So what is the BIG difference between this hybrid course and the regular on-campus class? Well, labs are the same, but class is quite different. It boils down to this. In the hybrid physics course, you will need to read and prepare before the weekly class - which is more of a problem-solving meeting than an old-fashion lecture. This means you will have to read the text and practice problems on your own or with fellow classmates through the forum before you come to class. You will be guided in detail on the Weekly Activities page on the course web site. In so doing, you will be able to understand and learn how to apply physics.

 

 

 

There will be one class on-campus a week and also one on-campus lab a week - usually on the same day. Rest of the work is guided from the course web site through the Internet. Attendance to the weekly on-campus class is required. The on-campus lab is also mandatory each week. For the specific dates and times for the on-campus meetings, check the MTC "Search for Classes" page for PHY 221.

This is the first of a sequence of transferable courses - PHY 221 & PHY 222. The course includes a calculus-based treatment of the following topics:

There is a weekly lab that goes along with this course, making this a 4.0 credit course. The prerequisite is MAT 140 - Calculus I.

Big G is the on-line discussion forum for PHY 221. Weekly participation on the forum is required. This is where you will

In case of an emergency where I will not be in class and did not have time to inform all, I will post a notice of "no class meeting" on the forum hopefully before 6 AM of that day. So it is advisable to check the forum at the start of class-days. Of course, I will also ask someone in the main office to go to the classroom and post a notice, but there have been times when that didn't happen - so check the "Big G"!

The forum - like all parts of the course's Internet components - will be found on the web site; which again, you will get access to once you come to the first day of class. In order not to miss any important announcements, you should check in to the forum roughly every other day.

 

This course is not on WebCT - you can't find it on WebCT, and you can't put it on WebCT. The main course web site and support sites like this orientation are all coded, developed, and maintained by me. If there are problems with any web pages or links, just e-mail me and I'll fix it.

The lab is dealt with the same as all other PHY 221 labs. It will be held weekly on-campus and generally taught by another instructor. The lab grade earned will be submitted to me at the end of the term and will count as 25% of your final PHY 221 grade.

 

In this course, labs do not necessarily reproduce what is done in class. Each lab comes with a detailed introduction that may present new material, so you will need to prepare for each lab beforehand.

You will need access to a computer at least 3 days out of the week, and a personal, reliable e-mail account. Besides that, you will need the normal materials such as

 

 

Since most of the work for this course is done at home or elsewhere, participation becomes the standard for attendance. Active participation on weekly the class forum "Big G", submissions of any assignments, going to labs, and taking the tests are considered in determining attendance.

 

Failure to submit work by its due date or attend lab will result in accrued absences. You are allowed only 4 such absences.

 

During inclement weather if there is a question about whether the college is closed, please check WIS TV, the MTC web site (www.midlandstech.edu) and/or call the school (803-738-8324) for information. If the College closing or reopening time falls during a scheduled class meeting and leaves at least 30 minutes of class time available the class will meet. For example, if the College delays opening until 10:00 am lecture classes that normally meet at 8:00 am will not meet. Classes that normally meet from 9:35 am until 11:00 am WILL meet at 10 am (since there are more than 30 minutes left in the scheduled class period). Labs that meet from 8:00 am until 10:50 am WILL meet. If the college closes at 8:00 pm, 6:00 pm lecture classes would meet for their regular time, but 7:35 pm classes would NOT meet since there are fewer than 30 minutes remaining in the class.

 

Withdrawal:  If you want to drop from the course, don't expect someone to do if for you. Do it yourself. Missed tests, labs, and other assignments will count as zeroes - which may result in an "F" unless you officially drop the course yourself.

 

Jeffrey Lynn Hopkins, professor of physics and astronomy at Midlands Technical College since the winter of 1985 - fresh out of graduate school working in experimental, high-energy, atomic physics. I developed this course web site, and its many support web sites in the early 1990's. In fact I developed the first MTC science internet course. I love physics and astronomy, and thus I have spent considerable efforts to develop many useful tools and techniques within this site to help teach you and also lead you toward learning the foundations of college physics.

 

The test format may be multiple choice, identification, definitions, short answers, essay, problem-solving and/or a mixture of these formats. I will not be any more precise at this time, because the emphasis will be on learning the concepts and nature of physics - not on the nature of testing. There will be 3 or 4 class tests and a final exam - all of which are designed for you to take at-home on specific testing dates. If you miss one class test, then the final exam grade may be duplicated to replace that test.

 

This entire orientation, coupled with the web site's FAQ, constitute the heart of the syllabus; however, a concise document is prepared and set for you to download from the course web site once you successfully complete this orientation. However, here are a few highlights that you might like to know now:

 

Drop/Add

If you complete this form and start the class, you may only drop it for another class (perhaps an on-campus astronomy section) during the Drop/Add period during the first week. After that, you may not move from one astronomy section to another.

Prerequisites

College-level calculus (MAT 140).

Course Grading

Grading Scale:

A 100-90

B 89-80

C 79-70

D 69-60

F 59-0

 

Grading:

75% Tests & FE

25% Lab

 

The final exam counts the same as a class test.

Email will be our 2nd most important form of on-line communication in this course other than our forum - Big G. If you don't use the online email form to contact me but instead use your own emailer, please make sure to always put PHY 221 in the subject heading along with your name and email topic. By doing that, my filtering system is sure to catch your email and bring it to the top of my list. This is important because I receive about 45 to 75 e-mails a day associated with my internet astronomy and physics courses, both my on-campus physics courses and hybrid physics courses, and of course, my professional correspondences.

 

If you have more questions about the course, feel free to ask them on the class forum once you get this orientation completed or in class. Also check out and read the FAQs on the site which may answer many of those questions. So having read all of the above, you are now ready to complete the online orientation form.