College Life

Posts about college life, students, professors, and grades.

Discussion board blues

Posted on by Sheri Dean Parmelee

Hello everyone:

Here’s your assignment: write an initial thread of two five-sentence paragraphs that answers the questions for this week. Post by Wednesday night at 11:30 pm ET and reply to one classmate’s initial thread in  a single five-sentence paragraph by Sunday night at 11:30 pm ET.

Is that clear and concise? Any questions so far? Note that the original thread is to consist of a total of ten sentences on the topic. The reply is five sentences in length and should refer to something that is in the original thread, so that I know you read it.

I have a student who writes two one or two-sentence paragraphs every time he posts his initial thread. Instead of posting a single five-sentence paragraph to one classmate, he instead posts to ten to fifteen of his classmates, with one or two sentences. Aughh!!!! (To quote Charlie Brown when he is kicking a football that Lucy is holding.)

It is my policy to read every thread that is posted and to post my feedback on it. Instead of having two posts to read from this one person, I now have eleven to sixteen posts to open and comment on. While he is technically meeting length requirements, based on the sheer number of postings he is making, he is missing the point of the exercise.

Most of my feedback on his postings states something along the lines of “Please stick to the topic at hand” and “this posting does not meet length requirements.” Complaining that he doesn’t know what to write does not address the topic we are discussing. Ever.

What do you suggest to get this individual to follow the requirements, not just the spirit of the letter? He will receive his first participation grade at the end of this week. What should that grade be, in your opinion?

Best,

Dr. Sheri

What to do if you can’t make it to class

Posted on by Sheri Dean Parmelee

Hello everyone:

Have you ever had a situation where you simply could not make it to class? You are a great student, always on time and prepared but this particular day you cannot make the class meeting. What can you do?

The first thing is to contact the professor and let him or her know your situation. I have had students who had a court date that they could not miss, but wanted to come to class.

Guess what? Sometimes professors teach more than one section of the same class and would rather have you at a different class meeting than have you miss the class entirely. I have had times when I was teaching three identical sections of the same class and was totally supportive of students coming to a different section, rather than not coming at all.

Things worked out fine. The students told me how surprised they were by the different class dynamics in the other section, but the lectures were basically identical so that worked out great.

Another suggestion: I had a very difficult class in my undergraduate program. I was a very good student but I just couldn’t “get” macroeconomics. My professor taught the same class three times a day and he gave me permission to attend as many lectures a day as I wanted to.  I went to at least two of them per day. It did help.

Best,

Dr. Sheri

Getting ready for the new semester: Making use of crutches

Posted on by Sheri Dean Parmelee

Hello everyone:

There is an old saying that you only need crutches if you have an injury. But I would argue that crutches (like the ones I will be talking about) can come n handy even if you aren’t aware that you have a problem.

One crutch is the willingness of your professor to review a document before you submit it. If a student brings in an essay or other assignment one week before it is due, I am more than happy to look over it and offer guidance. Is this a crutch? Maybe, but my students who do this oftentimes find their grades are stellar. Interestingly enough, the ones most likely to take advantage of this offer are the ones who need the least amount of help. Sadly, the students who never take me up on this offer are the ones who are failing.

Another crutch is to take and actually use the feedback the professor gives you. I have students to whom I have given very detailed feedback only to find that they completely ignore it and “do their own thing.” If you were a bride-to-be who wanted pink carnations at her wedding and the florist delivered orange mums because “the florist thought they would look better,” how upset would that bride be? The instructor has spent hours building the class as he or she wants it. It is not your job to tell the prof that your way of doing the assignment is better. Part of the assignment is your ability to follow the instructions, whether you like them or not.

Another crutch is asking the professor to clarify the assignment instructions. Now, it is important to show the instructor that you have at least read the instructions before you ask for help. It is also vital that you not wait until 11:00 pm the night something is due to ask for clarification. Believe it or not, I am not online at that hour of the night. I find that students who wait that late to ask are in a panic. They couldn’t understand the instructions if they tried because their vision is blurred by the panic they feel.

So, I hope you see that crutches can come in handy, even if you think you don’t need them.

Best,

Dr. Sheri

Getting ready for the new semester: Show up on time

Posted on by Sheri Dean Parmelee

Hello everyone:

Two of my colleges have eight-week semesters. It amazes me that students think they can blow off the first week. One of my colleges just started classes on Monday. I had students who did not show up until Thursday.

By then, they had already missed one deadline and had only a few hours before they would miss the second deadline. Folks, this is not the way to impress your prof.

It is also not good for your blood pressure. You (or someone else) are paying good money for your courses. Why would you shoot yourself in the foot by being tardy?

At my face-to-face college, I had one student who showed up five minutes (or more) late for every one of the 32 class meetings. Two tardies equals one absence. Students are allowed one absence without penalty and then I deduct one point from their final grade for every absence thereafter. Guess what 32 tardy appearances did to his final GPA? It was not pretty.

