MATH 1342, Elementary Statistics
Spring 2014 Distance Learning course

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Computer requirements and course materials: Course materials for MATH 1342

Also, you should have a notebook or set of file folders to keep your work in this course organized. I suggest that you have a front section for general information and Test Review documents, and then a section for each week's work. Because the material in the later part of the course depends on the material in the earlier part of the course, you will need to be able to refer to your homework and notes on earlier material when you study for tests, including when you study for the Final Exam.

I will tell you at times to "print" things. If you don't have a printer easily available, then make a folder on your computer to which you save those files, and think of it as another folder that you will look into just as you would look in your notebook.

Syllabus / First-day handout: pdf | . (Please print this, read it, and put this in your notebook.)

Orientation: Please fill it out after you read the syllabus/first-day handout and BEFORE classes begin.
(If you add the class after that, please prepare your answers to this on the day you add, and fill out the form as soon as you have been added in Blackboard - which is the day following the day you add.)
Find the orientation form link in Blackboard in the Announcements. (You can get into Blackboard approximately one week before classes begin.)
(Some of the questions have answers that say you haven't read the appropriate material, etc. Obviously, I want you to have read the material first. If you must answer "No" to any of those, please also send me an direct email message asking me for help with that.)

Required work in the course:

  1. Use the guided study materials (including video / audio files over some parts) to learn the material each week and to do the assigned homework problems (Most of the assigned homework problems have fairly detailed solutions available in the text.)
  2. Weekly two-part quizzes (Part 1: multiple-choice / short answer and Part 2: fully worked-out solutions) to be done at home and submitted through StatsPortal twice each week. (The multiple choice / short answer part will be graded electronically and feedback available as soon as you do it. The Part 2 problems will have solution keys posted just after the deadline for you to review and ask questions and make comments about. Grades on these will be posted approximately a week after the deadline.)
  3. Four paper-and-pencil tests in an ACC Testing Center. The last test has a "take-home" part to be done using Minitab.
  4. Weekly participation in the Blackboard Discussion Board for the class to discuss the quiz solutions from the previous week and the assigned work from the current week.
  5. Work with Minitab statistical software to do many statistical calculations.

Timing: This is NOT a self-paced course. In order to effectively learn the material in this course, you must stay caught up with the calendar, which is at the end of the syllabus/first-day handout. Students who miss as much as three weekly quizzes (missing either part counts as a miss,) one test, or three weeks of Discussion Board participation during the semester may be withdrawn.

Asking questions and doing activities: I have given quite a lot of thought to how I can help students efficiently learn and retain the material in the course. Some of the ideas are harder to carry out in a Distance Learning class than in a classroom class. Please read about this under "Asking questions."

Websites needed:
  1. Blackboard: Links to weekly lessons, Discussion Board, self-selected Study Groups, Grades on Tests and Discussion Board
  2. StatsPortal: Quizzes, learning activities, many learning resources
  3. ACC 1342 data website: Use this to find textbook data when you are not logged in to StatsPortal. Occasionally you will be asked to use non-textbook data which may be provided here. Organized by chapters of the text, and there are also brief descriptions of how to use the software here.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. Mary Parker: mparker@austincc.edu

Last updated January 4, 2014 . Questions or comments?