Course Delivery

This is primarily an asynchronous, online course, delivered in the Blackboard (Bb) learning management system (LMS). That means that there will be no required real time interaction except for the synchronous on-line office hours, which are optional. You can create your own work schedule as long as you meet all course expectations, deliverables and due dates. All assignments and course interactions will utilize internet technologies.

Here is a quick readiness quiz you can take to determine if you are ready for online courses http://commons.suny.edu/assessment/quick-readiness-quiz/

The exams can be taken from any where in the world as long as you have a solid internet connection (no cheap wifi please) along with a working computer.

Technologies and Tools Required

An online class cannot be conducted without appropriate use of technologies that support learning. Some of the technologies and tools that we would use in this class are:

1. Computer and Internet Connection: This course requires that you have a solid wired internet connection to a reliable and working computer with webcam and microphone. Cheap wifi connections do not work and in the past students have had difficulties taking exams when they were connected to unreliable wifi access points, such as at Starbucks, etc. We will not be responsible for you not being able to connect to the servers during the exam and no extensions on time will be given. Please do not underestimate the importance of having a reliable computer and internet connection. This is the primary reason why students in the past have suffered a great deal.

Please install all the updates on your computer well before an exam. The newer versions of Microsoft Windows OS are not very flexible with scheduling updates. You don’t want to initiate an update just before a critical assignment, such as quiz or exam is due.

2. Blackboard: The Stony Brook University uses Blackboard (Bb) course management system for all course-related management. The Bb site for this class will be the central online location for posting all class-related materials, announcements, calendar, etc.

3. Piazza: This term we will be using Piazza, an online forum, for class discussion. The system is highly catered to getting you help fast and efficiently from your classmates, the TA, and myself. Rather than emailing questions to me or the TAs, please post your questions on Piazza.

You can post questions with public or private settings. As a rule, all questions should be posted using public settings unless 1) you have a non-technical private question that only concerns you, or 2) you need to post your own solutions to a problem and want to discuss with the teaching team privately.

Please sign up at http://piazza.com/stonybrook/summer2019/mec262. In the beginning of the class, I will add you to the Piazza manually. However, you will have to complete the sign up to complete the registration process. You will receive an email from Piazza instructing you to do so.

4. Voicethread: Using Voicethread, you can comment on VoiceThread slides using one of five commenting options: microphone, webcam, text, phone, and audio-file upload. You do not have to sign up for it; this is integrated in the Blackboard. Please do not log in from voicethread.com. We will use this in the beginning of the semester only for introductions.

5. McGraw Hill Connect: The Connect is an online learning platform from McGraw Hill, which you would use for submitting your HW assignments. See the Required Course Textbooks section below on details on how to purchase an access.

6. Respondus LockDown Browser: You will need to use this browser to take quizzes and exams online; please download it from this link:

http://www.respondus.com/lockdown/download.php?id=772113517

7. Calculators: Only an approved NCEES allowed calculator will be permissible to use during quizzes and exams. Please see the Calculator Policy section below on details.

8. Microphone and Webcam: needed for participating in the Voice Thread discussions and Commenting; also needed for on-line exam proctoring.

9. Scanner or camera app: A scanner to scan HW, Quizzes, or Exams, as necessary or you can use a smartphone or tablet camera with an app for creating high quality, cropped pdf documents, such as free version of CamScanner (search for it in Google PlayStore or Apple iTunes store). It is your responsibility to ensure that your scans will be legible without being too large in size. This may be needed for submitting your HWs, cheat sheets, and exams.

10. Adobe Acrobat Reader (free) and Microsoft Word: SBU students can download MS Office for free from https://it.stonybrook.edu/software/title/microsoft-office.

Adobe Acrobat Reader can be downloaded from https://get.adobe.com/reader/