College Algebra Online

1. Technical requirements. To be successful in online classes you will need to be able to access the Internet and
check e-mail frequently. A slow internet connection will make this a frustrating experience. There are computers
available at the various LBCC campuses for your use, you would need to be willing to spend time on campus on a
regular basis. This class will require 10-15 hours a week of your time, but not all of that will be online.

2. Have an email address. You are required to have a working e-mail address to take an online course; e-mail will be
the main way for me to communicate with you. Please check your e-mail often, at least 5-6 times per week. You may
use your personal e-mail address but consider using an LBCC account. (You will need one anyway if you wish to use
the wireless at LBCC.)

3. Purchase your textbook. You may do so in person from the LBCC bookstore
When ordering online , the bookstore will ship your books to the address of
your choice and you pay the shipping costs. Make sure online orders are placed prior to the start of the term so that
the books will arrive by the first day of class. Check online or call the bookstore at 541-917-4952 for more information
about ordering online and book availability. If you choose to purchase the text through another outlet, make sure you
check on arrival date. Text: Applied College Algebra, by Aufmann/Nation/Clegg, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004.

5. Select a Testing Site. E-mail the Instructor by the end of the first week with what testing site you will be using. If
you are using a proctored testing site other than one of the LBCC campuses we will need to make appropriate
arrangements. (See section on Testing.)

DISABILITY AND SPECIAL LEARNING NEEDS: LBCC accommodates students with documented disabilities. If you
have a documented disability that will impact you at college and you have yet to seek accommodations, contact
the Office of Disability Services (ODS) for intake and to document your disability with LBCC. Only students who
document a disability and present an accommodation letter to an instructor are entitled to academic
accommodation. Each term, when you register for classes and at least 2-3 weeks prior to the start of a term,
submit your “Request for Accommodations” form to ODS. Week 1, pick up letters for your instructors and deliver
in person to each instructor during office hours or by appointment. Instructors may need time to arrange your
accommodations. ODS may be reached from any LBCC campus/center by
calling 917-4789. Letter pickup is available at each LBCC campus/center.

Online Orientation Packet
MTH 111 College Algebra Online
Fall Term 2009

INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION

ORIENTATION: There is no formal face-to-face orientation for this class. However, I really appreciate any face-to-face
meetings. Please stop by my office if you are around the Benton Center campus. I am in my office in Corvallis much
more than just the scheduled office hours and am happy to make appointments. I also go to the Albany campus on
most Thursdays.

REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS:

1. Text: Applied College Algebra, by Aufmann/Nation/Clegg, Cengage
Moodle and WeBWorK accounts

2. Calculator with graphing capabilities . Rental calculators are available in Albany, Corvallis, Lebanon and Sweet Home
for $25 per term. Check with the testing area of that campus for more complete rental information. You will need to be
comfortable using the graphing capabilities on a calculator. All tests will be taken using a calculator.

3. Regular access to the Internet and to e-mail. I expect you to be using both the web page site and e-mail several
times a week.

Note: Most of the documents that I upload to Eduspace are in pdf format. You can print these from any LBCC
computer that is connected to the internet. If the documents are not printing legibly, please contact me and I would
be happy to send the files to you in a different format .

4. 3-ring binder, filler paper, pencils and erasers, graph paper, post-its, highlighters, etc.

Recommended Homework:
Homework is how you learn to do the math. It is not enough to do the reading and decide whether you understand it.
To be successful on the quizzes and tests you need to practice!
You will need to write up your homework, whether you are doing it out of the book or online, as if you were taking a
test. That means you should:
• Clearly state the problem, list the given information, and clearly state the answer, showing the
appropriate units (inches, square feet , etc.) if applicable.
• Show all major steps involved in solving problems.
• All word problems should have complete sentences for the final answer.
Even though you will not turn in suggested homework, it is expected that you will complete all assigned homework.
Bring your completed homework along with you when you ask questions at the Math lab /Learning Center or at my
office.

Graded Homework:
There are a series of graded, online homework sets using the program WeBWork. Each set of graded homework will
have a due date (see Calendar in Moodle). Each set is worth 5 points. You will be able to seek help on these problems
and should get a score of 100%. There are a total of 24 sets, and the best 20 out of 24 will be added into your total
points for the term. Below is a listing of the sections covered on each of the WeBWork graded homework sets.

Activity Reports: The activities in MTH 111 can be done alone, but it’s more fun and you learn from each other
when you work with a group. You are welcome to get together in groups through the online discussion board, or to
meet in person. If you do work in a group, you may turn in one activity report for the group.

