This is such a good point, I thought I’d make sure everybody sees it.
No Credit for Reading
It is a shame that we can’t get any credit for reading. Some days I read through every blog and just don’t find anything to comment on. I enjoy some of what I read, but I just don’t feel like I have anything to add to what the author already said. I don’t want to just rehash or review stuff so I end up spending a lot of time on this class with not always a lot to show for it.
There’s an unfortunate reality to school. It’s one of the reasons I maintain that no class at any school is actually learner-centered. That reality is that you have to show your work. I’m doing all I can to make sure that the work you’re doing is not busy work, is related to the constructs I’m trying to teach, and is relevant to your individual contexts. The grading scheme (lots of little marks all the way thru, instead of a few big marks) is unusual in graduate school, but serves my pedagogical purposes well. But when push comes to shove, you have to show you’ve been here and the only way you can do that is by writing.
Ironically, you can get away in a classroom based setting by doing nothing but showing up. But if you just “show up” in an online class, somebody notices. It’s one of the reasons I prefer to teach online — students can’t just show up and get a grade. Of course, it’s one of the reasons students don’t like the online classes, too.
The issue of ’spending a lot of time reading’ is a good one, too. That’s not “just showing up” but is actual engagement in the content. If anybody can tell me how I can know what you’re actually reading, and what it is you’re thinking about it without your writing it down for me to read, I’d be willing to consider changing the rubric to give credit for reading.
And I’ll echo here the tip I made there:
“If you’re spending a lot of time reading and you’re not finding anything to write about, you need to find some different voices to listen to.”
September 19th, 2007 at 8:41 am
Amen, I agree. I really do read quite a bit, but am not seeing it reflected somehow. I must admit that I am disappointed in my grade, but I know that thi is a process and regardless of what grade I receive I have learned more in the first 5 weeks than in the whole time in some of my masters level courses. I really have learned how to look outside of what I know, and am excited about what I am learning. Just wish I could get the listserve emails.
September 19th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
What I do when I read a classmate’s post is to say something positive about what they have written. There has been so much good discussion this semester, and reading, and just sending a quick couple of sentences lets them know someone is “listening” to what they have to say. I say to the person who wrote the reading comment is to think about what you liked about their posting and tell them. Or comment with something that you have read that you think they might find interesting.
Lexie makes a very good point that she has learned a lot in the last five weeks, and so have I. I have been sharing ideas and discussions with colleagues. We have to remember that feedback is important, we value it for our students and we value it for ourselves. Lexie, have you tried resubscribing to the listserv using the text option from your email? What service are you using, I may be able to provide some guidance.
Pam
September 20th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
I have great news, I finally got the listserv to work. Not that I have received anything yet, I do know that I am hooked up. Much progress. Now if I can get all the rest of my other online chores done!