an email message telling me the title, where
you bought it, and what the sticker(s) say. I'll tell you whether it is correct.
Note: If you have already taken this course, using these materials,
in the last year, your license code should still be in effect, so that you don't have to buy another copy of the materials. (If you took the course in Fall 2004 or before, when we were not using the validation numbers, and your CD sleeve doesn't have a number on it, please contact me and I will check to see if your license is still valid.)
- Allow yourself time to get started. It is common that students need
a few days from the time they buy the materials to get started. (Sometimes
students go to the wrong bookstore or find that their computer's hard drive
is full, or have other problems.) However, you must work on the software
at least twice during the first week for a couple of hours, even if you started
late. If necessary, you can go to one of the Learning Labs to work until you
get the software installed and working on your computer at home. All you need
there is your username and password, which you should receive from me on or
before the first day of class. Ask to be placed at a computer that already
has the software installed.
- If you do not enter this validation code at the end of the second week when the program asks for it, you account will be deleted,
erasing all work you have done so far, so don't lose that number.
If you buy a used book, almost certainly that validation number will have already been used by another student and you won't be able to use it. (And it may not look used!) When you find out, at the end of the second week of the course, that it doesn't work, then you'll have to buy another set of materials. According to the terms of the license agreement, the license is not transferable. So even if another student didn't use it for the entire year, it cannot be transferred to you.
We recommend that you save your receipt and cellophane wrapping with all the stickers as your proof of purchase in case you have a problem and need to try to return it to the store if the validation number doesn't work. We don't anticipate any problems if you bought it from the on-campus ACC bookstore, but it is good practice to save such proofs until you are sure that everything is OK.
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Username and password
Before you can use the software, you must receive your username and
password from me for the online software. I will assign them on or before
the first day of class. I will send them at that time to each student
on my official roll sheet for whom I have a working email address from
Orientation Form 1. If you want to start
early, you must contact me
in advance. After contacting me, you must purchase the book and make
sure I receive the wrapper before I will create your user account.
You can work in the campus Learning Lab for the first few days until
you purchase your materials, if necessary. You should work enough in
the first week in order to not get behind. If you don't have a username
and password by the day classes begin, please email me right away and
ask me for it. If you enroll after classes begin, please send me your
Orientation Forms 1 and 2 immediately.
Don't forget to bring your username and password with you if you
go to use the software in a Learning Lab.
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Minimum Computer Requirements*
In order to use this program, you will need a computer with the following
minimum requirements:
Computer (PC): Windows 2000 (SP 4), XP (SP 2), or Windows
Vista
[NOTE: The math program will not run directly on Macintosh computers. The software can probably be run on a Mac
using Virtual PC, Boot Camp, Parallels Desktop, or VMWare Fusion, but you are completely on your own if you decide
to try this. The publisher will not provide technical support for
this and I will not be able to help you make this work. However, I HAVE seen it working successfully.]
CPU: Intel Pentium Processor, 500 MHz or faster (1 GHz under Windows Vista)
RAM: 256 MB Minimum (512 MB under Windows Vista)
Video Card: Capable of High Color (16-Bit) with 800 x 600
Minimum Recommended Resolution
Sound Card: Amplified, Windows Compatible [NOTE: Must be
amplified]
CD-ROM: 4X CD-ROM Drive (or Higher) with 32-Bit Drivers
Hard Drive: 150 MB Uncompressed Free Space
Internet Access: Internet Dial-Up (Minimum 56k Modem) or
High Speed Internet Connection
[NOTE: ACC does not provide internet accounts for students. You
must have your own.]
Browser: Netscape Navigator 6.2 or Higher, or Microsoft Internet
Explorer 5.5 or Higher (Internet Explorer 7 or higher under Vista)
Configuration information for firewalls, web browsers, and filtering software can be found here.
If you are running Windows Vista or Internet Explorer 7, you will need to apply an extra software patch; instructions can be found here.
*For Free Technical Support (M-F 10
a.m. to 10 p.m., Central Time), please call 1-800-681-4357 or go to
http://support.plato.com/
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Information About the Software
This section of the course uses the PLATO (may also be called "Academic Systems") Interactive
Mathematics computer software package. The software provides visual
explanations and includes an audio component so that you may listen
to the explanations. It is called "interactive" because you
are continually being prompted for input.
Please be careful with the CDs in your book. They hold lots of information
and are very sensitive. Please handle them with care. If they become
dirty or scratched, you may get error messages while using the software.
