Fall 2007 Dr. Fenton
Web page at http://www.bellarmine.edu/faculty/fenton/
Section FG meets 1:00-1:50 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, plus Lab on Monday, 2:00-4:00.
A. INTRODUCTION
The pedagogy of this course is based on cooperative groups. It will rely heavily on your efforts, through working with other students and working on a computer. Much of your homework time will be spent working with your group. The most important component of this course is the work you do outside of class; of course, the work in class will contribute to your outside efforts.
Why am I teaching this course with cooperative learning? There are many benefits to working as a team. Working together on homework and during class keeps everyone actively involved, which improves learning. Having a group gives you a great resource when you have questions. And even if you feel you understand a topic, explaining it to the others in your group will improve your understanding.
Every student in my mathematics classes has four freedoms:
I am serious about these. I believe that the best learning takes place when students have ideas, try those ideas, refine their ideas, and understand how these new ideas fit into what they already know. Most mathematics problems can be solved in more than one way, and I am happy to see new approaches; this shows real understanding.
At first you may find this course frustrating, because it will seem as though you are struggling to learn the Maple software in addition to learning some mathematics. But this will improve after a few weeks, for two reasons: you will get good at using the computer and you will learn how to work well with your group. So be persistent and be patient! It will pay off.
While I will attempt to follow this syllabus in every detail, circumstances may require changes to the course as the semester progresses.
B. OFFICE HOURS
My office is Pasteur Hall 006-F, phone 452-8430. My office hours are 12:00-12:50 Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I am in my office a great deal when I am not in class; please feel free to stop by. Messages may be left in my mailbox in Pasteur 006. You can contact me electronically either on the campus network or at wfenton@bellarmine.edu. Feel free to phone me at home at 454-7855 (but not after 9:00 p.m. please).
C. REQUIRED TEXT
Single Variable Calculus, Early Transcendentals, 6th edition, by Stewart.
D. PREREQUISITE
MATH 116 or an equivalent precalculus course.
E. COURSE DESCRIPTION (from the University catalog)
“Limits and continuity of functions; the concept of derivative; calculating derivatives; applications of derivatives such as optimization and related rates; integration through the Fundamental Theorem.”
F. LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of MATH 117 Calculus I, the successful student will:
Learning Objectives |
How proficiency will be demonstrated |
General Education Goal 8: Quantitative reasoning using graphical and symbolic representations |
This will be demonstrated in class discussions, on homework, and on exams. |
Department Goal 1: Students should develop skills in problem-solving. |
This will be demonstrated on homework and on exams. |
Department Goal 2: Students should develop their ability to communicate mathematical ideas. |
Class discussions will require informal oral communication. Homework and exams will require more formal written communication. |
Department Goal 4: Students should be aware of a broad variety of applications, both in and out of mathematics. |
The course includes an introduction to optimization in applied settings. This will be demonstrated on homework and on exams. |
G. ATTENDANCE
(See also the Travel Policy in the section on University policies.) Part of your grade will be based on group participation in class. If you are not there when your group is called on, you will not get credit. Also, you are responsible for all material discussed in class.
H. GROUP WORK
Most of the work you do in this course will be in cooperation with other people. The assignments and part of the first test will be done in groups, working together. For the first few assignments you should work with as many other students in the class as possible and try to determine who you would like to work with for the semester.
Here are some things to think about while you decide who you want in your group:
We will discuss this further in the first couple weeks of the semester. You must choose your group by Friday, September 7.
I. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Note that the dates for the tests are tentative. I will make every effort to stick to this schedule.
LAB ACTIVITIES HOMEWORK: 100 points
On Mondays I will hand out a set of lab activities, most involving computer work. These will be worth 10 points apiece and due on Fridays. Once the groups are set up, each group is to turn in one assignment together.
Since the Lab Activities are exploration problems, they will be graded primarily on completeness and effort. Late homework will not be accepted. If your group has some difficulty meeting a deadline, please talk to me before the assignment is due.
EXERCISES HOMEWORK: 150 points
Each section of the text ends with Exercise problems. There will be an assignment due covering several sections, worth 15 points apiece and usually due on Mondays. These assignments will be posted on the course Web page. Again, once the groups are established each group will turn in one assignment together. The Exercises are to show what you have learned from these sections, so they will be graded on correctness and clarity. Again, late homework will not be accepted.
