Which do you choose?
Behind door #1:
You've labored to create a website that captures all the information for your course -- reading schedule, assignment schedule, guidelines for completing the assignments, the works. You've even set up navigation so that there are multiple ways to get to these items (since "the logical place to look for it" means different things to different students).
But a vocal segment of the students in the class clearly do not avail themselves of this resource. (Instead, they email you to ask you for the information they could find by accessing the website -- or, you know, by reading the handouts distributed in class.)
Behind door #2:
Your students are well-informed of the course assignments and their due dates. However, by the last week of the term, a number of them seem quite certain you possess the means to travel in time -- since, despite failing to complete the majority of the assignments for the term, they are confident that there is something they can do at this point to get a good grade in the course.
This is purely hypothetical, of course. None of my students are like those behind either door.
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Not teaching (philosophy) yet. Taught a bit of physics prior. Prefer door #1. A silly student is better than a lazy student, to my mind. Silly can be more taxing on one's patience, but that doesn't mean they just don't care.
Isn't this the part where I say "door #1," and then you show me what's behind door #3, and then ask me if want to change my choice?
Is it not possible to include a brief segment at the start of each course on "the ethics of being a student in this course"? Including, of course, that it is a student's ethical responsibility to know all the course requirements and the resources available. Then give them a quiz on it. It's part of the course grade to know the requirements and resources of the course. Subsequent emails asking for information that's in the resources could even subtract from the grade.
I choose both, and take pleasure in my own preparedness and the ease with which those of my students who *have* performed well will acquire rewarding grades on any sensible curve scheme :-).
Easy solution to Door#1 problem---make finding the information an assignment that counts for part of the grade. A bit of a freebie, but it reduces your headache. Plus, the ability to find information is key to learning anyway---so you can rationalize it as 'training' them!
The sad thing is, I teach graduate students who do the door #2, and then cheat off each other for the homework that they turn in at the last minute. I hope their bad grades teach them, but somehow I doubt it. I prefer door #1.
Well, you know I always had my work done well ahead of time and never left anything until the last minute. Hi, Janet!
It never ceases to amaze me how immature American students are. When I was a student many many years ago in another land, we could choose not to attend a given class or any class the whole semester. Suffice that we took the exam and received a grade. The only assignments we had were lab reports, which, of course, forced one to attend those labs. No role calls, no reports by professors on students who missed classes. A sylabus was given at the beginning of the semester, which included the course material to be covered. It was up to the student how s/he chose to study the material, with or without the professor. Responsibility was the key word - you pay the tuition, it is your money, you do everything you can to get the most out of it. Some professors were so bad, it was easier to study at home on your own. Others were so wonderful, you rushed early to the lecture hall to assure a seat as close as possible to the lecturer's podium. A B.Sc. degree was aquired in three years, not four. Many students worked part or full time to make ends meet yet, the majority of them finished their studies on time (three years) and with high grades.
Many American students are too immature as they enter college immediately after graduating from high school. They think and act like highschoolers and consequently they require constant supervision.