Assignment types, grades & policies

I care about your success and have designed MAT 2240 to help you learn, incorporating feedback from prior students and principles from the literature like Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter Brown, which I highly recommend. The CBMS published a statement titled ``Active Learning in Post-Secondary Mathematics Education" about the importance of ``classroom practices that engage students in activities, such as reading, writing, discussion, or problem solving, that promote higher-order thinking" and our class is also modeled after that.

Effective ASULearn Engagement (50%)

There is daily work each day at your own pace. Checkmarks may be ones where you can manually mark the activity as completed or are earned when you access an activity or receive a proficient grade by a deadline. The percentage of checkmarks on the right side determines the overall engagement grade. To accommodate for emergencies, the lowest 3 are dropped.

• interactive video activities, repeatable. To earn credit you'll watch the entire video and submit the correct answers–you'll use the check feature on interactive questions in order to help you so you can redo the responses until you get them correct. Try to complete videos by the listed due date although they can be completed up until the reflective video on that material.

• practice with instantaneous feedback check from me, repeatable until the deadline to obtain a checkmark. The point is to practice and examine the feedback to make sure you understand rather than obtain a perfect score. I only use the checks, not the specific score. If you weren't able to succeed then a second chance will open after the deadline, but the checkmark is easier to obtain when it was originally due (70% instead of 90%). The second chance can be completed up until the reflective video on that material.

• handwrite practices. Designed to further develop your understanding and familiarity with the material and independence in critical thinking. Can work ahead or throughout the day it is listed, but turn it in by 9am the next morning. Solutions will open.

• solutions , rental book readings, webpages, PDF, files, videos, glossaries, surveys, or other course activities. You self-report the checkmark in solid boxes and dashed boxes earn a checkmark. Others may have no boxes. Some may have specific cut-off deadlines and others can be completed up until the exam on that material.

• think-share-pair-compare forum. To (1) respond to the questions with your own thoughts and (2) respond separately to at least two classmate's posts with something new that justifies your position on (at least) one of the questions that helps them understand. Don't just say, ``Yeah, I agree." Instead, say, ``Yes, but we also need to consider..." Or, ``I don't agree because..." You might also pose questions, answer questions, extend ideas, or compare and contrast your responses and summarize what you chose and why. Be sure to use your classmates preferred names. All the posts must be rated as Jedi for a checkmark (you can revise as needed by completing/revisiting the instructions). Try to complete think-share-pair-compare forums by the listed due date although they can be completed up until the reflective video on that material.

• debrief, where you compare with solutions and reflect, earns its own checkmark. Try to complete debriefs by the listed due date although they can be completed up until the reflective video on that material.

• begin, where you read through a problem set, reflective video assignment, or the final project and send me any questions you have or give me a brief update if you don't have questions. Begin these assignments early and continue working on them until their listed due date. Can work ahead or throughout the day it is listed, but turn it in by 9am the next morning. Solutions will open.

Problem sets (20%)

There are problem sets over the course of the semester. They are designed to apply knowledge in novel settings and approach problems from numerous points of view to draw connections and think out of the box. In the problem set annotations or explanations will demonstrate your work and understanding of by-hand and Maple printouts. Your work must be turned in on or before the due date and time because solutions will be posted. To accommodate issues that may arise, the lowest problem set will automatically be dropped–save this for emergencies.

Reflective video responses (20%)

There are two reflective video responses. Talking time to look back at what you have done allows you to make connections, solidify knowledge, and put your understanding in context. Your reflective video must be turned in on or before the due date.*

Final project (10%)

You will choose a topic related to linear algebra as evidenced by its connection to one or more topics we covered. You will communicate your expertise in a video presentation and learn from your classmates. As on https://facultyhandbook.appstate.edu/sites/default/files/facultyhandbook2020final.pdf ``an instructor may NOT change the date or time of an examination without permission of the departmental chair and dean... Permission is granted only in case of emergency." *

The grading scale is

• A: 93 or above; A- less than 93 but greater than or equal to 90

• B+ less than 90 but greater than or equal to 87; B less than 87 but greater than or equal to 83; B- less than 83 but greater than or equal to 80

• C+ less than 80 but greater than or equal to 77; C less than 77 but greater than or equal to 73; C- less than 73 but greater than or equal to 70

• D+ less than 70 but greater than or equal to 67; D less than 67 but greater than or equal to 60

• F less than 60

*Accommodations in the determination of your final grade might be made for extenuating circumstances that are officially documented to prevent you from completing work early/on time. However, if you expect to miss more than 10% of class activities then I advise you to drop the course.

