Fall 2018 | Professor Kate Poirier

Month: March 2020 (Page 4 of 5)

Friday update

I hope you are all keeping healthy and taking care of yourselves! I attended a meeting yesterday where I learned a little bit more about what to expect for this semester, though there is still a lot we don’t know. I’ll  post updates here with the category Online course updates as I learn more. Please continue to check the OpenLab frequently as things are still changing pretty quickly. This is a weird situation and we’ll just all do our best!

Some logistics
  • Classes are cancelled until next Wednesday. Classes will resume online starting next Thursday. This means that our next class meeting (online) is Monday, March 23.
  • I will try to keep as close to our original schedule as possible, though it’s already out of date. I’ll let you know when there are changes.
  • You will need to be “present” during our official class meetings at our normal times, Monday and Wednesday 8:00-9:40am. I’ll let you know what “present” means.
  • I’ll be experimenting with different video conferencing software for our class meetings. It may take some time before we figure out what works best for us, but I’m considering free options only (like Zoom or Google Hangouts, but there’s an interesting option built into Blackboard too). You’ll need a quiet place, a computer and webcam, and internet access during class times so start thinking now how you’ll set things up. It’s possible that if all you have is your smartphone, this will be enough. Please let me know over email if this will be a problem for you and we’ll work something out.
  • I’ll hold virtual office hours at the usual time (Mondays and Wednesdays 9:40 to 10:40am).
  • We don’t know yet how final exams will be impacted. There’s a chance they’ll still be given in person, but we will just have to wait and see how the college and university decide to handle this.
  • We don’t know yet if the drop date, which was set for April 1, will change.
  • We don’t know yet if we’ll have to make up the two classes we’re missing next week. (Sometimes if we miss a class for a snow day or something, we make it up at the end of the semester.)
  • The tutoring centers are investigating ways to offer online tutoring.
  • You all know that I’m not a fan of email! But email will become more important now that we’re not meeting face to face. If you have a question for me that is not private, you are probably not the only one with that question. Please post it on the OpenLab either as its own post or as a comment on one of my posts. If you have a question for me that is private, please send me an email with “MAT 1575” in the subject line. I will try to respond within 24 hours (except on weekends).
Upcoming important dates

These dates and details may change, I just wanted to let you know now what I currently think will work.

  • Next Wednesday, March 18, we will hold a practice class meeting at 8am. I’ll post instructions for this on Monday or Tuesday. We’ll use this practice class meeting to discuss anything we need to discuss, including logistics or any math questions you have. This is the time to resolve all technical difficulties so that we can hold our first class as normal on Monday, March 23.
  • Test #2 is postponed. I don’t know the details yet, but for now I think we will try to have Test #2 on Monday, March 30. I’ll let you know!
  • Due dates for assignments currently in progress have been postponed.
    • Test #1 Solutions are now due Sunday, March 22
    • Test #2 Review is now due Friday, March 25
    • Webwork Improper Integrals is now due on Tuesday, March 24
    • Webwork Taylor Polynomials is now due on Sunday, March 29
  • I would like to give Quiz #5 (which you were supposed to take next Wednesday) online on Wednesday, March 25. I’ll let you know how this will work.
  • I have already posted details about what we were supposed to go over in class next Monday, March 16. Early next week, I will post details about what we were supposed to go over in class next Wednesday, March 18. Please read the links and watch the videos in these posts before class on Monday, March 23. If you have questions about these topics or the corresponding Webwork sets, we can discuss them during our first official online class meeting.
Grades

I’d like to stick as close to the original grading scheme as possible, but some things may need to change. You are still expected to earn participation points by

  • participating in OpenLab discussions,
  • participating in the Webwork question-answer forum using the Ask for help button in Webwork,
  • attending virtual office hours,
  • attending online tutoring (once it starts).

I know many of you were already struggling to stay engaged during our 8am lessons. It could end up being an even grater challenge for you now that we won’t be seeing each other in person. If you make a decision now about how you will remain engaged (like scheduling time outside of class time that you will work on your lessons and homework) then I think you’ll be able to turn it around and succeed in the class in this new way. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Online classes update

Hi everyone, you may have seen the governor’s announcement this afternoon that CUNY will be moving to online classes next week. I’ll post here when I have more details about how this will affect our class. We should have a clearer picture of how the rest of the semester will look by the end of next week. This is an unusual situation, but we’ll figure out what works best for us!

