ACCESS GRADES

The Workshop Classroom

Instructions for each workshop session will be available on T-Square beginning the second week of the semester. Drafts associated with workshop sessions should be uploaded to T-Square. Critiques should also be submitted through T-Square.

What is a "Workshop"?

This course revolves around Senior Design and its semester-long client projects. Documents and presentations produced for Senior Design will be filtered through 3401 and improved through a process of rewriting and revision. In order to facilitate this process, I have designed the course around a workshop model that encourages hands-on, "active" learning. Fifteen of 29 class periods are designated as workshop sessions. In these sessions, you will:

  • Workshop documents prepared for Senior Design - In these sessions, each student will arrive to class having already submitted a draft version of a document and critiqued five others submitted by other students in the class (this is done through T-Square). Over a period spanning two class periods, I will choose five of these papers to examine in depth during class period. Students will follow a schedule for submitting drafts and critiques.
  • Workshop presentations for Senior Design - These sessions will be devoted to improving presentations. Like the document workshops, students will submit their slides and critiques of slides from five other students for presentations to T-Square according to a schedule. Students will also be called upon to rehearse segments of presentations in class during these sessions.
  • Review - In these sessions, we will examine documents submitted by students in this class.

How will workshops be graded?

Each workshop session is worth 2% of your grade for the semester. There are 15 workshop sessions. This means that 30% of your grade is determined by basic attendence and participation in the workshop feature of the course.

Students who submit drafts and critiques as scheduled, show up to class on time, stay for the duration, and actively participate in the workshop will receive full credit for the workshop. Not submitting a draft on time can result in a failing grade for the "Final" version of document being workshopped as well as the loss of full credit for the workshop. Not submitting critiques, or submitting cursory critiques, can result in the student losing full credit for the workshop.

What are the workshop "rules"?

The following rules apply to workshop sessions:

  • Workshops cannot be made up due to absence. This policy is firm and non-negotiable, so please refrain from asking me for workshop makeups.
  • Students are expected to actively and enthusiastically participate in workshop sessions.
  • There is no partial credit given for workshops.
  • Students can expect their work to be discussed and critiqued publically as part of the workshop.
  • Students must be present for the entire class period in order to receive credit for workshop.
  • Laptop computers can be used as a powerful learning tool; they can also become a powerful distraction in the classroom. My policy about laptop usage is simple: Students who use laptop computers for personal use during class time will lose credit for the workshop that day. If the practice continues, I reserve the right to reduce the student's course grade by and entire letter grade.