The Fora: A Higher Education Community

Quote from: FishProf on December 11, 2023, 06:51:23 AMIn our LMS, we can set it to count ungraded work as ZERO (running total) or not counted AT All. In that scenario, if only a letter grade is displayed, it will show an F for purposes of calculating final grades, but still just show a nothing for that assignment.

Hard to say which is in play here.

I like to use that option, so that a student's grade is always cumulative, so at any moment the grade shown is the floor; i.e. if they never hand anything else in, that's the grade they'll get. It's great to be able to point out that anything they do beyond this point can only improve their grade.

I do the same from about the midpoint of the semester on.  There is always a bit of panic when I change it over, particularly for the students who don't come to class or don't read announcements.

I consider that a feature, not a bug, btw.

Quote from: kaysixteen on December 10, 2023, 07:46:34 PMOk, but is there some glitch in the LMS software that will automatically record an F until the professor changes it?

No, it just looks like a blank in the gradebook (Canvas). If I left it blank, it would count as an F. But if they got an F for their paper, I wouldn't just leave the space blank. I'd enter an F. And even if an F had appeared, one querying email from the student would have been appropriate. Eight increasingly hysterical ones — on a Saturday night, even — is not appropriate.

Quote from: Hegemony on December 11, 2023, 08:56:51 AMEight increasingly hysterical ones — on a Saturday night, even — is not appropriate.

But, you're a professor!  You don't have anything else to do but answer emails on a Saturday night!  [/s]

Dear Stu-

There is such a thing as "over sharing". The semester has not yet started. I do not need to read a complete run-down of the tragedy that is about to befall one of your family members. I am glad they want you to "stay in school" even as they are lying on their death bed. But today, Christmas Eve, is not the day you should send email to the professors of the classes you are scheduled to take next term. There is nothing I can do for you at this time.

Prof of your asynchronous online course that does not start for a few weeks.

Quote from: FishProf on December 11, 2023, 09:13:46 AM

Quote from: Hegemony on December 11, 2023, 08:56:51 AMEight increasingly hysterical ones — on a Saturday night, even — is not appropriate.

But, you're a professor!  You don't have anything else to do but answer emails on a Saturday night!  [/s]

That's true.  Profs do lead notoriously dull lives.  They're a lot like librarians in that respect.

Asynchronous online class. Online discussion. Student posts well formatted work that seems overly sophisticated for a gen ed class, using lots of technical phrases. I comment on this, and pick out one phrase, asking what it means. No direct accusation made.

Student emails me saying they didn't sign up to be insulted, and says they will withdraw from class.

I was a bit taken aback at first. But looked over my comment and didn't see anything insulting. It does express a rather sceptical attitude. But given the prevalence of AI use, my attidude is reasonable. I didn't reply since the student didn't ask a question.

So far, the student has not withdrawn.

Quote from: downer on January 04, 2024, 03:29:08 AMAsynchronous online class. Online discussion. Student posts well formatted work that seems overly sophisticated for a gen ed class, using lots of technical phrases. I comment on this, and pick out one phrase, asking what it means. No direct accusation made.

Student emails me saying they didn't sign up to be insulted, and says they will withdraw from class.

I was a bit taken aback at first. But looked over my comment and didn't see anything insulting. It does express a rather sceptical attitude. But given the prevalence of AI use, my attidude is reasonable. I didn't reply since the student didn't ask a question.

So far, the student has not withdrawn.

Did they get out of addressing your query?

Quote from: fishbrains on January 04, 2024, 04:25:57 AM

Quote from: downer on January 04, 2024, 03:29:08 AMAsynchronous online class. Online discussion. Student posts well formatted work that seems overly sophisticated for a gen ed class, using lots of technical phrases. I comment on this, and pick out one phrase, asking what it means. No direct accusation made.

Student emails me saying they didn't sign up to be insulted, and says they will withdraw from class.

I was a bit taken aback at first. But looked over my comment and didn't see anything insulting. It does express a rather sceptical attitude. But given the prevalence of AI use, my attidude is reasonable. I didn't reply since the student didn't ask a question.

So far, the student has not withdrawn.

Did they get out of addressing your query?

They certainly didn't address it. The email expressing indignation was ungrammatical.

Reactions like that are a classic tool of liars and cheats.  They throw up a wall of bluster to try to deflect the charges.  Or at least try to make the one who calls them on what they're doing feel bad.  In some cases the bluster may be an effort to silence their conscience and convince themselves that they're the aggrieved party.

Quote from: downer on January 04, 2024, 03:29:08 AMAsynchronous online class. Online discussion. Student posts well formatted work that seems overly sophisticated for a gen ed class, using lots of technical phrases. I comment on this, and pick out one phrase, asking what it means. No direct accusation made.

Student emails me saying they didn't sign up to be insulted, and says they will withdraw from class.

I was a bit taken aback at first. But looked over my comment and didn't see anything insulting. It does express a rather sceptical attitude. But given the prevalence of AI use, my attidude is reasonable. I didn't reply since the student didn't ask a question.

So far, the student has not withdrawn.

The Dude abides. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

apl is right-- stu is using 'deny, deny, accuse'.   If he does not follow through with his threat to withdraw, what will you do?

Quote from: kaysixteen on January 05, 2024, 03:28:25 AMapl is right-- stu is using 'deny, deny, accuse'.   If he does not follow through with his threat to withdraw, what will you do?

Student withdrew. If student had not withdrawn, I would have given them the grade they earned.

I love when students email with entitlement and attitude.

"According to the video at 18:10 states they have to leave the forest because they are too big and don't have room to move. This is not the first time I have come across questions with "unfair" or ambiguous answers or questions that don't pertain to a particular reading or video. I would love to give more examples, however due to the large volume of work that was released today I will not be available to do so unless I come across more in future quizzes."

Cool story bro. 

First of all, The video states that they will "soon they will have to leave and join an adult herd", but the fire forces them out before then.  Not ambiguous, you just didn't pay close enough attention.

2nd, if you have "unfair" or "ambiguous" questions, but don't tell me what they are, how do you expect me to fix them?

3rd - you signed up for the 15 day sprint class. There's a lot of stuff.  What did you expect?

Quote from: FishProf on January 06, 2024, 05:49:45 PM3rd - you signed up for the 15 day sprint class. There's a lot of stuff.  What did you expect?

Fifteen days of regular classes that would award the same credit as a whole semester course for a fraction of the work?