MATD 0370 Elementary Algebra (Computer-Mediated)

Information for Students*   (Page 1 of 4)

2002 - 2003

Important Information: The textbook contains three CDs and is wrapped in cellophane. Do not buy a book NOT wrapped in cellophane. Do NOT open the cellophane covering the book until after you have verified with your instructor that you are in the correct course. Once the package is opened, you may NOT return the book to the bookstore. The cellophane has a sticker on it which reads: “STOP!  DO NOT OPEN until you have checked with your instructor.” The price of the book includes the cost of your license for using the computer software. The sticker on the book is your proof of purchasing the software license. You must save the cellophane wrapping with the sticker (your proof of purchase), and turn it in to your instructor with your first homework assignment.

Text: Academic Systems' Interactive Mathematics Elementary Algebra Personal Academic Notebook

Course objectives:  http://www.austincc.edu/mthdept2/tfcourses/obj0370.htm

Prerequisite: C or better in Basic Math Skills (MATD 0330) taken in Spring 2000 or later, or C or better in Prealgebra (MATD 0350), or its equivalent knowledge

Supplemental Materials: Paper, Pencils, Erasers, Scientific Calculator, Graph Paper

Welcome to Elementary Algebra. After successfully completing this course, you will be ready to take Intermediate Algebra (MATD 0390). You will also likely be sufficiently prepared to pass the TASP exam and to take MATH 1332 or 1342, after you have passed the TASP test.

Withdrawals:  Students may be dropped by their instructor for excessive unexcused absences or for failing to make sufficient progress.  It is the student's responsibility to withdraw him/herself from the course if he/she stops participating for any reason.  The withdrawal deadline is                          .

TASP Warning:  If you are relying on this course to meet a requirement that you be in mandatory remediation in mathematics this semester**,  then

i) if you are not "continually in attendance" in this course, you should be withdrawn from the course by your instructor,

ii) if you withdraw yourself from this course or are withdrawn by your instructor, you will be automatically withdrawn from all of your other college courses if this is the only TASP-mandated course you are taking.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.

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 have completed at least 80% of the course, including all exams, homework, and assignments, have a passing grade, and have a personal tragedy occur within the final 20% of the course which prevents course completion. 

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.

*Additional info about ACC's Math Dept. is available at <http://www.austincc.edu/math/>.

INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS IN COMPUTER-MEDIATED SECTIONS (Page 2 of 4)

This special section of the course uses the 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. This program is successfully used at over 250 schools in the United States. 

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. 

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 below, 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 Academic Systems web site <http://www.academiconline.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.

Minimum Computer Requirements*

In order to use this program, you will need a computer with the following minimum requirements:

Computer (PC): Windows 95, 98, SE, ME, 2000**, or Windows NT Workstation 4.0

     [NOTE: The math program will not run on MacIntosh computers.]

CPU: Intel Pentium Processor

RAM: 32 MB Minimum (64 MB Recommended)

Video Card: Capable of High Color (16-Bit) with 800 x 600 Minimum Recommended Resolution

Sound Card: Amplified, Windows Compatible [NOTE:  Must be amplified]

Internet Access: Internet Dial-Up (Minimum 28.8 Modem) or 10 BaseT Ethernet Connection

     [NOTE: ACC does not provide internet accounts for students. You must have your own.]

Browser: Netscape Navigator 4.x or Higher, or Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.x or Higher

     [NOTE:  Netscape 6 is currently not supported.]

CD-ROM: 4X CD-ROM Drive (or Higher) with 32-Bit Drivers

Hard Drive: 150 MB Uncompressed Free Space

*For Free Technical Support (M-F 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Central Time), please call 1-800-681-4357.

**REVISED NOTE ABOUT WINDOWS 2000:  The new Installer CD works with all versions of Windows.  If your computer has Windows 2000 and your book has CD Version 8.0 or earlier, please borrow the newer version from your instructor.  This CD is used only once to install the program.

INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS IN COMPUTER-MEDIATED SECTIONS (Page 3 of 4)

Academic Systems Software:  The software for the course is divided into Topics.  Each Topic is divided into Lessons.  Within each Lesson are some or all of the following six Modules:

OVERVIEW:               ·Brief summary of prerequisite skills for the lesson

                                    ·Pretest (may only be taken once)

EXPLAIN:                   ·Mathematics instruction

                                    ·Check for understanding problems with feedback

                                    ·Help line: Red Phone icon gives hints or simplified explanation

            ·Take a Closer Look: Magnifying Glass icon gives detailed explanations

                                    ·Glossary Words: Click on any underlined word for the on-line definition

APPLY:                       ·Practice problems to apply the skills learned in Explain

                                    ·Link to Explain: Icon with Sun (like Explain) will link from Apply

  back to Explain information related to the problem

                                    ·Explanation of the Expression Editor, if needed

EXPLORE:                 ·Optional module available with some lessons

                                    ·More challenging problems to explore and discover mathematics

EVALUATE:               ·Quiz for the lesson (up to three versions may be taken for each lesson)

                                    ·Homework and Practice Test in the book should be completed before

  entering this module

                                    ·Up to three attempts are allowed on the quiz; highest grade is recorded

HOMEWORK:           ·Automatically shown when you quit a lesson (Instead of this, please do the    

  homework problems indicated in the list provided by your instructor)

Your textbook is the Personal Academic Notebook (PAN).  Refer to this book when completing homework assignments, reviewing for tests, or taking the Practice Test to prepare for the Pretest (in Overview on the computer) or the Quiz (in Evaluate on the computer).  In addition to taking Practice Tests from the book and Pretests and Quizzes on the computer, you will be taking Tests, either in class or in the Testing Center.  You will also take a comprehensive departmental final exam.  More information about ACC’s Testing Centers is available at <http://www.austincc.edu/testctr/>.

Your instructor will provide you with at least three additional handouts:  (1) a list of homework problems, (2) a schedule indicating which lessons to complete each week, when tests are to be taken, and what those tests will cover, and (3) a handout detailing your instructor’s testing, homework, and grading procedures.  If you have not received these handouts, please ask your instructor for them..

MANAGING YOUR TIME ON THE COMPUTER

To make the best use of your time on the computer, you may use the following guidelines:

1.         If you have prior knowledge of the material in a lesson, take the Practice Test in your book.  If this test is fairly easy for you, complete the Pretest in Overview on the computer.

2.         If you have difficulty with the Practice Test or if much of the material is new or problematic, begin with the Explain and Apply Modules on the computer.  Do your homework.  Then use the Practice Test in the book and the Overview Pretest on the computer to prepare for the Evaluate Quiz on the computer.

Your grade on the lesson will be the highest of three attempts on the Evaluate Quiz, unless you score 95 or more on the Overview Pretest and save that Pretest grade as your Quiz grade for the lesson.

MATD 0370 Elementary Algebra (Computer-Mediated)

Weekly Schedule with Exam Schedule*   (Page 4 of 4)

2002 - 2003

This weekly schedule and schedule of exams is provided to help you pace yourself so that you may take tests on time and complete the course during the semester.  You may work ahead and finish early.  If you get behind this schedule, speak to your instructor about how to get caught up.

Additional Help:  Free tutoring is available at the Learning Labs at most ACC campuses.  For more info about the Learning Labs, please visit the web site <http://www.austincc.edu/rvslab/ll.html>.

Speak to your instructor if you have any questions or concerns about participating in this class. If, for any reason, you would prefer to attend a traditional lecture class, please ask your instructor to help you make a schedule change.  These changes should be done as early in the semester as possible.

*Lessons 1.1, 2.3, 3.1, 4.1, and 10.1 have additional Exercise Sets that are required for this course. 

MATD 0370 Elementary Algebra

Academic Systems Interactive Mathematics

Homework Assignments

NOTE:  All assignments are from your textbook (PAN) unless otherwise indicated.

*Exercise Set Handouts are required materials for the course.