Starting this week I am adding assignments in the gradebook. Currently in Synergy, you will notice an assignment for the SMART Goal for today, the SMART Goal response at the end of the week, and learning plan. Submit any one these and you get the credit for it, don't submit one and it will stay blank. This is true for if you complete some or all of the assignments.
In case you have missed the memo up to this point on what a learning plan is (this same info has been on the resources page all year in case you didn't know), it is a way to track more long-term projects or learning which you individually are working on (as opposed to the SMART goals which are tracking work for each week). And for reference, plan on the learning plan encompassing what you plan on learning for the remainder of the semester, which is just shy of one month. I have a template below which you can fill out and submit and on this I break down your learning goal into three categories:
To complete the learning plan:
Scheduling Check Ins Lastly, I'd like to add another reminder about scheduling a check in where we briefly discuss the following:
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Welcome back from Spring Break! I hope you got the chance to travel far and wide and it was full of adventure...just kidding, I know we have all been cooped up inside and doing our part to curb the spread of infection. I hope you have been able to make the best of these circumstances and have been able to get some needed relaxation and above all else staying healthy :). Here's what we need to hit the ground running for this last stretch of online education:
Scheduling Check Ins If you didn't see it and are concerned about grades, read the previous blog post first. What I would like to do this week before entering SECTION 3™ of this course, I would like to check in with everyone to make sure you're good to go to have a successful remainder of the semester, whatever that means for you. I'll be doing this over zoom, slack or phone, whatever your preference and it shouldn't take more than 5 minutes. The topics to discuss are:
***WHAT I NEED FROM YOU*** to schedule a time for me to connect with you on the link here: /marsberwanger.youcanbook.me/ The options are to schedule a one-on-one zoom meeting time (preferred), Slack call, phone call, just join one of my office hour times (just be patient if there is a large number of other students), or we can keep it text over slack. Whatever your preference, it shouldn't take more than 5 minutes, but I'm scheduling them on 15 minute increments to give some wiggle room. If your preference is to just log on to my office hours that is fine as well and you don't even need to fill out the link above, just see my office hour times at the bottom of this post. Portfolio Learning Reflections Aside from SMART Goals on Monday and response on Thursday (or Friday if you prefer), the last grade in section 2 will be a learning reflection (if you don't know what I mean by section 2, then please read the blog post below). If you do not do this assignment, it will not count against you, and especially because I anticipate this first week back may get hectic for some of you, please do not stress about this too much as I would prefer you to be ready to go next week than to get frustrated on completing this more tedious 100% voluntary assignment. If you do complete it, however, it will count as grade replacement for a summative grade weighted at 50 points (again, see the post below if you are curious how this works). I digress, here is the assignment: 1. Download and fill in the following document: learningplan_reflectiontemplate.docx
Office Hour Info Monday & Wednesday:
https://zoom.us/j/131605025?pwd=VHdIUVEyakRlVlFBUUFYVlVxZm82UT09 Meeting ID: 131 605 025 Password: felicia In case you missed the excitement, the school sent out information about our policy on grades in light of the building's closure for the remainder of the semester. I'm not going to repeat it all because I trust your reading skills and it is rather long, but I will link it HERE
The key takeaway for many of you is that March 13th date. If you are looking at your gradebook now, I guarantee that there is no way your grade can go down. I'll say it again: YOUR GRADE CAN NOT GO DOWN NOR WILL I PENALIZE YOU FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO COMPLETE WORK. Sorry for the all caps, that was a little aggressive on my part :). I understand that for many of you this transition to online school has been challenging, that perhaps your home has not had the same resources conducive to a successful distance-learning environment, or maybe you have to or will have to take care of someone who is sick; above all, I understand that this is a trying time for our community as a whole and it is important for us all to remember that there are more important things than grades and so I promise if grades are in any way impeding with your well-being I will do everything in my power to make sure that is not the case. With all of that said, I am a teacher because I believe in the importance of learning (and learning how to learn) and because I genuinely love being a part of your growth and so I am going to keep doing whatever I can to do so. Personally, I've always wished I could teach without grades so this does not rock my world. However, I understand that you probably have some grade worry, so let me outline precisely what my grade plan is for this class below and outline the three distinct Sections(™) Grades for Engineering I am viewing the semester-long breakdown of grades for this class into three sections: the first section being when we were in school (1/6-3/13), the second section being this limbo period when no grades have been/will be recorded (3/16-4/17), and the last section when this updated policy will be implemented and grades can be entered (4/20-5/20). I hope this clears questions up, but if not then don't start sweating bullets; I plan to speak with everyone individually (more on this later) before I take any action in the gradebook. Gradebook Section 1: When all was normal (January 6th-March 13th)
Gradebook Section 2: When all was confusion (March 16th-April 17th)
Gradebook Section 3: When we got closure and began acceptance (April 20th-May 20th)
Final notes on Grading Sorry I just made you read an essay! I hope it adds clarity at least as I know grading has been a big uncertainty in your lives. I will be putting out information in the next few days about getting to meet with you (remotely of course!) individually to check in and to clear up any confusions to prepare you for success. Until then, remember to take care of yourself and those around you and know that I'm missing and thinking of you all :) If you missed the news, Governor Kemp announced that schools will be closed for the remainder of the school year. What this means for grades and how this effects distance learning are to be determined, but I will be sure to keep any info I hear of posted both here and in Slack. There are a couple things which it doesn't mean, however, and which will still be true:
For this class specifically, nothing is changing for this week and the week after break (continuing individual learning and posting SMART goals and responses on Monday/Friday, and having a learning reflection which after the break which I will speak more about then). And in light of the fact that many of you will understandably have questions, concerns or just want to check in, I will hold office hours tomorrow for the times listed below. 10:00-10:30 12:00-12:30 1:30-2:00 https://zoom.us/j/131605025?pwd=VHdIUVEyakRlVlFBUUFYVlVxZm82UT09 Meeting ID: 131 605 025 Password: felicia Keep hanging in there for now and know that I am thinking of all of you <3 |
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