Instructor Profile, Steve Wilson

Instructor Profile for Traditional Classes

Classroom Format

Moderately paced, whole-group sessions with an emphasis on conceptual understanding. Computational examples, applications, and theory are also included. Students are encouraged to participate.

Evaluation

The actual grading depends on the course, but can usually be broken down as follows:

Practice Exercises: Exercises from the textbook, which are not collected, and do not count towards the final grade. They are used for discussion purposes only, and strongly recommended for those students who wish to be successful.
Homework: Often these are more involved problems than typical textbook exercises. They may involve calculator and/or computer use. Typically, they count between 10% and 25% of the grade. Late homework is not accepted.
Tests: These are designed to test the basic concepts of the course. Speed is not usually an issue. Makeup tests are not given after the test date, and retests are never given. Typically, tests count between 55% and 75% of the grade.
Final Exam: Required to be taken by every student. It is cumulative, and it will count between 10% and 25% of the grade.

Attendance

Your absence may affect your grade because of your subsequent lack of knowledge and understanding. However, absences are not part of the grading formula.

Availability

I will normally be on campus early morning through mid-afternoon Monday through Friday.

Calculators and Computers

Calculators and computers are useful tools for analyzing mathematical problems. However, they are not the focus of any course, any chapter, or most assignments or tests. Some classes (Math 120, 175, 181, 244, 285, and possibly others) will require computer use in the Math Resource Center. Recommended calculators for each course include:

Course	Recommended calculator
115, 116, 118	A scientific calculator is needed.
120	TI BA II Plus. Other brands and models of financial calculators are acceptable. (If you already have a TI-83 or TI-84, you can use it, as it has financial capabilities.)
171	TI-83 or TI-84. Other graphing calculators with matrix and statistics features are acceptable. Avoid the TI-89 and TI-92.
172, 173	TI-83 or TI-84. Other graphing calculators with complex number capabilities are acceptable. Avoid the TI-89 and TI-92.
175	TI-83 or TI-84. Other graphing calculators with complex number and matrix capabilities are acceptable. Avoid the TI-89 and TI-92.
181, 285	TI-83 or TI-84. As a second choice, the TI-86 works. Avoid the TI-89 and TI-92.
231, 232, 241, 242	TI-83 or TI-84. Other graphing calculators are acceptable. Avoid the TI-89 and TI-92.
244	TI-83, TI-86, or HP-48G. I have slope field and/or numerical method programs for these calculators.