End of Semester Reminders & Things

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(You should have received an email with the below contents as well.)


End of Semester Announcements – Please Read Carefully

A] On Exhibit Day, Thursday 5/5 

  • Our Final Project Exhibit Day is tomorrow, Thursday, May 5th.  It will take place during our regularly scheduled class period and in our regular room in Stokes North.
  • Please invite folks to attend. I’ve attached the flyer to this email.  There will be food and drinks.  Also . . .
  • There will be a ballot box near the door where visitors can vote for the exhibit piece they found the most compelling.  The group that receives the most votes will receive extra credit applied directly to the grade for their exhibit documents. Soooo invite your friends!
  • If you want to use supplies and/or seek any last minute consultation, I will be in my office tomorrow from 2:45 – 4:15 pm.  If you think you and/or members from your group might stop by, let me know. You do not have to have an appointment, however I can better plan bathroom breaks, phone calls, and distribution of supplies if I have a sense of who might be coming.
  • Please be on time and ready to assemble your exhibit piece at the start of class tomorrow. If you’re able to arrive 5-10 minutes earlier, all the better. 
  • Please know that my focus will be on setting up the food, the room, and assisting folks with any hanging or posting apparatus. Please do not approach me with questions about your individual assignments.  With the exception of my announcement about the extra credit opportunity for the course evaluation, I will not address anything during tomorrow’s class that is not related to the exhibit day specifically.
  • Once your group has sufficiently set up your exhibit piece, please be on hand to help with any additional set up that needs to happen.

B] On Final Project Submission After Exhibit Day

  • I grade three components to calculate students’ individual project grades. Those components include:
    • The project itself:
      • In addition to presenting your project on the exhibit day, each group should submit photos, video, and/or other documentary evidence of their completed final project.  You may tweak the project somewhat (e.g. strengthen and/or fix a detail) after the exhibit day, before submitting your documentation of the project.  If your project is primarily an interactive project, I highly encourage you to take pictures and/or videos of people interacting with your piece during the exhibit day.
    • The project documents.  
      • Each group should submit via email a total of 3 group authored pieces + an original thesis statement from each group member. For more details, see the course site. 
    • The self/group assessment form (Form goes live on class site at 12:01 am on 5/6). 
      • I’ve scheduled the self/group assessment form to post on the class site first thing on Friday, May 6 at midnight (so really still Thursday night).  Each student should complete and submit this form on their own without assistance from and/or consultation with their group.   
  • You may turn in all three components by 5/10.  OR. You may choose to submit one component (of your choosing) on 5/10; a second component (also of your choosing) on 5/11; and the final component on 4/12.

C]  On Final Journal Assessment

  • The “Final Journal Assessment” form is up on the class site.  Your completed form  and other journal assessment materials are due a week from today.  As with the midterm journal assessment, you’re responsible for submitting the following:
    • A featured journal entry. (If you’ve made arrangements with me to submit 2,  submit 2.)
    • Evidence of the whole journal. (Show me during office hours or email video or photos.)
    • Thoughtfully completed responses to the final journal assessment form. (The form is up on the class site; you can access it by clicking here.)
  • In order to respect the study days, I have pushed the due date for the final journal assessment to 5/10 on the schedule of assignments.  For your convenience, I’ve included those changes below as well. 

D]  On outstanding assignments

  • Unless you’ve made other arrangements with me, today is the last day to submit any late/outstanding assignments.   I will not accept any posts or past due assignments after today, Wednesday, May 4th at 11:59 pm. 
  • With the exception of a (documentable) unforeseen emergency, I will not grant incompletes and/or extensions after Friday, May 6th at 6:00 pm.  
  • Please Note – I will not grant extensions or incompletes without first meeting with you to discuss a feasible plan for completing the work.  Emailing to request an extension and/or incomplete does not mean that you’ve been granted an extension and/or incomplete.  If you think you will need an extension and/or incomplete, you must make an appointment to speak with me prior to the May 6th deadline.  
  • To be clear:  In the context of our course:  Unforeseen = a crisis that occurs between 5/6 -5/13 that could not have been reasonably predicted beforehand.    Emergency = a death and/or an acute life threatening medical crisis to you or a member of your immediate family.   

