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Presentations
As Global College students tend to pursue many of their studies independently in the second semester, there is obviously a broad range of subjects being studied. Second semester presentations give the entire community the chance to benefit from each other's learning. They also offer each student the opportunity to develop skills in organizing materials in order to educate others. In the first semester there is limited choice in a "mock presentation" assignment designed to aid in preparing the spring presentation. Spring presentations can take the form of a short talk, a demonstration, a video that a student has made, a slide show or any form that the student feels can best demonstrate his or her learning. Students are usually allotted twenty minutes each for their presentations, plus a question and answer period. Students and faculty are asked to assess the presentation in the form of written feedback.
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Self-evaluations
Students are asked to evaluate their learning at both mid-semester
and at semester's end. The purpose is to allow students a chance
to step back and reflect on their own progress, both academic and
personal.
Self-evaluations are
divided into two categories: A course-based evaluation and a more
general and personal evaluation. The sole purpose of both of these
evaluations is to give the student the opportunity to reflect upon
and trace his or her progress during the semester.
For the course-based
evaluation, the student should comment on his or her performance
according to both personal learning objectives and course objectives.
The following questions may be used to stimulate thinking in each
area but comments should not be limited to them.
1. Personal learning
objectives - What has/have been the most significant learning experience(s)
for you in this course? Explain. Did you develop, change, and progress?
Why or why not? Were there any surprises?
2. Course objectives
and Goals - Look at your learning plan and goal statement and think
about the objectives you had for each course at the beginning of
the semester. Comment on your view of your personal achievement
in relation to those goals.
The general self-evaluation
should be broader than the course evaluations and should include
experiences students had during the semester besides those that
are academically based. These questions should be used as a jumping
off point but should not limit responses.
Personal - What have
been the most significant learning experiences for you during your
stay here? How did they affect you? What have you learned from them?
Cultural - What have
you learned about your own culture by being here? What have you
learned about the culture (where you studied) that is different
from what you expected?
All mid-semester evaluations
should be submitted to the student's advisor. Semester end evaluations
are to be included in the student's Portfolio of Learning. Course-based
evaluations should follow the appropriate course section in the
Portfolio. The general self evaluation should be at the end of the
Portfolio.
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Final
Evaluations
Global College
provides students with narrative evaluations of their learning activities
rather than grades. Evaluations cap a semester-long process in which
students meet regularly with their faculty advisors to review the
progress of their studies. While components are identified
and evaluated for credit, they can in fact, often comprise interrelated
aspects of a single learning activity, which may be reflected in
the final evaluation.
Unlike final exams, evaluation
of the semester’s work should be an ongoing process.
Throughout the semester students submit parts of their working portfolio
for faculty review and comment. Following the timeline established
by center requirements, and frequently approximately two weeks before
the end of term, the draft copy of the portfolio may be presented,
allowing time for the faculty advisors to skim through and suggest
revisions if necessary. Ideally within the last two weekends
of the semester, a formal presentation, accompanied by a reflective
integrative essay, is also presented for credit. The written
evaluation of the entire portfolio of learning is recorded and becomes
part of the student’s Permanent Study Record.
Students who are “visiting” from other universities
can request grades in advance of their enrollment by submission
of the “Visiting Student Agreement Form”, obtainable
through their admissions process.
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