Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Hello! I have been teaching mathematics for over 29 years at the high school level and over 18 years at the community college level. My teaching style is fairly traditional. I will begin class by going over any questions students may have from the previous lessons, then cover the new material. I encourage you to ask questions and participate during the lessons but I will not force you to participate by calling on you to answer questions. I know math isn't everyone's favorite subject and many of you may feel uncomfortable trying to do math in front of other people so don't worry about it. I try to be in the virtual classroom about 20-30 minutes before each class so if you would like some individual help, those are basically my office hours. Also, I encourage students to email me whenever they have questions about the material and I will get back to you as soon as possible. We will be using D2L which will allow you access to notes, quizzes, study guides, recordings of the lessons, and your current grade.

Your grade will be based on five categories:

• Attendance (0%): I will be checking to see who is logged into the Zoom meeting several times during class. You will be marked as absent if you arrive more than 15 minutes after the class begins or leave more than 15 minutes before the class ends.
• Homework (5%): Your homework will be graded on the honor system and you must check your own answers from the ORCCA odd answers page. Each section is worth 5 points. If you only skipped 1-2 problems, you earn a 5. If you skipped a few more, you earn a 4. If you did a little more than half, you earn a 3. If you did a little less than half, you earn a 2. And so on. You will indicate on your homework quiz what you deserved on each section. If we cover two sections in a meeting, the total homework assignment will be worth 10 points. If we cover three sections in a meeting, the total homework assignment will be worth 15 points. And so on.
• Quizzes (10%): You will have to either download and print the quizzes from D2L or just copy down the quiz problems from D2L. After the quiz is completed, you will have to either scan it or take pictures of it and submit them to me through D2L. The deadline for sending me the completed quizzes is always before the next class begins.  Quizzes are to be done individually.  You may use your own notes but nothing else.
• Midterms (60%): There will be two virtual-proctored midterm exams during the term. I will allow you to make up one midterm on the class meeting before the final exam for a better grade if you chose. If you are absent during one of the scheduled midterm days for any reason (technological issues, illness, lack of transportation, vacation, etc.), the midterm that you missed must be the midterm to be made up on that day. You will not be allowed to make up any others. 
• Final Exam (25%): A virtual-proctored comprehensive final exam will be given on the last day of class. 

Proctored Exams:  Proctored exams are one of the many assessment tools used in MTH/STAT courses to assess student learning. For in-person sections, exams are proctored in-person on campus during class time. For remote sections, exams are primarily proctored virtually by the instructor in Zoom during remote class time. For online sections, exams are primarily proctored virtually by the instructor in Zoom on dates/times scheduled by the instructor. 

The exams for this class will be proctored virtually by me on the following dates and times; please make every concerted effort to attend my virtually proctored exams listed below. 

• Midterm #1 (Tue, Apr 30) Virtually Proctored on Zoom
• Midterm #2 (Thu, May 30) Virtually Proctored on Zoom
• Midterm Retakes (Optional) (Thu, Jun 6) Virtually Proctored on Zoom
• Final Exam (Tue, Jun 11) Virtually Proctored on Zoom

To have your exam proctored virtually, you must fully read and understand the Student Guide to Virtually Proctored Exams in Zoom and meet the technology/environment requirements; technology support will not be provided on exam day. Virtual proctoring was designed and piloted in collaboration between Math, Online Learning, and the Testing Center. 

If you do not meet the requirements for virtually proctored exams, prefer to take your exams in-person, and/or have an unavoidable scheduling conflict, please contact me as soon as possible. Alternative testing arrangements can be made for virtual or in-person proctoring at a testing center given adequate notice and depending on testing center capacity and availability. Scheduling appointments with a testing center and communicating with the instructor is the responsibility of the student, as well as paying any associated fees with using a non-PCC testing center. 

If you have accommodations through Accessible Ed & Disability Resources at PCC, please contact me so we can discuss your specific accommodations and how I can best support you. 

If you have any questions or concerns about proctored exams, please feel free to contact me.

You will need a detachable webcam or a mobile device to use as a webcam and a computer with reliable internet access, video, and microphone (We will be using Zoom to virtually meet synchronously during our regularly scheduled days and times).  This is not an online course.  You are expected to be in the Zoom meeting during our regularly scheduled days and times.  Though I do not make it mandatory that you have your video on during regular lectures, it would be greatly appreciated.  You must have your video on during virtual-proctored exams.

Scanning or picture taking program or app. I recommend the free app AdobeScan. You will be turning in homework quizzes to me by either scanning or taking pictures of the completed work and submitting them to me through D2L.

Scientific or Graphing Calculator (I recommend the TI-30XS)

Printer (This is not mandatory but helpful so you do not have to copy down the problems on paper).