Math 1113 Precalculus (Online) - Course Information

(Please read carefully and check back often.  Newer postings are at the bottom of the page.)


Hi,  (1)

Welcome to Math 1113 Precalculus Online at East Georgia College!

I'm sending a quick message to make sure you know that you will be required to come to campus
to take your MID-TERM and FINAL EXAM for this Online course.
This means you will be required to come to campus only 2 times for the semester.

If you are unable to come to campus to take the tests you need to contact me.

I have 4 additional chapter tests scheduled that will be done online with MyMathLab.

I will be sending several emails very soon about the course as the semester starts.


PLEASE BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR EMAIL (CatMail) FREQUENTLY! 
This is the primary way I will be communicating with you in the course.

Contact me if you have any questions.   (My email: kbarrs@gmail.com)

Mr. Barrs
--

Subject:  Math 1113 online course format?  (2)

Students,

Are you sure about taking this course in a online format?

Please take a minute or two to read the following information as we start the semester.


Follow this link with your web browser: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/161156/egcweb/math1111egc/webdelivered.pdf


More emails are to follow. Contact me if you have questions!  (My email: kbarrs@gmail.com)

Stay tuned!


Mr. Barrs


Subject: Math 1113 online beginning info  (3)

Students,

Let me first mention that drop/add goes on the first 3 days of the semester. After reading this info you may decide to not take this course in a online format. You can change your schedule these first 3 days. Consider the following questions:

1-Do you have several hours a week (probably daily) to study in front of a computer for this course?
2-Are you comfortable with technology?
3-Is a web-delivered format compatible with your learning style?
4-Are you a self motivated learner?

If you have problems with these 4 questions this course may not be for you. Contact me if you have questions! (My email: kbarrs@gmail.com)

Please don't make the mistake that this course is "easy" or any different because its online!  I assure you this is the same course that's taught every semester its just in an online format! In designing the course I basically translated my "in class format" to an "online format". I would like to mention though that I think there are many advantages to taking the course in a "online" format. I will discuss these advantages at a later time.


I'm writing this information to try to answer most of the questions I've been getting recently about the course. Hopefully this will answer most of the questions you may have. I'll try not to ramble and keep the message short but understand there are some very important things to discuss as the semester starts!

I'll be sending emails throughout the semester. BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR EMAIL VERY OFTEN!  I suggest checking it daily maybe several times a day. I won't send out emails everyday necessarily but you'll get other emails relating to being a student at East Georgia College.



Okay here we go!      Yes some of this information will be repeated!


1) You don't have to buy a traditional printed textbook for the course BUT you do HAVE to buy a MyMathLab passcode for the course. You can find this in the GSU or Swainsboro bookstores or you can buy this online. Go to https://pearsonmylabandmastering.com/students/register/#page=home and follow the information to buy the code online. (This worked for students last semester.) Note you will need to enter our MyMathLab Course ID when you register with your passcode (found on the class website or sent to your EGC email address). PLEASE GET YOUR MYMATHLAB CODE AND RESISTER YOURSELF AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. If you have technical problems with the registration process or any other MyMathLab problems you will need to contact the MyMathLab support number at 1-800-677-6337 or go to http://247pearsoned.custhelp.com/ and follow the info. MyMathLab is the textbook website and is independent of EGC. IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO GET YOUR MYMATHLAB PASSCODE YOU NEED TO CONTACT ME.

2) You will have 4 regular tests during the semester which will be done on MyMathLab. You will be required to come to campus to take your MID-TERM and FINAL EXAM for the course. The test dates are on the course calendar (click here) to see the calendar.  If you can't come to campus to take these tests YOU NEED TO CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. (My email: kbarrs@gmail.com)  I highly recommend visiting the tutorial center on campus if you have problems with the course.

3) The TI-83/84 graphing calculator is required for the course. No unauthorized material may be stored in a calculator. Your calculator memory should be empty. NO CELL PHONES used as calculators! You can get by with a scientific calculator but all the instruction I give in class will be based on the TI-83/84.


Other emails will follow.

Mr. Barrs
First day of class.  (THERE IS A LOT TO READ HERE!)   READ CAREFULLY!  (4)


There are several "parts" of the course you need to get familiar with as soon as possible:

Go to the main EGC website:  http://www.ega.edu and find the icon (myEGSC) to get started. Login to (myEGSC) and find this info on the website that follows.


