Assignment types, grades, goals & 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 (35%)

There is daily work each day at your own pace. Completion either occurs when you can manually mark an activity as done or is earned when you obtain a proficient grade by a deadline or access or submit an activity in the ASULearn assignments. The percentage of successfully completed activities determines the overall engagement grade. To accommodate for emergencies, the lowest 3 are dropped.

• book readings. To earn credit you will self report completion. I recommend taking notes on concepts and examples, especially relating to what I've listed in the expanded list, which is linked to the glossaries.

• 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 all correct. Try to complete videos by the listed due date although they can be completed up until closer to the corresponding in-class assessment.

• practice with instantaneous feedback check from me, repeatable until the deadline to obtain completion. The point is to practice, earn a passing grade, and examine the feedback to make sure you understand rather than obtain a perfect score. I only use the completion checks I see on my end, not the specific passing score. If you weren't able to succeed then a second chance will open after the deadline, but completion is easier to obtain when it was originally due (70% instead of 90%). The second chance can be completed up until closer to the corresponding in-class assessment.

• handwrite practices are designed to further develop your understanding and familiarity with the material and independence in critical thinking. Completion is earned through a Jedi or Jedi Master grade. A Padawan grade does not earn completion. You can work ahead but this has a strict deadline and must be turned in to the ASULearn assignment. Solutions open in the re-engage.

• re-engages and debriefs, where you compare with solutions and reflect, earn their own completion credit. Try to complete these by the listed due date although they can be completed up until closer to the corresponding in-class assessment.

• begin, where you read through a problem set or video 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. These have strict deadlines.

• webpages, PDF, files, glossaries, card sort assignment, surveys, or other course activities. You self-report completion in some activities and others are earned when you access them or submit responses. Some may have earlier cut-off deadlines and others can be completed up until closer to the corresponding in-class assessment.

Problem sets (30%)

There are four 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, your own annotations or explanations will demonstrate your work and understanding of by-hand and Maple work. You may work with one partner and turn in one per group. Your work must be turned in to the ASULearn assignment on or before the due date and time. Solutions will open in the re-engage. To accommodate issues that may arise, you can revise one problem set as you reflect on it—the optional assignment is at the end of module 4.

In-Class Assessments (20%)

There are two in-class assessments. Talking time to look back at what you have done and make new connections allows you to solidify knowledge and put your understanding in context. To encourage in-class assessments as a learning experience and accommodate for emergencies, you can revise one of them later on—the optional assignment is at the end of module 4. There are no make-up assessments but there is flexibility in this manner. In addition to the corrections themselves, the optional revision also includes reflective components.

Final Project (10%)

For the final project you will extend class content in some creative way by explaining new material, examining connections to your interests, describing historical connections, or other new connections. The final project is due by our assigned time at finals during which you will do peer-review and self-reflection. Your videos must be turned in to the ASULearn forum on or before the due date and time.*

Effective Class Engagement (5%)

ASU designates that “Face-to face component is not a lecture but provides time for discussion, demonstrations, problem-solving, and higher-level thinking and collaborative activities. Class time is used to apply course content in ways that can only be accomplished when everyone is together in the same place.” https://cetlss.appstate.edu/teaching-learning/course-delivery-options. During class we will work on handwrite practices, additional think-share-pair-compare activities such as pollev.com questions, and fill-in guides. Class is also used for in-class assessment and sharing the final project ideas. If you can't attend due to sickness or similar but can join online, ask a classmate to Zoom you in at your table so that you can participate in group work, and let me know you are there. Effective class engagement is essential to our course integrity and attendance is required at ALL such classes, with the exception of legitimate or excused absences.

If you expect to miss more than 10% of classes due to university sponsored activities or other reasons then I advise you to drop the course. Any student who wants to obtain an “excused absence” for less than 10% of classes must meet certain responsibilities, including contacting me on the ASULearn forum in advance when possible, providing official documentation, and making up any possible work in advance. If the university cancels classes or changes them, continue progressing on the work due on ASULearn and check ASULearn for any updated info, which may include plans for the missed class such as Zoom meetings or individual activities.

It will be useful if you bring a computer, tablet, or phone to classes that can access webpages—if not, you can still participate in other ways.

ASU 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. Keep it a safe place to express meaningful ideas and opinions. Actively listen to others and encourage everyone to participate. Part of the welcoming environment is to keep an open mind as you engage in our class activities, explore consensus and employ collective thinking across barriers. Maintain a professional tone, show respect and courtesy, and make your contributions matter. Performing activities that detract from the welcoming environment or distract your neighbors or me will result in a lowered grade. Asking or answering related and thought-provoking questions, coming up with creative ways of thinking about the material, and explaining the material to others are some examples of positive class engagement that will increase your grade.

Academic Integrity, Essential Course Integrity, and Classroom Policies

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."

Use of interactive technology is allowed only when it is related to our class. Otherwise put cell phones away or place them face down and set them to vibrate. Photos or video or audio recordings may not be taken in class without prior permission. Food, beverages, e-cigs, chewing tobacco/spit cups and other products are not allowed.

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