Fall Term (505)
Instructor / Judith Fraser
Title / Professor
OfficePhone / 727-341-4730
Office Address / SP/G Campus, SA Building, Room 206
Office Hours / Found under theCourse Content -> SPC RESOURCES -> Professor's Office Hourstab of MyCourses by the end of Week 1.
E-mail / To send an e-mail message to Professor Fraser, please useONLYtheMyCourses E-mail Systeminside this course by first clicking onCommunicate->Email->Compose, thenAddress Bookto find your professor's name and add it to theTo:field.
Location / Online
StartDate / 8/17/2015
CourseCredits / 4
Required Courseware
ISBN: 0077772857
You will be purchasing ONLY an ALEKS 360subscription cardcontaining a Student Access Code providing access to the ALEKS online learning environment and to the followingelectronictextbook (NOT a printed-on-paper textbook):
Miller/O'Neill/Hyde: Introductory Algebra, 2nd Ed.
Publisher: McGraw Hill,eBook
Note: Only ALEKS licenses purchased through the SPC bookstore are valid for 2 years. The license is valid for MAT 0028 only. Licenses purchased through a different vendor are valid for the time frame stated by that vendor. This implies that if your ALEKS license is not purchased at an SPC bookstore at this time and you need to repeat this course for any reason, you may need to purchase a new ALEKS license at the time of that future repeated attempt of this course.
Optional Technology for use during Homework ONLY
TI-30 Recommended
Calculators may be used tocheckyour homework, however, calculators areNOTpermitted on Tests or Exams.
Course Description
Prerequisite(s): MAT 0018 or appropriate score on the SPC mathematics placement test. This is the second course in the college-preparatory two-course sequence (MAT 0018 and MAT 0028) designed to prepare students for college-level mathematics courses. This course is a study of the basic skills and concepts of basic algebra from the view of a college student who needs an understanding of basic algebra. Major topics include operations on signed rational numbers, simple linear equations and inequalities in one variable, operations on polynomials (including beginning techniques of factoring), integer exponents, brief introduction to radicals, introduction to graphing, applications, and other basic algebra topics. A minimum course grade average of C (minimum 70% accuracy) is required for successful completion. This course does not apply toward mathematics requirements in general education or toward any associate degree. 47 - 62 contact hours.
Course Objectives
Tentative Schedule
Please view theMyCoursesCalendartab.
IMPORTANT DATES:Important Dates:SPC's Official College Calendar
Course Dates: 8/17/2015 - 12/10/2015
Deadline to Drop with Refund: 8/21/2015
MyCourses Midterm Exam (Proctored) dates:10/9/2015 - 10/11/2015 (requires travel to anSPC Campus Location)or10/8/2015 - 10/11/2015 (requires officially Designating a Proctor with SPC's eCampus in the FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THE COURSE and requires travel to an SPC-approvedDistance Testing Location). You must make a reservation to take your Midterm Exam within the first 2 weeks of this course. Visit the following eCampus webpage for information about how to make your reservation or how to designate a proctor:
Deadline to Withdraw without refund: 10/22/2015 (60% point in the term)
Active Participation Requirement: ALEKSModules 1 - 5, ALEKS Test 1, and the MyCourses Midterm Exam (Proctored) MUST be completed by 10/18/2015 to be considered actively participating in the course.
MyCourses Final Exam (Proctored) dates:12/4/2015 - 12/6/2015 (requires travel to anSPC Campus Location)or12/3/2015 - 12/6/2015 (requires officially Designating a Proctor with SPC's eCampus in the FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THE COURSE and requires travel to an SPC-approvedDistance Testing Location).You must make a reservation to take your Final Examwithin the first 2 weeks of this course. Visit the following eCampus webpage for information about how to make your reservation or how to designate a proctor:
SPC will be Closed and No Classes for On-Campus Students (Online Students maintain scheduled course activities) on the following dates:
- 9/7/2015, Monday (Labor Day),
- 10/20/2015, Tuesday (All College Day professional development for SPC Faculty and Staff),
- 11/11/2015, Wednesday (Veterans Day), and
- 11/25-11/29/2015, Wednesday through Sunday (Thanksgiving Break).
Course Requirements
ASSIGNMENTS: All course work/assignments must be completed by the published due dates. Please refer frequently to theList of AssignmentsandCalendarinMyCoursesto maintain awareness of assignment due dates and testing date(s). A grade of zero may be assigned to any course requirement not completed by its due date. Please note thatyou have graded assignments and testing in BOTH ALEKS and in MyCourses...!!
Students are required tocheck for MyCourses e-mail DAILY, read for understanding, and respond to all e-mail that asks for a response, and to participate in any class discussions. Students are STRONGLY recommended to register and log on to SMARTHINKING at least one time in the first 2 weeks of class or visit the tutors in the Learning Resource Commons (LRC).
Students are expected to complete 100% of all homework assigned.