GROUP PARTICIPATION: 50 points
The discussions in class are primarily responses to questions that I will ask. I will call on a group at random and a reasonable answer earns that group one point. You must be present to earn these points! (30 possible)
Also, each group is expected to meet with me twice during the semester. Each meeting is worth 5 points, but again you must be present to earn the points.
In addition, I will ask you a question about once a week via email. Your response is worth 1 point each time. (10 possible)
TEST 1, Sections 1.1 – 1.6 and 2.1 – 2.4: 100 points
Monday, September 24 The test is in two parts. The first part is a group test worth 50 points. Your group will work together and turn in one paper. Everyone in the group will get the same grade on the group part. The second part is an individual test worth 50 points.
TEST 2, Sections 2.5 – 2.8 and 3.1 – 3.5: 100 points
Monday, October 22 The second test is also in two parts. The first part is a group test worth 25 points. The second part is an individual test worth 75 points.
TEST 3, Sections 3.6 – 3.10 and 4.1 – 4.5: 100 points
Monday, November 19 The third test is entirely an individual test.
FINAL EXAM: 200 points, cumulative
Monday December 10, 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. The final exam is an individual test. Everyone will work alone and you may take up to three hours.
Make-up tests will be given only in extreme circumstances and only if I am contacted on or before the test date. You must take all tests and the final exam to pass the course.
J. GRADING
Grades will be assigned as follows:
| A | 92 – 100% | Activities | 100 points | |
| A- | 88 – 91% | Exercises | 150 points | |
| B+ | 84 – 87% | Group Participation | 50 points | |
| B | 79 – 83% | Test 1 | 100 points | |
| B- | 75 – 78% | Test 2 | 100 points | |
| C+ | 70 – 74% | Test 3 | 100 points | |
| C | 60 – 69% | Final Exam | 200 points | |
| D | 50 – 59% | |||
| F | 0 – 49% |
Your course grade will be your point total as a percentage of the 800 possible points.
K. UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Academic Honesty
I strongly endorse and will follow the academic honesty policy as published in Bellarmine’s Catalog 2007-2009 (pp. 48-49) and in the Student Handbook; both documents are available online via the student portal on the University’s intranet. Students must be fully aware of what constitutes academic dishonesty; claims of ignorance cannot be used to justify or rationalize dishonest acts. Academic dishonesty can take a number of forms, including but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, aiding and abetting, multiple submissions, obtaining unfair advantage, and unauthorized access to academic or administrative systems or information. Definitions of each of these forms of academic dishonesty are provided in the academic honesty section of the Student Handbook. All detected instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Provost, and sanctions will be imposed as dictated by the policy. Penalties range from failing an assignment or test to dismissal from the University, depending, in part, on the student’s previous record of academic dishonesty. On the second offense during a student’s academic career, as a minimum additional penalty, the Provost will immediately suspend the student for the semester in which the most recent offense took place. On the third offense, the Provost will immediately dismiss the student from the University.
Disability Policy (from the Student Handbook)
“Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the Disability Services Coordinator (Room 225 Horrigan Hall or 452-8150). Please do not request accommodations directly from the professor.”
Travel Policy
The University requires students who will be absent from class while representing the University to inform their instructors in two steps. During the first week of the course, students must meet with each instructor to discuss the attendance policy and arrangements for absences related to University-sponsored events. Second, students must provide the instructor with a signed Student Absentee Notification Form, available via the student portal on the University intranet, at the earliest possible opportunity, but not later than the week prior to the anticipated absence. The Student Absentee Notification Form does not serve as an excused absence from class. Your instructor has the final say about excused and unexcused absences and it is the student’s responsibility to know and abide by the instructor’s policy.
• Let everyone know that their ideas are of value, that no question is too trivial to ask, and that everyone makes mistakes. Criticism should be directed at ideas, not at individuals.
• Cooperate with other group members. This means listening to the ideas of others, trying methods that may be different from yours, and then coming to an agreement on a group solution.
• Be flexible, especially about finding time for the group to meet. Cooperation includes compromise. Remember that you are expected to work 6 - 8 hours a week outside of class. Work together as much as possible.
• Make sure that everyone participates. If someone is not offering her/his ideas, stop and ask for their perspective on the problem.
• Make sure everyone understands the solutions that are submitted for grading and be sure that everyone has written up some of these solutions.
• The most important thing is that the work must be done cooperatively! Dividing up the set of problems without ever coming together to discuss them is not an effective way to learn. Everyone needs to understand the questions asked in all of the problems and the ideas involved in solving them.