You will be required to find data sets for the activities; you may use web sites, data from your work, collect your
own data by running an experiment, etc. You will need to document the source of your data set. Your Activity
must be written in report form. Begin each report with a statement of the problem to be investigated and end
with a concluding paragraph. Correct spelling and grammar are important. If you have any questions about the
form your report should take, please ask.

Specific instructions for each activity will be posted on the website.

Testing: There are three tests and one comprehensive final exam. These will be paper-and-pencil tests where you
show your work. You may use a calculator on the tests. These tests will be taken at a proctored testing site mutually
agreed upon at the beginning of the term. You will decide where you will be testing, and any changes to that must
be done prior to one week before the test begins. You will have a 2 day window to take each test and a 2 day window
to complete the final exam. If you fail to take a test you will receive a zero on that test . If there is some reason that
you will have difficulty taking a test in time, you need to contact me before hand so we can make appropriate
arrangements. Make sure you know the hours of your chosen testing site. LBCC options include: (for all the below,
no appointments needed)

Albany Learning Center WH-226
Monday & Wednesday 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday & Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
(Tests must be started at least 1 hour before closing)

Benton Center Testing Area BC-222
Hours are Monday through Thursday 9 am – 8 pm, Friday 9 am – 4 pm.
(Tests must be started at least 1 hour before closing)

Lebanon Center Math Lab LC 202
Hours are M – Th 4:30 pm – 8:30 pm (Tests must be started at least 1 hour before closing)

Sweet Home Center Math Lab SHC 102
Hours are Tuesday & Thursday 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm. (Tests must be started at least 1 hour before closing)

Other possible off-campus options would be another college proctored by an instructor or staff person, a library, or a
government agency. Remember, you must let me know where you will be testing by week 2 at the latest. If you will
be using an off-campus site, please let me know right away, so we can start making arrangements.

Online Discussions: There will be various topics on the Discussion Board in Moodle, and you are to comment on the
topics. Your comments can be general or specific, and you can be commenting on the original topic or posting a
comment in reply to another student entry. You may also use the Discussion board to post questions about
homework problems, to find an activity partner, etc. You need to post at least once a week. Please keep your
comments appropriate for a math class.

Being Successful and Getting Help: There is help available—seek help immediately if you are having difficulty. It
is essential to your success in this course that you keep up and do the homework on a regular basis. It is very
difficult to be successful in a Math class if you fall behind. You will need to plan on spending around 15 hours
each week on this course.

An online class does not take less time than a lecture class, what you will have is flexibility as to when you will
work on the class—late at night, on the weekend, or when the kids take a nap. But that flexibility can cause
problems, such as suddenly realizing you are a week behind and the test is at the end of the week. Pay attention
to the calendar! You will need to check the announcements on the website regularly for any updates, notes or
general information.

On Campus Help: Come by for my office hours, and in addition there is drop-in math help at each LBCC site, as
well as tutoring by appointment. Copies of videos for the textbook are at each of these sites also. Hours and
Locations:
Albany Learning Center WH-226
Monday & Wednesday 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday & Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Benton Center Learning Center Annex/Math Lab BC232
Monday through Thursday 12 noon to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Lebanon Center Math Lab LC 202
Hours are M – Th 4:30 pm – 8:30 pm.
Sweet Home Center Math Lab SHC 102
Hours are Tuesday & Thursday 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm.

Fall 2009 MTH 111 Grade Sheet—Keep track of your scores here

Grading Scale:

A 90 – 100%,
B 80 – 89%,
C 70 – 79%,
D 60 – 69%,
F Below 60%

Some additional comments you may or not be interested in:
This term is a transitional term for the College Algebra Online course. For several years we have used an online
program called EduSpace to deliver this course. EduSpace has some very nice features; and some annoying ones also.
One of the annoying attributes was that it was not free to students…and then the publisher decided to discontinue
EduSpace for our textbook at the end of 2009. So to continue to offer this class we either needed to find another
textbook or find another way to deliver the course online.
To keep access free to students, we are using Moodle, WeBWorK, and (hopefully) YouTube. Moodle provides the
framework for the course. We will use it to post resources, assignments and discussions. There is a calendar and
grade book to keep track of what is due and how you are doing. WeBWorK is used for the Graded Homework; this is
how I will keep track of whether you are on track between tests. We hope to be able to embed the WeBWorK
assignments into Moodle; right now the assignments are merely a link to another site…rather rinky dink but I hope we
can have that cleaned up for winter term. The third piece, which I will be adding as the term progresses, would be
short videos of my classroom lectures. I imagine many of you are nervous about taking this class. If it is any
consolation I am nervous about all of the new programs I will be using! My wish is that we have a smooth and
uneventful term, that learning the math will come easily to you and that the technology stays in the background.