Announcements
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26 April 2023 C.E.
Section 33309 Examination 4 Statistics
%
Historic Low Mean:
37.8
Historic High Mean:
76.6
Historic Overall Mean:
63.3
Current Term Mean:
68
Current Term Low Score:
28
Current Term High Score:
96
Section 35449 Examination 4 Statistics
%
Historic Low Mean:
37.8
Historic High Mean:
76.6
Historic Overall Mean:
63.3
Current Term Mean:
41.0
Current Term Low Score:
18.0
Current Term High Score:
94.0
Now that four of the five examinations are in the books, it's time for me to make a couple important points about withdrawal. Withdrawing from a course is disappointing, of course, but there are situations in which withdrawal is appropriate. When there is no longer a realistic chance of passing a course, withdrawal is an option that has two advantages. One advantage is that withdrawal from one course frees up time to devote to other courses (and hopefully maximize scores in those other courses). The other advantage is that withdrawing results in a grade of W, which does not affect the GPA, whereas a letter grade of D or F will affect the GPA, and the course will still have to be retaken, anyway. Please have a careful look at your "Minimum Score on Remaining Assignments to Achieve C", and make an honest assessment of whether that is a realistic score for you. If you see no number, that means it has become mathematically impossible to pass (in other words, even getting 100% on all remaining assignments would not be enough to reach the minimum for a C). If you make the determination that you prefer to withdraw, then all you need to do is to email me to let me know. There is no form to sign. Importantly, no one will be allowed to choose withdrawal after all assignments are complete, so if you do opt for withdrawal, you must exercise that option before beginning the last assignment (Examination 5).
Also, please be aware of the deadline for submitting the Retake Option. Click the red button on the Hoffman site to see the deadline and other important information.
01 April 2023 C.E.
Section 33309 Examination 3 Statistics
%
Historic Low Mean:
39.1
Historic High Mean:
69.9
Historic Overall Mean:
56.6
Current Term Mean:
65.2
Current Term Low Score:
34.0
Current Term High Score:
100
Section 35449 Examination 3 Statistics
%
Historic Low Mean:
39.1
Historic High Mean:
69.9
Historic Overall Mean:
56.6
Current Term Mean:
39.1
Current Term Low Score:
28.0
Current Term High Score:
68.0
In a typical term, Examination 3 is a make-or-break situation, as far as the feasibility of passing the course is concerned. Check your Summary & Forecast numbers carefully, especially the minimum required to achieve a C. This is an unusual term, because Section 33309 (as a whole) is doing much better than historical classes, and Section 35449 (as a whole) is doing much worse. Of course, class means are not important; only your personal scores are important. It's at this point in the term that I usually remind students that choosing to withdraw does not involve any paperwork. If you prefer to withdraw, just send me email, and I will take care of the rest.
04 March 2023 C.E.
Section 33309 Examination 2 Statistics
%
Historic Low Mean:
33.7
Historic High Mean:
67.9
Historic Overall Mean:
54.8
Current Term Mean:
61.5
Current Term Low Score:
30.0
Current Term High Score:
96.0
Section 35449 Examination 2 Statistics
%
Historic Low Mean:
33.7
Historic High Mean:
67.9
Historic Overall Mean:
54.8
Current Term Mean:
43.5
Current Term Low Score:
24.0
Current Term High Score:
84.0
Please be sure to carefully check how the examination has affected your Summary & Forecast numbers. That will tell you whether you have a realistic chance of passing the course with the grade for which you are aiming. Also, be sure to check your Maricopa email regularly. Thanks.
08 February 2023 C.E.
Section 33309 Examination 1 Statistics
%
Historic Low Mean:
45.0
Historic High Mean:
71.6
Historic Overall Mean:
58.7
Current Term Mean:
61.1
Current Term Low Score:
44.0
Current Term High Score:
92.0
Section 35449 Examination 1 Statistics
%
Historic Low Mean:
45.0
Historic High Mean:
71.6
Historic Overall Mean:
58.7
Current Term Mean:
49.4
Current Term Low Score:
34.0
Current Term High Score:
88.0
The numbers listed as "Historic" are for all of the sections I have taught over the years. The "Current Term" numbers are for your section. Please be sure to look at how your Summary & Forecast numbers (on Canvas) have changed as a result of your examination score.
05 February 2023 C.E.
Many of you have not yet completed the Lockdown Practice, and that puts you at risk of making your upcoming examination ineligible for points. The processing of videos for the Lockdown Practice by Canvas can take many hours before I am able to see your videos and review them, so if you want to ensure that you are good to go for the examination, you should complete the Lockdown Practice by NOON on 6 February.
Also, multiple students have submitted a Lockdown Practice video that was NOT acceptable, so be sure to check your campus email for a message from me about the video.
23 January 2023 C.E.
I have added an item to the top of the Canvas menu. It is called LS Assessment ("LS" stands for "life sciences"). Please read the instructions as soon as possible, and complete the assessment this week. Thanks.
