Category: Announcements (Page 3 of 6)

As has been stated in the syllabus since the beginning of the semester and was reviewed in this Course Grade Reminder post, Participation Activities count for 40% of the overall grade for this course. Some of you have perfect attendance! This is impressive. A few of you, however, could use a boost. Below is a project you are welcome to do for extra credit for Participation Activities.

If you write one paragraph (at least 6 sentences), you will get credit for one participation session; if you write two paragraphs, you will get credit for two sessions. If you respond to posts of two other students, you will get another credit. You can not get more than three participation credits.

Here is the kicker: you have to do this on the First Year Learning Communities page; if you do this on our class site, you will not get credit. I’m putting instructions here and the pdf below.

1. Join the First Year Learning Communities site on the OpenLab: https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/groups/fylc-first-year-learning-community/
2. Write a response to the reflective writing prompt below and post it to the First Year Learning Communities (FYLC) site*.
3. Once you have finished writing your post please select your FYLC faculty member as a category. (Sears & Niezgoda)
4. Read and comment on at least two other students’ posts from your class or another FYLC class.

Our Stories: Becoming a College Student Prompt Two

Research has shown that first-semester students often worry about their transition in to college and how eventually students become comfortable and find a community of people with whom they are close and feel they belong.

As we near the end of the semester, we invite you to share an experience about becoming a college student at City Tech. Aim to write 300-500 words and be sure to illustrate your post with examples from your own experiences in classes, seminars, lectures, study groups, or labs. What happened? How did you and others involved think and feel? How did it turn out?

To complete this assignment, make a post on the FYLC site as you do for our class after you have joined the FYLC site:

• click the plus (+) sign at the top of the FYLC site!
• select “add new” post from the dashboard
• write your post
• select your FYLC faculty member as a category
• read and comment on at least two of your peers’ stories.* If you have yet to create an account, see below

Download (PDF, 222KB)

Many of you have yet to post your three source entries on our OpenLab site and/or to respond to those who have already posted. While this overall writing task may seem more challenging than others we’ve had, the longer you put it off, the harder it will be to start. This Peer Review session also means you will be getting feedback on your work from your peers and from me, which means you will ultimately do better when the paper is due for a grade!

If you need a refresher on the assignment see the To-Do List from Oct. 20 and the To-Do List from Oct. 22 for assignment details and technical instructions.

To comment on those who have submitted their work–which you should do whether you have posted yours or not–go here: Peer Review Group Assignments: Unit 2, Source Entries

MIDTERM GRADES

Midterm grades will be posted on Blackboard by Thursday, Oct. 29.

 City Tech mid-term grades are as follows:

P = Passing the ENG 1101 class: typically, this means a mid C to A range

BL = Borderline between passing and failing the ENG 1101 class: typically this means a low C to D range

F = Failing the ENG 1101 class.

SA = Stopped Attending the ENG 1101 class.

These are not definitive grades. For example, a student might get a BL at midterm and still get a B as a final grade in the course if they start improving performance.  Alternatively, a student might get a P and midterm and lose focus and get a D  as a final grade in the course.

The purpose of these midterm grades is to alert students of their general status, so they make wise choices regarding the course. Midsemester is also  a time when registration for the next semester is near, and these grades can help you make decisions about your upcoming planning sessions. If you are anxious about registration for your upcoming spring classes, review the links for PLAN Week in the post below. PLAN stands for PLAN to LOCATE your ADVISOR NOW:

Feeling Mid-Term Stress? A Few Services at City Tech that Might Help