Math 1A Online

Calculus: the Mathematics of Change

Foothill College• spring 2020

Welcome!

I'm Dr. Sarah Williams, and I will be your online instructor for Math 1A. I'm glad to welcome you to the course!

As you get ready for the college term, this site will be your quick reference for answers to many Frequently Asked Questions. If you don't find the answer you need, please reach out to me. I'll be glad to hear from you, and I'm happy to help.

When you're ready to get started in our course, you may login here!

Course Type

This is a fully online course at Foothill College.
No specific login times are required. You will have maximum flexibility in organizing your own study times to learn new material each week.
Our class will include at least one in-person exam.
Distance students are welcome! You'll arrange exams near your home.

Have a Question?

Contact Me

The best way to reach me is by email.

When Foothill is in session, email me at WilliamsSarah@Foothill.edu, or use the Canvas Inbox. I strive to respond within 1-2 school days.

ASK A PEER

Use the Q&A Discussion for General Questions

If you encounter a general question about the course, I invite you to ask it in the Q&A Discussion. Your question will be seen by your peers and if anyone has the answer -- by all means, answer it! If your question is personal in nature, please send it directly to me through email or the Canvas Inbox.

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, and I will provide feedback on your exams within one week.
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) that allows you to complete all assignments and prepare for the exams.
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 join me (or a proctor near your home) to demonstrate your own achievements in person.
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 page 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 course, I'll teach you 2-3 mathematical concepts or skills each week. Those topics are organized into modules, and you'll always have a full week to study each module before its suggested due date. Suggested due dates are spread throughout the week, but you can work at your own pace throughout each week, without late penalty.
Your Weekly Due Date: There is one "catch-up" due date each week (by Monday evenings). At that time, you will need to complete all of the week's work (if you have not done so already), and complete a Connections Activity. The Connections Activity highlights themes that run across multiple course concepts and skills.
Required Class Meetings: Usually, you can log into our class on your own schedule, without required meeting times. There will also be in-person exams: during the regular 12 week term, there is a midterm around the halfway point (date and time TBA when you log in) and there is also a final exam. Distance students (living more than 50 miles from Foothill), you'll arrange to take the tests at a testing center near your home. I can help with those arrangements, too.

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 is not supported by Canvas, and you'll find that our math equations 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.

Due Dates for Week One

Put these dates on your calendar now.

Due by Tuesday, 11:59pm: Student Orientation module.
Due by Wednesday, 11:59pm: Calculus Concept 1 module, Average and instantaneous velocity.
Due by Friday, 11:59pm: Calculus Concept 2 module, The notion of limit.

My Advice for Success

Right now, make a commitment to yourself to complete each week's work by Friday. Then, you will be able to preview the Connections Activity that will be due the following Monday at 11:59pm. You'll be able to think about the problems over the weekend; ask for advice from your instructor, peers, or a tutor; and you'll be ready to log in and submit your final answers on Monday evening.

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 Monday 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

What's a Student Learning Outcome?

Student Learning Outcomes are the goals you are aiming to achieve by the end of this course.

Upon completing this course successfully, the Student Learning Outcomes state that you will:

1. ....demonstrate the ability to compute limits and rates of change for functions of a single variable.

2. ...develop conceptual understanding of limits and rates of change of functions of a single variable; demonstrate and communicate this understanding in a variety of ways, such as: reasoning with definitions and theorems, connecting concepts, and connecting multiple representations, as appropriate.

3. ...solve problems involving applications of limits and rates of change of functions of a single variable.

SUPPORT FOR YOU

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

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 arrange time to meet in Zoom to work through your challenges.

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!

Local students, this is 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

Are you stretched thin, hungry, and available to pick up food on campus? 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.

HOW GRADING WORKS

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 in Zoom is all you need 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. You know how to reach me, right?

My Grading Philosophy

The goal for students in this class is to demonstrate mastery of calculus skills and concepts, at the 70%-level or more. Some topics will "click," week-by-week, but some will take longer to settle as you get your questions answered and find connections in your mind. You'll be able to "bank" credit for your good work as you progress through the course at home. However, if you miss or score low on any online assessment for any reason, then it will simply not count for you. Instead, your final exam will carry more weight toward your overall course grade. As a result, your course grade won't be hurt when you need to take a bit of extra time to fully learn a concept or skill.

How Your Work is Graded

Online Quizzes that address each concept, skill, or important information piece of the course: 35%
Online Midterm Quizzes and Connections Activities that highlight themes across concepts: 20%
In-person Exam(s): 45%
Note: you must pass the final exam (70% or higher) to pass the class.

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+
70-72% = C-; 73-79% = C
60-82% = D-; 63-67% = D; 68-69% = D+
Below 60 = F

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