Mel Pace (mpace1@tampabay.rr.com)
Sat, 13 Mar 1999 09:28:39 -0500
From: "Mel Pace" <mpace1@tampabay.rr.com> Subject: requiring participation Date: Sat, 13 Mar 1999 09:28:39 -0500
Greetings to all,
This is my first time commenting on such an international forum. With regards to Ellen's comments about having to require students to participate on listservs etc. and having to include it in their grade, We were just having this same discussion in one of my Distance Learning classes last week. I am a doctoral student at the Univ. of South Florida in Tampa, FL. As such, I have both been in and helped design several class environments in which online participation was a requirement. In some cases, there was a direct gradeor point value attached to this participation. In other situations, participation was required simply to get group projects completed.
In a residential college environment, where students would rather "meet" at the Library and do their work together, this must be very difficult. However, at the Graduate level, where many of the students are employed full time and have to get their work done aound their "real" work schedule, participation in online evironments is the best way for them to work.
As to how to motivate the residential student to participate, we came to the same conclusion that you have Ellen. You have to make it a part of their grade, or they just don't do it. But, if you are going to make it a part of their grade, be sure that you stick to your guns and mark them down considerably if they do not participate.
As for the complaining about listservs and having to get their email, tell them to "Get over it and stop whining". I really have little tolerance for that type of behavior.
Mel Pace
Media Specialist Roosevelt Elementary School
Ph.D. student in Instructional Technology
University of South Florida
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