ALEKS Homework (Objectives and Assessments)- (15% of final grade)
ALEKS is integrated with a textbook to set up Intermediate Objectives based on chapters. Students receive points for meeting the chapter deadlines and are also given points for each objective completed. Students will take Assessments at various points in the semester. There are two types of assessment in ALEKS. Please note that both types of assessment produce results that show students' knowledge relative to the entire course contents. They differ, however, in the questioning strategy. A "progress" assessment tends to focus on the student's recent learning history. It is slightly shorter than a "comprehensive" assessment, and is intended mainly to check the students' retention of material recently learned. A "comprehensive" assessment ranges more broadly over the content of the course. It is slightly longer than a "progress" assessment, and is intended to check the students' knowledge or retention of material throughout the course.Grades (ALEKS) will be based on "completing assignments accurately and on time". The "Goal" is the percentage of the course that grades on the assessment are based on. For example, midway through the course, the goal for an assessment might be set at 50%. Then, a student who assessed as knowing 40% of the entire course would get a score of 80% on the assessment. (Exceeding the goal percentage gives a score of 100% for the assessment.). Your grade will be adversely affected if you are NOT on schedule.
ALEKS Tests– one attempt (10% of final grade)
There are 2 required Tests that are in ALEKS. These are timed tests in which you will have 1 attempt. You are expected to take these Tests without the use of a book, notes or a calculator. Failure to take the Tests by the due date may result in a student receiving a zero (0). There are no make ups given for missed assignments.
MyCourses Midterm Review and Final Exam Review– multiple attempts (5% of final grade)
These are required reviews for the Midterm Exam and the Final Exam. These reviews can be found inMyCourses. It is your responsibility to complete the reviews by the deadlines designated by your instructor (please refer to the MyCourses Calendar for due dates). It is advisable that you take each review multiple times in order to better prepare for the actual upcoming exam. You may use all notes and your book in completing this review in preparation for the exam. However, you will NOT be permitted to use a book, notes or a calculator on the actual Midterm Exam or Final Exam. Your single highest attempt at either reviewwill be used as your final grade in the "Reviews" category worth 5% of your overall course grade average.
MyCourses Midterm Exam (Proctored)– one attempt, proctored/supervised (30% of final grade)
For all students, the Midterm Exam must be taken by the due date assigned. Failure to take the Midterm Exam by the due date will result in a zero (0). Make-up exams are NOT allowed.
SPC-Location Testing: Students living in or near Pinellas County should plan to take their Midterm Exam on one of SPC's designated campuses using the information found on the following eCampus webpage: the first 2 weeks of the course.
Distance Testing: Students living far away from Pinellas County, should plan to take their Midterm Exam at an educational institution near them, and MUST designate a test proctor using the information found on the following eCampus webpage the first 2 weeks of the course. All distance-testing students requiring special testing arrangements because of a documented disability must first coordinate with SPC's Disability Resources Department. Students accommodated by SPC's Disability Resources with special testing arrangements must schedule their test/exam with the Testing Center, and theprofessor, sufficiently within the first 2 weeks of the course. If you have an SPC-documented disability, please e-mail your Accommodation Sheet ithin the first 2 weeks of the course.
Your professor strongly recommends that you pass the Midterm Review with a 70% or higher before you take the Midterm Exam. This exam is timed and MUST be proctored (supervised). You may not use your books, notes, calculators or any other resources while testing, including other students. Academic honesty policies will be strictly enforced. It is the responsibility of the student to act above suspicion while taking tests/exams.
MyCourses Final Exam (Proctored)– one attempt, proctored/supervised (40% of final grade)
For all students, the Final Exam must be taken by the due date assigned. Failure to take the Final Exam by the due date will result in a zero (0). Make-up exams are NOT allowed.
SPC-Location Testing: Students living in or near Pinellas County should plan to take their Final Exam on one of SPC's designated campuses using the information found on the following eCampus webpage: the first 2 weeks of the course.
Distance Testing: Students living far away from Pinellas County, should plan to take their Final Exam at an educational institution near them, and MUST designate a test proctor using the information found on the following eCampus webpage the first 2 weeks of the course. All distance-testing students requiring special testing arrangements because of a documented disability must first coordinate with SPC's Disability Resources Department. Students accommodated by SPC's Disability Resources with special testing arrangements must schedule their test/exam with the Testing Center, and theprofessor, sufficiently within the first 2 weeks of the course. If you have an SPC-documented disability, please e-mail your Accommodation Sheet ithin the first 2 weeks of the course.
Your professor strongly recommends that you pass the Final Exam Review with a 70% or higher before you take the Final Exam. This exam is timed and MUST be proctored (supervised). You may not use your books, notes, calculators or any other resources while testing, including other students. Academic honesty policies will be strictly enforced. It is the responsibility of the student to act above suspicion while taking tests/exams.
Course Links
MyCourses Log In:
SPC Student HelpDesk (for Technical Support with MyCourses or anything computer-related at SPC):
ALEKS CUSTOMER SUPPORT (for Technical Support with ALEKS):
ALEKS Home Page / Sign In Page:
Syllabus Addendum:
Grading Policy
Students enrolled after the withdrawal deadline will receive a course letter grade based on the following grading scale (rounding shall be the instructor's discretion):
90+: A | 80–89: B | 70–79: C | ≤69: F
Note: Continuing students should consult their current instructor regarding progress from a previous semester.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCESwill a student receive a W grade after the withdrawal deadline. Students on their third attempt cannot withdraw from the class after the first week.
