2021 Fall Course Syllabus - Mathematics 1015.001

Course: Mathematics 1015.001.

Course Title: Intro to Numbers and Figures.

Credits: 4.

How this course will be taught: Virtual.

Time: Monday/Wednesday/Friday, 2:40-3:50 pm.

Place: All classes will be held on Zoom. The Zoom link will be posted on Canvas and emailed to students before the first day of class.

Instructor: Max Emlen Avener.

Instructor Office: Wachman 522.

Instructor Email: max.avener@temple.edu

Instructor Phone: 215-204-7841 (Math department office - for emergencies only).

Office Hours: Instructor office hours: Tue 11-12 (online only); Wed 12-1 (in-person in Wachman 522 and online); Thu 2-4 (online only). TA office hours: Tue 3-5 and Fri 10-12 (in-person at the Math Consulting Center).

Prerequisites: Math Placement or a C- or better in Math 0701, or transfer credit for Math 0701.

Course Materials: The course textbook is: Beckmann, Sybilla. Mathematics for Elementary Teachers with Activities, 5th edition. Pearson Education, Inc. 2018. You will need to have consistent access to the textbook by the beginning of the second week of class. Print or electronic access is fine, as is used, new, or rented, but it must be the 5th edition. You do not need to purchase MyMathLab access or any other supplementary materials.

Course Goals: Students will be able to: 1. Evaluate a variety of methods by which a problem may be addressed and solve problems using appropriate methods. 2. Identify correct and incorrect mathematical thinking, and provide valid explanations of these analyses. 3. Explain the reasoning behind commonly-used mathematical algorithms. 4. Effectively communicate mathematical ideas both orally and in writing. 5. Demonstrate mastery of foundational mathematical principles, and apply these to the instruction of future students.

Topics Covered: This is a course that concentrates primarily on numbers and operations on numbers, focusing primarily on why and how the algorithms we perform work the way they do.

Course Grading: Weekly Homework: 20%; Participation: 10%; Projects: 10%; 3 Tests: 40%; Final Exam: 20%.

Exam Dates: Test 1: Wednesday, September 29th; Test 2: Wednesday, October 27th; Test 3: Wednesday, December 1st; Final exam: Asynchronous during final exam week (details to be announced). All test dates are subject to change with at least one week's notice.

Attendance Policy: Attendance and participation in class is expected and is a critical part of your learning. Missing up to three classes over the course of the semester is acceptable, as long as you take the time to watch and engage with the entire Zoom video from the class before the following class. If you miss more than three classes, you should contact me to discuss your situation and your options for making up missed group work. If you miss more than three classes without contacting me, or more than six classes under any circumstances, your participation grade may be lowered.

Attendance and Your Health: To achieve course learning goals, students must attend and participate in classes, according to your instructors' requirements. However, if you feel unwell or if you are under quarantine or in isolation because you have been exposed to the virus or tested positive for it, you should not come to campus or attend in-person classes or activities. It is the student's responsibility to contact their instructors to create a plan for participation and engagement in the course as soon as they are able to do so, and to make a plan to complete all assignments in a timely fashion, when illness delays their completion.

Late Submission/Make Up Policy: Homework will not be accepted late, under any circumstances. Your lowest homework score will automatically be dropped at the end of the semester. Projects will be accepted for up to two days after the deadline, with a 10% penalty per day late, and will not be accepted after that. Test make-ups will be handled on a case-by-case basis. If you are not able to attend a test, contact me as soon as possible. No make-ups will be allowed after tests have been returned and/or we have discussed solutions in class. Canvas assignments (discussion board posts, tutorials, quizzes, etc) will receive a grade reduction for lateness, and will not be accepted if more than 2 days late.

Canvas: We will use Canvas for many things in this class, including but not limited to announcements, posting materials, posting and submitting assignments, and tracking grades. Please note that the weighting of our course assessments cannot be accurately tracked in Canvas, so your cumulative grade in Canvas will NOT be accurate.

Participation: True learning occurs only when students are actively engaged both during and outside of class time. (This is not just common sense; it is also backed up by decades of research.) You will be graded for participation, which will be primarily based on your engagement during group work in class. To receive full credit for participation, you must be in class, enter breakout rooms when they are assigned, work with your group members, and respond to questions on behalf of your group when prompted to do so in class. In addition to in-class participation, I may assign small out of class tasks (such as watching a short video and responding to it) to be included in your participation grade.

Projects: You will be assigned two projects to demonstrate your understanding of the material in ways that are difficult to assess on an in-class test. One project will involve writing a math assessment for elementary school students, and one will involve grading and writing feedback for sample student work.

Homework: Each week, homework problems will be assigned by Monday evening. Each homework assignment will be due on Canvas at 2:30 pm on Friday of the same week. A typical assignment will consist of five problems, most of which require explaining or analyzing a problem rather than simply performing a calculation.

Calculator Policy: Calculators are valuable mathematical tools. However, this class is about why and how we do calculations in a particular way, so we will not use calculators for any component of the class.

