|
One cannot hope to learn, understand, or apply
mathematics -- or integrate new information related to any
discipline into one's knowledge base -- without practice. To
that end, every member of the class is expected to participate in discussion,
analysis, and problem-solving related to course material. To do
this, we must interact -- share ideas and work together.
All class interaction and communication whether face-to-face, online, by
phone, via email or text message, or written must conform to the Rules of
Engagement: all interaction and communication between students and with
the instructor must be respectful at all times. Keep in mind that your
purpose at Framingham State University is to learn, and there is no such thing as a
stupid question.
Top of Page
Rules of Engagement: The purpose of this course, as with any
course, is learning. To that end, this must be a safe environment
for learning. Two important components of learning are asking
questions and making mistakes. To ensure that this will be a safe
environment for learning, a safe environment for asking questions, and a
safe environment for making the mistakes which are a natural part of the
learning process, I created the Rules of Engagement that must be
followed for all course interaction and
communication whether face-to-face, online, by phone, via email or text
message, or written.
-
The course environment is to be respectful
and encouraging. You are expected to be respectful and
encouraging to all members of the class and to the instructor.
This course is to be a positive, supportive environment in which members
can feel comfortable as they ask questions and make mistakes.
Mistakes are a natural part of the learning process and every member of
the class should be able to make mistakes without criticism.
Please keep in mind that correction is not the same as criticism.
Before you make a comment, post online, make a call, send a text message
or email, or give/send a written note, you
should carefully consider your words as well as how you
would feel if someone were to address you in such a manner or if you were to receive such a
reply or comment. If you are
bothered by the words that you use then you should
not
make your comment or posting, send your text message or email, or
leave/send your note:
if you offend yourself then you will offend others.
Top of Page
-
You are a member of the class. As a
member of a class, you have the
same goal as the other members of the class -- learning. You
must all work together. In order to work together, you must get
along: be nice to each other.
Top of Page
-
Be respectful of each other's time constraints.
You all have different schedules. Some of you have full-time or
part-time jobs, others may be taking multiple courses, and still
others may do both of these in addition to having a family (having a
family is a job by itself) and/or caring for ailing or elderly parents
(this can be quite challenging and time consuming). You need to be
respectful of each other's time constraints as you work to complete
online discussions. Do not wait until the last moment to do
readings, practice exercises, or assignments: what you have or have not done affects your contributions
online and, thereby, affects other members of the class. A
lack of preparedness is evident in one's contributions to
the discussion and analysis of course material: being respectful
of others includes doing coursework in a timely manner so
that your contributions can be valuable
and beneficial to every member of the class.
Top of Page
-
Paying attention and participating are important. You cannot learn mathematics or acquire
knowledge for any discipline if you are not actively involved during
class discussions, analysis, and problem solving. So, all phones,
iPods, tablets, laptops, and other electronic devices must be turned off and put
away during course meetings. Sending text messages or posting tweets, reading
or updating Facebook, shopping on online, or doing
assignments or writing the papers for another course, among other things, must be done on your time, NOT
during course meetings; if you plan to do such things then you should
not attend course meetings or student hours.
Top of Page
-
Neither flaming nor bullying will not be tolerated.
What is flaming? Flaming is the posting of disrespectful,
offensive, hostile, and/or threatening materials online or the sending of
disrespectful, offensive, hostile, and/or threatening materials by email,
text message, or other means of communication. You
are expected to be respectful to all members of the class and to the
instructor at all times. Disrespectful, offensive, hostile,
and/or threatening communication of any kind will NOT be tolerated. All instances/occurrences of flaming
or bullying
whether online, via text message or email, in writing, by phone, or
any other means will
be reported to the Dean of the college, the Dean of
Students, and the Office of Community Standards accompanied by the supporting evidence.
Top of Page
-
No disrespectful, offensive, hostile, and/or
threatening scenarios, information or topics shall be used for any
assignments or for class discussions. When you are assigned to create examples or to
select scenarios/information for an assignment, you are expected to
select topics that are not disrespectful, offensive, hostile, and/or
threatening to any member of the class or to the instructor.
Topics should never be chosen in order to offend others or to be
divisive. This is a course for a
general audience and, as such, all material should be appropriate for
everyone and abhorrent to no one. Any disrespectful, offensive,
hostile, and/or threatening materials used in assignments, discussions, or
communication will be reported to the Dean of the college, the Dean of Students, and the Office of
Community Standards accompanied by
the supporting evidence. Use of disrespectful, offensive,
hostile, and/or threatening materials in assignments or discussions will result in a
grade of zero (0) for the assignment and/or discussion contributions; the individual who used the
disrespectful, offensive, hostile, and/or threatening material will be expected to apologize to
the class and to the instructor.
Top of Page
You are here to learn: as members of this learning
community,
you should be understanding, welcome the questions of
others, be open to correction, and be supportive when members make
mistakes. We learn by asking questions and by
making mistakes. The learning community should be
encouraging and no one should be put down or criticized for
asking questions or for making mistakes. There is no
such thing as a stupid question! You are a
member of this learning community and, as such, you are
expected to encourage and help each other to learn. Work together to make this
class an enjoyable experience for everyone, both student and
instructor alike.
|
