Sunday, April 27, 2008

E-mail downer: Prof unimpressed with quiz grades.

"After a great start in Chapter 1, the Chapter 2 quiz results were disappointing. This is the most important chapter. ... Most of all: Lecture point 1: ... 2... 3 ... Remember, each chapter builds on an understanding of the prior chapter. Please, ... Please ask questions ..."

Just opened this little eye-popper from the online course prof. Until now, she's e-mailed very tactful, easy-does-it lectures, notes, and responses to our queries. As she goes on a typo-littered little summary of the points she feels we missed as a collective whole, I can see her pounding her head on the keyboard at the end. The e-mail ends abruptly, all her points not finished, as if she caught herself repeating the entire 5-page Chapter 2 lecture, but e-mailed this anyway.

Ouch. I thought I was doing a pretty good job skirting time-eating work in the book but still grasping the crucial points and work at least competently. Only silver lining is that it seems others did far worse than I did -- it's a terrible thing though when the only upside is other people's greater agony. Going back outside for some fresh air, and when I come back, perhaps I'll have recharged enough to re-tackle some of the concepts we're going to "build on" this week.

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