INLS161-001 Spring 2016

Evaluation

This class does not have any exams, but there are tasks to do and there will be an in-class final task to do during the date and hours of the final exam. Grades are based on the value you add to your peers learning in class and on the results of your completion of six tasks. Each task will focus on the topic listed in the chart below, but each succeeding task will build on the skills learned in the ones which come prior to it.

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This will be a performance-oriented class

Your grade will be determined by the proficiency you show on six tasks. Though they are graded evaluations, they are also good learning experiences and can also be fun to do.

Due dates

It is now

Pay attention to the due dates. Tasks should be turned in by the end of the day they are due. Deadlines are listed for your time management purposes; there is no automatic loss of points for lateness. The only exception is the final task which must be turned on time because this task takes the place of a final exam.

If you finish a task early and wish to have me look it over for completeness, I will do so and provide you feedback so that you may alter things if necessary. Of course, I can only do this if you provide it to me early enough and if I have the time available in my schedule. If you finish a task on time or late, I will grade what I receive.

If circumstances render you unable to turn in a task on time, you may negotiate a new, later, delivery date with me. If you negotiate a new delivery date and meet it, you will suffer no negative consequences. If you do not negotiate a new delivery date with me, or if you miss your negotiated date, you run the risk that I will not have time enough to give your submission its due consideration. You always have the opportunity to discuss any circumstances that conspire to hinder your ability to turn in an assignment on time.

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You will add value
by enhancing the learning environment for your fellow students

You all start out with an assumed passing score for involvement. It's up to you to determine if that score increases or decreases.

Adding Value includes asking questions about topics in such a way that your question and the answer also help your fellow classmates. You can ask questions in class, or by posting them on the class blog. I will respond directly to each question asked. Also, if I think the rest of the class can benefit from the question and answer, I will reformat the question to preserve the anonymity of the asker and post both question and response on the blog, so that everyone can benefit.

Adding Value includes posting comments to the class blog. You don't have to do this each day, but you will have to post a note introducing yourselves after the first session, you will have to post a note about starters you present in class on the blog, and you will surely have something to say about one or more of the other starters presented to you daily.

When you do a posting on the blog, be sure to use a label to identify yourself. At the end of the semester, I will look through your postings and if they are not labeled, you will not receive credit for them.

I will expect each of you to do at least one starter,
to post information about your starter to the blog,
and to comment at least once on a classmate's posting.

We should expect to see at least one posting from each of you all every four class sessions, whether you have done a starter or not. It's reasonable to expect everyone to have something to add to the blog conversations.

There is no doubt that everyone in the class will be an expert in at least one area and Adding Value also includes offering to display your skills in an area related to the topic under discussion so that we may all learn from and with you.

Be active and involved, but remember: quality of input far outweighs quantity. During class, you will want to respect your fellow students by paying more attention to the class topics, and less to what is happening on social networking sites.

Attendance is a key indicator of your participation

I won't take roll daily, but I will notice your absence. It is very important that you do not miss classes. If you do miss classes, you would be wise to talk to me about it, either before or after the session you miss.

The amount of points earned for Adding Value is a subjective judgment and I will be making the subjective call, at the end of the semester. Therefore, you will see part of your Adding Value increase as I notice that you have done things that are listed in your gradesheet . You should have a feel for how well you are doing in this area if you follow the advice on this page.

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