Guidelines for Participating in Class

Class,

Here are the basics:

  • Come to class three times each week.
  • You come to class by participating in the class discussion. SUNY does not recognize simply logging into the course as counting towards attendance.

Each time that you participate, post a minimum of three times. That makes nine posts per week.

  • What do I say in my posts?

Research, research, research! I am looking for opinion, but informed opinion after researching a topic. It is not enough to simply discuss a topic with what you think, or already know. You need to be posting something that you learned during class through research.

The way that you present research is to post an article, a website, or you might refer to the text. You should not simply give a website link, but you should also be including a brief summary:

  1. What is in the website, or article?
  2. What did you think about what you read in the website, or article?

The second way to meet the post requirement, is to reply to another post. You should be going beyond a simple statement, “I Agree”.  You should be replying to a post, but also be completing more research on the material in that post.

Each student should become a research assistant for the class. By the completion of each module, we all should have learned a ton about a specific topic.

We teach each other, you become the engine that drives our education. 

These are guidelines which are not absolute, but guides as to how participate in the class.

In the normal term’s discussion area, we log on three times each week, which works out to each student entering the class discussion 3 times in each module on a minimum of three different days. Some students do much more, some less. Over a period of seven days the discussion will develop, with a back and forth responses pushing the discussion in unpredictable ways.

In some of the modules there are more numerous discussions. You may split up your nine posts between multiple discussions. In one discussion, you might post five times, and in the second discussion, you will post four. 

You must log on, and begin your participation in the first three days of the discussion.

  • Each time that you log in, you will make a minimum of one of your own statements.
  • Each of your own statements must be a minimum of 200 words.
  • Each of your own statements must contain a minimum of one article, or website, or a specific reference to the text.
  • In addition, each time you log in , you are expected to respond two other student’s ideas.
  • Each of your replies to another student post must be a minimum of 100 words.
  • Each of you replies to another student post must contain a minimum of one article, or website, or a specific reference to the text.
  • You will create roughly 9 statements in each module in the discussion area.
  • These statements must contain new material, you are not getting credit for copying, or repeating another post already submitted.

You will be graded according to your contributions to the discussion, and the depth of your response to other student’s work.

I realize that with work, kids, etc., we will all be stretched to do all of the work. But then stretching our mind, and heart is what I hope the course does.

Here is the grade rubric for the class discussions. If you have any questions about your grade, don’t hesitate to ask questions, or even challenge your grade.

I know that they will continue to improve as we move along, Mr. S.

Send me an email with any questions, and post questions to each other here on the class Bulletin Board!

The required attendance is three times each week, with three documents posted for each logon. That is a minimum of nine docs a week for each module.

Submit one evidence of research, statement, etc., and the make two responses to other student’s posts. The class discussion should show evidence of interaction between students.

Interaction is impossible with just one logon, there is no back, and forth. Copy/paste Wikipedia does not meet college standard.

Grade Rubric

1.    90-100

Clearly above average in class, and a class leader in the discussion. Posts throughout entire module with college level statements, research, and interaction with other students. Includes web sites, personal narrative; and varies length of posts. Goes beyond, simple I agree statements, and one lined thoughts.

2.     80-89

All of the above, but not quite with the same purpose. Stands out, and above average, but clearly not the best posts in class. Posts a little less, slightly shorter posts the norm.

3.     70-79

Class average, posts twice a week, not a starter of the class discussions. Not much feedback to other students. Shorter posts, and posts provide a little less quality information. Leaves out web sites, not much in the way of first person thinking.

4.       60-69

Posts twice during entire module, often goes a full week between logon. Not meeting the minimum attendance requirement of three logons per week. No response to other students, and most posts are one, or two lines. Some spelling errors, posts seem rushed. Often copy/paste from sites such as Wikipedia.

5.        50-59

Not meeting attendance minimum, often posts one sentence on last day of module. No interaction with other students.

Mr. S.