Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Q: Will I have to come to campus to take an exam? 

A:  No, we will have 2 proctored, closed-notes, closed-book exams on Zoom during two of our remote class meetings.  More details on those dates will be given with the syllabus at the start of the term on the calendar. 

Proctored Exams: Proctored exams are one of many assessment tools used in MTH to assess student learning. Our class will be participating in a Virtual Proctoring Pilot that is being run in collaboration with Math, Online Learning, and the Testing Center.

Review the Student Guide to Virtually Proctored Exams in Zoom for important information and requirements. Please make every concerted effort to attend the scheduled virtually proctored exams. 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 to discuss alternative arrangements. With adequate notice, alternative testing arrangements can be made for virtual or in-person proctoring at a testing center. Scheduling appointments with a testing center 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 virtually proctored exams, please feel free to contact me.

Q:  Will your class require the use of a textbook or purchased course materials?

A:  I HIGHLY recommend purchasing the Lecture Packet from the PCC Bookstore to help support your learning.  To order, click on the "textbook" link in the course information, or go to the Bookstore from the MyPCC homepage.
The packet is about 100 pages and includes all the Class Notes & Group Work for our virtual class meetings on Zoom. Having a printed copy of this packet is very helpful to note taking and practicing the material in Algebra. For most students, writing the process out by hand is an essential step to mastering Algebra. Purchasing this packet is a great option because you do not need to print at home.
 

Q:  Are attending Zoom virtual meetings on Mondays & Wednesdays from 8:30am - 10:50am mandatory?

A:  Class participation for the Remote class counts for part of your overall grade.  Attending regularly is highly recommended to earn maximum points.  If you know you can't attend class meetings on Zoom regularly or come to the proctored exams, it might be best to look for a class that fits with your schedule and preferred learning style.  

Q: How do I access the course?
A: Log into MyPCC. On the main webpage, in the Quick Links window on the left, you will see the link to access D2L.

Q: When should I start the course?
A: Immediately!! I am expecting you to access and start the course the day I give you access or the day after. We have our first assignment due Monday the first week of the term . The longer you wait to access the course, the chance of succeeding in the course diminishes. When you access the D2L course and participate in the activities/zoom lessons is the equivalent of attending a face-to-face course. Students that do not sufficiently participate in the course by completing the requirements of the first week will be dropped. However, it is up to you do drop the course if you are not planning on attending (i.e. Do not rely on me to drop you.)

Q: Is this course self-paced?
A: The course is not self paced. The pace is set by the instructor on the calendar so that students can learn at a comfortable steady pace in order to cover all the required material in an 11 week term.  

Q: I am taking a remote course because I do not have much time to study and I am hoping it is easier. Is this correct?
A: A remote environment might be more challenging than an in-person course since it requires students to try to limit distractions at home while participation on Zoom. You have to be very disciplined and make sure you have a set schedule of when you will study. If you have a hard time motivating yourself to study then a remote environment might not be right for you.  Do not take this course if you are taking a full class load and working. Leave yourself free time that you can use when emergencies arise. If you have a schedule that has no free time available, then you are setting yourself up for failure. 

Q: How is the material presented?
A: I will provide the student with in-class lectures, written material, videos, and online free textbook. You also have as a resource the textbook used for this course.

Q: Is there homework?
A: Yes lots of it done in WeBWork, worksheets, practice, group work and submitted assignments through D2L.

 A reliable computer and internet access. Access to some type of scanning device.  Electronically submitted work will be printed and completed by hand, or read in PDF format on your computer and answered on notebook paper. You will then scan and uploaded assignments to D2L. Having a (free) scanner app on your phone is very helpful to this process. Some students prefer to electronically annotate and uploaded to D2L.