NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE COURSE SYLLABUS

 

Course Title: Integrated College Algebra
Course Prefix & Number: MATH 1314/ NCBM 0214	Section Number: 351	Semester: Fall 2018
Semester Credit Hours: 5	Lecture Hours: 80	Lab Hours: 0
Course Description for Math 1314 (NCTC Catalog): In-depth study and applications of polynomial, rational, radical, exponential and logarithmic functions, and systems of equations using matrices. Additional topics such as sequences, series, probability, and conic may be included. Course Description for NCBM 0214 (NCTC Catalog): Concepts instructed in this course are algebraic including polynomials and rational expressions, linear expressions and inequalities, exponents and radicals, absolute value equations and inequalities, factoring, and quadratic equations and graphs. This course does not count toward graduation at NCTC.
Course Prerequisite(s): Pass Math 0305 with a “C” or better, or earn satisfactory TSI Assessment placement score, or earn satisfactory placement score on another approved assessment.
Required Course Materials: MyMathLab Access (e-text included in MML) College Algebra, Lial/Hornsby/Schneider/Daniels, 12th edition, Pearson, 2017 Non-graphing Scientific Calculators (TI-30XIIS highly recommended) *** NO GRAPHING CALCULATORS NOR CELL PHONE CALCULATORS ALLOWED – ONLY SCIENTIFIC CALCULATORS ALLOWED. ***

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name of Instructor:	Mrs. Marsha Gossett
Campus/Office Location:	Corinth/203
Office Hours:	MTWR:  7:30 - 8:00 am            MW: 9:30 – 12:00 am TR: 9:30 – 10:00 am        12:00 – 1:00 pm                 Virtual Hours: Friday 8:00 – 10:00 am
Telephone Number:	940-498-6282 ex 6233
E-mail Address:	mgossett@nctc.edu

 

GRADING CRITERIA

# of Graded Course Elements	Graded Course Elements	Percentage or Point Values
35	Homework	10%
11	Quizzes	20%
5	Tests	50%
1	Final Exam	20%

Grade Scale for Math 1314: 90 – 100% = A;   80 – 89% = B; 70 – 79% = C; 60 – 69% = D    Below 60% = F

Grade Scale for NCBM 0214:   70 – 100% = P;   Below 70% = F

All homework, quizzes, and tests are completed online in MyMathLab (MML). These assignments can be complete using any computer – it does not have to be done on campus for this on-line class.  Students need an access code that can be purchased in the bookstore or online after you log into MyMathLab. Read the announcements in Canvas for all instructions.

 

If you are waiting for Finical Aid please use the Temporary Access Code.  The access code is necessary to register and unlock all the features including videos/homework/quizzes/tests for our course. I will NOT modify due dates because you did not purchase your access code.

 

For Technical Help:

MyLabsPlus (MLP) tech support phone 888-883-1299 or online http://247support.custhelp.com for live chat.

 

Check MLP for all due dates.  Do not ask to extend due dates.

The grade book in MLP keeps a running average of your grade.  The instructor will notify you when grades have been copied into CANVAS.

 

There will be no make-up assignments (including tests or final exam). The final exam is comprehensive and must be taken by all students. The lowest test grade will be dropped. If you miss a test then this will be the test grade that is dropped.

 

All tests and the final exam will be completed ON CAMPUS in a proctored environment as paper/pencil tests according to the tentative calendar (dates are listed below).

 

Lecture/Instruction:

Students are expected to watch all section video lectures in MML. These will be listed with the other assignments but the videos can be accessed from the Chapter Contents menu. This takes the place of going to class in a traditional course. Video Organizer handouts can be printed from MML. The video organizer will help students take notes and practice problems while watching the video lectures. If you do not have a high-speed Internet connection, it may be difficult to view the videos. The videos contain instruction on each objective that is to be covered in the course. If you don’t watch the videos it is equivalent to not coming to class, and will make the homework difficult to complete.

Students are also expected to read the e-book for all sections that are assigned. This will reinforce the topics viewed in the video lectures. Work all example problems in the e-book.

 

Homework:

All due dates are listed in MML. Complete the assignments by the due date listed in MML. The homework may be attempted multiple times in order to increase your homework grade.

 

Quizzes:

Weekly quizzes will be due, and due dates are listed in MML.  Quizzes may be attempted three times, and most if not all quizzes have time limits.  Only the highest score will be counted from the three attempts. Students should attempt the quiz multiple times in order to be prepared for the unit test.

 

Practice Tests:

Practice tests are not worth a grade for this course. The practice test must be complete before a student takes the regular test. Due dates vary and will be listed in MML.

 

Tests & Final:

Five unit tests are scheduled during the semester and a comprehensive final exam. Watch CANVAS for the test announcements.  The tests will be administered on the NCTC Corinth campus. Dates are listed below.  

