OnRamps College Algebra Syllabus 2021-2022
How Is OnRamps College Algebra Different from Other Math Classes You Have Taken?
OnRamps College Algebra (ORCA) is a course that, upon successful completion, will count as your high school credit for Algebra 2. If you are eligible at the end of the course, you may also earn college credit for College Algebra, which is known as M301 in The University of Texas system. You would then be granted an official college transcript from UT-Austin with these three credit hours, which can be counted toward your college coursework at other universities. By taking this dual enrollment class, you are getting a jump start on your college education for free!
IBL (Inquiry Based Learning)
Typical math classes usually entail you receiving direct instruction. This is where a teacher dictates notes to you and then you practice what they have taught you. This class follows the model of Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL). In this model, students explore mathematical concepts by asking questions and sharing ideas with one another. The teacher facilitates learning by asking their own probing questions that can help guide you to construct your own knowledge based on prior conceptions. Inquiry is all about asking questions!
Your teacher is there to act as a guide using these questioning strategies. This means that if you ask your teacher how to complete a problem, they may not directly tell you. The point of this class is for you to become better independent problem solvers and critical thinkers. This strategy also aids in the retention of information and the ability to understand deeper connections between concepts. If you commit to this process, you will be able to take the reasoning and sense-making skills you learn here and apply them anywhere and everywhere!
To illustrate, let’s pretend that you just bought Luigi's Mansion (a great game), but you don't know how to get past the first level. Luckily your sister tells you exactly what to do to beat the level. Upon entering level 2, not only can you not beat this one either, but it’s even harder than level 1. If you take the time to explore each level and build up your skills and strategies, you can finish the game without the help of your sister, and you will be more likely to be successful if you try to take those skills into a new video game like Paper Mario (which is also pretty good)!
In this class, you will be working in small groups and you will be asked to present your findings to the class. For some of you, that may sound tortuous. You may be surprised to learn that many of your teachers once felt the same way in high school, even though they seem so confident and/or bubbly in front of the class. Research has shown that this method of instruction not only helps people learn more effectively, but also helps build confidence. By stepping out of your comfort zone now, you will acquire a skill that some people still struggle with as adults!
Collaboration will help you gain knowledge by questioning and/or reaffirming what you understand. Your peers might help you see another way to solve a problem or provide different perspectives on how to approach a problem that you may have never thought of before. Debate and discussion are natural pathways for coming to
conclusions as you explore different aspects of problems and bounce ideas off each other. As a heads up, people in the real world will expect you to be able to defend and justify your stance if you want to be taken seriously!
Just like when playing a video game without having someone explain how to beat it, this class will be frustrating sometimes, and that is okay. By fully engaging in this class, you will become a more independent learner, and at the end of the year, you will undoubtedly look back and be proud of who you have become. Every great mathematician in history started out as nothing more than you are now; if they could do it, why not you? Finally, if you are ever in doubt, your instructor will be there to cheer you on and nudge you in the right direction!
What to do if you're struggling?
In class, we will adhere to the IBL model. This means that the instructor will refrain from direct teaching and will not simply provide the answers to problems. This also means that students will not be googling how to complete problems during class. However, if you need help you can attend tutorials where the instructor CAN provide direct teach instruction and help as needed. Students are also more than welcome to look up examples and notes OUTSIDE of class! Google and YouTube are your friends! Resources can also be found on your High School Canvas course.
Class Structure:
Before each class you are responsible for reading a "Pre-Reading" and possibly watching my YouTube video for the exercises that we will be covering during class. Your instructor will let you know which pre-reading and videos to cover. You should be taking notes and writing down any ideas or questions you might have about it.
We will often start class with a quick warm up either reviewing material you should have read in the pre-reading or reviewing other important concepts.
At the beginning of class, the instructor will set the stage for what we will be working toward that day.
Everyone will break into groups to work on an exercise, and then we will periodically come back together as a class for groups to present their findings.
During the last minutes of class, the instructor will close class by summarizing what we have learned that day and what we will be working on next class. Homework will also be discussed during this time. You will have homework EVERY class. Homework will sometimes just be pre-readings or it can also include worksheets, finishing up exercises that we didn't finish in class, or quizzes. Unlike previous classes, homework is a part of your grade and it is HIGHLY UNLIKELY that you will be successful enough in the college side of the class to get credit without doing it along with the college homework that you are assigned.
Calculators
It is important for you to understand how calculators are used in this class. In past math classes, you always had a calculator at your disposal to use not only for difficult math concepts, but also for basic computation. In ORCA, a calculator is RARELY a tool you will have at your disposal. Calculators WILL NOT BE USED for basic math numeration like adding, subtracting, multiplication and division of positive and negative numbers as well as fractions and decimals. Why? Because on the college exams that determine 40% of your high school grades and 75% of your college grade YOU ARE ALMOST NEVER ALLOWED to use a calculator. So, if we let you use them in class, you will struggle more on the exams.
