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UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA FACULTY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION POLICY MANUAL FOR INSTRUCTORS 2013 – 2014 www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/elementaryed/ RESOURCES INSTRUCTORS’ POLICY MANUAL 2013-2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTACTS ........................................................................................................................................................................ 2 ACADEMIC SCHEDULE 2013-2014.................................................................................................................................... 4 APT/IPT Final Exam Schedules 2013-2014 .................................................................................................................... 5 PREPARING YOUR COURSE ............................................................................................................................................... 7 Course Outline Requirements .................................................................................................................... 8 Course Materials ............................................................................................................................................. 11 Photocopying Course Materials .............................................................................................................................. 11 Textbooks ................................................................................................................................................................ 11 eClass Powered by Moodle ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Course Packs ........................................................................................................................................................... 11 Library Reserve ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 Copyright ................................................................................................................................................................ 12 Presession Study ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 TEACHING: POLICIES & ADVICE ...................................................................................................................................... 12 Prerequisites ............................................................................................................................................................ 12 Registered Students ................................................................................................................................................. 13 Announcements ....................................................................................................................................................... 13 Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPP)............................................................................ 13 Visitors .................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Identifying Leaders for Scholarships & Awards ..................................................................................................... 13 Group Work ............................................................................................................................................................ 14 Universal Student Ratings of Instruction (USRI) (Formerly know as IDQs) ................................................ 14 MARKING, GRADING & EXAMS: POLICIES ....................................................................................................................... 15 General Policies and Recommendations .................................................................................................... 15 Create Assignments that Make Distinctions Among Students ................................................................................ 15 Discourage Plagiarism ............................................................................................................................................ 15 Attendance and Participation Marks ....................................................................................................................... 15 Mid-Term Exams .................................................................................................................................................... 15 Competence in Written Work ................................................................................................................................. 15 Completing and Turning in Assignments ................................................................................................................ 16 Marking Assignments ............................................................................................................................................. 16 Returning Marked Assignments .............................................................................................................................. 16 Class List ................................................................................................................................................................. 16 Official Grades ........................................................................................................................................................ 16 Distribution and Absolute Grading Systems .............................................................................................. 17 Distribution Grading System:.................................................................................................................................. 17 Final Exam Policies ................................................................................................................................... 18 Required Final Exams ............................................................................................................................................. 18 Weight of Final Exams ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Exam Headers ......................................................................................................................................................... 18 Schedule of Final Exams ......................................................................................................................................... 19 Allowable Materials in Exams ................................................................................................................................ 19 Proctoring Exams .................................................................................................................................................... 19 Deferred Final Exams ............................................................................................................................................. 19 Students Requesting to View Final Exams ............................................................................................................. 20 Grades of Incomplete .............................................................................................................................................. 20 Submitting Final Grades ............................................................................................................................ 21 Timeline .................................................................................................................................................................. 21 Electronic Grade Entry ............................................................................................................................................ 