We're halfway through the term. You may remember that in the document on how I conduct evaluation in this course I said "at some point I'll organize a process of assessment to help you evaluate your own learning document." This is it.

In fact, really it's a process that should help you get a fairly clear idea of how you're progressing in this course overall. Here's how it works.

You should remember that there are two separate ways to generate a mark in this course: one has to do with keeping track of concrete tasks, by doing which you can guarantee yourself a minimum mark, and the other has to do with writing a learning reflection, which can generate a second minimum mark. Whichever is higher is the mark you get in the course.

Quantitative minimum

You should begin by looking at the records page. While we can't at this point tell much about the two required tasks, looking at the second and third tables will help you see what remains to be done. If you look at the records and it is clear to you that for whatever reasons you are not going to be able to fulfill the requirements about reading, seeing and posting with respect to four plays, or are not going to be able to participate in a Task Force and an Editorial Term, it's important to understand that you do not have to take an F in the course: you can drop it without penalty  (that is, avoid getting an F on your transcript) if you request a late drop and I support the request, which I will do. (I do not believe it's fair for someone who -- for whatever reasons, probably good ones -- simply couldn't participate fully in the course to have an F on a transcript.)

Now look at the top section of the page, which will tell you what the total number of tasks I have marked as completed for you is, as of the end of this week. So far, I have counted 20 tasks. Generally, my policy is that someone who has done fewer than three-fourths of the tasks assigned and counted would not qualify for a minimum quantitative mark: the totals ranging between a high of all the tasks and a low of three-quarters of them would be distributed in a range between B and C-. Thus, if you've completed twenty tasks your minimum mark would be a B; if you've completed 15 it would be a C-, and if it's in between your minimum would be in between.

Qualitative mark

The qualitative minimum mark is dependent on your demonstrating, in writing, what you've learned in the course. If you want to try this now (you don't have to), you should write a midterm learning reflection, and save it as the most current entry in your learning journal (head it "Midterm Reflection" so that I and others will know that it's not just a regular weekly entry. You can post a midterm reflection any time before class time next Friday, February 25. If you posted it before Sunday (February 20) at midnight, it would also count as your journal entry for that week; if after that, for the next week.

I've put together some suggestions for writing that sort of thing. You can read them here. I suggest you read through them before you decide whether or not you want to try writing a midterm reflection, and read them with some care if you do write one.