So, to get ready for a successful semester, show up and be there on time!

Best,

Dr. Sheri

Superwoman or just well organized: which is it?

Posted on by Sheri Dean Parmelee

Hello everyone:

We all know someone who seems to accomplish a whole lot in her 24 hours. Maybe she is your college professor who teaches 6 different classes at three different colleges, all of which have different starting dates. Perhaps she also writes two blogs twice a week while writing a novel and making presentations on the topic of her dissertation. Perchance she is also keeping her family fed, clothed, and the house clean while also running 8 miles a day, biking 3 miles a day, and walking 4 miles a day.

What in the world? Is this woman nuts? Does she ever sleep? Is she Superwoman? Nope. None of the above (I hope). She is simply organized.

So how is this done while not losing one’s sanity? For starters, she keeps a “to-do” list and crosses things off as they are accomplished. She makes a daily list of what must be done and also has a list on the same page of what it would be nice to do that day. If something is vitally important, it needs to be done FIRST so that the rest of the day will not be spent fretting about having not gotten it completed.

Let’s follow her through a typical day. She keeps her exercise clothes in the bathroom and puts them on before she is totally awake. By the time the fog clears, she is already dressed to exercise, so she might as well do it. Three miles on the bike, eight miles on the treadmill and that is done. BTW, if she was taking a class right then, she would have a study guide for one of her classes blown up into 16 point font and displayed on her bulletin board in front of the treadmill so she could study while running. If she was not taking a class, she would pray for her students and the folks on her church prayer list (again, posted on her bulletin board, filling otherwise non-productive time).  Ninety minutes later, she is done and it is only 7 am.

Next, she gets ready for her day, studying while blow drying her hair or reading a current magazine in the 7 minutes it takes to get her hair dry. That way, she is keeping up with the world in general while using otherwise non-productive time. She does her makeup without distraction because telemarketers haven’t figured out that she is up and at ’em by 7 am. She dresses in an outfit suitable for the entire day (when possible) so that she only has to dress once.

Breakfast means Bible study time and/or catch up with the family.  She is out the door by 8:30, to walk 4 miles, grocery shop, or run errands. Home by lunchtime means no fast food (that adds pounds very quickly) and on to her online classes.

She can check in on 6 classes within a couple of hours, if there are not many assignments due. She grades on a daily basis, so that there are very few marathon grading sessions and so that her students can get immediate feedback on every assignment. They appreciate knowing how to improve their grades for the next assignment by following her in-depth feedback on this one.  She keeps a month-at-a-glance calendar next to her computer so that she can track which week each of the three colleges is in, which students will have assignments due that week, and when her discussion boards open to students.

During the online class time, she makes a point of getting up and moving every 45 minutes by setting an oven timer. She also has a Varidesk, which allows her to fluff her pillow as need be. Classes are usually completely done by 2:30 or 3, so she can take a few minutes to fold the two loads of laundry she did while teaching (the 45 minutes between breaks is enough time to transfer washing into the dryer and then take it out when it is dry).

She can spend the rest of the time until dinner preparation time to blog or write her novel.  To remain faithful to writing, she sets her oven timer for 45 minute increments. After visiting with the family during dinner, she can spend more time writing until Jeopardy is on. Following the game show, there is time to watch a little bit of Doc Martin before an early bedtime.

Do you think she is nuts or just well-organized? I hope you think the later, instead of the former!

Best,

Dr. Sheri

P.S. Welcome to my life!

 

Getting a jump start on the new semester

Posted on by Sheri Dean Parmelee

Hello everyone:

The new semester is getting ready to launch at one of the three colleges where I teach and students are eagerly anticipating their new courses….or not.

There are several tips in today’s blog towards getting going successfully. I hope you find them practical and helpful.

First, read the syllabus. What expectations does the college have for you with regard to a given class? Is there anything unclear or muddy? Ask questions – the professor would like to get your feedback on the clarity of the assignments and is usually very happy to clarify. However, if something is not due till week four and this is week zero, wait until you get a little closer to the due date (like three weeks out or so) because you have to give the instructor time to clarify the instructions before you start asking questions.  Sometimes the additional knowledge you will gain in the intervening weeks will be enough to answer the questions without your even needing to ask.

Next, look at your textbook. Read the expanded Table of Contents, so that you have some clue as to what you will be studying. If you have a lecture for that class, read the textbook BEFORE the lecture and then read it again after you have heard what the professor says about the chapter. (Do this only if you want a really good grade in the course. If you are just going to “get by” then you might not want to bother.)

Take notes as you read and as the professor lectures, if applicable. Plan on studying two hours for every hour you spend in class.

Map things out on a month-at-a-glance calendar, so that you are not surprised by assignments (I have blogged about this before, so please check that blog if you don’t know what I am talking about).

Finally, stay up with all assignments and turn them in on time. If you have the opportunity to do extra credit, do it, even if you don’t think you will need it.

