Flex classes that aren’t labeled as flex-grrrr

[Hilltopmom]

(Flex course means it can be done completely online or on campus or a mix)

 

After a poor experience (ds’s fault, not the school or profs) in a completely online course last semester, I only allowed ds to enroll in on campus courses this semester. (He’s DE -a senior)

 

Today was the first day of class and what do you know, the prof is touting it as a “flex class that can be done completely online, no need to come to class, I’m not going to lecture- all the info is online. Only come if you have questions.â€

Sigh.

That format didn’t work for ds last semester, he wouldn’t go and ask when he had questions. (& has a gaming addiction and needs to get off the computer to get school work done)

This course is not listed as flex in the schedule, but as an in person on campus course.

I mean no interaction? No lecture? Just read the “lecture online and do the assignments�

Great for an online class, but not for an actual on campus class, imo.

Ds is already lobbying me to not need to go to campus. Um no.

We live 3 minutes away and online has not worked for you in the past.

I want him awake, out of the house a few days a week in class, with other students, and a professor teaching. Not just at home reading assignments online.

But the prof telling them not to bother to come because he won’t be teaching then???!

I’m seriously annoyed.

Edited January 22, 2018 by Hilltopmom

[regentrude]

Is this really what the prof said, or is it possible that your DS is misinterpreting what the prof said?

And it's more along the lines of "I am not going to lecture, because I put that content online; we will use class for active learning/problems/discussion, but I am not taking attendance"? As in Flipped Classroom model?

[Arcadia]

Only come if you have questions.â€

...

But the prof telling them not to bother to come because he won’t be teaching then???!

What class is this? I had good experience with this format for some subjects like computer graphics lab and some of the sciences. In my case, the lecturer is around at the location during the class time to help any student that need help. He just wasn’t going to spend time lecturing when we could read the lecture notes and assigned textbook on our own before class. Instead it was class Q&A, followed by the lecturer going around and answering specific questions that only a student or two has difficulty with.

[Hilltopmom]

It’s a cyber security intro class. Not technical cyber stuff but “this is why cyber security is importantâ€

 

Yes, it’s possible he misunderstood about the intent, but said the prof was pretty clear that after the first week or so there was no need to attend because it would all be online.

I’m going to read his syllabus tonight and see if it’s clearer there.

 

The CC has been getting big on flex classes for students who don’t want to travel to campus, but I Specifically did not LET him sign up for any of the flex or online ones this semester.

Edited January 22, 2018 by Hilltopmom

[Arcadia]

It’s a cyber security intro class. Not technical cyber stuff but “this is why cyber security is importantâ€

My kids attended a free full day whole week summer cybercamp for 7th-12th graders taught by community college lecturers. The lecturers did tell the class to read up all the stuff before class so that they can do more Q&A and hands on instead of reading the slides in class. My kids learn a lot from the Q&A as well as hands-on, the notes were a good starting point but would have been too basic.

 

Is there a cybersecurity class with a certification exam at the community college that he could switch to? Passing a certification exam would give him a nice goal to aim for on top of earning that DE credit.

[Hilltopmom]

He also attended a cyber class last summer so has some background.

 

No certificate available around here. This is the last computer science class at the CC that he hasn’t taken yet so it’s this or nothing for him this semester and he needs one on his transcript, IMO to remedy last semesters disaster. (& isn’t interested in another Gen Ed this semester)

 

I’m just annoyed cause if it had been labeled flex he wouldn’t have even registered for it. Now it’s giung to be an issue for him to argue over and we have enough of those right now (it has not been a good year here).

[JudoMom]

That is incredibly frustrating, especially given you're having one of those tough years.  I'd be very annoyed.

[Hilltopmom]

I think you need to really get to the bottom of what's going on.

 

I suggest first, going to talk to the professor. You said the school is a short distance away, so I suggest you actually go in and talk to the prof yourself.

 

Second, if the prof actually confirms what your DS has said, I would talk to the school about getting him switched to a different class.

