Straighterline won't allow me to fail?

[sambam0812]

Hello all, taking Communications. This class has an open book final exam. So far I have something like an 85% in the class, with just the persuasive presentation and final to go. I (purposefully) bomb the presentation--its only 3 minutes and required to be at least 6 minutes--because I can still pass with above a 70 without it.

However, these Academic Advisors will not allow me to just fail the assignment for some reason. They keep asking me to resubmit, even though I have told them I will take the points awarded (a 42%). This is just not computing.

How can I get through this class, because I literally will never be creating or submitting a 6-minute presentation on anything.

[allvia]

I suspect you're going to need to hit that 6 minute mark - it can likely be a bad 6 minutes, but I bet anything less than 6 minutes gets an automatic kick-back.

[jsh1138]

you could have done the other 3 min in the amount of time you've wasted on it, btw. Just do the 6 min

[Lacedonia4]

Some courses go by parameters, you have to meet the parameters to advance or complete a course, even if you already know the course in its entirety, if you do not complete some tasks according to the parameters it will be marked incomplete. Just follow the instructions and make them happy, you already know you passed. It is just 3 minutes.

[ss20ts]

You have to meet the assignment requirements. There's no bending these rules typically. The amount of time spent on this thread could have been used to complete the extra 3 minutes.

[posabsolute]

.... sometimes...


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[Thorne]

You have to meet the assignment requirements. There's no bending these rules typically. The amount of time spent on this thread could have been used to complete the extra 3 minutes.

Some courses go by parameters, you have to meet the parameters to advance or complete a course, even if you already know the course in its entirety, if you do not complete some tasks according to the parameters it will be marked incomplete. Just follow the instructions and make them happy, you already know you passed. It is just 3 minutes.

For real, right?

Playing devil's advocate, however, these rules actually shouldn't matter nor apply. Straighterline says the following for their written assignments (which, when I was enrolled, included verbal assignments) policy:

---

All written assignments, with the exception of Lab Experiments, are formatted consistently throughout our courses. Written assignments share the following characteristics:

1. Location: Assignments are located within your course topics. Some assignments (like most drafts) may be indicated as optional, while others are required.
   
   
2. Submissions: Unless otherwise noted, you have one (1) submission only for written assignments.
   
   
3. Format of submission: Instructions for file type, file naming and any specific details for the assignment are located in the assignment instructions.
   
   
4. Grading: Assignments are graded individually in the order in which they are received. Grades are posted to your assignment along with any specific feedback through TurnItIn.
   

They go further to say:

1. Clearly state your First and Last Name on your assignment. Your name must be listed exactly the way it is documented in your StraighterLine account? (e.g., if your middle initial is in the system, is it on your paper?)
   
   
2. Confirm that you properly cited external sources. Plagiarized submissions will be flagged by the grader and you will need to resubmit a revised version to receive a grade.
   
   
3. Save your assignment in an acceptable file format
   
   
4. Check to make sure you are uploading the correct assignment (this might sound like a no-brainer, but it happens all the time!)
   

There is, as stated, no requirement which demands that a student submits a quality assignment or even one that meets the parameters, so long as they submit an assignment and recognize the limitations of:
* One submission
* Correct file type
* Fname Lname on assignment
* No plagiariasm

If they do not explicitly state otherwise in the course syllabus, they should have just offered to give OP the grade.

That being said, OP, just do a 6 minute assignment and don't die on a hill for some stupid argument that you won't win anyway. It's literally 6 minutes of your life, almost as much time as it took me to write this post.

[sambam0812]

So, I did try adding 3 extra minutes of junk. They sent it back again. Apparently, there is some policy that students do not have access to that they won't grade a submission (aka fail a submission) because it doesn't fit the parameters of the assignment. Even though they agreed speaking for a predetermined time limit is not an SLO of the course, that I had already demonstrated proficiency in all of the SLO's based on all of my other grades, and that part of the actual grading rubric they supply indicates I can "fail" a portion of the assignment based on not adhering to time restrictions and relevancy/content. Then to top it off, they couldn't actually clarify what "relevant" entailed (e.g. if my presentation is about the dangers of drunk driving, can I talk about the time when I was 12 when my mom got shwasted and had to crawl up a flight of stairs she was so hungover?). Up until now, the advisors have been great. I'm probably just going to add in a similar personal type story that really has no actual persuasive value and maybe take some extra time in showing my ID.

It just seems so wild that a for-profit company will not allow you to make a decision on whether or not you want to fail an assignment.

---

You have to meet the assignment requirements. There's no bending these rules typically. The amount of time spent on this thread could have been used to complete the extra 3 minutes.

Some courses go by parameters, you have to meet the parameters to advance or complete a course, even if you already know the course in its entirety, if you do not complete some tasks according to the parameters it will be marked incomplete. Just follow the instructions and make them happy, you already know you passed. It is just 3 minutes.

For real, right?

Playing devil's advocate, however, these rules actually shouldn't matter nor apply. Straighterline says the following for their written assignments (which, when I was enrolled, included verbal assignments) policy:

---

All written assignments, with the exception of Lab Experiments, are formatted consistently throughout our courses. Written assignments share the following characteristics:

1. Location: Assignments are located within your course topics. Some assignments (like most drafts) may be indicated as optional, while others are required.
   
   
2. Submissions: Unless otherwise noted, you have one (1) submission only for written assignments.
   
   
3. Format of submission: Instructions for file type, file naming and any specific details for the assignment are located in the assignment instructions.
   
   
4. Grading: Assignments are graded individually in the order in which they are received. Grades are posted to your assignment along with any specific feedback through TurnItIn.
   

They go further to say:

1. Clearly state your First and Last Name on your assignment. Your name must be listed exactly the way it is documented in your StraighterLine account? (e.g., if your middle initial is in the system, is it on your paper?)
   
   
2. Confirm that you properly cited external sources. Plagiarized submissions will be flagged by the grader and you will need to resubmit a revised version to receive a grade.
   
   
3. Save your assignment in an acceptable file format
   
   
4. Check to make sure you are uploading the correct assignment (this might sound like a no-brainer, but it happens all the time!)
   

There is, as stated, no requirement which demands that a student submits a quality assignment or even one that meets the parameters, so long as they submit an assignment and recognize the limitations of:
* One submission
* Correct file type
* Fname Lname on assignment
* No plagiariasm

If they do not explicitly state otherwise in the course syllabus, they should have just offered to give OP the grade.

That being said, OP, just do a 6 minute assignment and don't die on a hill for some stupid argument that you won't win anyway. It's literally 6 minutes of your life, almost as much time as it took me to write this post.


I actually put effort into it---and got 3 minutes of good stuff. I realized I would fail, but why would I think they would spend 2 days grading it just to send it back, then I have to figure out what they want (and redo it), only to have it sent back AGAIN. It went from a few hours of prep to like, 5 days purely because of their arbitrary rules.

[allvia]

This also shows that passing these alternative credits aren't a free ride - they do take effort and work to complete.  I'm not suggesting you're personally looking for a free ride - I do understand going for the 'pass' only on certain gen ed requirements.  This route is better (quicker/cheaper) than the traditional route for many (like myself), but not a simple walk in the park either.

[Clepking100]

Man what are you talking about with this. Complete the 6minute assignment and move on, or do the class at a real school. Youve wasted more time than that on this thread.