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bone_gal
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« on: June 03, 2010, 05:17:00 PM » |
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Hi. I'm gearing up to teach an online summer course for the second time. It's an intense 4000 level course (the highest undergrade possible, usually co-listed for graduate credit but I'm not offering that online), and it has a prerequisite course (that they have taken the 1000 level intro course or equivalent). Unfortunately the school has no way of enforcing the prerequisite, and last summer, even though I tried to scare them away, some students who hadn't taken the prereq still chose to take the class. They didn't contribute much to the course and generally did poorly or ended up not finishing. I think students at the school are so desperate for online courses to fit into their schedules that they take things that aren't appropriate.
I recently found out that my LMS (eCollege) allows "gating" so I could set up a quiz where if they said yes they took the prereq, the first unit of material opens for them, but if they say they didn't then the need to talk to me (I would try to scare them away, and if they persist, presumably then open the material for them). It's not a way to drop them from the course, but it's another hurdle for them to pass.
What do you think? I'm kind of torn, on the one hand I still can't really get rid of them (and this puts them at a disadvantage by having the material open only after they communicate with me), but on the other hand students who have no idea what's going on bring down the course quality (imagine discussion postings from people who have no clue) and are a PITA. Should I do this?
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« Last Edit: June 03, 2010, 05:19:52 PM by bone_gal »
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georgiaprof
Exhausted
Senior member
Posts: 943
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« Reply #1 on: June 03, 2010, 05:29:25 PM » |
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Why is there a pre-requisite if you cannot enforce it?!?!?
I would run this past your chair to make sure that you get back up. If a student says no they didn't take it, they may complain and you want to be sure that your chair will support you. In general, I think that this is a good idea.
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lizzy
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« Reply #2 on: June 03, 2010, 05:33:50 PM » |
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At my place, the registration system won't allow students who don't have the prereq to register. It requires a form and a number of signatures to override.
I, too, would check with the chair. But I also don't understand why there's prerequisites if they're unenforceable.
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I get cranky in the evenings.
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larryc
Hu hatin'
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 18,285
Eschew the hu.
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« Reply #3 on: June 03, 2010, 06:01:11 PM » |
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I would run this past your chair to make sure that you get back up.
Yes. If you can get support I think it would be a good idea to tell students without the prereq that they have to drop the class. Don't recommend it, tell them they have to. |
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glowdart
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« Reply #4 on: June 03, 2010, 06:09:27 PM » |
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We have the same issue here (f***ing computers), and I would love to have that gating system that you describe. I have to do manual quizzes in some of my on-the-ground classes to make sure that they have the basic knowledge; if they fail it, then I tell them to drop, and I hand back the quiz with a filled out and signed drop slip attached.
When they inevitably don't drop and then fail, at least my ass is covered for the predictable grade appeal and whining on the evaluations.
Can you check their transcripts to see if they have the course? I've pre-emptively "urged" a few people to drop each semester that way.
I would be prepared for them to lie on the gating question, too.
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erikjensen
New member
Posts: 23
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« Reply #5 on: June 03, 2010, 06:33:31 PM » |
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Yes, you should use multiple screening methods to assure that the students are likely to succeed. Send an e-mail to all students before the class starts specifying what is expected. Give a survey like you mentioned. Give a quiz on the knowledge from the prerequisite and encourage those who fail to drop. If your institution allows an instuctor to "no-show drop" people who don't do anything the first week, then use that. Be tough and remember that you are doing people a favor by saving them money and damage to their transcripts.
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daprofessor
New member
Posts: 1
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« Reply #6 on: June 12, 2010, 10:18:40 AM » |
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I know this post is about online instruction, but this issue is rampant at my college. I teach mathematics and the degree of cheating is off the charts amongst international students from China. Even when you have a system that prevents them from cheating, it's very common that they will ask you for a chance to redo a test, or final, in an effort to attain a more desirable grade. Sometimes, they just beg, or cry, for a higher grade.
After all these years dealing with the situation, it still amazes me to what end Chinese students will go in manipulation of any situation for their benefit. Fair or unfair.
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melba_frilkins
Doing laundry.
Member-Moderator
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 8,136
Doing laundry (still)
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« Reply #7 on: June 13, 2010, 01:27:00 AM » |
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Yes, you should use multiple screening methods to assure that the students are likely to succeed. Send an e-mail to all students before the class starts specifying what is expected. Give a survey like you mentioned. Give a quiz on the knowledge from the prerequisite and encourage those who fail to drop. If your institution allows an instuctor to "no-show drop" people who don't do anything the first week, then use that. Be tough and remember that you are doing people a favor by saving them money and damage to their transcripts.
Yes, the pre-class email is important. If students only find out after the semester's started, they tend to want to stay in anyway because it's difficult to find a replacement class at that point. |
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