For now, you should see this post about the material for Monday’s lesson.

Please see the Chancellor’s message here. Here are the highlights:

  • CUNY will begin an instructional recess tomorrow, Thursday, March 12, that will conclude on Wednesday, March 18. No scheduled courses will run on these days, except those of fully online programs and courses otherwise authorized by campus presidents and deans. This will allow CUNY to prepare faculty, students and staff to operate in full distance education mode.
  • Starting on Thursday, March 19, all instruction will resume in distance-learning mode, and will remain so through the end of the spring semester.
  • Colleges will remain open during the spring semester. This will include dormitories, libraries, research facilities, daycare centers and mission-critical venues that support our students.

Test #2 Review Assignment

Test #2 is scheduled for Monday, March 23. As of right now, Test #2 will be given in class on that date. Edit: details about testing once classes have been moved online will be posted when they are available. Your Test #2 Review post is still due on the date listed below.

The instructions for your Test #2 Review assignment are the same as they were for Test #1 Review. Don’t forget to select the category Test #2 Review from the right side of the screen before you publish your post.

Your Test #2 Review OpenLab post is due by Friday, March 20 Sunday, April 5 at 11:59pm.

Don’t forget that your Test #1 Solutions post is due by Monday, March 16 Sunday, April 5 at 11:59pm.

Webwork and Monday’s lesson

Here are my notes from and office hours: Note Mar 25, 2020

Here is the link to the video of the lecture: https://www.dropbox.com/s/eu8257lh2hbt2aj/Lecture%2020200325.mp4?dl=0

Here is the link to the video of office hours: https://www.dropbox.com/s/57r5zjw2e1xnq7v/Office%20Hours%2020200325.mp4?dl=0

I’m not sure whether I actually succeeded in recording the session today (sometimes it takes Webex some time to make the videos available). I’ll post the video link here if and when it’s available.


As of right now, in-person classes at CityTech are still scheduled for Monday. Edit: we will not hold in-person classes next week; classes will officially move online next Thursday. More details will be posted when they are available but you can see the Chancellor’s message here. For now, assume that you will be learning the following material yourself, at least initially. More details will posted as soon as they are available. Stay healthy!

For Monday’s lesson, we’ll finish Section 3.7 Improper Integration and cover Section 6.3 Taylor and Maclaurin Polynomials. I’ll include some material here in case we end up needing it. Quiz #5 next Wednesday will cover improper integrals of type 1. Continue reading

Short survey

You may have heard that some colleges moved their classes online as a result of the current coronavirus outbreak. As of right now, there are no plans to cancel classes at CUNY or to shift them online, but it’s possible this could change in the future. To help plan for this possibility, please complete this short survey about your access to the internet off campus:

The results are anonymous and for your professor’s information only. They will not be used as part of the University’s decision to whether to hold classes in person or online.

If CUNY makes any decisions about shifting classes online, I’ll let you know as soon as I know. In the meantime, you can always check for updates here.

Reminders

Webwork – Partial Fractions is due tomorrow (Tuesday); Improper integrals is due Sunday (we’ve cover about half of the material so far)

Quiz #4 (this Wednesday) will cover Section 3.4 of the text

Test #1 Solutions are due on the OpenLab by next Monday

Test #2 is Monday, March 23 (two weeks from today) on topics in yellow on the schedule

Stay tuned for your Test #2 Review assignment instructions

Test #1 grades & solutions assignment

Test grades are now available on Blackboard. Your next OpenLab assignment is to choose one question from your test that you did not receive full credit for. Write a complete solution for this problem (including the check) and upload your solution to the OpenLab. Include the version of your test (A, B, or C) and the question number in the title of your post. Don’t forget to add the category Test #1 Solutions (on the right side of the screen) to your post.

Posts are due by 8am on Monday, March 16 Sunday, April 5 at 11:59pm.

Stay tuned for the Test #2 Review OpenLab assignment.

« Older posts Newer posts »