Dear Students,

This is a bulletin to inform you of critical information ahead of the first day of class on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018. If you are receiving this, you are enrolled in my course section. If you received an email from me a few days ago, please nonetheless read through this one again to make sure you are prepared for the course.The course website has a copy of this information.

Welcome!

First of all, welcome to my section of Physics (PHYS) 1303! I am Professor Stephen Sekula, and I am very pleased to be working with you in our "Introduction to Mechanics" course this spring term.

We'll start getting to know each other tomorrow, but I wanted to make sure you were informed of what is needed for the first class period (Tuesday, Jan. 23, 09:30-10:50, FOSC 123).

Mine is a "flipped classroom," where you prepare for class before attending. Class time is not spent lecturing, but assessing learning, exploring together in interactive ways (and thus much more deeply) the physics concepts, and beginning to learn to setup and solve problems. Problem solving will be further exercised in cooperative problem-solving sessions associated with PHYS 110X (1105 or 1106), which you may be taking concurrently with this course, and especially in your homework.

FIRST DAY OF CLASS

To prepare for the first day of class, please visit the course homepage:

http://www.physics.smu.edu/sekula/phys1303/

and explore the preliminary materials already available: course book, learning system, and student response system information; a draft syllabus, written work policy; and a "teaser trailer" for some of the fun we're going to have this semester.

DUE BY START OF CLASS TUESDAY, JAN. 23 (FIRST CLASS PERIOD)

Most importantly, please see the sequence of course activities ("Class Materials") linked from the course website (top menu bar):

http://www.physics.smu.edu/sekula/phys1303/notes.html

and note that on the very first day you have something due:

• you need to have already read chapter 1 of the book
  
• you need to have watched video lecture 1 (Introduction and Measurement), available from the video lecture playlist:
  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFuFjOF4zpFGRIpxZqYM2xXL1-LKPsUuH
  

Pro Tip: when you engage with lecture videos, don't only listen and watch passively. Treat it like a lecture you can pause, rewind, and/or speed up. Have a notebook out. Take notes. Bring your notes to class for use in class. They will be necessary for class activities. Have the book with you when watching lecture, to see how the book and lecture complement each other. All of these activities will help enhance your learning.

WILEYPLUS COURSE SECTION (REGISTER)

You must have WileyPLUS to participate in this course; it's a required part of the textbook for the course. Please visit the WileyPLUS course link for our class:

https://www.wileyplus.com/class/610493

and register for my section. WileyPLUS is the primary means by which homework will be distributed and graded for numerical accuracy.

ACTION: REGISTER BEFORE TUESDAY.

STUDENT RESPONSE SYSTEM (REGISTER)

To assess learning during class and to collect quiz answers, you are to register for a free account with PollEverywhere.com. Use your SMU Email to register.

Once you have setup a free account using your SMU Email Address, visit your settings page in the website and further register with me as a presenter:

https://www.polleverywhere.com/profile/memberships

My PollEverywhere user identification is my SMU email address, "ssekula@smu.edu". You should then show up in my registered participants list.

Only students registered with my account can participate in the course activities based on this system. Participation is part of your course grade, so make sure you get this taken care of.

ACTION: REGISTER BEFORE TUESDAY

NOTE: if you prefer taking a paper quiz, please let me know. I will allow some exceptions to the digital quiz rule, especially if you do not have an internet-connected device (tablet, phone, laptop) to use.

In class, you will need to have your internet-connected device and via the PollEverywhere App (iOS and Android) or any web browser, visit my polling site:

PollEv.com/drsekula

WHAT TO BRING TO CLASS

There are some updates to the first-day material list, so please read it carefully even if you've read it before. Note especially the business about bringing a 1-page sheet of summary notes to use in the quizzes during class.

• Your textbook (in print or digital format - note that you can print pages from the digital textbook)
• A writing instrument (pen or pencil)
• A calculator or other similar device (e.g. a calculator program or app is fine for regular class time, but not for exams)
• Your notes for the course (e.g. collected while reading, watching the lecture videos, and working in class or on homework)
  
• IMPORTANT: A 1-page summary of your notes from the last reading and video lecture, for use on the quiz
• An internet-connected computer device (e.g. laptop, tablet computer, mobile phone) for interactive feedback and quizzes
  
• IMPORTANT: If you do not have such a device, **please let me know**.

Last Words

We're going to have a fun semester. Please make sure you have registered for WileyPLUS and PollEverywhere (additionally registering with me as a participant in my polls) by Tuesday morning. I'll have reminder announcements about this in class, but I want all of you to be as prepared as possible to begin interacting on day 1. I will see you soon and look forward to getting to know all of you!

This bulletin will be available on the course website.

Sincerely,
Prof. Sekula