WELCOME TO MATH 142G ONLINE!
Congratulations on trying a new and innovative way of
learning. Unlike a traditional class, this course will not take place in
a classroom. All of the instruction will be delivered through a
browser-based tutorial by means of a CD-ROM or over the internet. As a
student, you will have the flexibility and control to decide when and
where your learning takes place. In doing this, however, you will not be
isolated from your instructor or your fellow classmates. Through the use
of the class message board (available through myCuesta), you will have the opportunity to communicate, ask questions,
or get help if needed.
Prospective
Students
If you are a prospective student who is considering
whether to enroll in this course, you might find the information given
on the following pages helpful in making your decision. To return to
this page, use the BACK button on your browser, or click on the link for
Welcome Page.
Be aware that a distance learning environment is not
suited for everyone! To be successful in this class requires a certain
amount of self-discipline, independence, motivation, and time
management. The Cuesta College Distance Education web site has a summary
of the attributes necessary for a distance learning student and an
online survey
that will assess your likelihood to be successful with this type of
course. You can also take a different online survey
to determine your primary learning style and make sure it is compatible
with a distance learning course. Students who tend to procrastinate and
complete assignments at the last minute will not do very well in this
course, and are advised not to enroll. Success in this course requires a
great deal of self-discipline.
Enrolled
Students
If you have already enrolled in this course, you are
probably asking yourself, "What should I do now?"
Please read through the rest of this page carefully. There is some
general information here, but there are also some specific things you
need to do to get started.
First, visit the Course
Home Page, which acts as the central hub of this web site and
connects you directly to all of the important information related to
this course. To return to this page, use the BACK button on your
browser, or click on the link for Welcome Page. For a summary of
the requirements necessary for this course, please visit the Course
Requirements page. Here is a list of some other important details
you need to be aware of!
- Please make sure that the student information you provided during
registration is current. This includes your mailing address, your
phone number, and most importantly, a current e-mail address. If any
of this information has changed since you registered, please update
the information as soon as possible through myCuesta.
- If you are a student with a verified disability, please notify me
of your needs for accommodations as soon as possible. Authorized
accommodations and alternative media will be provided as
appropriate.
Here is a brief overview of how this course is set
up. As you cover each section of the text in your Math 242 class, you
will work, at your own pace, through the corresponding topics in the
tutorial to gain the necessary calculator skills for that section. Each
topic in the tutorial consists of several examples worked out one step
at a time. With each step you will be given a sequence of keys to press
on your calculator and an image of what your calculator screen will look
like. Many of these images are animated so that you can see the entire
process. At the end of each topic is a practice quiz with a few problems
to try on your own, and the solutions so that you can check your
results.
Once you have completed the topics for certain
sections of the text, you will take an online
quiz that will assess your ability to perform the calculator skills you
have learned. The online quizzes (not the practice quizzes) will count
as part of your grade. The Quizzes page lists which sections of the text
are covered by each quiz. In addition to this, you will be asked to send me
a number of e-mail "updates" throughout the semester so that
you can keep me informed of your progress. These updates will also count
as part of your grade, so it is important not to miss any.
Since there is no face-to-face
orientation meeting, I encourage you to come by my office (2326) and
introduce yourself. It may be the only opportunity for us to meet in person.
If you would like to know a little bit more about me, I have
a biography
page that you can visit with some background information and a picture.
Also, on myCuesta you can look through the photo gallery for this course
to see a few more pictures, or read through my brief introduction in the
Introductions thread on the course message board. Finally,
I have an instructor
web site that contains other details such as my office hours, etc.
Once you finish reading this welcome message, your
next step is to visit the Online
Orientation web page and complete the orientation. You should do
this as early as possible during the first week of class. There
is a lot to do on this page, and it will likely take you at least a
couple of hours to get through it once you have the required materials.
Don't delay, because there is a deadline by which you must complete this
assignment in order to remain enrolled in the course.
I would like to thank you for your interest in this
course. I am excited about this class and I look forward to working with
you this semester. I encourage you to use the course message board to
establish a connection with other students in the class, even if it is
only to say "hello". Also, I personally welcome any comments
you have about this course or suggestions on how it can be improved. I
hope that you have an enjoyable experience with this course, that it
gives you the skill to use your calculator with confidence, and that it
helps you to successfully achieve your goals for Math 242.
If you have any questions about the course or the
online orientation, send me an e-mail
and I will try to respond as quickly as possible. Please understand that
there may be a considerable delay to e-mail sent before the semester
officially begins.
Regards,
Mark D. Turner
Mathematics Division, Cuesta College
Office 2326
Phone: (805) 546-3100 Ext.2789
E-mail: mturner@cuesta.edu
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