Professor Greenbaum's |
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In the real world, the world of jobs and real responsibilities, there are few exams. You are judged by your ability to fulfill commitments in a timely and professional manner. When you tell your boss you are going to complete a project on a certain date, then if you expect a raise or promotion, or even to keep your job, you MUST complete the work by the date promised. If you made the commitment to a client, but you aren't ready on your commitment date, you will probably lose the sale and the client. Since college is a preparation for that real world of jobs, the important thing for you to do is make your commitments, which are your assignments. Each assignment should be submitted on, or before, its due date. Some of these may be started in class, but it is expected that you will complete them out of class time. Since the purpose of the course is to learn to do certain computer tasks, if there are errors in what was submitted, your assignment will be returned to you for correction. You should fix your work and resubmit it within one or two classes. I encourage you to work with your fellow students throughout the term, in and out of class. More and more work in the "real world" is done in teams. Help classmates and ask them to help you. But when you turn something in, it should be solely YOUR work, meaning you understand how to do it and could do it again. Obviously quizzes and final are to be 100% your own work. Tests are less important than doing your work. You learn the most by completing assignments. The purpose of tests is three-fold:
The reason you are attending college is to learn, so if you have problems on the first test, ignore it, if your second and third tests are significantly better. I'll chalk it up to you not knowing how I test and how to prepare for a test. The best way to prepare for tests, is to do your assignments. Tests apply the same knowledge and skills that you get by doing the assignments, only to solve slightly different problems. In the real world you have a boss or client for whom you are working, who is paying you. In college the professor is a surrogate client, who pays in grades. Now, no boss or client wants you to waste your time and work on the wrong thing. That is why you report progress and ask questions of your boss or client. So too you should ask the professor if instructions are not clear. If it is confusing to you, it is probably worth asking in class because there will be several other classmates for who it is also unclear. Attendance is expected and is taken. If you miss classes, including those at the beginning of the term due to late enrollment, you are expected to work with a fellow student to learn what you missed and make it up. If you have submitted your assignments and have great attendance, but still do poorly on quizzes or the final, I must accept some of the blame and will elevate your grade accordingly. Although you may discuss your individual assignments with classmates (indeed, you are encouraged to do so), you must turn in work that is your own. The distinction is similar to that made by traditional copyright law: copying of a physical (electronic) manifestation of a person's work is not permitted; sharing of ideas is. If you copy another person's work, or any portion of another person's work, either manually or electronically, you will receive no credit for the assignment. If you allow your work to be copied by another person, you also will receive no credit for the assignment. Two such infractions can result in a failing grade for the course. Some more important ideas about doing well in this course. |
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