Math 1A and 1B

Online Calculus with Sarah Williams

Foothill College• Summer 2023

Welcome!

I'm Dr. Sarah Williams, and I will be your online calculus instructor. I'm glad to welcome you!

As you get ready for the new term, this site will be your quick reference for answers to many Frequently Asked Questions.

Course Type

This is a fully online course at Foothill College.
This is an asynchronous course.
- There will be one in-person final exam, on Thursday August 10, 2023.
- Most students will come to the Foothill campus for this exam, but distance students will arrange to take the test at a local college testing center (I will step you through the approval process).
- No specific login times are required throughout the term. You will have maximum flexibility in organizing your own study times to learn new material each week.

ESSENTIALS

I realize that every course you take is different. This section will help you understand how I approach my course.

OUR PACT

What you can expect from me:

As your professor, I will be actively present in your math learning experience.
I will provide clear, concise, free content and practice material that helps you learn. Whenever you let me know I'm falling short of this goal, I'll try different ways to explain better right away.
I will answer your math questions within about one school day.
I will show respect for your individual learning style, experiences, and needs, and I will create a positive and supportive environment where you will feel safe to ask questions and take on challenging material.
I understand that you are busy and that you have many competing priorities. When needed, I will be flexible to support your successful completion of this course.

What I will expect from you:

You will establish a weekly study routine (expect about 15 hours per week during a regular term, or 30 hours per week during an accelerated 6-week term) that allows you to complete all assignments and prepare for the quizzes and tests.
You will focus on understanding the concepts and performing the skills of this course, aiming for your own personal best.
When you have a math question, you will turn to the "human resources" of the course for help. The human resources include me (your instructor), your peers, and free online and on-campus tutoring. You will sample a variety of outreach strategies early in the term, so you can identify and use your best strategies for getting help.
You will uphold academic integrity by submitting only work that you understand for yourself. At exam time, you will demonstrate your own achievements by working independently.
You will be thoughtful in your interactions with peers, while taking extra care to respect diverse perspectives. You will support your classmates as you share this learning space and time.

My Teaching Philosophy

As humans, we are innate learners, everyday. As social creatures and digital citizens, we have a wide variety of ways to access instruction, when we are motivated to learn: sometimes I pull up YouTube on my phone to learn; sometimes I ask a friend a question to learn; sometimes I board an airplane and travel to a conference to learn.

You and your classmates have chosen to study math in an online classroom for a wide variety of reasons: learning styles, schedules and responsibilities, previous experiences (both good and bad), and curiosity -- all these factors bring us together.

We are gathering together in an online classroom so that I can support all of you as you learn calculus, and so that you can support each other.

As you may have heard, learning calculus is not always easy.

My teaching philosophy is: we can do it by working together.

Learning calculus will cause you to understand shapes, motion, and change in new ways. Your eyes will be opened to details that you hadn't previously seen. Learning calculus gains you an invitation to study sophisticated ideas and techniques, across the disciplines. These changes in your thinking do not always come easily, or on the first try. This invitation to study at the next level is not easily obtained.

But, you are on the right track! You are setting aside time; and you are choosing a mode of instruction that fits your life and preferences; and you have all the background knowledge and student skills that you will need in my class.

You and your classmates will take different approaches, and you will have different questions. You and your classmates have different backgrounds, and different motivations for learning calculus. This is good news, because you'll learn from each other's perspectives.

I know this, because the best thing about teaching is learning, from my students, everyday.

WEEK 1 SUCCESS KIT

Online courses move quickly, and getting off to a good start is an important way to prepare yourself for success. Read this info carefully and you'll have all you need to start this course on the right foot.

How This Course Works

Our course is housed within Canvas, and you'll find all of our course content there. (The login link is found at the bottom of this page.)
Course Modules: During this 12-week (or accelerated 6-week) course, I'll teach you 2-3 (or 4-6) mathematical concepts or skills each week. Suggested due dates are spread throughout the week, with one fixed due date each Tuesday.
Mathematical Communication: Although this is distance education, let's not be isolated! You'll have quick check-in assignments where I ask you to share your ideas and questions with your classmates. It's low-pressure and fun to hear how everyone is thinking. I will jump into the discussions, too.
Required Class Meetings: We have one required class meeting, the final exam. Otherwise, you can log into our class on your own schedule.