1) Catmail icon Webmail (Catmail) icon. -This is where you can check your email or you can use any other email software to do this. How do you check your email if you don't know how? Go to   http://www.ega.edu/email/stuemail.htm   and follow the instructions!


2) GaView GaView D2L site icon.  -This is the main way you enter into the course. Look for our course in a list after you login. It should look something like this: "Precalculus - Fall 2012 MATH-1113-W". You check your grades here too. How do you login in to GaView D2L if you don't know how? Go to  http://www.ega.edu/email/vistatrouble.asp  and follow the instructions!


You will find the following information when you login to GaView D2L and check the homepage of the course.

3) Course website link. This is where you go to get instruction in the course.  This contains a lot of information relating to the course. Please READ THIS INFORMATION AS WELL! This is the site you will visit most often as you go through the course during the semester.

4) Course Syllabus link. This is where your course syllabus is ALWAYS located. I recommend you print it and keep one copy available somewhere. Of course you should READ THIS VERY CAREFULLY AND MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE INFO ON THE SYLLABUS!

5) Course Information link. This is where ALL the basic information about the course will be located. This should include any information that I send to you.

6) Course Calendar link.  This is a day by day calendar of the course. PLEASE CHECK THIS OFTEN! I suggest checking this every time you login into GaView D2L. I will be updating this VERY FREQUENTLY during the semester! This should help you to stay current and up to date with the course. Note: This is not the calendar thats built into GaView D2L.

7) MyMathLab link. This is a link to the MyMathLab website. This is where you will be doing your homework problems and getting sample tests. Also your current homework grade will be located here 24/7.  Note:  IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO LEARN HOW TO USE MYMATHLAB. If you have questions you can contact me or the support info that I mentioned earlier. You can start the homework and go back to it at a later time. Also you can do the problems as many times as you like until you get them right! Another advantage of the course. Just make sure you make the due date for the homework!


Mr. Barrs


Students,   (5)

Once you get familiar with the "basics' of the course I want you to start the course by viewing the first video lecture (Section 1.1). Be sure to find a quiet place to do this every time. MAKE SURE TO TAKE NOTES WHILE YOU WATCH THE VIDEOS like you would if you went to a classroom! This is where I believe most of the learning happens in the course as well as doing the HOMEWORK problems! You can print the basic class notes from the class website or just start with a blank sheet of paper it's up to you how you want to do this. Be sure to keep a organized notebook with your class notes in it. You may want to use head phones when viewing the videos if necessary. You of course can view the video lectures as many times as you want and they are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  This is what I consider a great advantage over the traditional "in class" format for this course!


To get to the videos from D2L click on the "Course Website" link.
Here is a quick picture to see this.

 To get to the videos from MyMathLab  click on the "Course Website" link.
Here is a quick picture to see this.


If you have problems viewing the videos directly from the internet you may want to download them first to your computer then view them. Just right click the download link and save the file somewhere on your computer. This should avoid most internet problems that may happen. You can also contact me and I can give you the videos on a DVD disc to use on your computer.

Note: You should also view the section material in the textbook also to get a complete understanding of the material. Remember the textbook is online within the MyMathLab website or in addition to the MyMathLab passcode you can purchase a textbook in the bookstore. The textbook online is listed under the "Chapter Contents" icon on the left side.

After you feel comfortable with this first section then you should go ahead and start the homework problems on MyMathLab.  Note: there is a due date for the homework. It is posted on MyMathLab and you will see it when you start the homework.

Please be careful the course will go by faster than you may think.  DON'T  PROCRASTINATE!  BE SURE TO WORK IN THE COURSE VERY REGULARLY!  I suggest you work on the course DAILY !

PLEASE BE SURE TO GET HELP WITH THE COURSE AS SOON AS YOU NEED IT. Don't put off getting help because you will get behind in the class.

Here are the tutoring hours for the semester:        There is also help on the MyMathLab website.

FREE Tutoring EGSC (Statesboro HWY 301) - Call 912-623-2400 to get the schedule

FREE Tutoring EGSC (Swainsboro Campus) - Call 478-289-2067 to get the schedule

Tutoring at EGSC Swainsboro at the Academic Instructional resource (AIR) center.


Mr. Barrs