Welcome to the Briggs' Calculus I Hybrid Course!
I am delighted that you have enrolled in this section, and I hope that you have a great academic term!
Warning: This course is challenging and time consuming. T
his online course is convenient but NOT easier than a regular classroom course. This method of delivery is NOT intended for everyone. Only highly motivated highly discipline and highly organized students, that can read the book, and have time to watch videos, and that can learn the material by themselves, with limited guidance, are successful in this course. Working with Mathematics should not be an issue for you. You must have a solid background in Precalculus and Trigonometry to take this course. I suggest you consider not taking this course if you obtained a C in either Precalculus or Trigonometry. Do not take this course because it is the only Calculus I course open.Keep in mind that this is a 5 credit hours course, and you should spend considerable more time working at it than in a regular 3 credits hours course.
Note that an online course needs more time commitment than an onsite course.
ONLINE DELIVERY SYSTEM (COURSE PLATFORM)
This course is delivered through Blackboard (BB), and uses MyMathLab (MML) as a testing tool to watch Videos, and do online Homework. To be able to take this course, you must have a computer with internet access and must know how to use one.
All Tests in this course are proctored and must be taken at the East Campus Testing Center.
Warning: To be successful in this course, you must have the time to watch the Lecture videos, and do the Examples found in your e-book and described in the Topics section in BB. You must also do the assigned homework exercises found in MML, participate in the class discussions and attend required weekly meetings.
These meetings are not intended to be formal lectures; instead, students will be expected to have previously studied the assigned material, completed the required homework sections, and come prepared to on individual and group activities. You will have quizzes during those sections.
You will not learn this material by just reading the book; you must be involved in all the interactive aspects of the e-book.
Below is a brief description of the links you
will find in BB (Blackboard 9.1):
The “Syllabus” link has the basic information of the course. The “MML
Registration” link shows you how to install and begin working with the
MML. The "Topics” link will have the examples in the book
and the material you should read, study and learn, and the concepts of that
test. The “Schedule” link will have all the deadlines (online homework,
online quizzes, on-site tests, etc.). All the homework is already
in MML. You can start working in MML as soon as MML opens
(refer to the syllabus). To build flexibility in your schedule, and solve
technical difficulties, you should work ahead
of schedule and not wait until the last minute to do the online work. The "Homework"
section contains the required book homework you should do. Some of the required
homework problems in this section (the
highlighted ones) are not assigned in MML. The "Learning
Outcomes" section, you will find the Course's learning and unit outcomes. The "Calculator"
link contains a Calculator Basics link that reviews the basic functions of the
TI-83-84 calculator and some web links for using a specific calculator.
Important:
By the "Program Integrity and Documentation of Online Course Attendance" published by the Department of Education (ED) and adopted by Valencia College, any student registered in an online course must show attendance.
The Department of Education (ED) has made it clear that simply logging into an online or hybrid course does not constitute attendance as an "academically-related activity."
The Department of Education requires online students to show attendance by submitting homework during the first week of classes. To comply with this Federal law, you must successfully complete assignments by the second Tuesday of the term. Successfully completing assignments means to:
(1) Complete the Student Introduction assignment, found in the "Discussions" section in BB,
(2) Complete -with 100%- the Syllabus Quiz found in the Assessments (tests) section in BB, and
(3) Complete, with a score of at least 80%, the first Assignment in MML called RU-Ready for Calculus.
Any student that does not comply with this Federal requirement will be dropped from the course as a No-Show.
Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions. You can email me pfernandez@valenciacollege.edu or call me (407-582-2755). Emails will receive a faster response. Have a great academic term!
I wish you the best with all your classes!
Paul