Amy in TX Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Spanish II. One of the classes she was supposedly squared away in. This is a completely online class with a very, very complicated interface and lots of different things to do in different windows--homeworks here, chats there, online texts to purchase that I didn't know about. The first two weeks she didn't know what she was doing and the teacher was very slow to answer emails. Finally they talked by phone a week ago and she understood everything she had to do, and was not behind at that time. So last Monday when I was helping her plan her week, she said there was only a live chat on Thursday and a couple of homeworks that would take a few minutes each, then an online test to be completed by tonight. I should have known there had to be more to do all week than that. She opened the homeworks today and found that there was hours and hours of work. There was no way she could get it all done today, so she decided to focus on reviewing the chapter to be tested. Did that, and says she's pretty sure she failed the test. She wants to drop this course and take it in the spring when it will be offered live (in a classroom). She thinks she can't do well in the online format. I have advised her to give the class a fair try, doing everything she is supposed to do--now she knows to open the homeworks immediately and to allow plenty of time in the schedule for them. She has until November 11 to drop and have a W on her record. How harmful would it be to her transcript to drop this class only, and retake it live in the spring? (BTW, she hasn't gotten the math test back that she took last week. That should be Monday. The best she could have scored on that is in the 80s. But she said the new material this week has been easy.) Just when I was starting to sleep again... I feel so odd putting up these kinds of posts. I'm a very, very reserved person, and it really goes against the grain to share so much. Thanks for listening. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Well, I can certainly understand the need to vent! ;) Personally, I think it would be ok to withdraw and take the live class as long as she can explain that "blip" on her transcript (which she should be able to reasonably do). Online classes don't work for everyone and I would think Spanish (or any foreign language) would have its own benefits to a live class. I'm not super knowledgeable about it all though, so take my two cents for what it's worth. Meanwhile :grouphug:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 No help, but I want to support your daughter in her bewilderment. I, too, am taking CC Spanish this year while I wait through my son's math and chem classes. My class is a hybrid class, so I have class on Mon. and Wed. and then there is a huge online piece. AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGG! I can't believe how complicated it is to coordinate all the pieces. I managed because I started early and in an earlier life, I was a computer person and because my prof and my cc are super, super good at getting the directions, all the directions, minutely right. And following up to make sure we all have it figured out. I have a workbook and flashcards on this site and handouts on this site and assignments on this site and three different chats and emails and assignments on this other site. The prof insisted that we make all the logins and passwords the same. It is complicated. Very complicated. I suggest that she talk to the prof and explain that she didn't find all the pieces until now. Our prof said that we were to tell her if something like that happened. She seemed to expect it would happen to some of us. I so, so sympathize!!!! Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in TX Posted September 24, 2011 Author Share Posted September 24, 2011 No help, but I want to support your daughter in her bewilderment. I, too, am taking CC Spanish this year while I wait through my son's math and chem classes. My class is a hybrid class, so I have class on Mon. and Wed. and then there is a huge online piece. AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGG! I can't believe how complicated it is to coordinate all the pieces. I managed because I started early and in an earlier life, I was a computer person and because my prof and my cc are super, super good at getting the directions, all the directions, minutely right. And following up to make sure we all have it figured out. I have a workbook and flashcards on this site and handouts on this site and assignments on this site and three different chats and emails and assignments on this other site. The prof insisted that we make all the logins and passwords the same. It is complicated. Very complicated. I suggest that she talk to the prof and explain that she didn't find all the pieces until now. Our prof said that we were to tell her if something like that happened. She seemed to expect it would happen to some of us. I so, so sympathize!!!!Nan Thanks, Nan! She has already talked to the prof, and getting to that conversation took two weeks! This prof is hard to reach. But I think last night was a failure on dd's part--she knew the homeworks were there; she just assumed, based on last week's homeworks, that they were brief. They were not brief! But now she's behind, and she needs this weekend to prepare for the chem test on Monday. BTW, My dh, who is a systems designer, thinks that this class' interface is insane. He thinks that most computer interfaces are needlessly difficult for people to use--there's absolutely no need for it to be that way in most cases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scholarly Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 When I was evaluating transcripts, one W would not have phased me, although a pattern of withdrawals is concerning. However, given the difficulty students often have in figuring out online classes, it might be nice for her to get used to how they work now, rather than later, when the stakes might be higher and you might not be around to help her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in TX Posted September 24, 2011 Author Share Posted September 24, 2011 When I was evaluating transcripts, one W would not have phased me, although a pattern of withdrawals is concerning. That is very helpful to know. However, given the difficulty students often have in figuring out online classes, it might be nice for her to get used to how they work now, rather than later, when the stakes might be higher and you might not be around to help her! Also a very good point. Hm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 (edited) Adding - I think that it is valuable to learn how to work with these systems. We just had a discussion in our family where we figured out that we can't drag our son off to do things on weekends and assume that he will bring his homework and do it, as we've done in the past, because his work is all online, even for non-online classes. Ug. Since she is past the drop-with-out-a-w date, I would suggest that she keep working in the class as though she weren't going to withdraw and then withdraw at the last minute. The work won't be wasted since she is planning on taking the class again. (Besides, I think work in a foreign language is one of the less wasted sorts of knowledge you can have. : ) ) Getting comfortable with keeping track of multiple online pieces will almost certainly not be wasted. It would be too bad to drop this class before she got comfortable doing that, only to have to learn it in a different class. That is just my opinion, though. These things always turn out to have unforseen consequences. Can she talk to an advisor about the problem? The school may have good advice. My prof said to be sure to tell her about any problems and told the story of a student who vanished mid-semester, puzzling all his instructors. Finally one of them asked someone known to be her friend, and it turned out she had had an accident and been in the hospital. They encouraged her to come back to classes when she got out and she managed to catch up and do fine in the class. This was given as an example of how important it is to tell the prof what is going on so they can help you. Good luck! Nan Edited September 24, 2011 by Nan in Mass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 No. No need. But the people offering sevices to the education system all want their piece of the pie. Grrrrrrr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Didn't read your update before I posted this. Just ignore it :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Could she talk to the professor about getting an incomplete, and retaking it in the spring? An I might be better than a W, but I'm not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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