Text: Academic System's Interactive Mathematics Intermediate Algebra Personal Academic Notebook (PAN). It must be purchased from an ACC bookstore. You are purchasing a license to use it as well and that license isn't transferable. Thus, used books are useless to you. Don't let anyone talk you into buying a used book. You will not be able to use the system after the two-week introductory period.
Prerequisite: C or better in Elementary Algebra (MATD 0370) or its equivalent knowledge.
Supplemental Material: Appropriate access to a computer, paper, pencils, non-graphing calculator, handouts provided at this web site
Withdrawals: If you stop participating, it is your responsibility to submit the necessary paperwork to withdraw BEFORE the deadline. For the summer 11-week term, that is Tuesday, July 30, 2002.
Reinstatement Policy: Students who withdrew or were withdrawn generally will not be reinstated unless they have completed all course work, projects, and tests necessary to place them at the same level of course completion as the rest of the class.
Incomplete Grades (I) are given only in very rare circumstances. Generally, to qualify for a grade of "I", a student must be caught up and passing in the course at the time of the last date to withdraw, including all exams, homework, and assignments, and have a personal tragedy occur after that that prevents course completion. To finish the incomplete, the student must finish the material by the deadline (designated at the time the incomplete is given and usually about two weeks after the end of the semester.)
In Progress Grades (IP) are also rarely given. In order to earn an "IP" grade the student must remain in the course, be making progress in the material, not have excessive absences, and not be meeting the standards set to earn the grade of C or better in the course. Students who are given an IP grade must register and pay tuition for the same course during the next semester.
Grading Policy: Your final grade in this course will be determined
by four components. These include homework, evaluate quizzes (computer work),
tests and a final exam.
| Homework average | 10% |
| Evaluate quiz average | 10% |
| Test average | 60% |
| Final Exam | 20% |
Homework: You will have 4 homework assignments, each spanning a number of sections. Only part of each assignment will be graded. The assignments and due dates can be viewed by visiting the homework page. This should represent your best possible work. Papers that are poorly organized or difficult to read will be assigned a lower score or not graded. Late homework will not be accepted for any reason.
There are a variety of ways that you may submit homework assignments. Since you will be testing at an ACC testing center, probably the easiest is to send it to me via campus mail when you go to take a test. Go to the mailroom at the campus, get a date stamp on your work, put it in an inter-campus mail envelope (available in the mail room) and address it to "Mary Parker, NRG." Ask one of the mailroom staff, if you need help.
Alternatively, you may send it via US mail to "Mary Parker, Austin Community College, 11928 Stonehollow Drive, Austin TX 78758." Be sure to include your name on all correspondence and make sure it is postmarked on or before the due date.
Evaluate Quizzes: The software we are using for this course is Academic Online. Most of your time will be spent on the components called Explain and Apply. The software will explain the new material and then ask you to work problems, giving you immediate feedback with corrections, if needed. When you feel comfortable with the material you go to a component labeled Evaluate. The Evaluate Quiz is a test, usually between 8 and 12 questions long, that is not timed. You may take this Evaluate Quiz up to three times and the highest of the three scores will be recorded. This is the only grade from the computer that I will record. At least one Evaluate Quiz must be taken from each section.
Tests: You will be required to take three (3) exams and a final exam and these are not on the computer. These will be paper and pencil tests administered at one of the ACC testing centers. When you fill out the Online Orientation Form, you will choose the testing center you will use for all of your tests. For each test, there will be a scheduled week in which you must go to a testing center and take the exam. This is not a self-paced course. If you are working ahead and want to test early, please contact me at least one week in advance to see if I can get the test to your testing center early. No make-ups will be given, but if you miss a test or make a low grade, your final exam score will replace it.
For information about the ACC testing centers, including the locations and hours of operation, please go to: http://www.austincc.edu/testctr/
Final Exam: You are required to take a final exam in an ACC testing center. If you do not take the final exam you will receive an F for the course, regardless of your class average. If your final exam grade is higher than your lowest exam score, I will automatically replace that test grade with your final exam score.
Attendance: For some of you, this is a required developmental course. (This means you have not satisfied the math portion of the TASP test and have been permitted to enroll in other credit courses only on the condition that you participate in this course). Consequently, I am required to keep track of attendance. I will check weekly whether or not you have done any work on the computer. Any student that does not log on for two consecutive weeks MAY be dropped from the course. For more information, please read the important TASP notice below:
TASP Warning: If you are relying on this course to meet a requirement that you be in mandatory remediation in mathematics this semester*, then:
1. If you are not "continually in attendance" in this course, you should be withdrawn from the course by your instructor [NOTE: for distance learning (open campus) sections, since you technically do not attend classes, you must be making continual progress in the course by working in the interactive mathematics software, submitting homework, and taking tests in the Testing Center],
2. If you withdraw yourself from this course or are withdrawn by your instructor, you will be automatically withdrawn from all of your other college courses if this is the only TASP-mandated course you are taking.
* If you are unsure whether or not this warning applies to you, see an ACC advisor immediately.
Using Academic Online Software:Before you begin, you will need a user name and password. I will email these to you after the course begins when I receive your online orientation form.
Begin your math course by loading the Client Installer CD in the back of your textbook. This will take a few minutes. If you have any problems, verify you have the computer requirements needed and contact Academic Systems at 1-800-681-4357 or use their support web site http://support.academic.com/. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
When installed, click on the red 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 Academic Online login screen. Feel free to change your password after your initial login. If you can't log on, contact me.
To do a lesson you must put in your lesson CD. Insert the CD labeled Part I. Click on the option "Do a Lesson" and highlight the first section on your course outline. You may begin the lesson by double-clicking or clicking on the arrow at the bottom right hand corner. You may find it beneficial to do The Tour first which will familiarize you with the program. Then begin with the Explain, Apply and Evaluate components as described under "Evaluate Average" above.
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, please log off before 1:00 AM to save the work you have done in that session.
Helpful hints on using Academic Online Software: (Material will be added after May 27, 2002.)
Tutoring: Free tutoring is available at the Tutoring Centers (Learning Labs) at most ACC campuses. Visit http://www.austincc.edu/rvslab for more information.
Technical Support: For free technical help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, contact Academic Systems at 1-800-681-4357 or visit http://support.academic.com/
Contact me at mparker@austincc.edu or call 223-4846. For the quickest response, use my email address.
This page was prepared by Mary Parker. Send questions or comments . It was last updated on May 17, 2002.