E] On extra credit opportunities

  • My goal is to announce all extra credit recipients (“winners”) by the end of the study days / reading period.  I will be announcing extra credit recipients for the following activities:   Who’s to blame (in-class) debate  (“Color Struck”);  Mock Trials for the following; and the Around the World name game.
  • All extra credit (with the exception of the course evaluation and end-of-semester questionnaire discussed below) is due by 11:59 pm Saturday, May 7th.     
  • The schedule of assignments mentions Course Evaluation Extra Credit opportunities.  I offer extra credit towards your quiz (and participation grade) for completing the official BC course evaluation, and I offer additional extra credit for completing my end-of-semester questionnaire.  
  • I will discuss these extra credit opportunities at the end of class tomorrow (as we strike the exhibit pieces).  
  • I will not post additional information about these extra credit opportunities.  If you miss the information in class, you will need to reach out to one of your classmates for their notes if you wish to take advantage of this extra credit opportunity.

F] On documentation for excused absences.  

  • The last date to submit appropriate documentation for any excused absences is Friday, May 6th by 4:00 pm.  
  • After this date, I will consider absences without qualified documentation as “unexcused.”  
  • Some examples of appropriate documentation include, but are not necessarily limited to the following:  dean’s note; doctor’s letter; letter from athletics department; etc.)

G] On grades for ICCE  posts. 

  • – My goal is to return grades for all ICCE posts by Friday, May 6th.  
  • – If you wish to receive feedback sooner, you can schedule time during office hours this afternoon, and I will assess your assignment during that time.  

H] On Virtual Office Hours

  • The remaining virtual office hours for this semester are all virtual. They will take place by appointment only at the following times:  
    • Wed., May 4th   |  4:30 – 6:00 pm 
    • Frid., May 6th    |  2:45 – 4:15 pm 
    • Mon., May 9th   | 10:30 -11:30 am  
    • Tues., May 10th |  1:00 – 2:00 pm
  • As usual, you must schedule an appointment at least two hours before the start of the office hour period.  If no one has signed up, I will not sign on to the office hours session.
  • Please use the virtual Office Hours Zoom Link:  https://bccte.zoom.us/j/92323122773

Important Dates & Deadlines:


Wednesday, 5/4 (TODAY)

  • 11:59 pm – The last day to submit (albeit with late penalty) any outstanding posts, comments, approved revisions, and/or other assignments is Wednesday, May 4th by 11:59 pm.

Thursday, 5/5

  • 2:45 -4:15 pm – Last chance to consult with professor and/or use supplies in Prof. Curssen’s office located in Stokes South 441.
  • 4:30 pm (4:45 for guests) – We will host our Book Exhibit Day on the Last Day of Class, Thursday, May 5th in our regular class during our regular class time.  Remember to be on time; prepared; useful; engaged; supportive; and present for the entire class.

Friday, 5/6 

  • 4:00 pm – Documentations for excused absences due Friday, May 6th by 4:00 pm
  • 6:00 pm – Deadline to meet with professor to discuss a possible extension and/or incomplete

Saturday, 5/7

  • 11:59 pm –  All Extra credit Opportunities Due Saturday, May 7th by 11:59 pm. (except credit associated with course evaluations)

Monday, 5/9

  • 4:00 – 5:30 pm –  Last virtual office hours of the semester will be on Monday, May 9th (by appointment only)

Tuesday, 5/10

  • 11:59 pm –  Project Part 1 of 3 Due, Tuesday, May 10 by 11:59 pm.

Wednesday, 5/11

  • 11:59 pm –  Project Part 2 of 3 Due Wednesday, May 11 by 11:59 pm. 

Thursday, 5/12

Friday, 5/13

  • 11:59 pm –  EVAL 1 EXC – Email me a screenshot verifying you submitted the official BC course evaluation for this course by 11:59 pm (just before midnight) on 5/13.

Saturday, 5/14

  • 12:00 pm (noon) –  EVAL 2 EXC – End of Semester Student Questionnaire due by noon on 5/14 (see email for more details)

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