Mathematics for Liberal Arts MATH 106- Syllabus |
Western New Mexico University Course Syllabus Math 106 Math for Liberal Arts II (3 credits) Spring Semester, 2008 – online/WebCT
Instructor
Stanley P. Thompson
Email: (1) thompsons1@email.wnmu.edu (2) stan@shellmonster.com
Course Web Page: http://www.wnmu.edu (Select the WebCT link on The left-hand side of the browser and use your Mustang Express e-mail/password to log into the WebCT tool)
Instructor’s Personal Web Page: http://www.shellmonster.com. Information on your instructor may be found here.
Telephone Number: (575) 894-7485 (9 am to 5 pm MST, M-F)
Preferred Contact: Please contact via e-mail (1). Class Location and Format
This is an online, Internet-based course using WNMU’s WebCT tool.
Class Hours
N/A
Class Web Site
The course website is located at http://www.wnmu.edu through WebCT
Course Description
The concepts of mathematics for students outside of the fields of mathematics, business, and the sciences. Prerequisites: Placement according to COMPASS math score or successful completion of DVSM 102 (Developmental Algebra)
Required Textbook
Excursions in Modern Mathematics, 6th Ed., Peter Tannenbaum. (ISBN:0-13-187363-6)
Suggested Textbooks
Student Solutions Manual. (ISBN:0-13-187382-2) Mathematics A practical Odyssey, Johnson and Mowry. (ISBN:0-534-40059-0) The Mathematical Palette, Staszkow and Bradshaw. (ISBN:0-534-40365-4) For All Practical Purposes, COMAP. (ISBN:0-7167-3817-1)
Required Software
Since this is an online course, there are some minimum hardware and software requirements to complete the course. For recommended operating system requirements and web browser compatibility, see http://www.wnmu.edu/webct/WebCT_Logon.htm.
For all browsers, JavaScript and cookies must be enabled. To use Chat and Whiteboard, Java must also be enabled. Please see http://www.webct.com/tuneup for details on internet browser setups.
To complete this course, you will need the following software: a. Microsoft Word, PowerPoint (the ‘free’ Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer may be used to view .ppt files) and Excel (2000 or newer). There is a possibility that if you have Microsoft Office 2007 you will have to save your Excel documents in a previous file; (i.e.: .xls) as I may not be able to open your file in the Excel 2007 new file format. Adobe Acrobat Reader® (free download at http://adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.) b. WinZip® (download at http://winzip.com ) or similar product. c. Use of WNMU’s WebCT tool (http://www.wnmu.edu.)
Textbooks and software may be purchased at the WNMU bookstore, in person or online via : http://www.wnmu.edu.) Or you may purchase via other online resources such as http://www.amazon.com or http://half.com.
Technical Support
If you are having technical problems with WebCT, you can contact free technical support through one of the following ways: a. Phone: (575) 538-6046 b. E-Mail: webct@WNMU.edu c. Web: http://www.wnmu.edu/webct/WebCT_Logon.htm
Any course content related questions should be directed to your assigned instructor. Please refer to thompsons1@cs.wnmu.edu.
Exit Competencies
Upon completion of this course, the student will have proficiency in the following:
a. That humans have imitated nature’s wondrous spiral designs in their own architecture for centuries, all the while trying to understand how the magic works. We will learn answers to such questions as---What are the physical laws that govern spiral growth in nature? Why do so many different and unusual mathematical concepts come into play? How do the mathematical concepts and physical laws mesh together? What is the source of the intrinsic beauty of nature’s spirals?
b. To understand the basic principles behind the mathematics of population growth and present some of the simpler models that can be used in studying its dynamics.
c. To be able to take a geometric perspective of symmetry, focusing on its application to both real-world physical objects and abstract geometric shapes.
d. Be familiar with the basic ideas behind a new geometry of natural shapes, called fractal geometry.
e. Learn how statistical data is collected, summarized and interpreted. f. Learn how to measure the inherent uncertainty built into statistical data and draw meaningful conclusions from that information. g. Predict patterns in future events using statistical knowledge and probabilities. h. Correctly use a calculator and Microsoft Excel for arithmetic and statistical computations.
Course Expectations
Students should expect to spend at least 9 hours per week on this course. This includes readings, viewing course content, completing homework assignments, posting to the discussion area, etc.
All announcements/changes/due dates will be posted on WebCT: It is the student’s responsibility to check their WebCT account and course calendar for communications and changes to the course several times a week. A grade of Failing (<50%) will be given for assignments not completed by their due date. No late assignments or quizzes will be accepted unless specifically authorized by the instructor.
Exams: Your instructor may arrange for proctoring any closed-book exams. Common locations include local libraries and Extended University branch centers.
Course Outline
See the course schedule which is posted on the homepage of this WebCT course. The outline may be changed from time-to-time by the instructor. Advance notice will be given by posting on ‘News’ and/or in the discussion page.
Assessment and Grading Criteria
This is an intensive, undergraduate-level course with regular and firm deadlines.
Homework Assignments: You will be assigned homework for each chapter-roughly every other week. Details on the homework can be found under the assignments icon. Homework format will be readily understandable when you visit the assignment area. Homework will be posted on Microsoft Excel workbooks (sheets). Examples will be posted on the WebCT course for you to study.
