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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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 Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 6:07 pm Post subject: No more skipping class as college ID systems go hi-tech |
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http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/12/04/2009120400262.html
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No More Skipping Class as College ID Systems Go High-Tech
Technology has revolutionized people's lives in every way over the past decades, and life on campus is no exception. One noticeable change is that Korean universities are making it harder for students to skip class by installing electronic systems to check attendance. The systems have their roots in the multi-function electronic student ID cards which double as debit and library cards that began appearing on campuses in the 1990s.... |
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kabrams
Joined: 15 Mar 2008
Location: your Dad's house
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| Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 7:42 pm Post subject: Re: No more skipping class as college ID systems go hi-tech |
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| bassexpander wrote: |
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/12/04/2009120400262.html
| Quote: |
No More Skipping Class as College ID Systems Go High-Tech
Technology has revolutionized people's lives in every way over the past decades, and life on campus is no exception. One noticeable change is that Korean universities are making it harder for students to skip class by installing electronic systems to check attendance. The systems have their roots in the multi-function electronic student ID cards which double as debit and library cards that began appearing on campuses in the 1990s.... |
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This is ridiculous. Attendance policies in University and college are bad policies. What they need to do is actually stop passing people who do poorly in classes.
If you can skip 90% of the class and still get an A, why do you need to go? Especially if you're in a huge 250 student lecture-style class where the prof will never know you're not there anyway. |
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whome?
Joined: 13 Nov 2009
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| Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 9:21 pm Post subject: |
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The first thing to note is that the overall 'feeling' of a Korean university campus more closely resembles high school than University for North Americans (I can't speak about the U.K. NZ or Aus). When they hit 3rd/junior year they tend to have matured an enormous amount, roughly on par with students in North America at the end of their first year.
Going from a HS system where they are completely monitored, no free time etc, to what for most is a complete lack of supervision, checking attendance might actually be a good thing for first years.
But this whole issue does speak to the difference between cultures and relatively maturity differences. From what I know several universities have a 5 class policy, whereby if you miss 5 classes you fail, regardless of what your mark is. Doctors notes, department notes, excuses absent students and don't count towards the five. But the issue is many universities allow notes from departments for things like "camping" and "dance practice for school festival". Therein lies a big difference between North American and K-Unis. I would have been laughed at if I tried to tell a professor I missed a quiz/test/assignment/presentation/class because I HAD to attend dance practice for the school festival. |
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rabidcake
Joined: 10 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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| whome? wrote: |
| I would have been laughed at if I tried to tell a professor I missed a quiz/test/assignment/presentation/class because I HAD to attend dance practice for the school festival. |
Hmmm, it's quite common to see that at universities, even my university. People say they have to skip class for a certain game, a special practice, even certain dance practices that are essential (for the dance majors that can only reserve a certain room at a certain time).
Most of the time they don't have to tell the teacher, since attendance is not mandatory. But even if there is a test there is usually room to negotiate, the idea of skipping class for extracircular activies is not so ridiculous as you may think here in America. |
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whome?
Joined: 13 Nov 2009
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| Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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| rabidcake wrote: |
Hmmm, it's quite common to see that at universities, even my university. People say they have to skip class for a certain game, a special practice, even certain dance practices that are essential (for the dance majors that can only reserve a certain room at a certain time).
Most of the time they don't have to tell the teacher, since attendance is not mandatory. But even if there is a test there is usually room to negotiate, the idea of skipping class for extracircular activies is not so ridiculous as you may think here in America. |
Missing classes due to a Florida Gators practice is something I understand. The school makes allowances for that.
But it may be that you and I have a different perspective on the matter because I have never been to a university with dance as a major. That alone would explain a few things. However, you phrasing is also key here.... there would be room to negotiate. That means there's an ackownledgement that this is a problem, something is wrong. And it still comes down to the idea that you're considered to be an adult and responsible in America. It really is more like HS here. |
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thrylos
Joined: 10 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 1:10 am Post subject: |
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This is the first semester I've tried a no attendance policy in my mandatory freshmen classes, even though I'm not supposed to.
In the past, I've gotten a forest worth of 'excuse notes' with some stamp on them asking to excuse Minho and Mina.
To my(?) credit, it's worked brilliantly. Students now realize I don't really care if they come to class or not, as long as they do their work, come for their quizzes and submit their graded homework on time. Except for the slackers (who would normally sleep or text message all of class time), everyone that's missed class has produced their work. Some complained that they were 'sick' on a quiz day and should be able to make it up, but I've stood fast and given them a zero because they missed it.
My grading this semester is based on ability and effort and not giving some slacker 10% just because they came to class to do makeup and discuss the soju they drank last night with their buddies in Korean in the back of class. Even though I've had classes with less than 50% showing up, those students that came were interested in learning and speaking. Its done wonders on class chemistry and student participation (for those that came). The rest either don't need the basic-level practice, as it shows on their tests and quizzes, and I get rid of slackers who fail on, well, basic stupidity. Win-win.
I've actually been able to get a couple of the Korean bilinguals to agree with me on this point, and man, I'm soooo much happier going into those freshie classes without seeing the brain dead flotsam. |
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abigolblackman
Joined: 06 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 10:44 am Post subject: |
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Funny, my ex- goes to Yonsei and they already have this system installed [back in 2008]. When I talked to my Korean co-teachers about this, they told me it was standard policy [again, back in 2008].
abigolblackman |
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DrugstoreCowgirl
Joined: 08 May 2009
Location: Daegu-where the streets have no name
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| Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 11:26 pm Post subject: Re: No more skipping class as college ID systems go hi-tech |
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| kabrams wrote: |
| bassexpander wrote: |
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/12/04/2009120400262.html
| Quote: |
No More Skipping Class as College ID Systems Go High-Tech
Technology has revolutionized people's lives in every way over the past decades, and life on campus is no exception. One noticeable change is that Korean universities are making it harder for students to skip class by installing electronic systems to check attendance. The systems have their roots in the multi-function electronic student ID cards which double as debit and library cards that began appearing on campuses in the 1990s.... |
|
This is ridiculous. Attendance policies in University and college are bad policies. What they need to do is actually stop passing people who do poorly in classes.
If you can skip 90% of the class and still get an A, why do you need to go? Especially if you're in a huge 250 student lecture-style class where the prof will never know you're not there anyway. |
That's how I feel! I hated classes that took attendance. I got my best grades in the courses where I hardly ever attended. I learn better on my own. I get bored sitting in class listening to someone talk. |
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Juregen
Joined: 30 May 2006
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| Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:21 am Post subject: |
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| I guess Koreans can never learn how to take responsibility for their choices. |
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