If you’re new to “asynchronous” online classes (or even if you aren’t, every class is different), you may be very confused about what to do to learn the material.  Everything you need to know is below! 

The best advice I can give you is to stay on track with the calendar and do not get behind.

The easiest way to do this is to SIGN UP FOR REMIND TEXTS!!  (And you get extra credit for signing up!)   

Text @perim1001 to 415-704-8328. 

Simply keeping up with the due dates will increase your chances of success so much. 

Step 1) Make sure you set aside enough time each week to learn the material/watch videos, do homework and quizzes, and post your discussion each week. 

For most students, it will take anywhere from 8 to 14 hours per week to learn and complete the required work (depending on your math background).  The first week’s work will not take as long because the material is less difficult.  The next week (Chapter 9) will take much more time, and with each successive week, the material becomes more and more time-consuming. 

Step 2) Post to the Weekly Discussion on the first day it opens for the week (Tuesday) and BEFORE you start your homework.  There is helpful information in the discussion post that you need for the week, so if you wait until the due date, it will not be helpful. Also, discussions are 10% of your grade, so this prevents you from waiting until the last minute and running out of time or forgetting to do it.  Discussions cannot be done after the due date! 

 

Step 3)  Do not start your homework until you watch the videos and use the study guides/notes in the “Content” area of iCollege AND watch the recordings of the homework sessions.

      Math 1001 (Quantitative Reasoning): Watch the videos under “Content” in iCollege (click on “Chapter Resources” and then click on the chapter you are working on) and take notes in your binder as if you were sitting in a classroom listening to a lecture (see this page about how and why you should keep a binder for this class).   Every section has multiple videos and each chapter has an “Additional Videos” link with even more videos and note-taking guides.  If you need even more examples, see the videos in MyMathLab for that section (see https://sites.gsu.edu/tlamar2/more-videos/).

HOMEWORK SESSION VIDEOS:    https://bit.ly/Math1001sessions

Step 4) Read the section in the textbook.  Seriously.  Trust me.  You need to do it.  

!!!!   PLEASE NOTE  !!!   that even though we cover a section, we don’t always cover *all* the material within that section.  Before you read the etext and take notes on a section, be sure to pay attention to what is covered in iCollege Content under Chapter Resources so that you aren’t spending time on topics we don’t cover. 

Instructions for using the etext:  To access the textbook (ebook), click on “eText” on the left within MyLab Math.  Then click again on the blue “etext” link.  A new tab/window will open (give this from 30-60 seconds to load).  To choose the chapter and section, click on the three horizontal lines on the top left.   Work through each example problem in the textbook in your binder as if you were taking notes in a classroom (click here for a description of what should be in the binder).  Do not attempt to skip this step of reading the textbook.  (To see pictures and a step by step description of how to use the eText, click here.)  It is crucial to your success in this class.

Step 5) Do the homework assignment until you have a 100%.  Do this for EVERY SINGLE ASSIGNMENT – no matter how long it takes. 

Work through the homework in MyMathLab/MyStatLab for that section and always do all the work for the homework in your binder.  Write down every question and show your work.  This is important for you to be able to look back at this during quizzes and when you are reviewing for the midterm and final.   Always complete every homework assignment until every question is correct. There is no limit on how many times you can work a homework problem and homework is the time to be sure you know what you are doing.  (If you’ve reached the “three wrong answers limit”,  just click “Similar Exercise” and you will get a new problem.  You can do every problem until it is right, so there is no reason to not have a 100% on every homework assignment.)

Step 6)  Get help when you are stuck on a homework (or quiz) question.

When running into any questions while doing the homework, there is a “Get More Help” link on the lower left within every question in MyMathLab homework.   The “View an Example” and “Help Me Solve This” in that menu are invaluable tools!   There is also the “Tutoring” option under the that connects you to a real live online tutor for FREE any time of the day or night – even weekends!   If that doesn’t help, there are videos within MyMathLab under the “Multimedia Library” on the left.  (See https://sites.gsu.edu/tlamar2/more-videos/).  In addition, there is usually an example or video available on my website.  Go to https://sites.gsu.edu/tlamar2/math-1001/ for Math 1001 (Quantitative Reasoning) and click on “Additional Materials for each chapter” and click on the chapter you’re working on. (This link is also available in iCollege and is called “Math 1001 help from Mrs. Lamar).  I have spent many hours working out “frequently asked” homework and quiz questions and finding and making videos and putting them on my website so that you can have these available to you at any time, even when iCollege is down for maintenance or any other reason.    

Step 7)  Take your first quiz attempt the smart way! 

