UoP is changing participation requirements

Hi Folks,

I got an email over my UoP account which describes upcoming changes to the policies regarding participation in online classes. For example, in masters level classes, students had to post at least twice on each of four days. That meant the student had to post at least 8 times during the week. They're now changing it to 8 posts over the course of 3 days, with no set number of posts per day.

I think this is a good policy. I've always had students asking about doing 4 posts in a day to make up for a previous day or lack of posts on a day. This definitely allows for more flexibility.

-Matt

 

This is the second change in the last few months. The other is that initial posts count toward those 8. So if you answer the two discussion questions, it's actually 6 posts over 3 days.

 

One other change is that there are no DQ due dates. As I expected, there have been students who posted in the last hour of the week.

That's one change I could do without. Since faculty interaction guidelines haven't changed, it's more difficult to interact early in the week.

 

I used to have a co-work, she said that she taught Database Management class for UoP. Some of the students did not participate and waited unless the lass minute. She failed them, but the administrators forced her to change the grades to minimum "B's." Is that the case anymore?

 

I've facilitated 14-20 classes a year since '08 and I've never been asked to change a grade. I've had lots of students drop a full letter grade by not participating.

 

14-20 classes a year? Wowzers. I'm lucky to get 2-3. I used to be eligible to teach a slew of courses, now they've narrowed it down to 3 for me, and one of those, a course on the Nevada Constitution, is one I have no business teaching since I know squat about the state.

-Matt

 

Until the recent changes, I did 2 starting every 4 weeks. So I basically had 4 courses always going (two pairs). I'm credentialed to teach several but I only accept one course for UOP.

UPDATE: Just looked: it fell to 14 in 2012 and now 11 in 2013. I'm guessing that 2014 will be down to 10 based on the most recent pattern.