Dear MAT2705-04, MAT2705-05 sections of Differential Equations With Linear Algebra
(as of this date),

Hi. This is a welcome message from your math instructor, bob jantzen.
I look forward to working with you during the coming semester here at Villanova.

If you get bored reading this long email the key points are:
1) Bring laptop to class Monday.
2) Download and install Maple 2018 if you get a chance, especially freshman who do not already have Maple 2017.
  [see link on Class Log and Homework page below, under first day activities]
3) Enjoy your last day before class [nope, this is not a key point mentioned below]
===============================================

For those of you who read on:

Here is a slight recap of some of the things I may or may not discuss in class Monday,
August 27, 2018.

You can learn about me from my homepage:
 http://www.homepage.villanova.edu/robert.jantzen/

and about our class this semester from its homepage:
 http://www.homepage.villanova.edu/robert.jantzen/courses/mat2705/

This includes all of my scanned old tests and quizzes to give you an
idea of what I expect, the syllabus, an on-line class and homework log
which will be added to daily as assignments are given out for each class,
and general advice about the course, as well as a "bob teaching FAQ"
which summarizes some questions you might have about having me
as a teacher.

You may get to know your fellow classmates' names by logging into MyNova
on the Villanova homepage
 http://www.villanova.edu
with your standard VU email username and password, then look for
"class schedule with photos" for our class to get to our  our photo class roster.
My name under my photo on that class roster is a link to my home page which
you can bookmark in your favorite browser.
Somewhere you can find a link to our class on BlackBoard where you will find
grades posted eventually.

The first day of class I will give you a form to record your schedule information
to best determine the most convenient office hours for both most of you and
myself, with the understanding that I will share your email, voicemail,
and the name of your dorm (no room numbers!) with my two sections of the course
to help you find partners to work together on homework, studying, or Maple
computer assignments. Anyone who  has a problem with sharing this info must
speak to me privately. It is very useful to work with others in learning the course
materials and I encourage you to get to know others in the class to begin forming
such partnerships. If you miss the first class for some reason, you can print out the
schedule for your section from the course handouts page first listing:
 http://www.homepage.villanova.edu/robert.jantzen/courses/mat2705/handouts
Use the 3 letter dorm abbreviations.  <<<< HOW TO ABBREVIATE YOUR DORM NAME
I will ask you to return this form on the second class day.

You all have laptops, which you may bring to class but must bring
to class on quiz days, typically Fridays, and  on test days.
Please bring your laptop the first day of class so
you can follow along as I demonstrate the computer environment
that supports our class as described in the
   Homework and Daily Class Log page:
http://www.homepage.villanova.edu/robert.jantzen/courses/mat2705/homework.htm

We are pretty fortunate here having a highly wired (/wireless!) campus. This can add to the
effectiveness of your education if you take advantage of it. Everyone has a laptop
which should replace your graphing calculator as the appropriate college level math tool to be
an effective tool to help you in cooperative learning. You may
bring your laptop to class if you like. You may and are encouraged to use it on all quizzes and tests.

Sophomores may already have Maple 2017 installed on your laptops but over the summer 2018
it was upgraded to Maple 2018. Downloading it and installing it is a
relatively simple task that you should attempt before the first day of class, but if you run
into any difficulties I can help you personally in my office with a USB flash drive.
Visit the page:
http://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/artsci/mathematics/resources-and-opportunities/maple.html
Even if you did not use Maple last semester, it is not a problem to easily begin using it with
your knowledge of Windows/GUI applications. EVERYONE must find at least one or two
Maple partners in either of my two sections in order to collaborate not only on the few simple
Maple assignments, but also in helping each other with daily homework or quiz preparation.
Collaborative learning is much more effective than trying to go it alone!

During the entire semester I encourage you to communicate with me
    in class or by email or during my office hours
about what you find difficult or confusing so that I can better help you
in your learning process. I am not your adversary but your facilitator for
learning the course materials.

Everyone is required to come find me in my office by weeks 3-4, don't wait
if you find yourself having difficulty: seek my help immediately.

We would like to understand the underlying concepts of the topic of this course,
not just be able to follow some recipes.
Whenever you forget the meaning of a technical term, you are encouraged
to ask me (please interrupt!); you will be doing the class a service since
others may also need reminding.

Some of you will like me :-) and others will not :-( . This is a fact of life.
Remember that teaching is my number one priority here at Villanova and I want
to help you. Let me do that by communicating to me when you feel I am not
helping you, in class or after class. Also try to help each other.

[I am the course coordinator for this course and a mathematical physicist
with many years of experience in using both differential equations and
linear algebra in solving physical problems.]

thanks,
bob
[You can call me "bob", "dr bob", or "dr jantzen" (please not!) depending on how
formal you wish to be. See the "bob teaching FAQ" for the "dr bob" story.
I will try to learn your first name or preferred nickname if you help me by not
being an "invisible student" (one who seeks minimal interaction with the instructor).]

PS. Part of your first homework assignment
[http://www.homepage.villanova.edu/robert.jantzen/courses/mat2705/homework.htm
]
involves sending me an email with the subject heading "[mat2705]" 
which responds to the questions given on that webpage. Better yet you can just
reply to this welcome email to you.

IMPORTANT:
It is important that you use your official VU email account to
communicate with me and not hotmail or yahoo etc accounts which do not
identify you by your name in my email directory, making it difficult for
me to manage my email.

IMPORTANT:
As the semester progresses, computer assignments will be submitted
by email from your official VU account, when it will be crucial that
you follow these instructions and properly identify your submission
with a subject heading reproduced exactly as requested. In fact if you
include the string "mat2705" or even just "2705" in the subject heading,
as in:
SUBJECT: hey bob, what about that quiz? [mat2705]
it will help me organize my incoming email to put it in its appropriate
folder and also get my attention for immediate response.