Monday, August 31, 2009

Do not bother with TurnItIn.com if you are not already registered.

If you are not already registered for TurnItIn.com, do not bother with it any more. It is too confusing.

Instead, just drop a paper into the Elvis assignment in Webcourses (running man icon), and that will get you onto the TurnItIn roster from inside Webcourses. I extended the "deadline" on it so that you can try it out this week. It closes Friday.

There is no class key. There is no password.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Learning Module for Week 2 is now UP.

I have just activated a "learning module" for the second week of the semester. Look for the coffee cup icon on the course home page in Webcourses. Click in there and take a look:
  1. The heart of each learning module is the concept guide. Everything starts with the concept guide!
  2. The concept guide is filled with study tips, like vocabulary to be familiar with, exercises to work on, diagrams, comments on the reading and even which pages to read. The concept guide for chapter 2 contains a mini-assignment from chapter 1 for those of you who are rusty with the metric system. Everything else is from chapter 2.
  3. In addition to the concept guide, you will also find a mini-quiz on chapter 2 concepts. It will help you gauge your understanding, and some students print it out and use it as a study tool for reading. In fact, it is designed to highlight the reading. You can take the mini-quiz as many times as you like, up until September 21, when Exam 1 goes active. All mini-quizzes go off the air that morning before the midterm exam.
  4. There is a link to the "Questions concerning motion, from chapters 2-4" discussion area, for posting questions and helping your classmates with tips. My TAs and I will also be participating in the discussion threads. Many students benefit from these discussion interactions and see their grades improve.
  5. I will add extra enrichment activities and tools to the learning module occasionally, so always keep an eye open during the week.


Note: whenever I add an enrichment tool to the learning module or any other change or modification, I will announce it here first. Sometimes I make several announcements in a single day. So always keep this Blogspot in your list of things to eyeball a couple times per day. Good.

Gradebook changes

Now that the drop/add period has ended, I am making the major entries in the gradebook, and they are reflected in your My Grades page. One of them is the "Regular points subtotal" row in your My Grades page. It is for exam and writing assignment points, none of which are on the books yet → → so it reads N/A right now.

When we start racking in regular points, that N/A will turn into a number.

The same comment holds for the "Miscellaneous bonus points subtotal" row in your My Grades. I will be updating that sooner, though: we have plenty of bonus updates from SpaceShip Two etc. This row's N/A will be disappearing for most of you in short order.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Diagnostic test

For those of you switching sections or adding into the online section, the GEP_PSC1121 - 09Fall_0001 diagnostic section might not be picking you up. You will not "see" it on Webcourses.

The Webcourses admin is trying to sort it out, normal UCF, under construction forever type of situation.

If you still cannot get in by noon today for the GEP_PSC1121 - 09Fall_0001 diagnostic quiz, do not sweat it. It is not formally part of your semester grade. If you miss it, it will not hurt your grade.

Writing Assignments, grade book etc.

I have been messing around with writing assignments and the grade book in Webcourses. So do not freak out when you see a bunch of new stuff in your My Grades page.

Both writing assignments are still TBA, "to be announced."

However, I did set up a little practice writing assignment, for one bonus point. Click into the running man icon on the home page, and then the MIB icon. It will let you practice uploading a paper into TurnItIn.com. One bonus point for successfully uploading a paper -- no particular topic.

Side note: this will get you enrolled into TurnItin.com, I am pretty sure.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Difficulties

Some of you have tried getting from the to-do list and into the diagnostic test by clicking the link to the instructions page. It was not working. The link is now working, so go take another shot at it!

Diagnostic test

Get that diagnostic test finished by 3 PM Wednesday. Then we will be done for the semester with that task.

Obtaining textbook etc.

Yesterday I activated a discussion area for those of you who are figuring out the best way to obtain the textbook. Have a look and see if there are any tips for you there. Or, post a question of your own. This is the week to get that squared away.

Monday, August 24, 2009

I do not answer conventional email.

Students, I only work in Webcourses during the semester, with the course mail feature. I do not answer conventional email. So make sure to log into Webcourses and check your course mail.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

See you in September!

Summer semester is over. See you in Spetember!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Grades are IN at the registrar's office.

Your semester letter grades are IN, now. The registrar has them -- hopefully those goombahs at the registrar's office will get the grades online for you sometime today.

One more thing: it is unethical and sometimes an act of harrassment to ask me for extra points at this part of the semester to improve your grade. Most of you have the sense to avoid doing this, but I want to make it clear to EVERYBODY. I do not look on it kindly.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

WA2 scores are UP.

I just finished putting your Writing Assignment 2 scores into Webcourses.

In GradeMark/TurnItIn I have asked a few of you if I may use your papers in a future semester, with future students. Please check the GradeMark red apple to see if I want to use your paper in a future semester. Please respond in course mail.

Now all your semester points are UP. You can add the regular points and the bonus points to figure out what your letter grade will be.

OK, I am back to TurnItIn.com

Being as how TurnItIn.com was down for maintenance yesterday, I could not finish up the last few dozen papers on Saturday.

But NOW, I am cranking through them like a turbo-charged rocket sled on rails. GO GO GO!

Friday, August 7, 2009

Don't forget your bonus points diagnostic test!

The two bonus points on the diagnostic test might be just what you need to push your grades above the borderline to a higher letter grade.

Get this done by tonight.

Grading continues on WA2

I am still grading up your WA2 papers. Many of you already have the scores. Do not worry. I have not forgotten about them. I will get the rest of your guys' papers graded up.
  1. You can still take the rubrics survey, because it is about WA1. So get that squared away.
  2. Also, focus on the final exam. That is the big one right now.

Final exam today

Final exam becomes available today at 12:05 PM, lunch time. You'll get 120 minutes to tackle it. It has to be finished and IN by 11:59 PM.

So block out two hours in your schedule after lunch and before 10:00 PM, and you will get all 120 minutes.

You will need all 120 of those minutes, because there will be a few brain-burners to really sizzle up your cranium.

ALSO: Get some rest before you tackle the final! (On final exam day, I get to nag you all like a mother-in-law!!)

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Bonus points

One more diagnostic test in the special Webcourses GEP_PSC1121 - 09Summer area. (2 bonus points)

Also, in our regular Webcourses area, please take the Rubrics Survey, about 10 minutes. If you take the survey before noon Friday, your final examination will be ready for you by the normal 12:05 PM starting time.

Those of you who decided not to take the survey, it will not appear for you, so do not worry.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Bonus points opportunity tomorrow

I will announce a bonus points opportunity tomorrow that you can fulfill by Friday. Stay alert so that you do not miss out on these 2 bonus points.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

WA1 scores are UP in Webcourses now.

WA1 scores are UP in Webcourses now. They had been viewable, of course, in TurnItIn.com since I did the grading.

If you want to know your grade situation, then add up
      WA0
   Exam 1
      WA1
 + Exam 2
---------

Divide that subtotal by 114, and that will be your percentage as of today. But we have 36 points on WA2 still to post, plus the final exam, 100 points. So doing well on WA2 and the final can really move your current percentage.

Double check the grades/ponts page in Webcourses to see the cutoff percentages for each letter grade.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Meanwhile, back at the proverbial ranch...

I will be grading your Writing Assignment 2 papers between now and Friday. As before, I will start with the papers turned in earliest.

Week 6 learning module is UP.

Your Week 6 learning module is now activated. You will find it in the Learning Module section.

Final exam is on Friday.