Sometimes I am astonished at fourth year University students. I mean, for the most part they are great, at least the ones I get in my online courses are anyway. Usually at that level one take’s a course because one is truly interested in the subject material. Fourth year courses are usually pretty specific. I teach three of them through UBC.
So a bit of background might be in order here. Last fall one of my courses opened and the students were happily (probably not since they are students) learning away. Communication lines were open and those that needed help contacted me when they needed to. Online courses are the next generation of Guided Independent Study…but there is a lot more communication now that there used to be when my courses were paper based. Back then students had to call me…now with email they are more apt to send me questions and the communication is more extensive…which is great!
So the fall session opened, everything was going well. A few students dropped out, the rest seemed fine, one didn’t seem to be doing much…actually nothing…but, it’s University, his choice. The end of the term rolls around, I do my check to see who has done what and whether they are eligible to write the final exam or not. One student has not completed 30% of the course requirements so is not allowed to take the exam (this is clearly laid out in the course outline, as is the fact that assignments must be handed in on time or face a deduction of 10% per day, as is the fact that the final report must be handed in on time, period, or it will receive a grade of zero). The exam opens and I watch to make sure everyone eligible has logged in and is writing. Perfect, all is well. An half hour later I receive a frantic email from the long missing student that he cannot log in. I am shocked! I thought he had dropped out and sent the following message:
You were not added to the list for release since you have not done any of the assignments or assessments….. Exams aren’t generally released if students have not completed the course requirements prior to the exam (three assignments, one site visit report, lesson quizzes)
I can reschedule the exam for you, but to date you have not received any marks for the course since nothing was ever submitted for grading, and the exam, at best if you get 100%, will give you a grade based on only 30% of the course marks.
What happened that you never submitted anything?
Stunned, I took a look at the course and saw that this student was trying to do the lesson quizzes as fast as he could…so I disabled them since the exam was already underway. I then received the following response:
I was going to talk to you about the missing assignments, too. It is my first time that I have taken six courses in a term in these four years. I didn’t realize I have to write numerous number of papers this term and I really need to graduate this end of school year. I am sorry that I haven’t headed in any assignments but I did try to keep up with the assessments after each section. It’s really hard for me to keep track of online courses when the rest of my courses are not web-based compared to first couple of years. Is it possible that I can make up those missing assignments and write the exam for you? I don’t mind spending this upcoming holiday to work for a passing grade. I really don’t want to fail this course as it will push back my graduation date to next year; I am also taking 6 courses next term. Once again, sorry for the inconvenience.
How, by fourth year, can you not realize you need to write papers? And apparently my course was less important to him and he figured that he could wait until his other courses were finished, then write up three papers and one big report for me and hand it all in for me to mark over Christmas and somewhere in there, I would magically create a new exam that he could write when it was convenient for him! Astonishing!
It went back and forth for a bit, he whined that he was already on probation and might be expelled if he failed…perhaps he should have considered that before he wasted the course…I finally told him to discuss it with the Faculty and his advisor and I would take their advice. So he switched tactics and pleaded with them and the Distance Education Head. To no avail. So he switched back to me and started to wail again…all of this while I was now on Christmas vacation and out of town. Finally I just said no…it was over, the course was over and he had chosen to neglect it. The Faculty informed me to enter the mark he had received and be done with it. He received a whopping 8%.
At the end of the dialogue, the last email I took from him said:
I know I was being passive during the course. I am regretting leaving things to the last minute. Right now, I am trying really hard just show you that I am really serious about this. In the past, I would not have done that with all the discussion with advising office and the professors themselves. I am really learning from this course, even though I have only done little learning. I know the Faculty Advisor said no more assignments can be submitted and the final is not open to me but I know professors have the power to delay the submission of marks. All I really need is a second chance. I do not know what else I can do. I may not have another chance to take this course because I may get expel from this course due to low average.
And now he is back!
I saw that he had registered in May…and I watched, and I waited. And the first assignment deadline passed with no submission…then the second…then the third…and so I waited expectantly to see what might happen…then the day the final report was due I received an email informing me that he needed a slight extension…then another email saying sorry for the inconvenience but it would be a day or so late.
I pointed out to him that it was clearly stated in several places that the report would not be accepted after the due date. I also let him know that I am always open to extensions if it is warranted and if communication is made at an early point but that none had been forthcoming and waiting until the day something is due, in the week of the final exam…doesn’t constitute appropriate communication.
To add to the irritation, students are allowed to post a profile in the course, his says he enjoys sleeping, joy-riding, cat kicking, and mind games…oh yes…very nice!
So, here we go again. Astounding that he learned nothing the first time! He did manage to do the lesson quizzes this time…so he has completed a grand total of 15% of the course work and again, expects to be able to hand things in late and that I will mark them. I headed this one off at the pass and told him all communication on the subject would have to be with the Faculty Director of Student Services.
Maybe he thought I’d forget him……how could I though?