Course Syllabus

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FALL 2021:  MATH 120 - 1004, 2003 & 3001

Instructor Information:

Name:  Michael Greenwich

Communication Preference: Students enrolled in the course should contact me using the Inbox in CSN's Canvas or Cognella Active Learning email systems. Do not contact me by phone. 

CSN Email Address: michael.greenwich@csn.edu

IMPORTANT NOTE:  You may contact me at the CSN email address given above if Inbox on CSN Canvas or Active Learning email systems is unavailable and urgent.  Again, no phone.  Any email received without your name and course/section runs a significant risk of being treated as SPAM and may be automatically deleted (which does not happen on Inbox, for example).  Student emails will be responded generally within 12-24 hours.

Office Phone/Voice Mail: (702) 651-5884 (for your information only and do not use it)

Office Hours: Virtual Office Hours will take place in Office Hours (a Big Blue Button room).  A link will be provided in Home (the course homepage on Cognella Active Learning), and the office hours will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 to 4:00 pm (08/31 - 12/07, except for 11/11 and 11/25).

 

Class Information:

Title: MATH 120, Fundamentals of College Math

Description: Topics include problem solving, consumer mathematics, geometry, probability, set theory with Venn diagrams, systems of counting and measurement, and statistics.  Course is broad in scope, emphasizing applications. Prerequisite:  Placement test, or C or higher in MATH 095.

Location: All coursework and assessments must be completed in the Cognella Active Learning System.

  • Section 1004 is a fully online, asynchronous class with no formal meeting pattern with all the work done online.
  • Section 2003 is classified as an online "remote" class.  All the work will be done online, and there will be weekly remote class sessions (lectures) in a Big Blue Button room accessible via a link provided in the Active Learning. The sessions will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:30 pm.
  • Section 3001 is also classified as an online "remote" class. All the work will be done online, and there will be weekly remote class sessions (lectures) in the same Big Blue Button room as Section 2003, but they will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 am.
  • The students in all three sections will be placed in the same Active Learning shell and are welcome to attend any of the remote class sessions. Those two sessions taking place on the same day will cover the same section(s)/topic(s) but might not be completely identical to each other. The two daily sessions will be both recorded and a link to the recorded video will be posted on the course Discussion Board in Home in the Active Learning (likely next day).  No attendance to those sessions are taken.

Duration: Monday, August 30, 2021 through Saturday, December 18, 2021

Goals: Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

  • Participate in a mathematically relevant conversation.
  • Solve problems involved with the topics of consumer math.
  • Recognize and work with sets and Venn diagrams.
  • Recognize and compute elementary statistical calculations.
  • Recognize and solve elementary probability problems.
  • Recognize and understand various topics of basic geometry.
  • Recognize and understand various techniques in voting and apportionment.
  • Have an ability to apply and extend these concepts.

Required Textbook: This class will use the Eighth Edition of WHEN ARE WE EVER GOING TO USE THIS STUFF?, published by Cognella Academic Publishing. Due to content changes, earlier editions of the book will not be sufficient.

Required Active Learning Access: This class requires the use of the Active Learning System (which is Canvas-based, but not CSN's version of Canvas). All the assessments and coursework MUST be done through the Cognella Active Learning System. You are required to review your Active Learning settings (click on your Account in the left-side icons, and then click on Settings) and make sure all the settings are correct - including having your first and last name listed under the Display Name (if not, click the Edit Settings button on the right side of that page, and update the information and such).

Acquiring the Required Materials: You can get the book and Active Learning access in the CSN Bookstore - either on-campus, or through their website. You can, however, get a better deal if you purchase the materials directly from Cognella Academic Publishing by doing the following:

STEP 1: Go to https://store.cognella.com/93151 - Be sure to know the section in which you are enrolled.

STEP 2: Check the materials you wish to purchase, along with the correct section, where indicated. Then click the Add to Cart button.

STEP 3: Review your order and click the Proceed to Checkout button.

STEP 4: Sign in if you already have a purchasing account or press the Create an Account button.

STEP 5: Check out by following the prompts. Payment can be made by all major credit cards. After purchasing, you can immediately access a digital copy of the first few chapters (if you selected a print format) or all chapters (if you selected a digital format) by logging into your student store account and clicking "My Digital Materials."

Print orders are typically processed within 24 hours; the shipping time and price will depend on the selected shipping method and day it is shipped (orders are not shipped on Sundays or holidays). If you experience any difficulties with ordering, please email orders@cognella.com or call (800) 200-3908 ext. 503.

