Participation

We consider your active engagement with all the aspects of the course to be essential to achieving the learning outcomes we have established as our main objectives of this course. Since many of the aspects mentioned involve work OUTSIDE of class, we explain them in detail here. Some of the work you will be doing will be individual (e.g. going over assigned materials prior to meetings or f2f class time). You will be evaluated on how regularly, critically and thoroughly you engage with these materials. You are expected to be willing to contribute, apply critical thinking and motivate thought-provoking discussion between you and your partners (locally and internationally).

You should be willing to try out new things. Be ready to deal with some technical glitches and personal challenges; you must be willing to work through them. Be open to exploring. Help your classmates, both in Illinois and in Barcelona. Of course, also do the preparatory activities and be ready to talk about them and work with the ideas that emerge from the materials! Remember, big electronic brother (professor) will be watching! ;-)

In short, participation cannot be considered simply as attending class and perfunctory delivery of assignments: participation is being highly engaged at both individual and group level. These are enumerated in more detail below.

Individual Participation

As mentioned in the description of this class, we will be examining a number of CMC tools over the course of the semester. Some of this exploration will take place during our regular class time, and you'll be doing more exploring on your own. In short, this is meant to be very much a hands-on course.

Be active in class. Be willing to try out new things. Be ready to have some technical glitches and be willing to work through them. Explore. Help your classmates, both in Illinois and in Barcelona. Of course, also do the readings and be ready to talk about them! Remember, big electronic brother (professor) will be watching! ;-)

What is is worth?
(To be determined).

How will we know?
Individual participation will be judged primarily via attendance, active and positive class participation (individual contribution to knowledge building, based on teacher and peer assessment), and timely contribution of sub-tasks and assignments. Anyone who puts the effort into this course should easily get full points in this area.

Group Participation (UIUC/UAB Project Collaboration)

Your participation in the Illinois/UAB collaboration is critical. Some of your collaboration will take place between members of your own class, but it will also include the work you will do with your partners in Barcelona/Illinois, some of it synchronous, and some asynchronous As most of the studies regarding distance collaboration which you will read in this course show, the success or failure of collaboration (whether face-to-face or online) strongly depends on how willing the participants are to put in sincere effort.

Shortly after the beginning of the semester for Barcelona, we'll collect schedules via a Doodle and then form working groups that become your partners for the rest of the term.

Your collaboration grade includes:

A number of online assignments
Time spent working with your partners (both Illinois and Barcelona)

When is it due?
Throughout the semester.

How will participation be assessed? Your participation will be evaluated via attendance (if you are not there you can't participate!), active engagement in the assigned activities, self-assessment rubrics and peer-assessment.