89

Guess What?

I am half way completed with my MBA, I am done with six classes and six more classes to go. I bet you are wondering why I titled this posting “89”.. ahhhhhhhhh

I scored 89 in my last class and it seems that for the two Bs that I have goten thus far, (I have 4 As) wooohoooo! I always ended up with 89 points and got a B instead of an A!

So here, the one downside to being online is that you CAN’T negotiate with the professor, you simply can’t, he/she has no idea of your personality and merely grades you like a computer would do, programatically.

The question is why do I get the Bs? Both times it was because of a lack of participation, in online classes you are required to participate in the newsgroup four of the seven days of the week and have eight “substantive” posts….

See excerpt below from current class syllabus

[BEGIN]

Participation

Participation is very important online. You will be expected to participate 4 days a week in several different discussions and to contribute at least two substantive discussion messages on each of those 4 days. This is a required part of your grade. Participation consists of notes you send above and beyond graded assignments. This generally means the messages you send as replies to messages from your classmates and me.

Please note that both quantity and quality are important considerations when it comes to participation. For example, a message which says simply, "I agree," does not constitute participation, because it does not add anything of substance to the discussion.
In order to earn full participation points, you must add something of substance to the discussion 4 out of 7 days per week—this would consist of new ideas, your perspectives, pointed follow-up questions, etc. You will find it is much easier to keep up with an Online class when you are logging in and participating regularly.

[END]

ARGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

I always seem to end up with five really, really good posts. The problem is that you have to have the patience to post eight! posts even if you simply regurgitate what someone else said or something from the text book.

Its not fair, but nothing is fair right.

So 89 it is, online or B&M same challenges, its not the quality of your work so much as the quantity.

Why do you think I only have five posts? Because I lack TIME!

R