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Virginia College Online Giving me an F because of an instructors fault Birmingham Alabama
I had been attending college on line with VCO (Virginia College online). One of my minors was Word Processing. The school required the use of a site titled Myitlab, which the cd for downloading and subscribing was mailed to the students. I had issues with this site and was unable to do almost all the assignments, as with few other students having same issue as well.
Using this site for learning activities and homework assignments began about the fourth week of this term in my Word Processing class.
This site was supposed to guide students through the completion and submitting of their assignments with Microsoft Word. My issue was that no matter what I chose as an answer, I got an alert message stating "wrong answer". Even when I followed the hint and/or show me buttons (which guides you through the correct procedure) I still got the same message alert.
I sent my instructor an e mail message alerting him of this issue. His reply was to use the hint and/or show me buttons. I replied back telling him that I had already tried that, same thing keeps happening; "wrong answer" message alert. The next message I got from him was an attachment that showed me where the hint/show me buttons on the assignment page of the site were, even though I had already stated that I tried that step. In the meantime, I am unable to do the assignments because while in the site attempting them, they are not submitted, which is done automatically, until the assignment is completed, or you close that "page". If the student chooses to close it, it is submitted automatically, with points for the remainder of the assignment that was not completed deducted from the over-all grade. During this time frame, I am getting behind in my homework.
Finally, when I sent him a message requesting to do the assignments by going directly into Mocrosoft Word and using the textbook or I will transfer to another college, he then granted me this.
He then sent me a list of assignments, which we were already about six to seven weeks into the term (the term consisted of 11 weeks). I had all these plus the current week assignments to do.
The majority of that week I would sit at my computer after working all day (I have a full time job and was working over time as well) and do these assignments until I got nauseas because of the repeated looking back and forth from the textbook to the monitor, and vise-versa.
I sent him the assignments as an attachment to his e mail at the college, only to get a message back telling me some of them were the wrong assignments. I went by the list he sent me, but still the majority of them were the wrong ones.
Alot of the substitute assignments, which he then sent me another list, did not guide the student (me) through the steps to complete.
At this same time, not only did I have another class I had homework assignments to do, I also had a group essay project we were assigned to do in our Word Processing class due week 10, which was fast approaching.
I finally gave up on getting the proper help from my instructor and sent an e mail to one of my advisors stating the problems I was having in this class with the assignments and instructor. She immediately passed this information onto the program director, who then contaced me via e mail, and at my place of employment. I explained to her the situation in full detail.
By this time, we were already nearing the end of week 10, just one week remaing for the term.
When doing the missed assignments, I would file them on my computer desktop for more ease in locating to submit. I had to take my computer to where I got it for servicing, and was given a 'loaner" to use for this duration.
The 19th being the last day of this term, I got a message from her on about the 16th with a list of missing assignments she obtained from my instructor.
I replied with the (above) information about my computer being serviced and I would have to do them all over again.
Our final exam was done through the college website, which I received a 95%, was given a 90% for the group essay, 100% on our class discussion board, and brought other grades up from C's/D's to almost all B's and some A's. At the same time staying up to par in my other class.
The morning of the 20th, last day of the term, I was sent the message of getting an F for my grade in class.
According to the list the program director sent me, there were eight missing assignments. These not giving any guidance as to the specific steps to take to do them, each one could take about one to two hours to complete due to having to go back and forth from page to page in the textbook.
The original list of assignments I was given are titled "Hands on Exercises" and "Skill Based Training", h*e and SBT for short. For example: Chap. 4 h*e (SBT) #1. Those give instructions throughout the assignment guiding the student through each step. Whichever ones was initially given to me are the ones I had done. The assignments that do not give guidance for each step are titled "Mid Level Exercises". I was expected to know up-front most of the ones he sent titled SBT were actually the mid level exercises for me to do.
As a result of his inadequacy of assigning the homework I was actually supposed to do, I am receiving an F for the class.
Helen
Batavia, Ohio
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Wendi
Ft Polk,Louisiana,
U.S.A.
My experience
#4Consumer Comment
Fri, September 05, 2008
I have to agree with Richard. I take 8 week, online courses and have been for over a year, non stop. I do not work, but I DO have 5 children- 16, 10, 7, 5 and 3. My husband is in the ARMY and while he has never been deployed, he has been in Korea (one year, returned in May) and his schedule is at the mercy of his NCO (last night he worked from 8pm to 8am). I have responsiblities ranging from laundry, grocery shopping, sports for the kids AND husband, as well as meals and everything in between. All of my classes are now 300 level classes. I have papers to write and mid-terms and finals to study for. I am on the Dean's List.
ANY problem I have EVER had was quickly resolved. The teachers do NOT want their students to fail. The whole point of being a teacher is to teach.
Perhaps your communications were misunderstood, but it does seem to me that you took quite a bit of time to attempt to solve this issue. At times, being blunt and direct is the only way to get a resolution. Most times, seeking resolution in a timely manner is the only way.
Richard
Gardendale,Alabama,
U.S.A.
Virginia College Degrees
#4Consumer Comment
Thu, September 04, 2008
As a former student of Virginia College who completed a Bachelors Degree online, let me make a few points as to the obvious flaws of this complaint.
You state that I have a full time job and was working over time as well, and do these assignments until I got nauseas because of the repeated looking back and forth from the textbook to the monitor, and vise-versa.
Interesting comment. That's the goal of the online format, providing the convenience of study at home per our schedules. If looking back and forth from a book to a monitor makes you nauseas", how did you expect to study and complete your work? In all my classes I had a combination of bookwork and computer work to complete by a given deadline.
At this same time, not only did I have another class I had homework assignments to do, I also had a group essay project we were assigned to do.
Getting a degree in any format is a lot of work. In the online environment it can be especially difficult for those that lack the discipline of time management.
My issue was that no matter what I chose as an answer, I got an alert message stating 'wrong answer'.
By week two, if I was still having an issue with ANYTHING I would have contacted my Program Director and asked to be dropped and requested a refund of the class.
Not giving any guidance as to the specific steps to take to do them, each one could take about one to two hours to complete due to having to go back and forth from page to page in the textbook.
Instructions were always available in the online web based portal in my classes.
My computer being serviced and I would have to do them all over again.
That is invalid. Taking classes online requires a computer, period, and they put that in writing. It is our responsibility to keep up with our work, not the Instructor, not the Program Director and not the school.
My Program Director(s) were always available to help me resolve the issues that come up during any 4 year period through my educational process, and while every issue may not have been resolved in my favor, they made sure I received the education I was paying for.
In summation I would say that any educational endeavor requires us students to be responsible for our end of things including the business end. I surely do not want them to cheapen my effort or degree because they go easy on the ones that have not.
Jenn
Wheeling,West Virginia,
U.S.A.
Place blame
#4Consumer Comment
Thu, August 07, 2008
Before you solicit the school to be negligent on such a site as this in regards to something a professor did to you in regards to your grade, don't you think you should have taken it to the program director first to rectify the situation?