Comments on: Blackboard Gradebook Sucks http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/ Utterly random, incoherent and disjointed rants and ramblings... Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:32:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: Luke Maciak http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6210 Sat, 15 Sep 2007 02:12:18 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6210 You know - you are right. The main benefits are: - Students already know how to use it - Roughly 90% of the professors in the department use it (and I'm guessing the ratio might be similar for the whole school). This provides a centralized point for posting class related announcements, lecture notes and assignments. They will get your announcements, while they are checking information for their other classes. Making them visit additional websites is like pulling teeth. If I taught a high level class I'd definitely consider a blog and more personal approach as people who take these classes are generally interested in the subject. But 100 level, required courses mean that you generally get a lot of kids who just want a passing grade, and will go to great lengths to to as little work for the class as possible. You know - you are right. The main benefits are:

- Students already know how to use it
- Roughly 90% of the professors in the department use it (and I’m guessing the ratio might be similar for the whole school).

This provides a centralized point for posting class related announcements, lecture notes and assignments. They will get your announcements, while they are checking information for their other classes.

Making them visit additional websites is like pulling teeth. If I taught a high level class I’d definitely consider a blog and more personal approach as people who take these classes are generally interested in the subject. But 100 level, required courses mean that you generally get a lot of kids who just want a passing grade, and will go to great lengths to to as little work for the class as possible.

]]> by: calling all toasters http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6208 Sat, 15 Sep 2007 01:09:04 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6208 Love/hate relationship? What the hell is there to love about it, other than the workout your lungs get from screaming at it? Things work better by plain old email for sending out the notices and documents. 15 minutes invested at the beginning of the semester in entering email addresses into Outlook, and I'm done. Anyone wants their grades early, they email me and I reply. You don't need it for Turnitin.com, either. Want a dialogue with your students? Start a blog. Kick the stupid evil scumbag malware off your computer and out of your life. Love/hate relationship? What the hell is there to love about it, other than the workout your lungs get from screaming at it? Things work better by plain old email for sending out the notices and documents. 15 minutes invested at the beginning of the semester in entering email addresses into Outlook, and I’m done. Anyone wants their grades early, they email me and I reply. You don’t need it for Turnitin.com, either. Want a dialogue with your students? Start a blog. Kick the stupid evil scumbag malware off your computer and out of your life.

]]> by: Jenroy the Destroyer http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6170 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 03:06:39 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6170 If you had Netflix, you'd be able to watch the first 2 seasons instantly on your computer. I love these anti-spam blocking words that I have to type to comment on your page. My favorite one of all time was 'foobar.' If you had Netflix, you’d be able to watch the first 2 seasons instantly on your computer. I love these anti-spam blocking words that I have to type to comment on your page.

My favorite one of all time was ‘foobar.’

]]> by: Luke Maciak http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6169 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 02:59:02 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6169 No problem. If you have any questions let me know. The Office is one of those shows that I keep hearing about that I always plan to watch but never actually do. :) No problem. If you have any questions let me know.

The Office is one of those shows that I keep hearing about that I always plan to watch but never actually do. )

]]> by: Jenroy the Destroyer http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6168 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 02:52:23 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6168 I really enjoy Blackboard for it's inconvenience, lack of real security, and it's ability to pick and choose which emails it will send or not. OT, but here is a link to the scene of The Office I was telling you about: http://youtube.com/watch?v=h-f3q6C-8OE Thanks for helping me out today. I really enjoy Blackboard for it’s inconvenience, lack of real security, and it’s ability to pick and choose which emails it will send or not.

OT, but here is a link to the scene of The Office I was telling you about:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=h-f3q6C-8OE

Thanks for helping me out today.

]]> by: Luke Maciak http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6167 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 01:57:19 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6167 <strong>@Zewrestler</strong> - oh man, you'd thing that there would be other alternatives out there. Sigh... <strong>@varci</strong> - LOL, this is the same thing that Dr. Robila told me - you can always make someone drop a class. ;) @Zewrestler - oh man, you’d thing that there would be other alternatives out there. Sigh…

@varci - LOL, this is the same thing that Dr. Robila told me - you can always make someone drop a class. )

]]> by: vacri http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6166 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 01:50:11 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6166 Just kick out one of your students. Not only will you then get the optimal number of 25, but you'll also gain a rep for being a hardarse who's not to be messed with. :p Just kick out one of your students. Not only will you then get the optimal number of 25, but you’ll also gain a rep for being a hardarse who’s not to be messed with. :p

]]> by: ZeWrestler http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6164 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 23:07:20 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6164 This is true, but I still have to work with it at grad school. This is true, but I still have to work with it at grad school.

]]> by: Luke Maciak http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6163 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 19:47:08 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6163 Yeah.. But I get to deal with all this fun stuff once again. :P Sigh... Yeah.. But I get to deal with all this fun stuff once again. P Sigh…

]]> by: ZeWrestler http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6162 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 17:33:25 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2007/09/11/blackboard-gradebook-sucks/#comment-6162 Ah, memories Ah, memories

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