 

If students have a conflict with the Saturday test dates then they are allowed to take the test in one of the NCTC testing centers during the week PRIOR to the Saturday test dates. Students must take the test in a proctored setting. Students have only one attempt on each test with a time limit. Students will be allowed to use a non-graphing calculator on the tests. No late or make-up exams will be given. PLEASE CONTACT INSTRUCTOR if you have any questions or concerns about testing dates.

 

 

The NCTC Corinth test dates for this semester are listed below:

Test time for all tests: 10:00 am – 12:00 noon. Classroom location TBD

 

Test #1 – week 3 - Saturday September 15

Test #2 – week 6 - Saturday October 6

Test #3 – Week 9 – Saturday October 27

Test #4 – week 11 – Saturday November 10

Test #5 – week 14 – Saturday December 1

FINAL EXAM – week 15 – Saturday December 8

 

The final exam will be comprehensive and is required of all students.

The final exam must be completed on or before Sat December 8^th.  No exceptions.

 

 

Gradebook:

The grade book in MML keeps a running average of your grade. I will review all quizzes and tests in order to assign partial credit where possible.  I look for answers that are technically correct, but have not been submitted in ‘good form’. An example would be an answer of 14/16 that has not been simplified to 7/8. Your answers will be more complicated than this example, but hopefully you get the idea that I will be looking for answers that are technically correct. Students can email the instructor if they have any questions or concerns about their quizzes or tests.

 

The grade book in CANVAS will not have the most up to date grades. It is manually synchronized with the MML grade book. This is done by the instructor periodically throughout the semester.

 

 

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES MATH 1314

	At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
1.	Demonstrate and apply knowledge of properties of functions, which include domain and range, operations, compositions, and inverses.
2.	Recognize and apply polynomial, rational, radical, exponential, and logarithmic functions and solve related equations.
3.	Apply graphing techniques
4.	Evaluate all roots of higher degree polynomial and rational functions.
5.	Recognize, solve and apply systems of linear equations using matrices.

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES NCBM 0214 (review material only)

	At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
1.	Define, represent, and perform operations on real and complex numbers.
2.	Recognize, understand, and analyze features of a function.
3.	Recognize and use algebraic (field) properties, concepts, procedures (including factoring), and algorithms to combine, transform, and evaluate absolute value, polynomial, radical, and rational expressions.
4.	Identify and solve absolute value, polynomial, radical, and rational equations.
5.	Identify and solve absolute value and linear inequalities.
6.	Model, interpret and justify mathematical ideas and concepts using multiple representations.
7.	Connect and use multiple strands of mathematics in situations and problems, as well as in the study of other disciplines.

 

All students at NCTC are assigned a student email address, also known as Lion Pride email. Lion Pride email can be accessed on the NCTC home page by clicking on MyNCTC, then the link “Lion Pride Email” to the left. After clicking the Lion Pride Email link, the Microsoft Office 365 window will open.
1. Enter your NCTC student e-mail address. (for example, Smithj123456@student.nctc.edu)

2. Enter your password (your NCTC Student ID Number, either 7 or 9 numbers).

3. From the list of Microsoft icons, choose MAIL.

4. You will be asked to set your language and local time zone (Central Time). Your account is now activated.

 

**It is the student’s responsibility to activate and regularly monitor the assigned NCTC (Lion Pride) e-mail account. Important announcements and notifications from the Admissions office, Financial Aid, or other college staff will be sent via the Lion Pride student email system.

 

For communicating with classmates and instructors, students also have an option to communicate through Canvas. Canvas messaging is NOT the same as Lion Pride e-mail. Failure to read and/or receive NCTC e-mails (either in Lion Pride or in Canvas) is no excuse for not complying with the College Prep Attendance Policy or any other school policies. Be sure to regularly check BOTH the Lion Pride email as well as the Canvas inbox for important messages and information.

At North Central Texas College, students who test but do not meet the passing scores in ALL sections of the TSI Assessment or any other THECB approved testing measurements are required by state law to obtain TSI advising and continuously enroll in a formal college preparatory studies (developmental) program every semester until all TSI requirements are satisfied. TSI program attendance is MANDATORY. Non-compliance with the rules of attendance will result in a student being WITHDRAWN from the college preparatory and college-level math courses and possibly being placed on academic hold at North Central Texas College. Withdrawals are subject to college policies as set forth in the college catalog.

 

Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all College Prep classes for which they have registered. There are NO excused absences.  Faculty teaching College Preparatory courses will notify students of absences on a regular basis and one courtesy warning e-mail notification will be sent to the students’ current NCTC student e-mail address (Lion Pride email and/or Canvas email) when the student accrues 1 week absence (not necessarily consecutive days) in a course. Please check your NCTC student email (Lion Pride) frequently to ensure that you are receiving notifications from the college and from your instructors. Some faculty may send notifications in Canvas as well. Failure to read and/or receive NCTC e-mail (Lion Pride) is no excuse for not complying with the Attendance Policy. It is the student's responsibility to maintain correct and current e-mail and local and permanent addresses with the college.

