261 Hints on how to succeed in this course!

The grades you earn on each assignment are up to you.  The documents below spell out in detail the requirements you must meet in order to earn an “A” grade. These “hints” give you a preview of those requirements:

• The course consists of 5 nearly identical learning modules.
  • Be aware of the start and end date of each module.
  • Submit your initial posts within the first 3 days that the module starts.
  • Participate in each of the discussion forums on at least 10 different days during the module
  • Submit your blog on the first day of the Knowledge Audit window
• The Internet Resources Review
• The Blog
• Exams
• If you submit any of these assignments late you must tell me or your grade will not change.

Discussion posts that are submitted after the module ends are not graded.
You will get no credit for a discussion post that violates either of the Two Cardinal Rules.

Frequently asked Questions:

Question 1: How will I be graded?

Answer: I use a grading rubric to provide feedback on every assignment. These rubrics are printed in the documents in this folder.  I suggest that you review each of your scored rubrics so that you are aware of any problems and do not make the same mistakes again.

Question 2: Why is there a “10 posts on 10 different days” requirement for full credit on the discussion forums?

Answer:  I have learned over my 20 years of teaching online that the discussion forum is the primary learning activity.  To make an online discussion as meaningful as a face-to-face discussion, it is necessary to have the same back-and-forth interaction.  This can only be done if you give the other participants a chance to respond before you get back to them with your reply.

Question 3: Why does my course grade go down at the start of each module?

Answer:

• Your grade changes each time I grade a discussion post, and I will attempt to grade your discussion posts every day.
• Your initial post to a forum may earn full credit, yet your grade on the forum will be very low.
• Your grade on a discussion forum – and your current grade in the course – will improve each time you submit an acceptable discussion post.
• If you earn full credit for each criteria on the rubric, your final score will be “100%.”  That can’t be the case until the module is nearly over.
• Check your course grades by clicking on the “My Grades” link in the menu of links on the left side of the screen.
• Review your discussion forum rubrics frequently and you will always know how you are doing, and how much more work is needed to attain the grade you want.