Topic: Bang Your Head on Your Desk - the thread of teaching despair!

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I teach a synchronous online course, ugh, I know...

I have had SEVERAL students (and a few of my colleagues have had this issue too) who have told me that they cannot take the online quizzes I'm giving during class, or they can't even attend class because they are at work.

Why are you trying to take a class and work at the same time? I mean, I can understand if someone has been called in at the last minute, but these are serial offenders. SMH.

[apl68]

I teach a synchronous online course, ugh, I know...

I have had SEVERAL students (and a few of my colleagues have had this issue too) who have told me that they cannot take the online quizzes I'm giving during class, or they can't even attend class because they are at work.

Why are you trying to take a class and work at the same time? I mean, I can understand if someone has been called in at the last minute, but these are serial offenders. SMH.

How many of them think that they can "multitask" their way through a class while technically at work, I wonder?

[ciao_yall]

I teach a synchronous online course, ugh, I know...

I have had SEVERAL students (and a few of my colleagues have had this issue too) who have told me that they cannot take the online quizzes I'm giving during class, or they can't even attend class because they are at work.

Why are you trying to take a class and work at the same time? I mean, I can understand if someone has been called in at the last minute, but these are serial offenders. SMH.

How many of them think that they can "multitask" their way through a class while technically at work, I wonder?

Because someone out there keeps telling them "online class" actually means "just do it when it's convenient and you'll learn a ton and get an A."

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I teach a synchronous online course, ugh, I know...

I have had SEVERAL students (and a few of my colleagues have had this issue too) who have told me that they cannot take the online quizzes I'm giving during class, or they can't even attend class because they are at work.

Why are you trying to take a class and work at the same time? I mean, I can understand if someone has been called in at the last minute, but these are serial offenders. SMH.

How many of them think that they can "multitask" their way through a class while technically at work, I wonder?

That's what I'm wondering. I mean, I feel for people who want to further their education, but have to work. It must be difficult. And I recognize that I have been very, very fortunate in my life to not have to do that.

Or, it could just be some students who think it will be 'easy' to do both? Who knows?

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I teach a synchronous online course, ugh, I know...

I have had SEVERAL students (and a few of my colleagues have had this issue too) who have told me that they cannot take the online quizzes I'm giving during class, or they can't even attend class because they are at work.

Why are you trying to take a class and work at the same time? I mean, I can understand if someone has been called in at the last minute, but these are serial offenders. SMH.

How many of them think that they can "multitask" their way through a class while technically at work, I wonder?

Because someone out there keeps telling them "online class" actually means "just do it when it's convenient and you'll learn a ton and get an A."

Could be...

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Triple post. I forgot to mention that I had another student who wanted to negotiate with me. Apparently, stu wanted me to post recorded lectures so that stu could go back and watch later. Um, no, that's not the point of a synchronous online lecture.

[the_geneticist]

Triple post. I forgot to mention that I had another student who wanted to negotiate with me. Apparently, stu wanted me to post recorded lectures so that stu could go back and watch later. Um, no, that's not the point of a synchronous online lecture.

Our students have learned the hard way that there are MULTIPLE ways to offer a course.  No, "online" does not always mean "self-paced, asynchronous, no deadlines".  Ironically, the students who want the flexibility of an asynchronous course typically do very, very poorly when given access to recorded lectures.

[marshwiggle]

Triple post. I forgot to mention that I had another student who wanted to negotiate with me. Apparently, stu wanted me to post recorded lectures so that stu could go back and watch later. Um, no, that's not the point of a synchronous online lecture.

Our students have learned the hard way that there are MULTIPLE ways to offer a course.  No, "online" does not always mean "self-paced, asynchronous, no deadlines".  Ironically, the students who want the flexibility of an asynchronous course typically do very, very poorly when given access to recorded lectures.

It's probably the same as what happens with open book exams.  Fewer regulations does not mean it will be easier; in fact, since it requires more proactive effort on the part of the student, it often seems harder in practice.

[OneMoreYear]

Triple post. I forgot to mention that I had another student who wanted to negotiate with me. Apparently, stu wanted me to post recorded lectures so that stu could go back and watch later. Um, no, that's not the point of a synchronous online lecture.

We are "strongly encouraged" to record our synchronous in-person and online classes so students can go back and review the lecture.  It looks like this recommendation from the COVID years is here to stay at my place.

I teach a synchronous online course, ugh, I know...

I have had SEVERAL students (and a few of my colleagues have had this issue too) who have told me that they cannot take the online quizzes I'm giving during class, or they can't even attend class because they are at work.

Why are you trying to take a class and work at the same time? I mean, I can understand if someone has been called in at the last minute, but these are serial offenders. SMH.

How many of them think that they can "multitask" their way through a class while technically at work, I wonder?

Because someone out there keeps telling them "online class" actually means "just do it when it's convenient and you'll learn a ton and it will be easy to get an A."

Fixed that for you.

[ciao_yall]

Triple post. I forgot to mention that I had another student who wanted to negotiate with me. Apparently, stu wanted me to post recorded lectures so that stu could go back and watch later. Um, no, that's not the point of a synchronous online lecture.

Ugh.

I told my students that I was NOT going to record synchronous online lectures because the point was for them to interact with one another. If I let them just watch the recording later, none of them were going to show up and then there wouldn't be anything to watch.

[ciao_yall]

Because someone out there keeps telling them "online class" actually means "just do it when it's convenient and you'll learn a ton and it will be easy to get an A."

Fixed that for you.

Thank you. Right, it's all about the online badge!

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Triple post. I forgot to mention that I had another student who wanted to negotiate with me. Apparently, stu wanted me to post recorded lectures so that stu could go back and watch later. Um, no, that's not the point of a synchronous online lecture.

Ugh.

I told my students that I was NOT going to record synchronous online lectures because the point was for them to interact with one another. If I let them just watch the recording later, none of them were going to show up and then there wouldn't be anything to watch.

Yep. I'm not doing it either.

[arcturus]

Triple post. I forgot to mention that I had another student who wanted to negotiate with me. Apparently, stu wanted me to post recorded lectures so that stu could go back and watch later. Um, no, that's not the point of a synchronous online lecture.

Ugh.

I told my students that I was NOT going to record synchronous online lectures because the point was for them to interact with one another. If I let them just watch the recording later, none of them were going to show up and then there wouldn't be anything to watch.

Yep. I'm not doing it either.

Yes, no need to provide the videos for a synchronous class. I teach an online asynchronous course and the students don't watch the provided videos in any case.

[Parasaurolophus]

Yes, no need to provide the videos for a synchronous class. I teach an online asynchronous course and the students don't watch the provided videos in any case.

Wait... does that mean they do the reading instead?!

[the_geneticist]

We were asked if we could simply record and re-use materials from a discussion section so we didn't have to use TAs for online discussion classes. 
Uh, no. 
The entire point of a discussion class is the students talk with each other!  Even if we could record the breakout rooms on Zoom (and get permission to do this), why on earth would it help the students to watch other students talk about the material?

We did have a TA who did exactly this.  Recorded his first "discussion", then played that recording to his other sections.  During the synchronous discussion.  And had NO CLUE why that was such a bad plan.