After completing your purchase of the Active Learning access, an email with a subject “Course Invitation” will be sent to you to finalize your course access. (Make sure to give your correct email address, and check your SPAM folder if you don't receive it right away.) Within the invitation email, click the link labeled “Get Started,” and then follow the prompts.

 

Class/Course Policies:

Display Your Name: You are required to review your Active Learning settings (click on your Account in the left-side icons, and then click on Settings) and make sure all the settings are correct - including having your first and last name are listed under the Display Name (if not, click the Edit Settings button on the right side of that page, and update information and such).

ADA Notice: If you qualify for "reasonable accommodations" in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act, you must notify me in writing of such by the end of the first week of class. Visit the CSN Disability Resource Center (DRC) for more information.

Academic Integrity:  According to the college guidelines, academic dishonesty and academic misconduct are regarded as serious offenses, which can result in substantial penalties. If, during the course of a semester, evidence of academic dishonesty or misconduct comes to the instructor's attention, the students involved may receive a zero for the assignment, quiz, or test in question. Further, the incident could result in the student receiving a failing grade for the course and possibly even expulsion from the college and a notation in the transcript. Please refer to the CSN Academic Integrity Policy for more information.

Student Rights and Responsibilities: When you choose to become a student at CSN, you accept the rights and responsibilities of membership in CSN’s academic and social community. You can find a full description of these rights and responsibilities in the CSN Catalog.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): CAPS offers short-term, problem-focused counseling to CSN students who may feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities of college, work, family, and relationships. Clinicians are available to help students cope with stresses and personal issues that may interfere with their ability to perform in school. The service is provided confidentially and free to currently enrolled students. To schedule an appointment, please call CAPS at WC (702) 651-5518, at NLV (702) 651-4099, and at HN (702) 651-3099.

Withdrawal: CSN Policy prohibits an instructor from issuing a W grade. If you stop attending class or quit completing the required work, you CANNOT be assigned an automatic "W" or "Withdrawal" grade; you will receive a grade based on the total points you have earned in the class, which, more than likely, will be an "F" to connote you have failed. If you wish to be withdrawn from this class, it is your responsibility to officially drop the class by the drop date listed in the college catalog/schedule of classes.

Technical Problems: Technical problems on your behalf will not serve as an acceptable excuse for missing deadlines or neglecting to complete the online assessments. The assessments in this class are available for extended periods of time, and it is your responsibility to make sure they are completed by the dates and times listed in the schedule at the end of this syllabus.

Calculators: Calculators are allowed in this class. In fact, you will probably need one. A good scientific calculator can be purchased for $15-20, or go to the following website for online calculators. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=online+scientific+calculator&rlz=1C1GGRV_enUS754US754&oq=online+scient&aqs=chrome.0.0i433i457j69i57j0l2j0i395l6.3768j1j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Also,

Scientific, Statisctics & Other Calculators; https://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculators/ & https://www.desmos.com/scientific

Graphing Calculators; https://www.desmos.com/calculator

Important Note:  If you have any concerns about this course and/or the instructor, please contact the instructor first. If the instructor cannot resolve your issue, please contact Math Department Office at 702-651-7585. You will be directed to the Department Chair. You will remain anonymous, if possible, and all communications will be strictly confidential. Please DO NOT wait until the last minute to make your concerns known to the instructor and/or to the Math Department.

 

Method of Instruction:

Study: You are expected to read the textbook, do the suggested homework problems, study the indicated website materials, and ask questions when necessary. Answers to assessment questions will come directly, or be derived, from the content found in the textbook and/or presented in the course (including remote sessions if any). DO NOT seek out alternative answers from resources not specified in the class. Answers from such resources that conflict with those presented in the textbook or through the class content shall be deemed incorrect.

Remote Class Sessions (Online Lectures): You attend one remote class session starting at 9:30 am or another remote class session starting at 12:50 pm on on Tuesdays and Thursdays every week (08/31 - 12/09, except for 11/11 and 11/25).  You may attend both sessions if you wish.  However, the same section(s)/topic(s) are dealt in the two sessions on a same day (while they could be a little bit different from each other).  Even the students in the full online section (Section 1004) are welcome to attend any remote class sessions.  The sessions will be recorded and posted so if you cannot attend any sessions, you can watch them on the recorded videos.  One way or another, it is very useful and helpful to attend/watch those sessions.  However, no attendance is taken for the sessions.