If you receive an error message while working outside of ACC, print
or copy the error message. Then try cleaning the CD with rubbing alcohol
on a lint-free cloth. If that doesn't work, please call the free Academic
Systems technical support line listed above,
and wait on the line to get help for your error message. If they are
unable to help you, please ask your instructor for help.
For more information about using Interactive Mathematics, please visit
the PLATO (may also be called "Academic Systems") web site (http://www.plato.com)
and explore the pages called "Getting Started" and "Interactive
Mathematics Resources." This web site contains the latest information
about computer requirements as well as instructions for installing and
using the Interactive Mathematics software.
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Getting Started with the Software
Before you begin, you will need a user name and password. See above
for information on how to obtain these.
Begin your math course by installing the software:
- First exit from all of your other programs (but do stay connected
to the Internet).
- Then load the Client Installer CD found in the back of your textbook.
This will take a few minutes.
- The installer program should start automatically. Follow the prompts
from there.
If you have any problems, verify you have the computer requirements needed and contact PLATO (may also be called "Academic Systems") at 1-800-681-4357 or use their support web site http://support.plato.com/. They are available M-F 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Central Time. If you have problems, do NOT spend very long trying to install it without getting help.
When installed, go to the PLATO/Academic Online website and set things up:
- Click on the red PLATO/Academic Online icon on your desk top. This will
take you to the Academic Online web page.
- Select your college (ACC) and click on the student option. This
should take you to the blue PLATO/Academic Online login screen.
- Feel free to change your password after your initial login. If you
can't log on, contact me.
- WARNING: To make sure that you get credit for the work you do on
the computer, you must log off when you end a session. Find that option
under the File menu in the top left corner.
To change your password:
- When you first log in to the software, you see a screen that has
several options down the left margin of the page. (Overview, Do a Lesson, Check my Progress, Log Off)
- On that screen, choose the File menu up at the top and you'll see
the option to change password.
- Choose that option and follow the directions.
To do a lesson:
- Insert the CD labeled Part 1 (or Part 2, towards the end of the
course; see the schedule for details).
- Click on the option "Do a Lesson" and highlight the lesson
on your course outline.
- You may begin the lesson by double-clicking or clicking on the arrow
at the bottom right hand corner.
- Do the Getting Started lesson first. Then go to Lesson 1.1.
It is important to note that this program will not be accessible when
it is being backed up. Backups are scheduled for 1:00 AM every day and
take approximately 2 hours to complete. If you are working on Academic
Online near this time, I would log off before 1:00 AM to save the work
you have done in that session
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The First Lesson and Orientation Form 3
First, install the software on your computer (see above).
(You can't use it until you have your username and
password.)
Start with Lesson 1.1. If you think that you might know the material
in this lesson already, go to Overview and take the Pretest. If you
make above 95, that will count as completing this lesson. If you make
below 95, you will be given instructions on what parts of the lesson
to do, based on what you missed.
After you have done Lesson 1.1, go through this checklist and then fill
out the Orientation form, Part 3. This
will ensure that you have found the important parts of the course. You
must do this by the end of the first week of school, unless you enrolled
very late. In that case, you must do it by the middle of the second
week of school.
If you would like a more detailed walk-through of using the software
(including instructions on using it in the ACC Learning Labs), go to
this page.
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How to Work with the Software in this Course
- To begin a lesson, you should look to see if I have posted any section
notes about what topics need special attention.
- Most of your time will be spent on the software components called
Explain and Apply. The software will explain the new material
and then ask you to work problems, giving you immediate feedback with
correct solutions. In the Apply section, if you need more explanation
of a concept, you can go back to that particular page from the Explain
portion. Be sure to log out when you quit, so that the results of
your work will be saved.
The grades you make in Explain and Apply do not count in your course
average, but they are important indicators of how you are doing with
the material. I will look at those along with the time that you spent
on each lesson to give you advice on how to learn the material. It
is crucial that you do the Apply section in each lesson.
- When you feel comfortable with the material, you are ready to do the
pencil-and-paper homework. Look over the instructor's section notes
again (if there were any) before you start this. Do not do the
paper homework before you do the Explain and Apply parts of the lesson.
You will find that frustrating and will probably waste a lot more time
than if you had just started with the Explain and Apply stuff. (You
might also wind up practicing the homework using methods that don't
work. This would be a Bad Thing; it can be very hard to unlearn this
sort of thing.)
- After completing the Explain, Apply, and paper homework for a particular
lesson, go to the section in the software labeled Evaluate. The
Evaluate Quiz is a test, usually between 8 and 12 questions long, that
is not timed. You should treat this quiz like you would a regular test,
so don't use your notes or look back at other problems while you are
working it.
