Hi Class,
I want to make sure everyone is clear about the difference between logging on, attendance, and participation. Don't worry, I know week one has a steep learning curve - I take this into account for week one participation.
Logging On
When we "log on" we might spend a great deal of time reading the course content- please realize that the system can track how long you spend in the course; however, it cannot tell exactly what you are doing. As a result, "logging on" is not part of either attendance or participation.
Attendance
Attendance is also determined internally by the system. To be in attendance each week you must post a message to any of the class discussions on two separate days in our course week. (The course week may vary depending on how the course is set up). By posting all weekly assignments on time, you will automatically meet the attendance requirement.
Participation
Participation in this course represents a significant part of your final grade. I calculate participation on both the quantity and quality of the posts that are topic driven and meaningful to the development of the class discussion. To earn full participation points you must post at least two substantive messages on three different days of the course week.
For example, if the course week runs from Monday to Sunday, you might post two messages on Tuesday and two messages on Thursday and two messages on Saturday. To ensure you get credit for all your posts, you might consider posting more than two each day.
Assignments and responses in the Chat room do not count towards participation. Only notes in the Course Discussion Topics area count towards participation.
I hope this clarifies attendance and participation. Thanks!
Discussion Participation Rubric
| No Participation | Unsubstantial Participation | Partial Participation | Full Participation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality of Posting | Does not post an original peer response.
|
Post is not original and simply paraphrases what others have said or just says, "I agree..." or "Good idea..." 2 points |
Post is original and contributes at least one new idea or example that adds value to the discussion. 3 points |
Post is original and contributes >1 new idea or example that adds value to the discussion. 4 points |
| Quantity of Posting | At this point, it does not appear that you have posted any responses to your classmates in the Main forum. To earn full participation, post a substantive message twice a day on three different days.
0 points |
Partial participation points earned this week. You have a good start at participation, but for a post to count toward participation credit, it must be substantial. Thoroughly discuss or converse with classmates. Say more than just "I agree" or "Good ideas". Have a conversation. To earn full participation, post twice a day on three different days. You are to have two a day on three different days to earn full credit. Good start overall! 2 points |
Good start at participation this week. Your contributions to classroom discussion are stimulating and a pleasure to read. However, make sure to spread out evenly these participation posts. You are to have two a day on three different days to earn full credit. Thanks for sharing!
3 points |
Full participation points earned this week! Fantastic! Your contributions to classroom discussion are stimulating and a pleasure to read. Thanks for sharing!
4 points |
| Length of Posting | Does not post a peer response in the discussion topic area during the discussion period.
|
N/A |
Post does not meet the minimum word count of 75 words.
|
Post meets the minimum word count.
4 points |
| Timeliness of Posting | Does not post a peer response in the discussion topic area during the discussion period. 0 points |
N/A |
N/A |
Posts peer responses during the discussion period.
4 points |
| Degree of Peer Interactivity | Does not interact with peers in the discussion topic area.
0 points |
Writes unsubstantive peer responses throughout the discussion period. This does not include the initial response to the instructor's initial discussion question, but does include responses to peers and any additional instructor responses.
|
Writes at least 2 substantive peer responses throughout the discussion period. This does not include the initial response to the instructor's initial discussion question, but does include responses to peers and any additional instructor responses.
|
Writes > 6 substantive peer responses throughout the discussion period. This does not include the initial response to the instructor's initial discussion question, but does include responses to peers and any additional instructor responses. 4 points |
Total Possible Points: 20 points
Note: Customize the total number of points depending on how much participation counts in the overall course design.
Use the Following Scoring System to Determine the Quantity of Posting Criteria
If a student has at least:
2 posts on 3 days = 10 points
2 posts on 2 days and 1 post on 1 day = 8 to 8.5 points
2 posts on 1 day and 1 post on 2 days OR 2 posts on 2 days = 6.5 to 7. 5 points
1 post on 3 days OR 2 posts on 1 day and 1 post on 1 day = 5 points
1 post on 2 days OR 2 posts on 1 day = 3 to 4 points
1 post on 1 day = 1 to 2 points
