CSCC Mathematics webcourses

The Mathematics Department is currently offering web-based sections of the following courses:

Business Mathematics (MATH 101)
Intermediate Algebra (MATH 104)
Mathematics for the Liberal Arts (MATH 116)
College Algebra (MATH 148)
Elementary Statistics (MATH 135)

Even if you have taken a distance learning class in another discipline and been successful, you should be aware of the fact that learning mathematics at a distance can pose some special challenges for students.

Advice to students considering taking Math 101, Business Mathematics as a web-course
1.	The web course alternative to the traditional Business Math course covers the same content, uses the same textbooks, and requires completion of the same departmental exam as the traditional course. Therefore the web course is not an "easier" version of the course.
2.	There is a lot of learning that takes place in a traditional classroom through class interaction, questions and answers, and step-by-step instruction showing the mathematical processes involved in business math that is lost in a web delivery system. Web students need to be highly self-motivated to teach themselves from the textbook with the assistance of worked examples and hints found on the web site.
3.	The pace at which material is covered in a traditional setting is governed by the instructor but in a web course the students need to pace themselves. One of the most common problems encountered by web students is keeping up with the material. Without a regularly scheduled class to attend it becomes too easy to let the course slide until the last minute or later. Mathematics is difficult to learn in a hurry and under pressure and without an instructor to provide guidance. Only well organized, self-motivated students should consider a web based mathematics course.
4.	Students that are intimidated by math or have a passionate dislike for math are not the best candidates for a web course. These students tend to put off preparing for tests and quizzes and often get so far behind that they must withdraw from the course. These students also benefit more from having an instructor present the material to them so they can ask questions and get help as the material is presented. Unfortunately these students are often the ones who enroll in a web course because they can avoid doing the math on a daily basis which in turn leads to falling behind and a diminished possibility of successfully completing the course.

Facts to Consider Before Enrolling in the Web-Based Version of Math 148

Based on past student attempts, the following results should be strongly considered:

A recent MATH 104 experience is necessary for success in the web-based 148 course. Students should have successfully completed Math 104 within the last 3 months if they expect the web-based experience to go well. If you successfully completed MATH 104 more than 3 months ago, then the web-based format is not the ideal way to proceed, and you should strongly consider enrolling in a traditional setting for Math 148.

Earning only a C in MATH 104 is NOT good enough for success in the web-based 148 course.

If you completed MATH 104 with a(n):

C	To date, students entering the web-based Math 148 course with only a C in their Math 104, have NOT successfully completed the web-based 148 course.
B	To date, students entering the web-based Math 148 course with a B in Math 104 have rarely succeeded, and generally earn a C, at best, in the web-based 148 course.
A	To date, students entering the web-based Math 148 course with an A in Math 104 tend to be successful, but have stated that it was much more difficult to succeed in the web-based format than it was in the traditional classroom setting in Math 104. They often leave Math 148 with a grade of A or B, and they say they worked incredibly hard to achieve that level of success, compared to what they needed to do in Math 104.

In their weekly email reports, my past students indicated that keeping up was difficult and required much more self-discipline and much more time than they ever imagined.

The web-based version of Math 148 will be much more challenging than a traditional in-person setting. While the mathematical content and expected outcomes are the same in both the in-person & web-based versions of the course, the web-based version requires more of the student to reach the course goals, including an incredible amount of self-discipline, an extremely high level of self-motivation, and well above average reading comprehension abilities compared to the in-person method.

If you have trouble understanding and following directions, then this course format is definitely NOT for you.

There are always exceptions to these general conclusions from the past experiences. Whether you enroll in the web-based course, or a traditional, in-person setting is entirely up to you. I just want you to know, up front, what the past experiences have been.

Dear Prospective Math 135-WEB Student:

It is important that you are aware of the difficulties many students encounter as they attempt to take this course on-line. The success rate for these web students has proven to be SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER than those who take my traditional (on campus) sections. Past students have commented that this discrepancy may be primarily due to student procrastination and the burden of independent learning.

To be successful in this web course it is imperative that you be a motivated, organized, and successful mathematics student. This mode of delivery essentially requires you to learn the course content, calculator keystrokes, and Minitab statistical software, all on your own. Learning on-line is definitely not the same as being in class - to hear, practice, and ask questions in an interactive classroom setting.

If you enroll in this web class for any of the following reasons, you should definitely reconsider!

You think taking this class on-line will be easier than coming to campus. (Count on it being harder, simply because you have to teach yourself.)
You tend to struggle in mathematics classes. (You can definitely get more one-on-one help in a traditional class - and benefit from hearing your classmates' questions.)
You have limited time. (This web course actually requires a lot more time on the part of the student.)
You like to learn at your own pace. (This web course is not self-paced. It follows the same calendar as the traditional sections - labs, projects, and/or tests are due weekly.)
You tend to procrastinate. (In this format you'll need to keep to a strict schedule in order to teach yourself the content and keep up with the weekly assignments.)

Please honestly evaluate your reasons for taking this class on-line. If you identify with any of these, we urge you to register for a traditional Math135 section before the quarter starts.

For those of you that are a good fit for this Math135 Web course, be sure to buy the text and computer software prior to the start of the quarter: Larson/Farber's Elementary Statistics - Picturing the World 2nd Edition, packaged with Minitab and StatPro CD's. These are available in the bookstore (either on campus or through the CSCC On-line Bookstore), just be sure to get the pre-packaged set that includes both CDs with the book. Use the correct section # when purchasing on-line.

Please feel free to call or e-mail either of us if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Leslie Smith
Elizabeth Betzel

If I had this class to do over, I would have taken it more seriously in the first couple of weeks. I have discovered that there is no way that one can "cram" successfully for a statistics test! :-( I would not recommend the web course to anyone who isn't ready to spend some time doing the homework and actually studying. I usually catch on pretty quickly, but for me to actually do relatively well on this last test I averaged about 9 hours of study/"class" time a week. The web course is no joke!

:-) Of course, people generally need to find out the hard way even when warned...I know *I* sure did.

Here's wishing current and future students well

Michelle

Just like Michelle, I have spent a lot more hours per week on this class than a traditional class (even more hours per week than I spent on CPT 111 and anyone who has taken that class will tell you that the labs alone take a lot of time). On average I spent about 2 hours/night Monday-Thursday and another 4-5 hours every weekend. I worked every single homework problem that was assigned, both from the textbook and the StatPro software. I too am usually a quick learner and most things, especially Math, come easy to me (I graduated from CSCC with a 4.0 in Computer Programming). At this point with only the final left to go, I have a low A in the class, so I'll have to get another good grade on the final to keep that A.

Another thing I did appreciate was the fact that Leslie made parts of the Project due each week. This was so helpful to me because I could absolutely not procrastinate and get all stressed out because I had to try to do this big project in one weekend.

I wish I would have had more correspondence with my fellow students or we could have met face-to-face for some study sessions before the midterms. I found a Project partner by emailing people who had responded to the Discussion Board postings, but she eventually dropped the class.

Cinda

The only thing I'd like to add is in reference to the labs. I made the mistake of waiting until the night before the labs were due to even read the lab assignment. If I had to do over I would read the directions for the assignment before studying each chapter. Also, some of the labs require obtaining data. Reading ahead keeps you from calling friends late at night to find their favorite fast food place or shoe size.

As the others stressed, you must stay current with each chapter as it is assigned. I made the mistake of slacking off on chapters 6 and 7. The low grade on that test cost me an A for the quarter that I missed by 2.5 points. I regret it now.
Good luck.

Rita

So, you're thinking about taking a mathematics web course?