20 January 2023 C.E.
Now that you've received a couple scores, you should carefully check how grading affects your Summary & Forecast numbers. Understanding those numbers will allow you stay abreast of whether you're on track to pass the course. Also, keep in mind that if you see only zeroes for your Summary & Forecast, that means you have not yet successfully submitted the Rules Consent Form from the Hoffman site. Enjoy the weekend.
19 January 2023 C.E.
A message from Martina Meraz:
The Academic Success Center (ASC) will be providing services in-person and remotely this semester.
In-Person tutoring - In-person tutoring is available on the first floor of Estrella Hall on Monday - Thursday: 9:00am - 6:00pm, Friday: 9:00am - 4:00pm and Saturday: 9:00am - 2:00pm.
Cranium Café - The Academic Success Center uses Cranium Café to conduct virtual tutoring sessions. It allows our tutors to interact with students via video meeting, instant chat, screen sharing, and an interactive whiteboard space. Students who are enrolled can access Cranium Café using the following link: https://estrellamountain.craniumcafe.com/group/asc/lobby They will need to enter their MEID and password to get access to the tutors. ASC tutors are available virtually.
The Online Writing Center will critique papers for your students and give them feedback on questions they have. Tutors are available 7 days per week and papers are reviewed and returned to students within 48 hours.
17 January 2023 C.E.
The word for the First Day Attendance assignment is: embritchfluzel
17 December 2022 C.E.
Welcome to the fully online version of BIO181 for the vernal term of 2023. After reading the rest of this announcement very carefully, please go to Canvas and carefully review the entire Overview Video. Also, I highly recommend signing up for automated notices of announcements that will be posted here.
Since this is an online course, you will be required to demonstrate your attendance (for the first day only) by completing a quiz on Canvas that will ask you to enter a specific word. That word will appear on 17 January (the first day of the term). It will appear on this Announcements page, because this course will require you to use this website in addition to Canvas throughout the term. Therefore, you must demonstrate that you have accessed both websites.
On 17 January, visit this site to find the word, then go to Canvas to complete the quiz, which will appear as a link in the Canvas menu for this course's Canvas. The link will appear as "First-Day Attendance".
The quiz will be automatically graded, so you will be able to
look at your grades on Canvas to verify
that you have successfully submitted the quiz.
If you fail to submit the First Day Attendance quiz, and if there is a wait list, then you will be withdrawn from the course.
If you are trying to get into this course (either Section 33309 or Section 35449), then you should immediately ensure that you are on the wait list by registering via the EMCC site. Do not wait until the first day of the term to do that; do it right now. Once you are on the wait list, you must also demonstrate your attendance the first day. However, you will not have Canvas access. Therefore, send me email (directly to ty.hoffman@estrellamountain.edu) and include your full name, your student ID, and the word revealed on 17 January).
Only students on the wait list should demonstrate attendance by emailing me; all REGISTERED students must do so by submitting the Canvas quiz.
I will request that students on the wait list who have demonstrated attendance be added to the course, but the college will not allow me to exceed 24 students per section, so this can occur only if there are registered students who do not demonstrate attendance on the first day, and the order of names on the wait list will be used to determine the order of students to be added.
Some IMPORTANT points about examinations:
All of the lecture examinations must be completed on Canvas. However, to be eligible to take those online examinations, there are strict requirements that must be met, and you must convincingly demonstrate that you meet those requirements. Otherwise, you will be required to take the lecture examinations on campus in the testing center. Whether taken online or on campus, the lecture examinations will be entirely multiple-choice. However, see exceptions below.
To be eligible for online lecture examinations, you must adhere to all of the following:
You must use a computer that is equipped with a webcam and is compatible with required lockdown browser software.
You must download, install, and run the lockdown browser software.
An iPad will work, but other mobile devices probably will not.
A Chromebook MIGHT work.
The Chromebook version of the lockdown browser software is in beta. Therefore, there is no guarantee that it will work. If all you have is a Chromebook, then you might be required to take in-person lecture examinations on campus.
If this applies to you, please email me as soon as you know that.
Prior to the start of each lecture examination, you will be required to make a video recording of your surroundings to demonstrate that you have no papers, book, devices, etc. that are prohibited during the examination. This recording must be convincing, and it must clearly and completely show the desk space in front of you. This will require you to lift up your computer (if the webcam is incorporated into the computer), turn it around, and point it downward to clearly demonstrate that the surface is free of materials. If it is not possible to move the camera in this way, then you must use a mirror to show the desk space.
If the video is not sufficient, then your examination will not count, and you will be required to take an alternative version that will NOT feature any multiple-choice questions.
Each examination will be timed, and you will be required to finish it in one sitting. If you leave your chair during the examination, or if you wear headphones or earbuds, then your examination will not count, and you will be required to take an alternative version that will NOT feature any multiple-choice questions.
I would really like this to go smoothly for everyone, which is why I have made a practice test called Lockdown Practice. You will find it on the Canvas site for this course. It is not worth any points, but it is required, and it will give you the peace of mind of knowing that you have the hardware requirements in place for the real examinations. Please complete the Lockdown Practice at your earliest convenience. Pretend that it is a real test, so take the time to make a careful recording of your surroundings. That way, I can review your practice recording and tell you whether a similar recording on each test day will be sufficient.