 

After a student has been absent from class 2 weeks (not necessarily consecutive days), the student may be dropped. A student dropped from a College Prep course will also be dropped form the co-requisite credit math course. After a student receives an F/W in the same College Prep course twice, the student will receive an academic hold so that the student is blocked from enrolling in any other course except the required College Prep courses in the subsequent semester. This hold will be enforced even in summer.

Inform the instructor in writing during the first week of class of any religious holidays observed this semester. Documentation must be given to the instructor at the class following the holiday.

Also, since punctuality has become a problem in recent semesters, three tardies may be considered one absence. Coming in late disrupts the class. Occasions do occur that you will need to be tardy, but not on a consistent basis.

 

Attendance for On-Line Class:

1. Attendance is VERY IMPORTANT in this class! The general rule above apply to on-line classes. An absence in this online course is defined as the following:

 

Our typical ‘week’ will run from Sunday to Saturday every week. (The first week is a little different, since the first day of class is Monday August 27.)  Assignments for the week will open on Sunday and will be due by Saturday night at 11:59 pm, with exception of the weeks with tests and the final exam. Pay attention to due dates in MyMathLab.

 

2. You must log in and complete required assignments at least once every week (at any time during the week) or you will be considered absent for the week. Optional activities such as study plan, or videos do not satisfy the attendance requirement. To be counted present, students must log in and complete at least TWO graded assignment (e.g., homework, quiz, practice test, or test) with a score greater than 65%. (Exceptions to this are on weeks where there is only one assignment).

 

3. To be clear: from the first day of the semester, even if you are ahead of the due dates, you must log in every week and work on assignments until you have completed all the assignments and taken the final.

 

General Class Rules:

1. Do not ask me to extend the due dates. Work ahead on the assignments (remember… if something can go wrong, it will).
2. It is the student’s responsibility to attain help if having difficulty comprehending the material and staying on schedule. If you live near one of the NCTC campuses you may go to the Math Lab during their posted hours for additional help. (See NCTC website).
3. You are welcome to come to my office during my posted hours. E-mail is the best and easiest way to contact me mgossett@nctc.edu .  You can send me messages in CANVAS, but remember to check your NCTC LION Pride email as well. (NCTC email and CANVAS messages are two different things!)

I check my email daily.  Please email me with any questions, problems, or concerns you have.  Remember to allow response time; you will not get ‘immediate’ feedback. I teach regular classes and therefore I am NOT on the computer 24/7.

 

When you have a day off, do you go to work? I have days off; Saturday and Sunday. They are busy with family activities. If you email me on Saturday/Sunday it is possible you may not hear from me until Monday (with the exception of test weeks). This is another reason why students should NOT wait until the last minute to do assignments.

 

4. Current grades are located in MML and periodically updated in the CANVAS gradebook.

 

 

See CANVAS

 

Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is Thursday, November 8, 2018.

	MATH LAB Students who need help with any math class can visit the NCTC Mathematics Lab to receive assistance. No appointments are necessary. See the most current tutoring hours for all five campuses at http://www.nctc.edu/student-services/student-success/tutoring/mathematics-lab.html.   TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON TUTOR AVAILABILITY:

GAINESVILLE – 1403 (Library)	CORINTH – 182	FLOWER MOUND - 111
TBD	Mon & Wed 8:00 am – 6:00 pm	Mon, Wed, Thurs 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
TBD	Tues & Thurs 9:00 am – 7:00 pm	Tues 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
TBD	Sat 10:00 am – 1:00 pm	Fri 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

 

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 or call 940-668-4209.  Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-498-6207.

North Central Texas College is committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112).   http://www.nctc.edu/catalog/north-central-texas-college-student-handbook/section-i/special-accommodations-office-students-with-disabilities/osd-department-contacts.html  

 

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook. http://www.nctc.edu/catalog/North-Central-Texas-College-Student-Handbook/nctc-student-handbook.html.  

 

Name of Chair/Coordinator:	Elizabeth Howell
Office Location:	Corinth 236
Telephone Number:	940.498.6209
E-mail Address:	ehowell@nctc.edu
Name of Instructional Dean:	Sara Flusche
Office Location:	Gainesville 1306
Telephone Number:	940.668.3351
E-mail Address:	sflusche@nctc.edu

 

Tobacco-Free Campus:  NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco, on campus property.

 

Campus Carry: Campus Carry: Effective August 1, 2017, a license holder may carry a concealed handgun on or about the license holder's person while the license holder is on the campus of an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education in this state. For more information, see the website at http://www.nctc.edu/police/campus-carry.html.