Do you have any questions for me on how to be successful in the new term?

Best,

Dr. Sheri

Getting ready for next semester: Don’t bug the professor too soon

Posted on by Sheri Dean Parmelee

Hello everyone:

One of my schools starts next week. I have the class up and running, ready for NEXT week. Today is THIS week, and I have just come home from a Christmas vacation. I am tired from the holiday season and trying to get ready for NEXT week.

While I appreciate the unbridled enthusiasm of one of my students, that individual is already turning in week three documents.  The document is not due for FOUR weeks and the person turned it in today. Groan.

The good news is that it is not a paper for which I have not given instructions yet, so the person did not mess up the document. The good news is that person is, indeed, ahead of the class.

The bad news is that I am not ready for week three documents yet, having not yet even typed up my class roster so that I can give credit for the submission.

The good news is that this person is not the one guy who took my class a few semesters ago. He tried to turn in all eight weeks’ worth of work in week one. Can you say “purchased his papers online” three times fast?

The point here is that it is fine to check into class early (say, three days or so) but don’t overdo it. I am not impressed by having to start a class one week early for one person.

Best,

Dr. Sheri

Getting ready for next semester: Writing a successful discussion board posting

Posted on by Sheri Dean Parmelee

Hello everyone:

Discussion board postings can be worth up to 20% of your final grade or more, so how do you ace this part of the grade?  Let me tell you how!

First, read the instructions carefully. Then take a moment to check what the instructor may have posted as an announcement to clarify his or her instructions on the assignment. Take those comments seriously.

Second, read the questions you are being asked to answer so that you can look for these issues as you are reading (that’s step three). The instructor thinks these ideas are so valuable that she or he is putting them into a discussion board, so you may see these questions again (like on a test or quiz).

Next, do the assigned reading from the textbook. Do not assume that you know it all and don’t need to read about it. I have run into very few students who are Subject Matter Experts (SMEs); I would say the number of SMEs I see is less than 1%. You probably are not in that 1%.

Now, look at the questions again, and answer them. Use direct quotes from the textbook, citing them properly, and then ALSO incorporate what you personally think about the issues you are discussing. (Please note that I am NOT looking for a bunch of direct quotes and no analysis. Instead, show me that you understand what you wrote by telling me how you would apply the reading from our book into real life.)

Finally, go back through your answers and make sure that you don’t have any typos or incorrect grammar. You are in college, my friend; spelling and grammar really does count! Have you answered everything that was asked? Have you exceeded the minimum word or sentence count? (Note: If an assignment has a three sentence minimum and that’s all you write, I will assume that you do just enough to get by and I will make a note of it in my records. I label you “lazy” and it is very hard for that label to ever be changed.)

I hope that this blog has been helpful. Let me know if you have any specific questions and I will be happy to reply.

Best,

Dr. Sheri

How to endear yourself to your professors: aka how we will remember you

Posted on by Sheri Dean Parmelee

Hello everyone:

It happens once in a blue moon. A student makes him or herself memorable to me in a positive way (hey, the negative stuff happens frequently, as you have seen on this blog). How do you want to leave a good impression? Write your instructor a thank you note.

Now don’t take the backside-kissing method like Eddie Haskell would have done (think Leave it to Beaver here). Your goal should not be to get a better grade.

Your goal should be to do something very nice for someone who really does care about your education.  Your instructor, though he or she may not look like it, may be working multiple jobs because the pay at one is so low. Your professor may be carrying a full load of classes and may have, by the luck of the draw, gotten 4 or 5 different classes, each of which requires a different prep.

The hours can be very long, and we have deadlines to meet on our final grades. We may have an end-of-the-term grading marathon going on, and have some students who waited until the last two days of class to suddenly care about their grades and want to pressure us into giving them credit they don’t deserve.

You can make things so much better for us and ease our burdens a bit by writing us a note or an email, telling us something specific that you liked about our course. Be upbeat; be positive. Be remembered for your kindness.

Best,

Dr. Sheri

There’s nothing like the feeling of being done, so hang in there

Posted on by Sheri Dean Parmelee

Hello everyone:

I have a good friend who just passed her final test for a bachelor’s degree that she has been working on for a bunch of years…..I think she is on year 7 of a 4-year degree plan.

But here’s the thing- she hung in there and did it! I am so proud of her. Folks, there may be times when you are stressed and want to quit, but don’t! There may be times when the instructors seem against you (most of us really aren’t, unless you are absolutely the most obnoxious student on the face of the earth… I had one this term, believe it or not. The kid argued about everything, including the final exam, which was apparently my fault of making it too hard for him to get more than halfway through…but I digress).

Like the old saying goes, don’t try to eat the whole elephant at once, just take small bites and you will eventually finish. That’s the key: it doesn’t matter how long it takes, it is just important that you do it!

Best,

Dr. Sheri