Textbook Exercises: Unless directed otherwise, you are to assume every exercise in the textbook should be completed. Or, at the very least, you should do enough of them so that you understand the corresponding concepts/materials. These assignments are there for your benefit; no textbook exercise will be submitted for grading.

Section Worksheets: Like the textbook exercises, the worksheets are there for your benefit. They will not be collected or graded, If, however, you would like some additional feedback, you are free to download, complete, and email/text me photos of them.

Syllabus Quiz: You will begin the class by taking a quiz on the information and policies laid out in this syllabus. You MUST get a perfect score on the Syllabus Quiz before you are allowed to proceed in the class. If you do not get a perfect score, review your answers and this syllabus, and then retake the Syllabus Quiz.  You are allowed to take Syllabus Quiz as often as needed.

Any work missed due to a failure to take or get a perfect score on the Syllabus Quiz will be scored as a zero, and no makeup work will be allowed or offered for any reason, and no deadline will be extended.

At the end of the term (semester), the 10 points earned on the Syllabus Quiz will be used in place of the lowest section quiz score.  If multiple quiz scores are the lowest, the only one of them is replaced with the Syllabus Quiz score.

Online Assessments: Assessments (quizzes) for this class will be completed online. When entering answers, you must provide a single answer, without any attempt to show work. It is also unacceptable to provide multiple answers in a single response and expect the extraneous or incorrect information to be ignored. Any attempt to show work or enter multiple answers (even if they are equivalent versions) into the same answer box shall be deemed incorrect.

Section Quizzes: During the semester, there will be an online quiz covering every section from the textbook. Each Section Quiz will consist of 5 questions (two points each), and will have a 45-minute time limit. Questions appearing on the quizzes will come from the material covered in the textbook and/or presented in the supplemental materials provided in the Active Learning content. Due dates and times for the specific quizzes are indicated in the schedule found at the end of this syllabus.

Time Limits: Unless official alternative arrangements are made in writing and approved by the instructor prior to the posted deadline, each quiz MUST be completed within 45 minutes after its activation. You are not allowed to start a quiz, and then return to it at a later time to complete it. Any quiz activated and then left unattended for more than 45 minutes will be scored as is.

Computer Grading: Quizzes for this class will be completed online. When entering answers, you must provide a single answer, without any attempt to show work. It is also unacceptable to provide multiple answers in a single response and expect the extraneous or incorrect information to be ignored. Any attempt to show work or enter multiple answers (even if they are equivalent versions) into the same answer box shall be deemed incorrect.

It is important to note that the computer will be grading the online assessment questions. It is your responsibility to review your graded work. If you have an answer that you believe has been graded incorrectly, you should send me an email inside Canvas, and let me know the specific quiz and problem number(s) you would like me to examine. I will either correct the grading or explain why a deduction was made. Do realize, however, no credit shall be awarded for deductions made because of ignoring or neglecting to follow any listed instructions.

If a requisite image fails to properly load while taking a quiz, hold down the shift key and reload the page. If that does not work, contact me immediately. NOTE TO MAC USERS: Do not use Safari, as it does not play well with Canvas. Use Chrome.

Make Up Quizzes: You will be allowed up to four “Make Up Quizzes.” The Make Up Quizzes may be used to take a Section Quiz that was missed or to replace a low Section Quiz score that was earned earlier in the term/semester. Make Up Quizzes may only be taken during the “Make Up Window” which will be during the last week of the semester (term).

To be allowed the opportunity to take a Make Up Quiz, you must email your specific request(s) to me prior to 11:59PM on the Sunday preceding the Make Up Window. In order to be considered, each request for a specific Make Up Quiz MUST be accompanied by an original excuse. Keep the excuses clean, but feel free to be creative; ANY excuse is sufficient, and there will be no attempt to gauge their truthfulness or validity. For example, an acceptable request/excuse may look like, “I am requesting a Make Up for Quiz 3.2. A couple hours before the deadline for that quiz, while I was making my 3-yr old pea soup for dinner he hacked my account and changed my password. Apparently, he does not like pea soup.”

