Take it! I actually felt as if I learned something; and I had a good connection with the other students that I believe wouldn't have happened in the classroom.
Participation is a necessary and integral part of this class and you are never alone in cyberspace.
This class takes discipline. Networking/cooperative studying will be very
helpful, try and find someone near you to study with.
I would recommend taking this course in a traditional classroom, unless
one
has had some previous exposure.
If you are self sufficient, have a decent handle on
the math, and can handle the computer aspect of it, it is a good way to
take
the course. However, if you need a lot of hand holding, better take the
standard course.
This is definitely a class for an organized person. My best advice to
someone who is not mathematically inclined (like me) is to break the material
down to short sections. I never went through more than one chapter at a
time
because it would have been overwhelming otherwise. That meant that I had
to
fit a little time in my schedule almost every day, instead of trying to
conquer 4 or 5 chapters in one weekend.
I would advise them to make sure that they are self motivated and that
they have
the prerequisites and a good math foundation. I would also tell them to
communicate frequently with the instructor and the other students. No question
is too dumb to ask. I also would say that the best way to understand the
work
is to do as many of the assigned problems as possible. I would say that
the
material is difficult and it is like studying another language. Also, get
help/ tutoring if you are lost. Don't give up!
Don't fall behind.
Interact with the instructor and your fellow students as much as possible,
they are your greatest learning tools.
Get comfy with e-mail and the net before taking the course.
This is not an easy course. It is a good idea to interact with both
students and instructor on-line on a regular basis to get a clearer idea
of
the material...even if you think you understand it.
This class requires a level of will that rivals no other class you ever
taken before.
Come and see if you have what it takes.
In order to do well in this course, you have to be a self starter. The
deadlines are real deadlines and you need to stick to them because the professor
will. The work is up to you and you have to be able to read a college text
by yourself, do homework problems by yourself, and correct that
homework by yourself. Your mommy won't be around to hold your hand as you
take this class.
Make a plan to complete the work, allowing 8-10 hours per week. Statistics is interpretative math, use the forums to discuss anything that comes to mind: any concept in the text, any homework problem, any opinion. Most importantly, use ActivStats for additional perspective on the theory and practice of statistics. I began each unit with Activstats, then read the text and solved the problems.
This is one of the most difficult courses of CoM. The exams are NOT a rehash of the homework, rather an evaluation of the concepts and theories you've learned and MUST understand. Unless you are "in tune" with Math, it is imperative that you participate and ask ANY questions.
As the class progressed, everything that I learned started to fit together better, so be patient if at first all the information is overwhelming.
You also must constantly ask yourself if the material makes sense and ask questions if it doesn't. Do not think you understand it just because you can do the homework problems. Review the first page of each chapter (chapter outline) so you understand how that chapter's material differs from what you studied in previous chapters.
Do not get behind, you need to treat this class as if it were a daily class and you had homework every night. Ask lots of questions and when you get the answer, go back to the homework problems and make the applications.
I don't think internet courses are the best way to learn... it is not a
real substitute for a real classrom. that said, Professor Lansing has developed
a manageable program to teach you the material over the internet that will
not leave you hanging if you want to learn but are having trouble. however,
you must make the initiative and the committement.
This class may seem really easy at first and you might be tempted to put it on the back burner and focus on other classes that have specifc due dates. This is a mistake. Things get a bit trickier later on, especially when you get to inferential stats. I found it really helpful to take thorough notes and even print out some of the more complicated explanations.
If you are trying to calculate how much the course will cost, figure in the cost of ALEKS (which I couldn't find at a discount anywhere and you can't buy it used) in addition to any of the optional books. I didn't buy a book, but I think it would have helped me understand the reason behind many of the calculations better.
Run don't walk away from this class. Unless you learn by teaching
yourself and pick up things quickly and easily than this class is not for
you. Oh, and if you do stay make sure to keep a notebook with notes
on each type of question/math subject--it
will help drastically.