It’s college. AFAIK professors don’t talk to parents. No?

[Hilltopmom]

Well I read the syllabus. It’s basically an online class.

 

All lectures and notes are prerecorded to watch on own time. All assignments from those are answered and submitted in the online system.

 

The classroom doesn’t have computers so they won’t be working on them during class time.

 

The prof said to think of the class mtg times as “office hours†and to come if you have questions.

 

Ds wants to take it, it’s high interest to him, but I am not impressed with the change in format.

For now, he’ll have to go to the actual class session and see how it shakes out.

Edited January 22, 2018 by Hilltopmom

[Hilltopmom]

Well but for your son, these are ALSO high school classes, correct?

 

I don't know if a professor will talk to a parent or not, I have never taken a DE course and neither did my oldest. But you won't know till you try. You might be surprised once you explain the whole situation. If your son was not a high school student I might think differently. But since he is still a minor and still in high school then I believe the parent carries a responsibility towards making sure the kid gets the classes he needs if the kid can't get them himself.

We don’t actually have DE as a thing here. He’s enrolled as a non matriculated student, his professors wouldn’t even know he’s technically a high school student. He’ll have to ask any questions he has about the format, not me.

[regentrude]

Well but for your son, these are ALSO high school classes, correct?

 

I don't know if a professor will talk to a parent or not, I have never taken a DE course and neither did my oldest.  But you won't know till you try.  You might be surprised once you explain the whole situation.  If your son was not a high school student I might think differently.  But since he is still a minor and still in high school then I believe the parent carries a responsibility towards making sure the kid gets the classes he needs if the kid can't get them himself. 

 

The professor is not allowed to talk to the parent, unless the student gives written permission to waive his FERPA rights.

Whether the student is under 18 or dual enrolled or whatever is irrelevant.

[JudoMom]

Well but for your son, these are ALSO high school classes, correct?

 

I don't know if a professor will talk to a parent or not, I have never taken a DE course and neither did my oldest.  But you won't know till you try.  You might be surprised once you explain the whole situation.  If your son was not a high school student I might think differently.  But since he is still a minor and still in high school then I believe the parent carries a responsibility towards making sure the kid gets the classes he needs if the kid can't get them himself. 

 

My older 2 are DE, and there's no way I'd contact the professor.  And they're at a campus with a high proportion of DE students.  I help them pick classes and enroll, and I might suggest how to handle situations, but beyond that I am hands off.  I think that's expected once you're in college classes, even if you're DE.

[Dmmetler]

DD’s college does this, too. She hit it last semester. At least her class was in a computer lab so the kids could use that 3 hours a week to do their assignments with the professor to answer questions, but she still ended up effectively teaching herself in a class labeled “lecture/traditional†in the course schedule. It came out Ok, but this is a kid who is doing most of her classes at the college because she found online classes to be insufficient to meet her needs for other people to learn with.

Edited January 23, 2018 by Dmmetler2

[Hilltopmom]

she still ended up effectively teaching herself in a class labeled “lecture/traditional†in the course schedule. It came out Ok, but this is a kid who is doing most of her classes at the college because she found online classes to be insufficient to meet her needs for other people to learn with.

Exactly! There’s a reason why people opt for in person over online classes.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Is this GCC?  We had issues with them mislabeling type of class format.  They labeled it as on-line, but come to find out the instructor required some attendance (nowhere did it say that in the listing).  Which was not possible.  But what is the deal?  Are the instructors just making stuff up or what?

 

 

 

[Hilltopmom]

Is this GCC? We had issues with them mislabeling type of class format. They labeled it as on-line, but come to find out the instructor required some attendance (nowhere did it say that in the listing). Which was not possible. But what is the deal? Are the instructors just making stuff up or what?

Nope, our local CC. I remember that issue you had- that was crazy! Seems like they should follow the class listing format.

[SMMom1]

Sounds like he needs to get into a different section of the class that actually meets face-to-face.