HW 01: Getting setup

Getting all the materials and tools for the class

Assignment Overview

The purpose of this assignment is to get you fully prepared to work with the tools working in R Studio, to do a little self reflection and examination of your learning habits, and to recognize the amount of resources to learn R you have available to you.

Submission Instructions

This assignment is a checklist of tasks for you to do to prepare for learning in this class. Some items ask you to submit a screenshot, some ask you to write a sentence or two. The details are in the corresponding “HW01 Checklist” in Canvas. For the most part these items can be done in any order, but I suggest you do them in the order that I have listed below.

Part I: Getting Started with collaborative research tools

1. Textbooks

There are two required textbooks for this class.

  1. Open Intro Statistics textbook https://www.openintro.org/stat/textbook.php?stat_book=os.
    • Free PDF
    • A very good resource for digging deeper into topics or simply having another method of explanation and demonstration.
  2. Course packet: Purchase from Chico Packet Pro for ~$27.
    • They are only open for the first week. Online ordering & shipping takes forever! Don’t wait to get this.
    • You will write directly into this inside and outside of class.
    • This will be a comb-bound packet, but plan to put it in a 3-ring binder to allow for supplemental materials.

2. Discord

Join our Discord workspace by clicking here: https://discord.com/invite/9tQyTKC3cE , reviewing and agreeing to the code of conduct.

This is the defacto method of communication for this class

I get way too many emails that it’s easy to miss one from you. Got questions about an assignment? Need help understanding a code error? Ask here and get help not just from me, but from your classmates as well. This is a collaborative not competitive class.

  • Have an existing Discord account? Feel free to use it, but change your name on this server to your preferred name that you want us to call you by. The invite takes you to the #class-selection page. Choose your pronouns and click the computer 💻️ icon to add the Math 315 role. This will let you see our class channels.
    • Note! We are sharing this discord channel with Dr. Lytal’s Math 315 class. We’re going to be collaborating with them anyhow this term, so might as well get to know each other.
  • Download the Desktop app. You should not rely on remembering to log in using the web version.
    • Chances are very high that you will miss out on important announcements and bonus activities. There also is a Discord phone app that you may want to consider.
  • Post an introduction in the #introductions channel. Include the following:
    1. Major (or desired career)
    2. Any pets (include pics!)
    3. What fictional family would you like to belong to?
    4. Your biggest concern about the class.

Tweet from Kara Woo saying Onboarding step 1: Find the slack channels where people post pet pictures

3. R & R Studio

To ensure a common computing system for the entire class, allow for simultaneous collaboration on code files between research partners, and make your setup life much, much easier, I am requesting that we all access R & R Studio through Posit Cloud ($5/month, $20 total).

Posit Cloud Setup Instructions

On day 1 you made a Free Posit Cloud account using your campus email. If you missed that activity, the link in step 1 will take you to the same place to make an account.

  1. Upgrade your plan to the Cloud Student plan.
  2. Join Dr. D’sMath 315-S24 Workspace with this account.
  3. Click this link to make a copy of the Homework R Project from my workspace, into yours.
  4. Open this project if it does not automatically do so.
    • The install_packages.R file should be open. If not, click in the lower right to open it.
    • Click Source at the top right to run this code.

4. Quarto

  1. Read about what Quarto is
  2. Log into Posit Cloud, your Homework project, and then open hello.qmd file.
  3. Render this file then return to the tutorial in step 1 to see how the parts of this document take R code, and normal text and turn it into a wonderful document.
  4. Change the format: html at the top of this document to format: pdf.
  5. Add a new line in this YAML header for your name author: yourname
  6. Render again.
  7. Add a bit of code as described in the script file under “Hello R”.
  8. Render again.
  9. Download the resulting PDF and upload to Canvas. How to video

5. Google Drive

  • You have been added to our shared Google Drive using your chico state (@mail.csuchico.edu) email address.
  • ⚠️ If you are logged into a personal Google account before you log into your Chico State account, then when you click on links for items in our class Google Drive, it will automatically try to access that file/folder with your personal account.
  • Starring (⭐ ) this folder allows you to log into Google Drive from whatever account you are logged into, then switch to your Chico State account, and you will be able to easily find the folder in your starred section.

Part II: Becoming a better learner.

We will spend time in this class intentionally examining or reflecting on how we learn and how we think.

Writing Reflections

Sometimes you will be asked to write a reflection on a reading you have done. Here is an article to help you understand how to write a reflection

You will also be writing in a Learning Journal. Here is an article that can help explain why writing in a journal can ultimately help you think

1. Read the syllabus.

Thoroughly read the syllabus and review this course website. Ask at least one question in the #drd-class-chat channel in Discord. See someone else’s question that you know the answer to? Reply to them and answer it!

2. Start your Learning Journal (LJ)

  1. Make a copy of the template found in the Learning Journals folder in our Google Drive.
  2. When you make a copy of this template document, make sure the copy stays in this shared folder.
  3. Rename this file with your name (First Last)
  4. Review the LJ Prompts.

Space and a prompt for the first entry is provided.

3. Metacognition and academic achievement in college students

  1. Download and read MAI and academic achievement in college students.
  2. Write a reflection on this reading in your Learning Journal. Were you surprised by the results?
  3. Download and take the Metacognition Awareness Inventory.
  4. Submit your scores in this Google Form

4. Hear what others have to say

Review the advice from former Math 315 students. How, if at all, does this information help you decide on how you’ll approach this class? Are you surprised by anything that was said?