You may take this Evaluate Quiz up to three times and the highest of
the three scores will be recorded. (Don't do those three all at the
same time. If you make a low grade on the first one, do some more work
before you take it again. If you still make a low grade, discuss it
with me and we'll make a plan for what you need to do to improve before
you take it again.)
You have not mastered a section until you make at least 80 on an Evaluate
quiz. This is the only grade from the computer that I will count in
your grade. At least one Evaluate Quiz must be taken from each section.
If you don't take an Evaluate Quiz from a section, you will receive
a 0 for your grade for that section.
- In a particular section, if you believe that you already understand
the material well enough to do less than the full Explain and Apply
parts, then start with the Overview and then take the Pretest:
Pretest: If you already know the material in a lesson in the
course, you may take a Pretest in the Lesson. At the end of the Pretest,
there is a recommendation for which topics in the Explain and Apply
portions to do. Again, you should treat this like a regular test, so
don't use notes or look things up during the pretest.
If you got quite a few problems right on the Pretest, then the recommendation
will omit the topics of the Explain and Apply sections dealing with
the material you already know. Write those down in your notebook, so
you'll be able to remember that later if you don't complete the entire
lesson in one sitting. You are not required to do a Pretest. It is only
required if you want to omit some of the Explain and Apply portions.
If the Pretest grade is above 95, then none of the Explain orApply
portions are required. In fact, you will be asked if you want to save
the Pretest score as the Evaluate quiz grade. That completes the required
work for the lesson.
If the Pretest grade is between 70 and 94, and if you want the quickest
way through the lesson, you may go directly to the Apply portion that
you are required to do. A problem will be presented to you. In the
lower right corner is an icon that will take you back to the particular
pages of the Explain section that discuss that concept. Go through
that. Then "Go Back" and work the Apply problem. Also read
through the explanation, whether you got the problem right or not.
Then go to the next Apply problem.
If the Pretest grade is below 70, first do the Explain parts that
are recommended, and then do the Apply parts. As you go through an
Apply section, click on the icon on the lower right to review the
Explain parts, as needed.
(Notice that, unless you made a 95 or better on the Pretest, you
still must take the Evaluate Quiz.)
- The Explore sections are in the textbook rather than the software
and are not required for most lessons. Whatever is required from the
Explore sections will be made clear on the Homework Assignment page.
- Periodically, please check your progress. After you sign in to the
system and before you start a lesson, one of the buttons on the side
is "Check my Progress." That's the same information I see
about your progress. Notice that it indicates what dates you worked
on the material, how much time you spent, and your grades.
Time Required:
- Most students spend about 10 minutes on the Pretest. If you get all
the problems right, then that's all that's required in the software. (You
can then move on to the homework.)
- Students who miss one or two problems on the Pretest will need
to spend about 15 minutes on the Apply section (assuming their review
goes quickly) and then another 10 minutes on the Evaluate quiz.
So those students will have spent about 30 minutes on the software
part of the lesson.
- Students who need full explanations and practice in a lesson will
typically need to spend an average of 2 hours or more on the software
in a lesson. The lessons are not all the same length.
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Staying on Schedule
In this class, you will be in charge of your learning in a way that
is different from a traditional lecture class. The format of the course
is somewhat self-paced, which means you may complete the material before
the end of the semester. It also means that you may spend less time
on familiar topics and more time on troublesome topics. In order to
complete the course within the semester, you must generally keep up
with the weekly schedule and test schedule provided. In order to succeed
in this class, you should plan to spend about 9 to 15 hours each week
(or more, if necessary) working on the material, depending on how much
of the material is already review for you. The program is available
all day everyday except when it is being backed up. Backups are scheduled
for 1 AM every day, and should only very rarely take more than 2 hours
to complete.
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Working Ahead
Even if you start working on the course early, you may not take tests
right away. Especially early in the course, the tests may not even be available right away. If you are working ahead and
want to test early, please contact me at least one week before you want
to take it to see if I can get the test to your testing center early.
It is possible to finish the course early if you work enough hours and
learn quickly enough. If you do plan to try and finish the course early,
you must increase the number of class participation activities you do
each week so that you have enough total participation grades (32 for
a 16 week semester) by the end of the semester. However, regardless
of this, you must complete at least 2 class participation
grades per week every week until you take the final.
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Orientation Forms and Course Checklist
Be sure to go to the Getting Started
checklist (make sure you haven't forgotten anything) and that you have
completed the different Orientation Forms
by the appropriate deadlines. If you don't submit these in time, you
may be dropped from the course.
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Tutoring
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