A different and unique excuse must be provided for each Make Up Quiz that is requested. Excuses must be free of vulgar and offensive language. Any provided excuse that is deemed offensive will result in a forfeiture of the opportunity to take any and all Make Up Quizzes, and you will also be subjected to discipline in accordance with the Disruptive and Abusive Student Policy and any other applicable College policies. Any student submitting an excuse hereby agrees to allow the said excuse to be shared with others, without any claim of ownership. Once complied, a list of the excuses, with the students names being redacted, could be posted on the class discussion board for your amusement. The list of excuses could also be presented in future classes or seminars, with the sole intention of making people smile.

Free Tutoring: Take advantage of the free tutoring offered at CSN. In addition to the free 1-on-1 tutoring offered through the Centers for Academic Success (CAS), you could also utilize the free and unlimited group tutoring offered in the Math Resource Centers (MRC) on each campus (if open and available). CSN also provides students with 24/7 online tutoring through Smarthinking.com. Visit CAS Website for in-person tutoring information, and, to access the Smarthinking.com services, follow the link found inside the CSN Canvas class shell.

 

Grading:

Date of Last Attendance: Due to financial aid guidelines, CSN instructors are required to record a “Date of Last Attendance” (DOLA) for any student issued a failing grade. Any student who receives an F grade in this class shall have the corresponding DOLA recorded as the date on which the last assessment was submitted. If an F is to be issued with all assessments completed, the DOLA will be recorded as FULLY. If no assessments (no quizzes) are submitted, the DOLA will be recorded as NEVER.

Course Grades: There will be a total of 30, 10-point Section Quizzes and one 10-point Syllabus Quiz throughout this course. One Section Quiz with lowest score will be discarded, resulting in a total of 300 possible points to be earned. Point totals will be rounded to the nearest whole point, and +/- grades will not be assigned.

Course grades will be assigned according to the following point scale:

270-300: A
240-269: B
210-239: C
180-209: D
Below 180: F

Important Note About Grades in the Active Learning Environment and Canvas: By default, Canvas (and, hence, the Cognella Active Learning System) displays percentage grades based on only upon completed work. Students who neglect to submit work (thereby earning 0s) are often misled into thinking they are earning a grade higher than their actual grade.

For example, if you submit the first two quizzes and earn 9/10 on both of them, Canvas will display your grade as 90% (18/20 = 90%). Then, if you neglect to submit the next quiz (earning 0/10), Canvas will STILL display your grade as 90%, instead of the correct 60% (18/30 = 60%).

At the end of every semester, I am contacted by at least one student who was issued a grade lower than what they thought they had earned. In every case, the student in question neglected to submit at least one quiz and, hence, was misled by Canvas. Keep in mind, not only are missed quizzes scored as 0s, but the course grades in this class are based on point accumulation, instead of the percentage of points earned on completed quizzes.

 

Important Dates:

  • Last Day for a 50% Refund:  09/13/2021
  • Last Day to Drop a Class WITHOUT a Grade of W:  09/13/2021
  • Last Day to Change from Credit to Audit: 11/05/2021
  • Last Day to Drop a Class WITH a Grade of W: 11/05/2021

 

SYLLABUS ADDENDA BY CSN:

Academic Integrity:

Taking the words of others or presenting the ideas of others as your own not only limits your academic research skills, it also violates the CSN’s Student Academic Integrity Policy. Cheating on exams or other course work also violates the CSN Student Academic Integrity Policy. You can find more information about CSN’s Academic Integrity Policy at https://at.csn.edu/documents/student-academic-integrity-policy.  The minimum penalty for such offenses in this course is to fail the assignment. Failing the course will also be considered as an option. Infractions of the CSN Student Academic Integrity Policy may lead to suspensions, expulsion, transcript notations or other sanctions.

Please make yourself familiar with the CSN’s Student Academic Integrity Policy (https://at.csn.edu/documents/student-academic-integrity-policy).There will be zero tolerance for plagiarism and cheating. Copying and pasting from the Internet or paraphrasing a few words is not an acceptable practice in college. Not knowing the rules for plagiarism will not be an acceptable excuse. If you are unsure about what it is and is not plagiarism, you can learn more about it by speaking to staff at a CSN campus writing center or library or consulting the CSN Library Services’ Plagiarism guide: http://libguides.csn.edu/research-101/cite. The minimum sanction for plagiarism is an F on the particular assignment; repeated offenses carry an F for the class as the minimum penalty.

You are expected to complete your own work in this class. Cheating on exams or lab exercises is not fair to students who are honestly studying. Cheating is also subject to penalties, which can include getting a zero for the exam or lab exercise or failing the course. The full list of possible penalties is listed in the CSN Student Academic Integrity Policy. Please make yourself familiar with this policy (https://at.csn.edu/documents/student-academic-integrity-policy).