Grades of "I" (Incomplete) are NOT given in this course. If you do not complete the course by the scheduled final exam date, you will receive an "F" for the course.
Total course grade points will consist of an aggregate of points from the following areas:
15% ALEKS Homework (Assessments and Objectives)
10% ALEKS Tests
05% MyCourses Midterm Exam Review and Final Exam Review
30% MyCourses Midterm Exam
40% MyCourses Final Exam
Late Assignment and Make-Up Policy: A student who misses test will receive a zero (0). No make-up tests!
Extra Credit: There is NO Extra Credit available in this course.
Please see the Syllabus Addendum section on GRADING AND REPEAT COURSES POLICIES:
Attendance Policy
The college-wide attendance policy is included in the Syllabus Addendum policy notes that each instructor is to exercise professional judgment and define “active participation” in class (and therefore “attendance”), and publish that definition in each syllabus. For this class,credit for Week 1 and 2 attendance is defined as the completion of the following four course requirementswithin the first two weeks of this course: (1) Score 100% on the MyCourses START HERE Syllabus Quiz/User Agreement, (2) Schedule two reservations in the eCampus Testing Reservation System or officially Designating a Proctor (according to relevant procedures described above); one for the Midterm Exam and one for the Final Exam, (3) Complete the ALEKS Initial Assessment, and (4) Master 100% of ALEKS Modules 1 and 2. Students not able to complete any assignment in a particular week should notify their instructor immediately.
Active Participation Policy
In addition to mastering ALEKS Modules 1 - 5 and having taken ALEKS Test 1 as scheduled, a student must also have taken the proctored MyCourses Midterm Exam as scheduled in the MyCoursesList of Assignmentsin order to meet the Active Participation requirements for this course. Otherwise, he/she will be classified as not actively participating and may be administratively withdrawn from class. Students that do not meet active participation requirements may be withdrawn from the course with a failing grade.
Disability Policy
Disability Resources at SPC wants to help you succeed. If you have a documented disability or think that you may have learning or other disability and would like to request accommodations, please make an appointment with the Learning Specialist on your campus. If you will need assistance during an emergency classroom evacuation, please contact your campus learning specialist immediately about arrangements for your safety. Disability Resources staff can be reached at 727-791-2628 or 727-791-2710 (CL and EPI), 727-341-4316 (SP/G), 727-394-6289 (SE), 727-712-5789 (TS), 727-341-3721 (HEC), 727-341-4532 (AC), or 727-341-7965 (DT). If you would like more information, you can learn more about Disability Resources on our website:
All students requiring special testing arrangements because of a documented disabilitymust first coordinate with SPC's Disability Resources Department andprovide a current Accommodations Sheet to their instructor within the first two weeks of the course. Students accommodated by SPC's Disability Resources with special testing arrangements must schedule their test/exam with the Disability Resources Department, and theirinstructor, at least one week in advance of upcoming testing dates.
Instructional Continuity Plan – Emergency Preparedness Procedure
The college website at the official source of college information regarding the status of the institution. Other important information will be communicated via SPC Alert, local media outlets, and the college toll-free phone number 866-822-3978. All decisions concerning the discontinuation of college functions, cancellation of classes, or cessation of operations rest with the President or his/her designee. The College realizes that it is possible for a significant natural disaster to compromise SPC campus facilities sufficiently to disrupt the delivery of classes on campus/campuses for an extended period of time, and is planning ways our operations can continue following such an emergency.
So, in the event that a hurricane or other natural disaster causes significant damage to St. Petersburg College facilities, you may be provided the opportunity to complete your course work online. Following the event, please visit the college website for an announcement of the College's plan to resume operations.
Further, in the event of such a disaster, the instructor will continue using the Learning Management System (LMS) of MyCourses for continuation of all required learning and instructional activities in this course, including the issuing of graded online assignments and expectation of student completion of those graded assignments.
Therefore, in order to keep up with all activities in this course during and after a natural disaster, please plan to continue this course by maintaining online access to MyCourses in lieu of meeting in a classroom—possibly through duration of the course’s regularly scheduled end date. We will finish this course in MyCourses, as directed by your instructor online, and your instructor will use all graded assignments—both online and formerly on-campus—to assess and issue your final letter grade for this course, as normally planned, despite occurrence of the natural disaster.
Miscellaneous:
Dean: Mr. Jimmy Chang
Office Location: SP/G – SA 215
Office Number: 727-341-4305
Academic Chair: Mrs. Lisa Borzewski
Office Location: Seminole Campus – UP 337F
Office Number: 727-394-6170
ADDITIONAL SPC SUPPORT SERVICES:
eCampus
Proctor Request Information
SPC's Academic Calendar
M.M. Bennett Libraries
Career Development Services
International Student Services
Learning Resources
Learning Support Commons (Free Tutoring Services)
Veterans Services