Or they could work on policies that reward significant improvement throughout the year. A rough start can be just that. Mandating that everything is at least 50%, even when a student gets a 0%, is a terrible idea.
Really, I have no problem with a "lousy start" policy of some sort, but to guarantee 50% while other students are giving and earning 100% annoys me to no end. How about simply this, guarantee that all quizzes and tests can be made up after hours (before/after class) that were taken in the first half of the semester for a maximum score of 80% of the total points awarded (gotta at least give a small late bloomer penalty)? Higher of the 2 scores will apply. Thoughts there?
but to guarantee 50% while other students are giving and earning 100% annoys me to no end
It's the students that are trying hard and only getting 60% that could be hurt by this. A 'free' 50% means their is little reward for their hard work and little incentive to continue putting in.
I can certainly see that giving students an incentives not to give up is a good idea, but it's something that needs to be done carefully.
"It's the students that are trying hard and only getting 60% that could be hurt by this." There not hurt at all. Nothing changes for them.
They are getting 60%. The same 60% they got no matter what. To make a confession, I don't think you can try hard and only get a 60%. Seriously If you see a student n that situation, you might want to get the test for some sort of vision or hearing problems.
Of course this needs to be controlled, but I haven't seen any realistic reasno why not to do this.
Ok... on the assumption that this "reason to keep trying" is a desirable thing (something I'm not convinced of but am willing to entertain), here's a suggestion:
Why not require that the first half of the semester can only have 15% of the total gradable work? The second half of the semester would have 85% of the total gradable work. Thus if I goof off at the start, I've lost my chance at an "A", but I can still get a passing "C" without having to be perfect for the rest of the semester. The first half of the
Disobedience: The silver lining to the cloud of servitude.
-- Ambrose Bierce
Or more reasonable policies (Score:5, Insightful)
Or they could work on policies that reward significant improvement throughout the year. A rough start can be just that. Mandating that everything is at least 50%, even when a student gets a 0%, is a terrible idea.
Re: (Score:5, Interesting)
Don't worry about the 100% students (Score:5, Insightful)
It's the students that are trying hard and only getting 60% that could be hurt by this.
A 'free' 50% means their is little reward for their hard work and little incentive to continue putting in.
I can certainly see that giving students an incentives not to give up is a good idea, but it's something that needs to be done carefully.
Re: (Score:2)
"It's the students that are trying hard and only getting 60% that could be hurt by this."
There not hurt at all. Nothing changes for them.
They are getting 60%. The same 60% they got no matter what.
To make a confession, I don't think you can try hard and only get a 60%. Seriously If you see a student n that situation, you might want to get the test for some sort of vision or hearing problems.
Of course this needs to be controlled, but I haven't seen any realistic reasno why not to do this.
Re: (Score:1)
Ok... on the assumption that this "reason to keep trying" is a desirable thing (something I'm not convinced of but am willing to entertain), here's a suggestion:
Why not require that the first half of the semester can only have 15% of the total gradable work? The second half of the semester would have 85% of the total gradable work. Thus if I goof off at the start, I've lost my chance at an "A", but I can still get a passing "C" without having to be perfect for the rest of the semester. The first half of the