I teach three versions of Math 119. You'll find a quick overview below and can go into the details for teach class at the bottom of this page.
The most supportive class option:
meets MW 9-10:25 on Zoom and Th 9-10:25 on campus
little work to be done outside of class
collaboration with peers is encouraged during class meetings
Recommended for students who are nervous about taking college math and/or are less motivated to do work outside of class on their own.
A little less hand-holding here:
meets F 11:10-1pm on Zoom
videos and discussions done outside of class meeting
classes are review + some time to get support from me and your peers
Recommended for students who would like a flexible schedule, but would appreciate the accountability and community that comes with checking in weekly.
Very little hand-holding:
no scheduled meetings on Zoom
everything is completed via Canvas
not a self-paced course, new material will not be available until the Friday before the subsequent week
Recommended for students who can set and maintain their own schedule and advocate for themselves when they are confused with content. Strongly recommend that you have taken an online class previously and are not math-phobic (since this is twice as fast as the other two options).
As your Instructor, I understand that students represent a rich diversity of backgrounds and perspectives.
San Diego Mesa College is committed to providing an atmosphere for learning that respects diversity.
While working together to build this community I request that we all abide by the following parameters:
Share our unique experiences, values and beliefs.
Have patience and a sense of humor with technology. Expect problems. (It's technology!)
Value classmates' opinions and communicate in a respectful manner.
Be open to the views of others.
Honor the uniqueness of your classmates. Appreciate the opportunity that we have to learn from each other in this community.
In this learning space, students of all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, language backgrounds, and sexual orientations are welcome. Together we create a supportive, fun, and encouraging environment.
If, at any time, you feel that you have been disrespected by a member of our community, you are encouraged to bring your concern directly and immediately to me. Clearly identify what has occurred with specific explanation and evidence. Your concerns will be addressed promptly and in an individualized manner.
Short answer - NOTHING. I hate textbook publishers and won't make you buy anything for the course.
You do need a way to get online OTHER THAN your cell phone. Mesa has a laptop checkout, so you should be covered. You can visit bit.ly/MesaLaptopCheckout to apply to borrow a laptop, web cam, or other tech resources.
Decent WiFi. We have a WiFi lot on campus! For a list of all resources visit: http://www.sdmesa.edu/covid19/index.shtml
If you have a tablet, you will want to download the Canvas app rather than trying to work through a browser.
If you're in my online 119 class, denoted WEB on the schedule, we will almost exclusively hang out on Canvas, our school's learning management system. Once you login, you should see our course!
There is also a great mobile app that you can learn more about there: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7zpkl-gscE
If you're in my 119X or Friday hybrid class, we will meet during the week on Zoom, in addition to completing work via Canvas. The video above gives you waaaaay too much detail, but you should be able to simply click the Zoom Room link on our Canvas site to join. You may want to have audio, so it's helpful if you have a microphone.
I always get a question like this at the beginning of the semester, so I figure why not answer it now. I know you are wondering!
Yes. Statistics is a difficult subject matter. And I really want you to understand why we do certain things, what they actually mean, and how we can use these tools mindfully, so I won't just teach you steps to calculate things mindlessly. It IS challenging!
But also no. It's rare that a student who is really putting in the effort and willing to change their strategies doesn't pass the class. And when it happens, I'm heart-broken. I want each and every one of you to pass this course so that you can continue on with your educational goals. I hope I inspire some of you to consider Statistics as a field of study.
My course is built on the idea that we aren't perfect the first time we do something and those mistakes are how we improve and learn. Every assignment (with the exception of exams) can be redone after you receive some guidance from me on how to improve it. There are multiple ways for you to demonstrate your understanding - discussions, projects, exams, creative assignments... If you've struggled in a traditional classroom, I hope we'll find a way to get through this together.
This course has the most support - we meet for 4.5 hours a week and make no assumptions about your math background!
Typically allows for flexibility by only meeting once a week on Fridays while everything else is online.