Academic Integrity and Essential Course Integrity

You should explore the course material and write out your thinking in a way that can be shared with others. Academic integrity is a fundamental part of the course, which includes meeting deadlines, regular communication, and giving proper reference where it is due. These are essential to course integrity. Be sure to give acknowledgment where it is due. Submitting someone else's work as your own (PLAGIARISM) is a serious violation of the University's Academic Integrity Code, which defines: ``Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, borrowing, downloading, cutting and pasting, and paraphrasing without acknowledgement, including from online sources, or allowing an individual's academic work to be submitted as another's work."

The purpose of engagement is to learn and practice computational strategies, concepts, and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In this course, you will be challenged with problems that you have never seen before. I do not expect you to be able to solve all the issues immediately. Instead, I want to see what you can do on your own. Out in the real world, this is important, since no matter what job you have, you will be expected to seek out information and answers to new topics you have not seen before. Many concepts require the critical and creative analysis of a variety of interpretations in order to fully consider the implications.

I understand that this can feel frustrating and uncomfortable and I am here to help you through the process. It helps to remember that there are no mathematical dead-ends! Each time we get stuck, it teaches us something about the problem we are working on and leads us to a deeper understanding of the mathematics.

In the real world though, you are not expected to face your work alone. You will be allowed to talk to other people and you may even be expected to work with other people. In this class, you are also not expected to face your work alone. I am always eager to help you and will try to give you hints and direction to help you understand the material.

At times though, to encourage the exploration process, I may direct you to rethink a problem and to discuss it with me again after you have had time to explore new directions. You can take this time in our Zoom hours and consult with me after you re-think your approach or you can come back and re-connect. This occurs when I believe that the struggle to understand is imperative for your deep understanding of the material.

CBMS published a statement titled ``Active Learning in Post-Secondary Mathematics Education" about the importance of ``classroom practices that engage students in activities, such as reading, writing, discussion, or problem solving, that promote higher-order thinking."

Appalachian's General Education Program prepares students to employ various modes of communication that can help communities reach consensus or respectful disagreement: successful communicators interact effectively with people of both similar and different experiences and values and in this class you will practice oral and written communication during class by interacting with your peers and me. Regardless of gender, political party, race, religion, sexuality, or more this class is to be a welcoming environment, and so I want you to be sensitive and respectful to each other in upcoming discussions. Part of the welcoming environment is to keep an open mind as you engage in our class activities and explore current mathematical/scientific consensus. Performing activities that detract from this welcoming environment will result in a lowered grade.

Sharing our course materials, photos or video or audio recordings may not occur without prior permission.

Tentative Calendar

There is daily work of completion activities at your own pace or before the due date. Handwrites, begins, problem sets, reflective videos, and the final project have hard deadlines. See ASULearn for full details.

Intro to Systems of Linear Equations Aug-8/28

Problem Set 1: Due Fri 8/28

Vectors, Systems and Equations 8/27-9/16

Problem Set 2: Due Wed 9/16

Matrix Algebra 9/15-9/30

Problem Set 3: Due Wed 9/30

Midsemester Reflective Video 9/29-10/2

Reflective Video 1 on Intro to Systems of Linear Equations, Vectors, Systems and Equations, and Matrix Algebra: Due Tues 10/2.
Any outstanding interactive videos, second chance assignments, think-share-pair-compare forums, or debriefs must be completed.

Linear Transformations and Orthogonality 10/2-10/21

Problem Set 4: Due Wed 10/21

Spaces 10/20-10/30

Problem Set 5: Due Fri 10/30

Determinants, Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors 10/29-11/13

Problem Set 6: Due Wed 11/11

Final Reflective Video and Final Project 11/12-12/8

Reflective Video 2 on Linear Transformations and Orthogonality, Spaces, and Determinants, Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors: Due Tues 11/17.
Any outstanding interactive videos, second chance assignments, think-share-pair-compare forums, or debriefs must be completed.

Final Project: Due Tues 12/8