The A Range

Have you received emails from students saying something like the following example?

Dear Instructor:

I've noticed that my Final Grade is 91 percent which, according to our Syllabus, is an A. So, since I'm in the A Range, do I need to submit any more assignments? Afterall and A is an A.

How did/do you respond?

Final Calculated Grade Column

I renamed my Final Calculated Grade column to Current Calculated Grade at the beginning of the semester. Reason. I felt this gave students real time information as to where they stood in my classes.

So, now this Sunday when classes officially end, here’s what I’m going to do. First, add zeros to all those grade book columns in which an assignment has not been submitted. Next, rename the Current Calculated Grade column back to Final Calculated Grade. Students will already know what there final grade is too. No surprises. I like that!

Alternative. I suppose I could create a New Grade Scheme and name it something like Final Semester Letter Grade. Then set up the ranges for an A, B and so on. Finally, on May 9, just click on this link and set it as the Default.

How are you handling your Final Grades column?

Interesting Social Bookmarking Web Site

Want to know what's going with online education? Go to http://delicious.com/. And in the search window, type in online education.

Releasing the Final Grades Column tip

In case you have not released your Final Grades Column to your students yet, here's an easy way to do it.
>Grades link on Nav Bar.
>Your Final Grades Column.
Click on the Ruler w/green check mark icon just to the right of the words Final Grade.
Select all boxes in the column titled Release Final Calculated Grade for all students.
Click Save.

Late Assignment Dropbox Folder tip

I use only one Folder for students to upload all their late assignments into. And at first, I made the following comments in the Comments section for the student: Grade and comment has been posted in your grade book. However, I soon discovered that each time a student uploads another assignment, I had no idea (forgot) what past due assignments these comments went to. So, I spent time going back and forth from the Dropbox to the grade book to check it out.

Now, I just continue to add to my previous comments. Below is an example what how I’m now doing it.

Update posted on 4.27.10
Grade and comment has been posted in your grade book for Chapter 17 essay.
Update posted on 4.26.10
Grade and comment has been posted in your grade book for Chapter 10 essay.
Update posted on 4.25.10
Grades and comments have been posted in your grade book for Chapter essays 8 & 9.
Update posted on 4.23.10
Grades and comments have been posted in your grade book for essays from Chapters 3, 4 & 5.

I'm open to an easier way. Is there?

Bought the iPad

So, I decided to pre-order the all new 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G iPad. Should be getting it around the second week in May. Access to the 3G network was only $15 per month and no contract. That means, I don’t have to look for all those Wi-Fi hot spots. I’ll be able to login anywhere/anytime with 24/7 access. BTW, AT&T did not pay me to say what I just said. :)

How do I plan to use the iPad? Here’s an example. Last Saturday I bought new tires and had to wait 2 hours. So, I walked to McDonald's, ordered a cup of coffee and read the newspaper cover to cover. Instead, I could have used those same two hours working in my classes over the same cup of coffee at McDonald's. Could I have done that using my MacBook? Yes, I could have. But the Wow! factor just would not have been there.

So, should we start a blog on how we can use the iPad in our profession? Another one of my visions is to have CCCOnline be a premier online college that is known for being iPad friendly. I think it would neat if we could come up with some cool applications designed just for us. That's the Wow! factor I'm talking about!

Celebrating the 40th Anniversay of Earth Day

Tomorrow, some 190 plus nations will be celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day. Perhaps this is a good time to re-evaluate our environmental lifestyles. And what can we do to teach our students to become more eco-friendly to our planet?

As for us, we could go to e-books for all our classes. Just think of the paper/trees we could save. OTOH, how many jobs would be lost? What else can we do?

Also, I have a green vision for CCCOnline. I’d like to see us be among the premier online colleges that have gone completely green. Any ideas on how we can achieve this?

Finally, let’s come up with a online slogan for going green. Here’s mind: We offer the greenest online journey for you. What say you?