Assessment

Course home page / Mary Hess home page / Mary Hess email / Luther Seminary / Fisher's Net

Assessment is a complicated and ongoing process. Given that you are engaging in this learning environment as part of your degree program at Luther Seminary, I am required to record a grade for your work in this class. One of the things I've learned about online education, however, is that it works best for people who are motivated internally by their own desire to learn something.

I hope that I have put together a framework in which you can pursue the kinds of learning goals that exist for you in Christian education. Below I have listed the five kinds of "work" I will use for assessment in this course. Please feel free to be in conversation with me about any or all of these!

 

Reading assignments

It is my hope that you will work through the reading assignments in some direct relation to the schedule. I will be reading your posts -- both in small groups and in the larger discussion -- for evidence that you can bring ideas you glean from the readings to your work in the class. I will also look for ideas from the readings to emerge in your final project (which should be appropriately cited!).


Small group work

Every unit includes exercises and questions that you will need to engage in your assigned small group. I will assess your work based on my read of your small group's interactions on the bulletin board, as well as through the quality of the presentations your group makes to the larger class in the main bulletin board. Although I will always read the discussions in the small groups, I will not often contribute directly to your interaction there, since I prefer to contribute in the large group context.


Discussion participation

Here I am primarily referring to the larger class discussion (although clearly your participation in small group work also includes discussion). I will look for a minimum of one original post each week, and two substantive responses to your colleague's posts. You are always -- of course! -- encouraged to participate more often and at more length, but if you can do the minimum you should feel that you are doing passing work.


Integration

There are two primary ways in which I will look for evidence of integration in your work. The first is in your learning autobiography work. This project (which is explained in more detail elsewhere on this web site), should grow over the course of the class. When you hand in the final version I will expect to see evidence of interaction with the ideas of the course, as well as a clear sense that you have engaged your own feelings and used both your ideas and feelings to shape your action.

The second place I will look for evidence of integration is in your final project.


Final project

The primary writing assignment in this class (in addition to participating in the course itself online, and doing your learning autobiography) will be a final project that can take many shapes. Click here for some ideas. Each category I suggest includes some writing, but some are more artistic and conceptual in shape. Again, if you have any questions, please e-mail me.


Grading

You will receive a grade of "P in this class if you hand in a learning autobiography, participate well in both the small group and the large group discussions and exercises, hand in an appropriate final project, and demonstrate engagement with ideas, feelings, and actions around the issues we explore. If you have any doubt about your progress in the course, please don't hesitate to e-mail me.

If you are taking the course for a letter grade, and would like more specific information on how levels of achievement correspond to specific letter grades, please don't hesitate to e-mail me.


 

5 February 2003