Disability Resource Center (DRC):

The College of Southern Nevada is committed to making physical facilities and instructional programs accessible to students with disabilities. If you have a disability that may have some impact on your work in this class and for which you may require accommodations, please visit the Disability Resource Center (DRC) so that such accommodations can be considered. All discussions will remain confidential. The Disability Resource Center (DRC) has offices at all three campus locations as the focal point for coordination of services for students with disabilities. If you have a physical, emotional, or mental disability that “substantially limits one or more major life activities (including walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working),” and will require accommodation in this class, please contact the DRC at WC (702) 651-5644 , or email at WCDRCStaff@csn.edu at NLV (702) 651-4045, or email at CYDRCStaff@csn.edu and at HNC (702) 651-3795, or email at HCDRCStaff@csn.edu. For Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services contact (702) 651- 4448, or email at Deaf.HH.Services@csn.edu. Students that receive accommodation letters, please meet with me to discuss the provisions of those accommodations as soon as possible.

Students’ Rights & Responsibilities:

When you choose to become a student at CSN, you accept the rights and responsibilities of membership in CSN’s academic and social community.  You can find policies covering students such as the Student Conduct, Students’ Right to Know, Students’ Academic Integrity, and Disruptive and Abusive Student in the following locations:

CSN Libraries:

CSN Libraries provides support for students completing assignments that require research and the use of information. Librarians are available to students for one-on-one assistance locating and citing quality information either online (https://library.csn.edu/ask/) or at one of our campus libraries. Find more information on our website (https://library.csn.edu/).

Objectionable Materials & Behaviors:

Some students may find some material presented in class to be objectionable. The instructor has the discretion to choose to remove it or not.

Instructors have the responsibility to set and maintain standards of classroom behavior appropriate to the discipline and method of instruction. No objectionable materials or language will be used during this class. This includes all possible modes of the class: online and in person. The instructor will make the final determination regarding any objectionable materials or language. Students may not engage in activity the instructor deems disruptive or counterproductive to the goals of the class. Instructors have the right to remove offending students from class.

Public Health Directives (COVID-19):

Students must follow all active CSN public health directives (if any) while enrolled in this class. Properly worn face coverings are mandatory for all faculty and students in the classroom as well as on campus. CSN public health directives are found at https://at.csn.edu/covid-19. Students who do not comply with these directives will be asked to leave the classroom. Refusal to follow the guidelines may result in further disciplinary action according to the CSN Student Conduct Code https://www.csn.edu/sites/default/files/documents/student_conduct_code_policy_1.pdf, including being dropped from the course.

Recording Class:

There are no recordings of the class allowed without the explicit permission of the instructor.

Centers for Academic Success:

Centers for Academic Success (CAS) provides quality DROP-IN academic assistance to all students enrolled in for-credit courses at CSN. CSN CAS Tutors are available online through Smarthinking, which is accessed in the Canvas online learning management system. View a tutorial video on how to access CSN Tutors/Learning Assistants online at the following site.

How to Access CSN Tutors in Smarthinking

You may choose “Submit a Question” if you don’t have time for a live session. A Tutor responds to offline questions within 24 hours. Contact us at one of campus phone numbers, and we will assist you with accessing all learning support. Academic learning support includes assistance with placement test preparation, learning strategies, Canvas, Smarthinking online tutoring, Microsoft Office, reading, writing, oral presentations, math, and science. CAS Tutors also provide support in facilitating study groups. You may experience embedded learning assistance in one of your first-year courses. Professors and CAS Staff will make you aware of how to access services as part of your course curriculum. CAS is open Monday through Sunday to be more accessible to all students – Monday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday – Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Smarthinking tutors are available 24/7. You may visit www.csn.edu/centers-academic-success for more details or contact us at one of our offices during our regular operational hours: Charleston Centers (702-651-5732), North Las Vegas Learning Commons (702-651-4232), Henderson Learning Commons (702-651-3125).

*Students will receive notification as on-ground tutoring services resume.

Early Alert Syllabus Statement:

Early Alert Referral Program (MyCoyotePLAN) – A referral program to connect students with college resources when assistance is needed to achieve success.  Referrals may be initiated by faculty and staff as well by students through MyCoyotePLAN. After a referral is submitted, students will receive an email notification and will be contacted by the department to which they were referred to offer assistance.

 

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due