Course Materials

We'll use a highly professional free online textbook, free interactive problem sets, short video tutorials, and materials I've developed especially for your class. We won't use traditional graphing calculators (we will use some free online graphing utilities). After registering for the class, there's nothing you need to buy.

I do suggest that you find a notebook or simple folder where you can keep your notes for this course. Although the content is presented on your screen, you'll work problems on your own paper, and it will be helpful to look back to review those examples when the test dates arrive. Summarizing the content of the course in your own words is also a highly recommended study habit. A simple organization system like a binder, folder, or spiral notebook (or an electronic version of these) will serve you well.

Technology requirements:

Mac users, you'll need to install the Chrome and/or Firefox browser. Safari doesn't always interact well with Canvas -- you'll find that our math equations or images may not work in Safari.
You can install the Canvas Student app on an Apple or Android smartphone, or iPad. If you rely on the Canvas app regularly, identify a computer where you'll be able to access the course at least once a week using the Chrome or Firefox browser. The app and browser versions of the course come across with some differences, so it's important to check on the browser version each week to avoid missing anything.

My Advice for Success

Right now, make a commitment to yourself to complete each week's work by Friday. Then, you will have a couple of days of flexibility before it's time to jump into new topics. This will give you time to ask questions, read responses, take a break, and feel ready to move forward.

I allow you a lot of scheduling flexibility because I know everyone's schedule is packed. Committing to a schedule that is tailored to you -- and also allows you time to think, and time to get help -- will set you on the path toward solid learning and strong scores.

If you find that you won't be able to meet a class due date, contact me right away to share this concern. Let's talk about how to make the course work well for you.

COURSE GOALS and Contents

Do you need to check the Student Learning Outcomes or transferability of your course?

Here are the official details to share with your transfer institution:

Foothill College _ MATH 1A Outline Summer 2018.pdf

Course Outline of Record ("Syllabus") for Math 1A

Foothill College _ MATH 1B Outline Summer 2018.pdf

Course Outline of Record ("Syllabus") for Math 1B

SUPPORT FOR YOU

We have you covered. As a STEM student at Foothill, there are plenty of resources to support you and your learning.

Campus Resources for Students

Canvas Technical Support

- - There is a question mark icon (?) within Canvas, which links you to live tech support. You can also visit Foothill's Online Learning website to access help.

NetTutor - Online Tutoring!

- - This free-to-you service is linked within our course, and many students have found it extremely helpful. In our orientation module, I'll show you how it works.

STEM Center - On-campus Tutoring! (Virtual for COVID!)

- - A great place to study, meet up with classmates, and ask professional tutors for help as needed.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

- - If you've used accommodations due to disability at Foothill or at another campus, please check in with our DRC office at the start of the term to activate your accommodations in our class. If you suspect you need disability accommodations but haven't used them in the past, a DRC counselor can explain the intake and evaluation process and help you get started.

Food Pantry

- - Do you need help making ends meet? Foothill can help.

Online Counseling!

- - Calculus is only one piece of your puzzle. Connect with a Foothill College academic counselor to continue refining your plans and academic goals.

What's My Role?

As your professor, I am the person you should contact if you need help with the course. I strive to make this course clear and ensure you can see your pathway to success. I understand that each student is different and will always strive to respond to your questions quickly and efficiently.

You can reach me directly within Canvas - I will show you where to find the Inbox tool. Email works, too. We can also arrange time to meet, in person or by video conference, to work through your challenges.

Advice about grades

I know that getting good grades can sometimes be stressful. To help reduce that stress and improve the likelihood of getting your best grades, allow yourself the time and space you need to do your best work. Don't procrastinate and if you get stuck on an assignment, reach out to me or one of your peers.

I welcome your questions and I'm happy to help you think through your ideas so you can successfully complete an assignment. Sometimes just a five minute conversation or a quick "help please" over email is all you need to resolve your problem. Struggle is a natural part of learning, but if you're feeling frustrated that means it is time to reach out for some assistance.

Grade Scale

At the end of the term, the following scale will be used to assign your final grade.

90-92% = A-; 93-100% = A
80-82% = B-; 83-87% = B; 88-89% = B+
70-77% = C; 78-79% = C+
60-82% = D-; 63-67% = D; 68-69% = D+
Below 60 = F

Have a Question?

Additional Help

You may find answers to additional questions from these campus offices:

Google Sites

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