Advising Daughter about Professor Issue

EPTR · 11-10-2012, 01:11 PM

My D was assigned to take an online quiz with a deadline of 7 pm. She began taking it at 6 and was near completion at 6:45 when the program inexplicably logged her out. She was unable to log back on and contacted IT. They told her that they have been having a problem with it lately and to contact the Professor and explain what happened. The professor responded to her email that she couldn't help her out because my D had waited until the last minute to take the quiz and now it was too late. (My D emailed her at 6:50 immediately following her phone call to IT).
She emailed her again and received no response. This will bring her grade from an A to a B if the professor does not help her out with this.

Any advice?

emeraldkity4 · 11-10-2012, 01:27 PM

That is a problem with assignments or tests that are given online. It's practically a guarantee that the system will become overloaded close to the deadline.
It would be nice if the prof could give an extension, but I expect this is something they expect students to anticipate.

SteveMA · 11-10-2012, 01:34 PM

I have to agree with the professor on this...

ordinarylives · 11-10-2012, 01:35 PM

Not really. She did what she was supposed to do and contacted the professor. She got an answer back. Bottom line, college profs will not, nor do they have to, make allowances like high school teachers did.

LBowie · 11-10-2012, 01:36 PM

My advice is, as hard as it may be, stay out of it even from an advice-giving perspective. This problem is one for your daughter to solve, how she handles it, whatever the result may be, could end up being important for her self-esteem as a problem solver and independent adult. I agree, it does sound unfair, but it is really between her and the professor.

rhumbob · 11-10-2012, 01:37 PM

A good lesson to learn. Waiting until the last minute can come back to bite you.

zobroward · 11-10-2012, 01:38 PM

it is no different then cutting it close with a flight! you know, airprorts are a mess , slow moving, you need to play security theater and still get to the plane at least ten minutes before it is going to leave. sorry, a life lesson should be learned!

Amesie · 11-10-2012, 01:54 PM

As a professor, I have two thoughts. First, in classes where I have a bunch of quizzes or graded homework assignments, I typically drop the lowest grade, for reasons such as this. Ask your D to check the syllabus to see if the prof drops a lowest grade. Second, see if any other students had a similar problem and approach the prof together. I could spend my entire life chasing down individual problems that students have with assignments--power went out, internet was down, computer crashed, etc. all right before an assignment is due, of course. But if a number of students have the same problem, it is easier to deal with.

EPTR · 11-10-2012, 01:55 PM

^^^^
She does that too! Lol. Thanks everyone. I do think it's unfair. If the deadline is 7 then she should be more flexible in my opinion. But yes, I need to let her handle it. I did advise her to go talk to her in person.

threeofthree · 11-10-2012, 01:57 PM

I don't think it's fair but neither is life. My husband and I have been drilling that into our boys for the last 37 years - the older ones have figured it out, but the youngest a senior in high school still says "yeah yeah, I know" but he hasn't been slapped in the face with it yet. I am keeping a file of these threads with good "life lessons" - this is a real one, along with the argument with the professor about the math problem for son to review before heading off to college. I do hope the professor does come back with some allowance for a retake or extra credit.

HarvestMoon1 · 11-10-2012, 02:00 PM

I don't know that it was unreasonable for the student to start the quiz at 6:00 pm if the deadline was 7pm. Why is that too late? The IT Department stated they were having problems lately, so why should the student be penalized? I guess the answer depends on whether or not you believe she should have anticipated that the system would go down. IMO, she deserves a break here. I would advise her to talk to the prof in person, and relay to him what IT told her. Just seems a bit harsh to me.

oldfort · 11-10-2012, 02:00 PM

I think that is bull. If a professor wants to use online test, she needs to make sure it works. If it doesn't then she needs to give students an extension. OP's daughter did it within the time line. OP's D was not late, she didn't do anything wrong. Just because someone is a professor, it doesn't give her card blanche, she still needs to behave within reason. The professor knew there has been a lot of problem with the computer, why didn't she try to fix it or give her students heads up. I would have a discussion with the professor. If she gets no where, then I would go up the food chain.

I don't know why people think just because it's a professor and it's a college that all reasonable expectation should just go out the window.

What I drill into my girls is that when it is unreasonable then they need to speak up and do not just accept it.

Amesie · 11-10-2012, 02:02 PM

I am curious why you think it is unfair. If it is not turned in by the deadline, it is not turned in. My H is an attorney, and if court documents are not filed by a certain time, they are not filed on time and the court disregards them. Computer problems are common enough that students should not log on at the last minute and expect not to have any issues, in my opinion. An earthquake or hurricane--then the deadline gets moved for everyone. A student who waited to the last minute and experienced a mundane computer problem does not necessarily warrant an adjustment.

emeraldkity4 · 11-10-2012, 02:07 PM

I don't know why people think just because it's a professor and it's a college that all reasonable expectation should just go out the window.

Do you expect FAFSA & the IRS to be as equally accommodating to folks who wait till the last minute?

oldfort · 11-10-2012, 02:07 PM

Colleges gave ED applicaition extension when power went out. No, computers do not go out all the time. This professor knew her online test had a lot of problem, yet, she did nothing about it. She could have given the students another alternative knowing the computer was flaky, but she didn't.