21 1. Grade Roster ....................................................................................................................................................... 21 2. Class List/Supporting Docs ................................................................................................................................. 21 3. Grade Distribution ............................................................................................................................................... 21 4. Grade Roster Action ............................................................................................................................................ 21 5. To be Submitted to the Elementary Education Office ......................................................................................... 24 Informing Students of Grades ................................................................................................................................. 24 Grades of Incomplete .............................................................................................................................................. 24 DEALING WITH STUDENT ISSUES ...................................................................................................................................... 25 Common Concerns Raised by Instructors .................................................................................................. 25 Students with Poor Attendance ............................................................................................................................... 25 Missed or Late Assignments ................................................................................................................................... 25 Missed Mid-Term Exams ........................................................................................................................................ 26 Students with Poor Performance ............................................................................................................................. 26 Academic Offences .................................................................................................................................... 26 Process for Dealing with Inappropriate Academic Behaviour ................................................................................ 27 Get Information and Advice .................................................................................................................................... 27 Be Sure that you have Proof .................................................................................................................................... 27 Contact the Student ................................................................................................................................................. 27 Meet with the Student ............................................................................................................................................. 27 Write a Report ......................................................................................................................................................... 27 Provide Copies to Students ..................................................................................................................................... 28 Students who Appear to Cheat on Exams ............................................................................................................... 28 Students who Write Offensive Comments .............................................................................................................. 29 Students who Disrupt the Class ............................................................................................................................... 29 Common Concerns Raised by Students ..................................................................................................... 29 Concerns about Marking of Term Work ................................................................................................................. 29 Concerns about Final Grades .................................................................................................................................. 30 Reappraisals of Final Exams ................................................................................................................................... 30 Reexaminations ....................................................................................................................................................... 31 Handling Concerns Raised by Students .................................................................................................................. 31 Support for Students with Personal and Academic Difficulties ................................................................. 31 Duty to Accommodate ............................................................................................................................................ 32 Specialized Support and Disability Services ........................................................................................................... 33 U of A Student Success Centre (formerly known as Academic Support Centre) ................................................... 33 Additional Services for Students ............................................................................................................................. 33 SERVICES AVAILABLE TO STAFF ...................................................................................................................................... 34 Office Staff Help and Materials Preparation ........................................................................................................... 34 Printer/Photocopier Use ......................................................................................................................................... 34 Staff Workroom ...................................................................................................................................................... 34 Key Requisitions: Office Space, Classrooms, Staff Workroom ............................................................................. 34 Technology Support ................................................................................................................................................ 34 If you have a Technology related problem .............................................................................................................. 34 Equipment for Classroom use ................................................................................................................................. 35 Contact Centrally Supported Educational Technologies ......................................................................................... 35 EClass ..................................................................................................................................................................... 36 Educational Technology Services ........................................................................................................................... 36 Direct Deposit for Monthly Paid Employees .......................................................................................................... 37 Library Privileges .................................................................................................................................................... 37 Parking .................................................................................................................................................................... 