Course Assessment

Note: scroll within each box for more information

Homework

Every week you will have a homework assignment that reenforces the concepts covered that week and integrates concepts from the previous weeks. These assignments are intended to challenge you and to take significant time to complete. The goal with each question is to prompt you to think through the key aspects of a particular concept and sythesize your understanding into an explaination that is unique to you (in your own voice).

You may discuss your questions and answers with anyone you wish, and you may use any resources, but every single sentence must be written in your own words. Any answer that contains material not written in your own voice will earn zero points.

There are 8 homework assignments, each accounts for 200 points. Each student's lowest homework grade will be dropped. Homework accounts for a total of 1600 course points. The homework will be due every other Thursday by 11:59pm.

You will have the opportunity to dissect one question from each homework assignment for full credit. For details see homework dissection below.

Homework Dissection

Upon receiving your graded homework you may select one question that was marked incorrect or incomplete to dissect for up to full question credit.

Your dissected question must

Be submitted by 11:59 pm on the Thursday the next HW is due (if you are dissecting HW1 your dissection must be submitted at by the HW2 due date)
Include the correct answer in your own words (the key will have been posted at this point)
Include a screenshot of the graded question, including the entire question, your initial answer and score, and any grader comments/notations
Explain clearly and in detail what about your answer was incorrect or incomplete
Explain clearly and in detail what about the correct answer is different than your initial answer and how it correctly or more fully answers the question.

The submission of a dissected answer does not guarantee points earned.

Dissections submitted without all of the above elements will not be graded.

Go to Links & Examples to see a homework dissection example

Quizzes

Every non-homework week you will have a quiz that tests your grasp of the concepts covered the two previous weeks and integrates concepts from all topics covered to that point in the semester. The quiz will be due by Friday at 11:59pm.

TThere are 7 weekly quizzes worth 100 points each. Each student’s lowest weekly quiz grade will be dropped. The final quiz is also worth 100 points and cannot be dropped.

Embedded Learning Questions

Each instructional video contains embedded learning questions. These are designed to highlight important points and ensure you are engaged. *Important note: just because a concept does not have an accompanying embedded learning question this does not mean it is unimportant or will not be tested.

Embedded learning questions account for a total of 50 points each week for a total of 400 course points.

Small Group Meetings

We hold weekly small groups because we discovered that students are considerably more successful in the course when they attend and participate in the small group activities. You must attend at your scheduled meeting time. You must participate in small group meetings.

You will determine if you met the criteria for each small group meeting and will complete a meeting declaration each week. For each of that week's meeting criteria you will answer either "true" that you met the criteria or "false" that you did not.

The majority of this course is asynchronous. You have your learning materials and assignments and may complete them in any way that works for you as long as they are completed prior to the deadline.

Small group meetings are synchronous.

Small group meetings are synchronous and in person. You must attend at your scheduled meeting time. Attendance and participation in small group meetings is worth 50 points per week. You must attend 11 meetings to earn full credit (550 points for the semester).