While we realize that you have your phone and online calculators as well as programs like DESMOS available to you at home, we need you to not use them. It may be difficult at first, but at the end of the year when your basic math skills have improved tenfold, you will be happy you tossed the calculator to the side!
Expectations
Expectations for You:
1) Be Present
a) Be ready to learn at the beginning of every class.
b) Attendance in class is vital! If you miss class you are missing material, likely new material, that you have not seen before. Good attendance is a good indicator for success in this class.
c) If you miss a class make sure to check Canvas to find out what you miss and make a tutoring appointment as needed.
d) ORCA is one of those classes where you get out of it what you put into it. In past classes, you may have been able to just sit and listen to the instructor teach and then you repeat what you heard on a test or quiz to get a good grade. In ORCA, you and your classmates are detectives trying to discover and master the material while the teacher is really just a facilitator pointing you in the right direction.
2) Be Prepared
a) Make sure you complete the pre-learning for every class whether that is reading, videos, practice problems or any combination of these items.
b) Have your notebook with your textbook and note pages ready to fill out as you are completing the exercises (There is not enough space in the textbook to complete the exercises, so you will have to have notebook paper to complete the exercises)
c) Keep a calendar with all of your high school assignment due dates and all of your college assignment due dates in it so you do not miss anything.
d) Complete your assignments in a timely manner to the best of your ability
3) Be on Task
a) Our time is precious! It is IMPERATIVE that you are actively discussing and interacting with the math. Off task behavior cannot be tolerated for any reason as we have so much to cover in such a short period of time. Remember this is a college class and it moves quickly!
b) ALWAYS AUTHENTICALLY TRY (and we will not have any issues)
4) Be the Best You Can Be
a) Come to class ready to learn with a good attitude
b) Be positive in class because negativity does not help anybody especially you!
c) Be respectful to me and your classmates. Remember to also be respectful to yourself (don’t put yourself down no matter how much you are struggling)!
d) Adhere to all of the ORCA academic policies
Expectations For Me (what you can expect from me every day):
1) I will treat you with respect and dignity
2) I will work every day to make you more confident and astute at mathematics
3) While I will not always answer your questions directly, I will provide you with an environment in which you can investigate unanswered questions.
4) I will help you be organized.
5) I will be honest with you and fair about grading and discipline practices
6) I will come to class with a positive attitude and ready to learn from my students
Required Class Supplies
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- You will need the following: 3-5-inch binder, highlighter, pens/pencils, notebook/paper
- If you need help obtaining any of the supplies, please notify your teacher!
- You do not have to have a graphing calculator! Your instructor will provide you with resources if you need one!
Academic Integrity
Cheating WILL NOT be tolerated! If you are caught cheating on a test, UT will be notified and an office referral will be written and parent(s)/guardians will be contacted. Cheating can result in a loss of opportunity to earn a college grade and to get college credit. See your college syllabus for more information.
OnRamps College Algebra (ORCA) High School Grading Policies
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The highest grade possible for late work will be a 70
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Once a quiz is opened, it will be open for about a week
There will be 3 attempts for each quiz
Once a quiz is closed, it will NOT be reopened
The lowest quiz grade per six weeks will be dropped
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College Exams and Take-Home Exams
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All College Exams will be administered by UT through the college Canvas Course
Exams will not have retakes
The lowest grade you will receive for a College Exam on the high school side will be a 60%
You will be given a window of time to complete Take Home Exams. Your grade will be between 0% and 100%
Take Home Exams will NOT affect your college grade.
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◦ This class is dual enrollment, meaning that the student receives two completely separate grades from two completely separate types of assignments. Each student will complete:
- College assignments that affect the college grade. These are assigned and graded by UT instructors.
- High school assignments that affect your high school grade. These are assigned and graded by me!
*** None of your high school assignments will affect or influence your college grade. Conversely, none of your college assignments will affect or influence your high school grade with one important exception: Only college exams will affect both your college and your high school grade. (see your college syllabus for how it affects the college grade)
◦ If you make between a 0%-60% on a college exam, you will receive a 60% for the exam on the high school side. (Curving on the high school side may happen at the teachers’ discretion, but it should not be expected)
- For example: If Alex make a 45% on College Exam 1, they will receive a 45% for the exam in their college grade. BUT for their high school grade, Alex will see a 60% for the exam.
- For example: If Avery makes an 85% on their college exam, they will receive an 85% for the exam in their college grade AND their high school grade.
◦ College Exam Attendance: Attendance during college exams is CRUCIAL. If you miss a college exam you cannot make it up and the grade you will receive on the college side is a 0. There are no exceptions for doctors’ appointments, sleeping late, and other avoidable circumstances. See your college syllabus for more information.
◦Take Home Exams are created by your high school teachers to help you prepare for the College Exams, which are created by your college professors/coordinators. Take Home Exams do NOT have a minimum grade in the grade book. You can make a 5% if you want. You will have a window of time (typically a week) to complete a Take Home Exam.
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