Letter Grades: A: 93 and up; A-: 90 to 92; B+: 87 to 89; B: 83 to 86; B-: 80 to 82; C+: 77 to 79; C: 73 to 76; C-: 70 to 72; D+: 65 to 69; D: 55 to 64; D-: 50 to 54; F: 49 and below.

Comment about Professionalism: This course will rely heavily on interaction between students, classroom assistants, and the instructor. All communications, spoken, written, or otherwise, are to be conducted with the utmost respect for all involved. Please see the University's Student Code of Conduct for further guidelines on this matter.

Disability Statement: Any student who has a need for accommodations based on the impact of a documented disability or medical condition should contact Disability Resources and Services (DRS) in 100 Ritter Annex (drs@temple.edu; 215-204-1280) to request accommodations and learn more about the resources available to you. If you have a DRS accommodation letter to share with me, or you would like to discuss your accommodations, please contact me as soon as practical. I will work with you and with DRS to coordinate reasonable accommodations for all students with documented disabilities. All discussions related to your accommodations will be confidential.

Academic Freedom: Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy # 03.70.02) which can be accessed here (opens in new tab/window).

Add/Drop Policy: Students will be charged for a course unless dropped by the Drop/Add deadline date. Check the University calendar (opens in new tab/window) for exact dates.

During the Drop/Add period, students may drop a course with no record of the class appearing on their transcript. Students are not financially responsible for any courses dropped during this period. In the following weeks prior to or on the withdrawal date students may withdraw from a course with the grade of "W" appearing on their transcript. After the withdrawal date students may not withdraw from courses. Check the University Calendar (opens in new tab/window) for exact dates. See the full policy by clicking here (opens in new tab/window).

Incomplete Policy: The grade "I" (an "incomplete") is only given if students cannot complete the course work due to circumstances beyond their control. It is necessary for the student to have completed the majority of the course work with a passing average and to sign an incomplete contract which clearly states what is left for the student to do and the deadline by which the work must be completed. The incomplete contract must also include a default grade that will be used in case the "I" grade is not resolved by the agreed deadline. See the full policy by clicking here (opens in new tab/window).

Expectations for Class Conduct: The best way to maintain a safe and focused learning environment is for everyone to get vaccinated. Masks must be worn by vaccinated and unvaccinated people in all indoor or in enclosed spaces (including classrooms, the Library, the TECH Center, the Student Center, shuttles/buses, administrative spaces, common areas in residence halls, etc.). For your general health and well-being, hand washing and monitoring your health is still highly recommended.

Student Support Services: The following academic support services are available to students (all links open in a new tab/window):
    The Math Consulting Center
    Student Success Center
    University Libraries
    Undergraduate Research Support
    Career Center
    Tuttleman Counseling Services
    Disability Resources and Services
If you are experiencing food insecurity or financial struggles, Temple provides resources and support. Notably, the Temple University Cherry Pantry and the Temple University Emergency Student Aid Program are in operation as well as a variety of resources from the Division of Student Affairs.

For courses in remote mode:

Technology specifications for this course: A working computer with a reliable internet connection, a Webcam, and audio capability. Recommended Internet Speed: 8mbps download & 5mbps upload. You can test your connection at https://www.speedtest.net. Please note: Hard-wired connections are more consistent than Wi-Fi for Zoom sessions. A scanning app such as AdobeScan or CamScanner is required as is access to Zoom and Canvas (the Canvas app is also recommended).
Limited resources are available for students who do not have the technology they need for class. Students with educational technology needs, including no computer or camera or insufficient Wifi-access, should submit a request outlining their needs using the Student Emergency Aid Fund form. The University will endeavor to meet needs, such as with a long-term loan of a laptop or Mifi device, a refurbished computer, or subsidized internet access.

Remote proctoring statement: Zoom, Proctorio or a similar proctoring tool may be used to proctor exams and quizzes in this course. These tools verify your identity and record online actions and surroundings. It is your responsibility to have the necessary government or school issued ID, a laptop or desktop computer with a reliable internet connection, the Google Chrome and Proctorio extension, a webcam/built-in camera and microphone, and system requirements for using Proctorio, Zoom, or a similar proctoring tool. Before the exam begins, the proctor may require a scan of the room in which you are taking the exam.

Online Classroom Etiquette: It is expected that each student attends every class on time for the full duration of each class and behaves, in the same professional manner, as if you are in a regular classroom. This refers in particular to your location and attire. It is not appropriate to eat a large meal, drink alcohol, smoke, or get up often during an online class.

Statement on recording and distribution of recordings of class sessions: Any recordings permitted in this class can only be used for the student's personal educational use. Students are not permitted to copy, publish, or redistribute audio or video recordings of any portion of the class session to individuals who are not students in the course or academic program without the express permission of the faculty member and of any students who are recorded. Distribution without permission may be a violation of educational privacy law known as FERPA as well as certain copyright laws. Any recordings made by the instructor or university of this course are the property of Temple University.