After completing the homework assignment(s) for the entire chapter, take your first attempt on the quiz (at least 24 to 48 hours in advance of the due date).   In your notebook/binder write down every problem and work it out on paper writing down all your work and what answer you got (when using a calculator for parts of the problem just write down a note of which keys you pressed to get your answer).  This will save you time for step 6 AND you will do better on your first attempt because you wrote everything down.  If you do not write everything down, then when you take your second attempt you will not have anything to look back at and you’ll have to do attempt #1 all over again and write it down.  So please write everything down the first time you take the quiz!

Step 8)  Review your first quiz attempt, correct all mistakes, and take it again.  

Review the first quiz/test attempt and make corrections to the problems in your binder/notebook for which you had incorrect answers.   (Click here for instructions on how to review quizzes/tests.)  In step 5, you already wrote down all the questions and your work for every question on the quiz (or test).  Now you will review it to see what you missed and make corrections on those problems.  (If you did not follow instructions for Step 5 you will now have to go back through your first attempt and write everything down so it’s important to take the time to do this and really follow Step 5 for every quiz.)   DO NOT TAKE THE QUIZ AGAIN UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET YOUR ANSWER TO MATCH THE CORRECT ANSWER IN MYMATHLAB FOR EVERY PROBLEM WHEN YOU REVIEWED IT.  This will take time, so you’ve got to allow enough time to look everything up that you missed.  By reviewing it you will know what the right answer is.  You have to figure out how to do every problem before you take another attempt, otherwise you will just miss those questions again.  See the resources for help https://sites.gsu.edu/tlamar2/resources/  if you need help with any of the problems you missed.  

If you’ve used those resources and still need help, email me for help.  If you don’t take advantage of the extra attempt by writing down and working through all problems until they are correct, there is no value in getting the additional attempt.   This is why it’s important to do the first attempt at least one to two days in advance.  If you wait, you may not have time to look it up, watch videos, or to get a response from me or from an online or on campus tutor about your questions. 

You get three total attempts on each quiz.  Do not waste them by taking a second or third attempt if you have not reviewed what you missed as instructed in the details above and made sure that you know how to do all the problems you missed. 

Step 9)  Take advantage of the midterm and final exam reviews in MyMathLab.  

The midterm and final are a huge part of your grade, so you need to make sure you are prepared!  Be sure to work on these early so you can get any questions you might have about them answered before it’s time to take the exams.  You also get extra credit points for these reviews (see the Extra Credit video in the “Welcome & Getting Started Checklist”).

Step 10) Know how to use your Ti-83/84 calculator.   

Know how to use your calculator because it’s all you will be allowed to use on the exam.  (You can’t use Excel, your phone, etc.)

If you don’t have a calculator and can’t buy one immediately, you have some options while you wait (but you will have to have one for your proctored exam).  You can rent, you can borrow, and until you get one in your hands, you should definitely use an app or an emulator on your laptop to get practice using it.  All the details about purchasing options and available apps and emulators are here: https://goo.gl/QJPyru

Tutorials for using the calculator:

Ti 83/84 in Math 1001 – Quant. Reasoning: log into MyMathLab, click on “Tools for Success” then under “Technology Help”.  You will see links for a Graphing Calculator Tutorial, a Graphing Calculator Reference Card, and Online Calculator Lessons and these are all really helpful.

 Also in the frequently asked questions for each chapter on my website I include calculator instructions/screenshots with the problems.  

General Ti-83/84 calculator help: https://sites.gsu.edu/tlamar2/graphing-calculator-help/

Step 11) Make sure you read the announcements in iCollege and check your email in iCollege at least three times a week (preferably more often). 

You will be at a great disadvantage if you don’t see the important announcements about things like extra credit opportunities, extra help with questions, or the reminders I post about assignments or midterms or finals, etc. It’s really really really important (did I mention REALLY?) to read all announcements and check your email often. 

Step 12)  If you’ve done everything in steps 1 – 11 and still need help, use the FREE tutoring options.

Keep in mind that before you meet with a tutor whether it is on campus or online, you want to have a list of specific questions you need help with. So you need to have read the textbook, watched videos and taken notes, and worked through the homework before you see a tutor.   You should go to the tutor with notes and very specific questions about what you need help with.  If you go to tutoring without knowing exactly what you need help with, it will be a waste of your time and the tutor’s time.  Be sure that you have gone through at least Steps 1 through 5 above before visiting a tutor (although be sure you’ve allowed plenty of time before the due date to get help if you need it).

FREE ONLINE TUTORING: 

Click here for information about the free online tutoring.

*More resources for help: see https://sites.gsu.edu/tlamar2/resources/

For more details about what is mentioned at the beginning of this page, see the video by Sandee House at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jdNUmbZZpQ.