You are all probably frustrated by the lack of feedback I’ve been providing. I apologize. Giving feedback to this class has been on my todo list (I realize lack of feedback is a problem), but things keep getting in the way.
Ideally, you should be doing this since you want to learn the material, but I understand that marks on your transcript are meaningful to some of you (the idea of grades in a graduate class is still wierd to me).
Your grade for this class will be a combination of:
- A big break for putting up with the experimental nature of this class.
- Do you show up? (I’ll be arrogant enough to believe that you’ll learn something by just being there)
- Do you contribute in lectures? (alternatively, do you contribute in other ways, like making posts, or sending lecture summaries – since I understand not everyone is comfortable contributing directly.
- Do you do the required minor assignments (e.g. do you make posts, …) – this is just counting?
- Are your minor assignments any good? (do you just make minimal posts on the readings, or do you routinely have something interesting to say)
- The major assignments (design challenge, critiques)
- The final project.
Some of those things are quantitative. But, others are highly subjective.
Michael and I tried an experiment to quantify participation, but it basically confirms our subjective experience.
Here is how I propose to give out grades (to those of you who get grades):
- 25% of the grade is for putting up with me (so everyone gets an A on this part).
- 25 % for the project (it’s 1/3 of the time of the class (5 weeks), but it’s not everything in that part).
- 1/6 for the major assignments (they took up 5 weeks (1/3), and were 1/2 of what you were doing at that time).
- 2/6=1/3 for the actual class part (2-5 above).
This week I will send you feedback on everything before break:
- An assessment of your “major assignments”
- The quantitative information we’ve gathered (how often do you show up, how many of the required minor assignments have you done)
- Subjective assessment of your postings and participation (with the quantitative attempt as well).
For the subjective participation part, I expect to categorize people as:
- Adequate/good/excellent – regularly contributes to the discussion or makes extra postings / sends summaries of lectures, etc.
- Inadequate to Adequate – occassionally contributes to the discussion, rarely adds anything extra
- Unacceptable to Inadequate – pretty much only contributes when called upon.
As its too hard to subjectively put things into finer divisions. You can probably guess which category I think you’re in.