Don't wait until day 7 to participate - sometimes ALL the crits and writing is done by a student on day 7, all within a few minutes (you can see the time stamp).
What is wrong with Day 7 participation? Few will view it, or respond to it since they have moved on to the following week. How can that contribute to communication, participation, a conversation and learning experience?
It will ultimately cost you points - I highly recommend commenting a day or two after the assignment is due, and frequently during the week so the class dynamic is maintained and people can appreciate your input!
These can be easy points, taking only a few minutes, gaining you 10, 20 points a week.
Participation. re-read the reqs on this as it is the most frequent point loss -
Use design terminology and although communiques should be friendly/collegial keep it professional and objective -
My best friends in college were the ones who were honest with me about my work - so don't hesitate to provide a fresh set of eyes for someone's design. And "critical" is different than "negative" - Never be negative.
Also - if you like something and don't have anything critical to say - then expand upon WHY you like it, or why it works so well as a design or artwork.
Remember
'good job' and 'nice work' etc don't count as participation.
I don't count words usually but I can 'eyeball' quantity and quality
Pretend you are a boss or friend or art director commenting on something being shown to you - it can be casual and friendly but should be insightful - show us you have looked at the work - discuss line shape form texture space scale form movement depth overlapping etc...why you like something, what works, and what could be improved. Onground I require two positive comments and two critical (not negative) comments.
The following is from the AIPO participation requirements:]
1. Substantive participation consists of responses to classmates or the instructor in classroom discussions that relate to the course subject matter. Substantive responses should not be mere opinion, but must be based upon:
* the course content
* assigned reading
* related outside resources
* personal experience relevant to the week's topics
2. Quality of clarification
* providing a point of view with rationale
* challenging a point of discussion
* making a relationship between one or more points of the discussion
3. Participation is an opportunity for your instructor to see what you have learned and for you to demonstrate your comprehension of the materials. Substantive discussion should include the use of:
* relevant vocabulary words
* concepts from the readings exhibiting a command of the subject matter
* appropriate documentation or citation
A simple, "I agree," “Good work,” or “I like it,” does not count as substantive participation.
Here is an example of substantive participation:
In the online learning environment, how can we establish and build a sense of community?
Student A: A sense of community can be established by the instructor and students posting their autobiographies and sharing personal information about themselves. As we learn about each other and respond to each other's postings the sense of community becomes more evident. Through these activities we learn that we all may have similar questions and concerns as we move forward preparing to learn online.
Student B to Student A: I agree, personal stories and sharing our struggles and successes can contribute greatly to the sense of community through the online learning process. The fact that Student A has shared a photo of her daughter is a nice touch. It seems that these personal touches can add a sense of warmth to the overall dimension of e-learning.
Student C to Student A: I agree too, but I also think one of the most important elements about community building is trust. Respect is critical, but I also think trust is important. I believe that people are more likely to share openly if trust is established. How do you build trust in an online environment? Does anyone have any ideas about that?
Student D to Student C: Yes! I think as students we can build trust through respectful and meaningful participation with our classmates through the interactive process of the discussion threads especially in the area of critiques. No one, no matter how open and mature, enjoys negative feedback. In order to grow, we must be open to constructive feedback. I use the sandwich approach when I am critiquing a classmate's work. It is a technique that uses constructive observations/suggestions and sandwiches them between positive comments. The first positive comment builds trust, and is followed by constructive, supportive comment to identify specific changes, and is finished with a positive and encouraging note that builds confidence. We all walk away with a good feeling about the conversation. It is an excellent communication strategy online or off!
Student E to Student D: Thanks, Student D! I like your sandwich method and will use it to compose my thoughts in the future. I also enjoy reading the thoughts, opinions and issues of my classmates as well. It is extremely stimulating to come into a network with so many quality individuals. I am personally motivated to strive to put my best foot forward in my attempts to learn, inspire, and empower others. It's nice to feel that we aren't in an isolated vacuum, and that there are other students out there with similar questions and concerns.