Math 310 Foundations for Higher Math Spring 2023

Timings

• Lecture: 1pm-2pm MWF, Cupples II 230

• Office hours: 3-4pm M in Cupples II 230, 3:30-4:45pm Tu in Cupples I 204B, 9:30-10:30am F in Cupples I 207.

Resources

We'll generally follow this freely available book by Prof. Bob Dumas & Prof. John McCarthy.

Assessment

• Mastery (50%)

• Homework completion (5%)

• Self-reflections (5%)

• Midterm - takehome (20%)

• Final - May 10th 1-3pm (20%)

Completion: I will allow for one missed homework and one missed reflection without impacting your grade. After this point, each missed homework or reflection counts as -1% of your grade up to -5%.

Resurrection final: We will use a resurrection final in this course. This means that we will calculate two grades: G1 = grade calculated as above, and G2 = grade calculated with midterm counting 0% and final exam counting 40%. Your final grade will be max(G1, G2).

Virtual testing: I will offer a virtual option for exams and quizzes in circumstances such as quarantine due to sickness or potential exposure to covid-19.

Makeups: Because of the three features above I don't allow for makeups under any circumstances.

Mastery: This course uses mastery-based grading. This is intended to provide a lower pressure environment where your mastery of specific skills in the course is prioritised as opposed to assessing whether you can successfully take tests. This part of the grade involves completing mastery objectives throughout the course. There are 20 objectives found in the Objectives tab of the spreadsheet below.

You achieve checks on an objective completing a quiz question, homework question, or a few other kinds of task (see the Assessment tab on the spreadsheet below for details). Mastery is repeated demonstration of a given objective.

Your percent score on this portion of the final grade (50%) is determined by:

• 100% = 15 objectives with 2 checks + 3 objectives with 1 check + 10 writing checks

  • ...then -2% per missed check until...

• 85% = 10 objectives with 2 checks + 7 objectives with 1 check + 7 writing checks

  • ...then -2% per missed check until...

• 70% = 15 objectives with 1 check + 5 writing checks

  • ...then -2% per missed check until...

• 55% = 10 objectives with 1 check + 1 writing check

  • ...then -5% per missed check.

Writing checks are achieved by communicating a logically correct and well-written proof on a quiz.

To enable multiple attempts at each objective, we have weekly mastery quizzes featuring questions addressing different objectives. The objectives for each quiz are listed below. Note that there is no obligation to complete all questions on a quiz (e.g. if you've already achieved 2 checks on an objective there's no need to attempt it again); indeed, you shouldn't expect to have time to complete all questions so you will need to be strategic about which questions/objectives you want to attempt.

Here is a mastery cheat sheet to help keep track of which objectives you've achieved.

Homework questions can also contribute checks for objectives up to a maximum of 5 checks. You don't need to elect which objectives you assign homework checks to, we'll do so in the optimal way for your grade at the end of the semester. Substantial and correct answers on Piazza also provide checks, one check per three answers on a given objective (loosely defined) up to a max of 3 checks. Quizzes are the only unlimited source of checks.

Integrity

• Attempting to cheat in this course is unacceptable and will be strongly penalised. A first offense will be penalised with a zero grade on the relevant piece of assessment. A second offense will be penalised with an immediate fail grade.

• Collaboration is permitted (actually encouraged!) on homework assignments, however each student must write up solutions in their own words.  Please write the names of any other students you have collaborated with at the top of each assignment. Significant similarities between submissions from different students that fail to mention any collaboration counts as an act of cheating and will be penalised as such.

Syllabus