GEN200-Instructor Jessica Philipp Weeks 1-3

Weeks 1-3
Deciding to return to school at the age of 60 was interesting. My choice was to do the on-line educations. My first class begin with GEN/200 Foundations for General Education and Professional Success. Now understand that each student is paying approximately $1,700 per 5 week class-3 credit hours. This does not included the written text. All text reading is electronic. If you want the written textbook you pay additional fees.

The following is the grading scale: A=95% +, A-=90%-94%, B+=87%-89%, B=84%-86%, B-=80%-83%, C+=77%-79%, C=74%=76%, C-=70%-73%, C=74%-76%. Now there are lower grades but hopefully I will never have to deal with them.

It is required in this class that you participate "post" at least 2 times a day out of 4 of the 7 days each week. Now if you post 2 postings and the instructor decides that one of them is not complete, or to the point, or for what ever reason not accepted. Then you must complete another day with 2 posts or more. I'm learning the "or more" part as I write. Post at least 4 to 5 posts per day to make sure you have enough for the two required.

Now we come to the "Team Learning" portion of the grade. You are placed with a number of other students and you are to work with these students to complete an assignment "together" with one individual being picked to hand in or "up-load" the assignment prior to the due date. I hope you noted this is 30% of your grade.

So here is the grading 100% and how it will be divided:
20% = Weeks 1 to 4 Participation and Discussion Questions (5 Points Each Week). The instructor places questions to be discussed on the thread and each individual answers them. You must participate (or answer other posts) also.
10%=Week 1-Goal Mapping Assignment Individual Upload to Team
10%=Week 2-Communication and Collaboration Strategy Paper
10%=Week 3-Student Web Scavenger Hunt
10%=Week 4-Research Strategy Paper
10%=Week 5-Professional Knowledge and Abilities Paper
10%=Week 2-Learning Team GEN 200 Learning Team Charter
20%=Week 5-Learning Team Professional Values and Ethics Paper

So 30% of my grade that I am paying almost $1700 for a 5 week course is now bound by who I am placed with on a learning team, and how they work together. No one tells you that if you are sent a copy of the assignment and told that it is being uploaded by that individual to the instructor, that you are supposed to double check it and make sure it is done, and done correctly.

Therefore the reason I have decided to do this blog. My first experience with "Team Learning" was being placed with 5 individuals. By the end of week one we were now 4. By the Tuesday of week 2 we were now 3. One of those individuals (Team Member 1) had tried to get everyone started during Week 1. I had posted my information but Team Member 1, was having trouble getting anyone else to post. So I think Team Member 1 decided well that's it. I had taken on another workshop, this class, and 5 Broker Price Opinions during that week so I was not much help. The only problem was that Team Member 1 had no contact numbers except by posting or the school e-mail. And Team Member 1 decided to take the Saturday and Sunday off (Sunday being Mother's Day) prior to the Monday the assignment was due. So next we go to Team Member 2 who had posted nothing on the Team Learning posts during week 1. Now during week 2, Team Member 2 decided to get on the band wagon and make everything happen. Team Member 2 posted, called, texted, to me (Team Member 3) and we put together the assignment without Team Member 1 information. On that Monday (assignment due date) late in the evening we are able to get Team Member 1 information and Team Member 2 stated she would compile it and upload to the assingment tab. Well I guess that Team Member 2 was upset about Team Member 1 not being available when she was so what happens????? Instead of uploading the compiled assignment (as required) she chose to send in the compilation of Team Member 3 (mine) and hers (Team Member 2) while sending seperately Team Member 1 information. So when I did not check and catch that wrong upload and received a 82% I was livid.

So my readers please remember if you are working on these Team Learning Groups the following:
1. From Day One of the Group-get every contact way and number from each and every member.
2. Do your assignment and have all the information from as many of the others as possible. It may be up to you to finish it.
3. Post a date that all assignment information must be posted to instructor at least 24 hours prior to the assignment due date.
4. Double check prior to the assignment due date and time. If it is not there at least 24 hours in advance, then make sure you upload it yourself.


We will continue this throughout the rest of this class and my on-line education experience. It sould be fun to see how it turns out.