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05/29/2007

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Steve

Cole, you wrote: "but what if you are a student sitting on the outside and have no idea how to get to your files? You can’t fire up a browser and google for it … you have to know the right URL to get iTunes to launch and go to the iTunes U site at your school."

I have to say, this has hit on one of my sore spots, as a professor. I give the students a syllabus. I have the URL (along with other useful information, like assignments) written/typed out. I talk about it in class. I post that to Angel.

And still, inevitably, students will come and not only ask "how to I get to the podcasts?" but ask "What assignment is due today?" (yes, today). "What is the exam worth?" "What are the requirements for the term paper?"

Of course, there are worse things than that. The students who failed to follow the simple directions for how to format their term paper and after losing points use as their defense "I didn't read the syllabus."

So--I wouldn't worry too much about students not being able to "find" their content for the courses in which they are enrolled. Perhaps we should be more concerned with the faculty that act as enablers, spoon feeding the answers to students whenever they ask, rather than remind them that they were given that information up front!

Steve

Steve

Quick "addendum":

I didn't want anyone to read this thinking I was being critical of Cole here. I appreciate his post, and the work he and his staff are doing to make these materials more accessible. I was just venting my frustration at students that believe they don't need to read the syllabus.

Steve

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