Homework Due Dates: Homework is posted at the beginning of each chapter. The due date will be stated on the Homework page (click on the Homework icon on the Assignments page). There are points awarded for Homework. Total homework points are 60 points or 20% of your final grade.
Chapter Tests: You will be required to submit chapter tests about every other week. These tests are worth 20 points each with a total of 160 points or 53?% of your final grade. Chapter tests are available under the assignment icon.
Weekly Discussion Topics: Discussions are, in essence, the equivalent of ‘class participation’ in an online course. The instructor will begin facilitation of these class discussions. Each discussion topic will last through the period of each chapter (roughly two weeks). Discussions start on Mondays and will end on the following Sunday.
Please log into the class and participate in the discussion at least four times during the one or two-week window. You are expected to participate in all of the discussion topics presented during the semester.
Please take care in composing your discussion postings; the idea is to have a conversation with the instructor and other students in the class, much as you would in a face-to-face class. (The discussion area should not be a series of unrelated postings.) You are encouraged to share your ideas, ask questions, and comment/respond appropriately to other students’ comments. The instructor will evaluate your discussion postings in terms of both quality and quantity as part of the course grade. The discussion postings are worth 40 points or 13?% of the final grade.
During the first two weeks of the course you will have an opportunity to interact casually with other students in the class to form virtual study groups. Students in this class often find it is essential to pair up with other students in the class to discuss homework assignments. However, submitted homework assignments are expected to be your own work.
There will also be a discussion area called the ‘Student Café.’ This is an area where you can post questions and ideas unrelated to formal discussion topics. This area is supposed to serve as an equivalent to questions you might ask informally before/after class or in the hallway if you were in a face-to-face class.
Please use the discussion area as your primary way of asking questions regarding the class. Often other students will have the same questions, so it is a quicker and more efficient way for you to get your questions answered.
If you must communicate with the instructor on a personal matter you may use the e-mail page on the Communication page. These e-mails can only be seen by you and the instructor.
Mid-Term Examination: Your homework points plus your discussion points through chapter 12 (week/module 8) will determine your mid-term grade. Since each chapter is unique there is no ‘building up of knowledge’ as you would expect in a normal mathematics course. Completing each homework and discussion session is very important if you want the best grade for yourself.
Final Examination: The final four chapters (chapters 13-16) will also count as a second ‘mid-term’ examination. The points assigned will be similar to those of the first 4 chapters (chapters 5-8). In addition, a final exam covering the whole course will allow you to recap some points that you may have missed in the homework and discussion area. No collaboration is allowed. Further details will be announced prior to this period using our WebCT course. The weight of the final examination is 40 points or 13?% of the final grade.
To summarize: Homework 60 points 20% Chapter tests 160 points 53?% Discussion postings 40 points 13?% Final exam 40 points 13?% Totals 300 points* 100% * Total points may change with additions/subtractions during the course. Notification will be given in advance.
Course Evaluation
You may be asked to complete a mid-term and final course evaluation survey online for this course. These surveys are completely anonymous and provide useful information to improve this course for next semester’s students. These surveys will be listed on the WebCT course that you are taking. If you have any questions or concerns about the survey, please ask the instructor.
Course Policies
Academic Integrity: Each student is expected to maintain the highest standards of honesty and integrity in academic and professional manners. The University reserves the right to take disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, against any student who is found guilty of academic dishonesty or otherwise fails to meet these standards.
Access to Education: Qualified students with disabilities needing appropriate academic adjustments should contact the instructor as soon as possible to ensure your needs are met in a timely manner. For information on assistive technology available for student use and additional information on services available through Student Accessibility Services, see http://www.wnmu.edu/Special%20Needs%202/specialneeds.htm.
Audit: A student may register for a course as an auditor, providing permission of the instructor is obtained. A student has the first four weeks of the semester to change a course to audit status. No changes in audit status will be processed after the fourth week of class. Students are charged the normal tuition rate for auditing a course.
Collaboration: Collaborate work, such as studying or discussing course assignments and materials with other class members, is highly encouraged. This does not, however, include graded homework assignments and tests. An example of course assignments and material that can be collaborated would be chapter exercises that have ‘odd numbers’ as these can be checked with the ‘Answers to Selected Problems’ starting on page 567 of your text. Students are encouraged to collaborate with each other using the WebCT e-mail discussion area tools. The discussion area called ‘Student Café’ is one place to share ideas with others in the class.
Copyright: All materials in this course fall under copyright laws and should not be downloaded, distributed, or used by students for any purposes outside of this course.
Privacy and WebCT Tracking Notice: WebCT or the course web site automatically records all students activities, including, your first and last access to the course, the pages you have accessed, the number of discussion messages you have read and sent, chat room discussion text, and posted discussion topics. This data is accessed by the instructor to evaluate class participation and to identify students having difficulty using WebCT features.
Incompletes, Withdrawals, and Drops: I give out incompletes only under extreme circumstances. If you are running into problems with the course, please contact me as early as possible so you do not fall behind.
This course falls under all WNMU policies for last day to drop courses, etc. Please see http://www.wnmu.edu/student.htm or the WNMU Course Catalog for information on WNMU services and policies. Please see the WNMU academic calendar for course dates, the last day to drop courses without penalty, and for financial disenrollment dates.
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