First Exam Results for full Covid semester

[Aster]

My first batch of major exams are graded. One class performed within normal range, not taking into account the fact that I stripped out most of the difficult exam questions, gave everyone a lot more time, and reduced the overall size of the exam because of covid stuff. But still, I'm not complaining; most of the students passed and quite a few A's were recorded. Yay.

But then I have Class B. This is the class that I normally don't have to worry about, because it's more advanced and anyone who's in it *supposedly* had to first complete a pretty tough pre-requisite course. I am going to say *supposedly* today, because after exam results came in I'm not sure who some of these folks are but maybe they shouldn't have been allowed into this course. Exam results were abysmal, even with the same type of generous simplification and reduction of exam difficulty applied to my other class. But unlike that class, this one's exam average was so low that I had to use a scaling value that I've never, EVER, applied to this type of course before. Even with that, 41% of this course received a D or an F. Normally a lot more people pass, AND the exams are significantly harder.

For my other courses that don't have so many exams but have weekly work to submit, the number of people who aren't turning in anything is on the rise.

I hate remote teaching in a pandemic hotspot. Too few students are committing to their work, even with me bending over backwards with extra tutorials, extra orientation time, more assessment reviews, lots more office hours, lightened assessments, etc... This is really depressing.

[Bonnie]

My first batch of major exams are graded. One class performed within normal range, not taking into account the fact that I stripped out most of the difficult exam questions, gave everyone a lot more time, and reduced the overall size of the exam because of covid stuff. But still, I'm not complaining; most of the students passed and quite a few A's were recorded. Yay.

But then I have Class B. This is the class that I normally don't have to worry about, because it's more advanced and anyone who's in it *supposedly* had to first complete a pretty tough pre-requisite course. I am going to say *supposedly* today, because after exam results came in I'm not sure who some of these folks are but maybe they shouldn't have been allowed into this course. Exam results were abysmal, even with the same type of generous simplification and reduction of exam difficulty applied to my other class. But unlike that class, this one's exam average was so low that I had to use a scaling value that I've never, EVER, applied to this type of course before. Even with that, 41% of this course received a D or an F. Normally a lot more people pass, AND the exams are significantly harder.

For my other courses that don't have so many exams but have weekly work to submit, the number of people who aren't turning in anything is on the rise.

I hate remote teaching in a pandemic hotspot. Too few students are committing to their work, even with me bending over backwards with extra tutorials, extra orientation time, more assessment reviews, lots more office hours, lightened assessments, etc... This is really depressing.

For Class B, would the students have taken the prerequisite course this past spring? Maybe the Covid-adjusted course in spring was too lite?

Number of students not turning in weekly assignments is also on the rise for me. And also not attending office hours. At least attendance in zoom class is still strong. My mid-semester fatigue is significantly higher than usual.

[polly_mer]

Record the grades earned and move on.  People who haven't learned the material need that feedback and degrees must represent knowing what one is supposed to know.

[nonsensical]

I was also wondering whether the students who needed the pre-req might have taken it this past spring and therefore not learned or retained as much of the material. Perhaps some review sessions (or sessions to teach the topic for the first time, if they were dropped from the spring semester) might be helpful? Do you have teaching assistants who might be able to put something together? I also wonder whether students may be doing worse because of things happening with them now - child care issues, they or loved ones are sick, they don't have a quiet place to study, or any of the other things that came along with COVID-19.

My students have been doing pretty well (extremely well given the circumstances), but I am teaching upper-level seminars this fall. I expect that if I were teaching a large lecture course online I would see more differences from prior semesters.

[FishProf]

I am predicting a more pronounced bimodal distribution than is usually the case.  About 2/3 of my class is doimg the work, including online homework assignments.  The other 1/3 has done virtually nothing, and just wanders around cyberspace mumbling 'i need a b-'

[mamselle]

My first thought was, "b-" = ?

?Beer 

?Bath

OH, you mean the grade, a B - minus?

(I suspect some of them are wandering around saying the other things, too...)

M.

[the_geneticist]

Our Spring and Summer courses were entirely online.  We saw a MUCH greater spread of grades than the usual.  It was bimodal in both lecture and labs.  Online learning requires many things, including a much greater burden of being responsible for remembering to do things than an in-person class. 
For example, in person labs require: wear pants, go to lab.  You'll be handed a quiz and a worksheet.  They are due before you leave.  Even if you forget that their is a quiz, we'll still hand one to you to take.
Online labs require: go to the CMS to take the quiz, go to Zoom to attend lab, go to the CMS to complete the worksheet, turn it in before the due date.  You'll get reminders that these things are due, but you're not in an actual classroom with your peers and the instructor.  No one will open the quiz or worksheet for you.  However, pants are totally optional.