Computer Requirements

• Internet connection: Cable/DSL, T1, or other high-speed for multimedia content; 56k modem (minimum) for tutorials, homework, and testing.
• Memory: 64 MB RAM minimum
• Monitor resolution: 1024 x 768 or higher
• Plug-ins: You need certain plug-ins and players from the MyMathLab Browser Check or Installation Wizard (found inside your course).

For more information, visit the site http://www.mymathlab.com/system.html from the computer on which you intend to work.

Purchasing the software from some source besides the ACC bookstores.

MyMathLab is an interactive online resource that accompanies the text. It is required for all Distance Learning sections of developmental math classes.

All new textbooks purchased at an ACC bookstore include MyMathLab access. It is not included with the purchase of a used book, and may not be included with a new book purchased at a different bookstore. Here are some other ways to purchase MyMathLab:

• You may purchase a Student MyMathLab Access Kit online from Pearson Higher Ed for $70.00 at: www.mymathlab.com/buying.html. (To do this, you'll need the Course ID number for our course this fall, which is parker60823)
• Student MyMathLab Access Kits are available at other retailers, such as amazon.com. Use caution, as the product is not guaranteed by Pearson when purchased anywhere other than an ACC bookstore or the Pearson website (above).
• A new textbook bundled with MyMathLab may also be purchased from another retailer. Make sure the product specifically indicates a bundle including both the textbook and the software.

Temporary access to MyMathLab. (Instructions here are for Fall 2009 only.)

If you are not able to purchase the software by the beginning of the class, you may ask the publisher for temporary access. Follow these instructions. When you fill out the online form, you'll be asked for several things. Notice that you are restricted on how you can turn this into permanent access to the software - you will have to purchase a copy of the software or software/book from the bookstore.

---

What's in the software

• Online access to all pages of the textbook
• Exercises tied to homework problems in the textbook
• Multimedia learning aids (videos & animations) for select examples and exercises in the textbook
• Practice tests and quizzes linked to sections of the textbook
• Personalized study guide based on performance on practice tests and quizzes

Visit www.mymathlab.com for more information.

 

---

Starting the software

To register for CourseCompass and enroll in your MML course, you will need the following three things. Read about each below. Then read on for instructions about how to get started.

• ACC email address
• Course ID
• Student access code
ACC email address :

You need an email address to register for MyMathLab. For this and all other ACC-related activity, you should use your ACC student email address. If you have not set this up already, visit http://www.austincc.edu/accmail/ for instructions. If you do not check this account regularly, set it up to forward to an email address that you do check. Instructions for doing this are included at the above link.

Course ID

Make sure you register with the correct Course ID for the course you will stay in for the entire semester. If you register with a course ID for a class that uses a different textbook, you will not be able to change it to the class that you are enrolled in without purchasing a new access code. The Course ID for Mary Parker's MATD 0330 course for Fall 2009 is parker60823

Student access code

The student access code comes with your purchased copy of MyMathLab.

Instructions to get into the software:

Now you are ready to register. Go to http://www.coursecompass.com/ and follow these steps:

• Click Register on the home page.
• Click Next on the Before You Start page.
• Follow the instructions to register and enroll. You will be asked to:
  • Enter your course ID.
  • Provide your access code or payment information.
  • Create a login name and password. (
    Your login name must be different from any other in the system. Your email address is usually an easy choice that works. Your password must be at least 8 characters long.)
  • Provide a zip code and check a school.
    (This will work as long as you use any Austin zip code and any campus of ACC. It doesn't matter whether it is your own zip code or not, or whether you are taking any classes at whichever campus of ACC you select. If you don't know what to select, feel free to use those for Northridge: 78755 and ACC-Northridge)
  • Provide contact information.

At the end of the registration process, you can click Log In Now on the Confirmation & Summary page to enter your course.

 

Instructions to learn how to use the software:

1. When you start the software, you'll see an announcement asking you to run the Installation wizard to make sure you have all the plug-ins you need. We will not be using the Test-Gen plug in, so if there are problems with it, don't try to fix those.

2. Under "Videos&Textbook" work through the orientation questions. (See the picture below - the red hand-drawn arrow - to see how to find this in the software.) This is very important. It will take about 30 minutes total (and more than half of that is in page 1.) This is an Orientation for all levels of math courses, so many of the problems they show are more advanced than we will cover in our course. Please don't worry about that. The point here is simply to see how the software works - how to find help, how to enter answers, and other such issues. (I don't necessarily think you need it, but I'm providing a document with screen shots of various things you'll see in it, with some comments.) .



 

---

Learning the material

You have several choices of how to learn the material before you start working problems.

1. Read the paper textbook section (or that material in the e-book). Then do the online homework, then the paper homework for that section before advancing to the next section.
2. Watch a video (about 10-20 minutes) where a teacher explains the material in the section. (Under Videos/Textbook, for each chapter) Then do the online homework, then the paper homework for that section before advancing to the next section.
3. Start the online homework and, for each problem, choose one of the options for watching a video or an animation. After you finish the online homework, do the paper homework for that section before advancing to the next section.

When you start in the software, it is easy to get lost or be distracted and waste time. Use these guides, including screenshots, to start doing your work efficiently.

Taking online quizzes: After you have done the online homework and paper homework for each section covered on a online quiz, then take the online quiz for the first time. If your score is not acceptable (at least 80, and I recommend 90 or above) then follow this plan for further study before you take the online quiz a second time.

---

Amount of required work in the software

Online homework: Online homework is assigned for every section of the textbook on our syllabus. While working homework, you can access various types of help. You can re-work problems in the homework as often as you need to. When you re-work a problem, you will be given a similar problem with different numbers. You are required to make a grade of at least 80 on a section of online homework in order to advance to the next section or to the next quiz. I recommend that you strive for a grade of 100 on each online homework lesson, as long as you can do that within the time you have available for working on that section.

Online quizzes: After each two or three sections, you are required to take a quiz. Most quizzes have about 15 problems, but may have anywhere from 10 to 18 problems. While taking a quiz, you can't get help on the problems and you shouldn't look up things in your book. The point is to measure how well you have learned the material so that you can tell what you still need to work on. You will be able to take the quiz up to three times and will earn the highest of those three grades. Once you start a quiz, you will not be allowed to stop it and come back to it. When you stop it, that is the end of your work on that attempt on the quiz. However, since you have three attempts on each quiz, this should not be a hardship. It is very important that you not take your next attempt at the quiz very quickly after the first attempt. Study in between. See the "Taking online quizzes" paragraph above for directions about that.

---

Grading the software work

Your overall quiz average is a part of your grade in the course. Your homework grades, as such, do not enter into your grade. However, you must make at least 80 on each online homework section in order to progress to the next section or the next quiz.

---

Deadlines for the software work

I have not put any deadlines in the software for the software work because I don't know what days each week you're going to work on the course, and I don't want to have a bunch of assignments all with the same deadline (in the software program) of the end of the week. I think that would make many students frustrated. Read all about the deadlines from the link on the left to Timelines and Deadlines.

---

Additional Comments

Since this is the first time I have taught from this software, I don't know which things need more explanation. As I begin to get feedback from students, I'll write some things here.

---

Things to ignore in the software

There are many resources in the software and I think it could be easy for students to get distracted. As you know, I have discussed that in the "Learning the material" portion of this document. However, since this is the first time I have taught from this software, I'm sure I'll learn more about what distracts students as we go along. As I begin to get feedback from students, I'll write some things here.

---

---

Prepared by Mary Parker.