37 Faculty Lounges ...................................................................................................................................................... 38 APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................................................................... 39 Appendix I: Knowledge, Skills and Attributes for Interim Teacher Certification .................................... 40 Appendix II: Department of Elmentary Education Grading Information ................................................. 42 Appendix III: Frequency Distribution Sheet ............................................................................................. 45 Appendix V: Developing Professional Conduct-Connections to the ATA Code of Professional Conduct ..... 46 Appendix VI: Universal Student Ratings of Instruction ........................................................................... 48 Appendix VII: Academic Integrity ........................................................................................................... 49 Inappropriate Academic Behaviour Report Form ............................................................................... 50 Appendix VIII: Campus Support for Students .......................................................................................... 51 Appendix IX: Talking to an Upset Student ................................................................................................ 52 CONTACTS (TO BE UPDATED IN SEPTEMBER 2013 –SEE DEPARTMENT WEBSITE FOR NEWER VERSION) ADMINISTRATION Dr. Larry Prochner Chair [email protected] 780-492-5416 Staffing Final grade approval Sessional lecturer contracts, payroll and benefits issues Dr. Carol Leroy Associate Chair [email protected] 780-492-0923 Dr. Anna Kirova Graduate Studies Chair [email protected] 780-492-0913 Elementary education undergraduate policies Issues with undergraduate students Instructor support Graduate policies Issues with graduate students Vanessa Grabia Assistant Chair, Administration [email protected] (780) 492-8713 OFFICE STAFF Antonella Scaccia-Dewitt Undergraduate Program Administrator [email protected] 780-492-2177 Barb Vickerman Receptionist/ Administrative Assistant [email protected] 780-492-4273 Grace Jamieson Graduate Program administrator Mary Peace Effray Administrator, Financial Accounts Fatima Shaikh (till Oct 1) Admin assistant to the Chair Deb Mallett Administrative Assistant [email protected] 780-492-2267 Manages day-to-day operations of Elementary and Secondary oversees finances, HR, space/physical resources, and course scheduling/timetable/Calendar Class lists Final grade submissions Exam scheduling Deferred exam scheduling Submit course outlines Room bookings Photocopier access Mail distribution Coffee co-op Key distribution Graduate student administration [email protected] 780-492-4275 Accounts, travel claims, professional expenses [email protected] Assistant to the Chair, Associate Chair & Assistant Chair 780-492-5416 [email protected] 780-492-7341 SUBJECT AREA COORDINATORS UNTIL JULY1, 2014 [email protected] Dr. Miriam C Child Study Centre AJER Editorial Assistant Art Education 780-492-0902 Dr. Anna Kirova MAY1 , 2013 [email protected] 780-492-0913 Early Childhood Education Page 2 Dr. Lynne Wiltse [email protected] Language & Literacy 780-492-2016 Julie Long Dr. Lynn McGarvey Dr. Kathy Robinson Dr. Graham Fishburne Dr. Jennifer Branch Dr. Jerine Pegg Dr. Brenda Gustafson Dr. Joe Wu Dr. Sue Gibson [email protected] 780-492-5837 [email protected] 780-492-2436 [email protected] 780-492-0924 [email protected] 780-492-0922 [email protected] 780-492-0863 [email protected] 780-492-1580 [email protected] 780-492-0872 [email protected] 780-492-5417 780-492-9623 COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM COORDINATORS Dr. Jean Reston [email protected] 780-539-2861 Koreen Kerwell Dr. Vincella Thompson Sharon Allan Julia Rheaume [email protected] 780-539-2792 [email protected] 780-791-4833 [email protected] 403-529-3910 [email protected] Mathematics Education Music Education Physical Education School Libraries Science Education Second Languages & ESL Social Studies Teacher Education North (TEN) Program Grande Prairie Regional College Grande Prairie Regional College Keyano College Medicine Hat College Red Deer College 403-342-3204 ABORIGINAL TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM: Evelyn Steinhauer [email protected] Director 780-492-2467 Angela Wolfe angela.wolfe@ualberta Associate Director 780-492-3187 STUDENT ASSISTANCE Dr. Carley Christianson, Director of Student Support Undergraduate Student Services (USS) Blue Quills First Nation College, St. Paul ATEP [email protected] 492-2638 Counseling for students experiencing academic and personal difficulties 492-3659 Student Advisors Field Experiences Admissions and transfer information UNIVERSITY CONTACTS Campus Security 911 Fire / Police / Ambulance 492-5555 Emergency Response 492-5050 Campus Security Services Also see Appendix VII for campus resources for helping students MAY1 , 2013 Page 3 ACADEMIC SCHEDULE 2013-2014 Fall Term 2013 September 4 September 17 October 3 October 14 November 12 November 11 December 4 December 7-20 December 25-31 Fall Term Begins Last Day to Add/Drop Courses in Fall Fall Term Refund deadline Thanksgiving Day: University Buildings Closed Fall Term Class Break: No Classes Scheduled Remembrance Day: University Buildings Closed Last Day of Fall Term Classes Fall Term Final Exams Christmas Break: University Buildings Closed Winter Term 2014 January 1 January 6 January 17 February 1 February 17 February 18-21 February 14 March 14 April 9 April 18 April 21 April 22-25 New Year’s Day Holiday; Buildings Closed Winter Term Classes Begin Last Day to Add/Drop Courses in Winter Last day for undergraduates to apply to graduate at Spring Convocation. Family Day Statutory Holiday: University Buildings Closed Winter Term Reading Week: No Classes Registration system opens for Spring/Summer 2013 Last Day to Withdraw from Winter Term Courses Last day of Winter term Classes Good Friday: University Buildings Closed Easter Monday: University Buildings Closed Winter Term Final Exams For full academic schedule and deadline please refer University academic calendar http://www.registrar.ualberta.ca/calendar/Academic/Schedule/11.html MAY1 , 2013 Page 4 Faculty of Education Important Dates and Deadlines Regular Term and FX Term Courses 2013-2014 – Edmonton Campus Regular Term Classes Begin Add/Delete 50% W Withdraw Classes End Exam Week Deferred Exam Fall 2013 September 4 September 17 Oct 3 Nov 27 December 4 December 7 -20 February 4, 2014 Winter 2014 January 6 January 17 February 15 April 2 April 9 May 24, 2014 Elementary IPT On Campus 1 Add/Delete – Courses 1 50% W – Courses 1 Withdraw – Courses Last Day of Classes Exam Week Orientation Day IPT Observation Days IPT Field Experience Dates Midpoint Evaluation Due Add/Delete – EDFX 325 50% W – EDFX 325 Withdraw – EDFX 325 On Campus 2 Add/Delete – Courses 2 50% W – Courses 2 Withdraw – Courses Last Day of Classes Exam Week APT Field Experience Dates Midpoint Evaluation Due Add/Delete – EDFX 425/426 50% W – EDFX 425/426 Withdraw – EDFX 425/426 MAY1 , 2013 Fall 2013 September 4 – October 30 Winter 2014 January 6 – March 6 MW classes: October 30 TR classes: October 29 October 31 – Nov 8 October 4 October 11, 18, 25 November 12 – December 13 (Friday of Week 3) (Monday of Week 2) (Monday of Week 4) (Monday of Week 5) MW classes: March 5 TR classes: March 6 March 7 - 14 January 24 Jan 31, Feb 7, Feb 14 March 17 – April 25 (Friday of Week 3) (Tuesday of Week 2) (Monday of Week 4) (Monday of Week 5) Elementary APT Fall 2013 September 4 – October 1 Winter 2014 January 6 – January 31 MTWRF classes: October 1 MWF classes: Sept 30 October 2 – 4 October 14 – December 13 MTWRF classes: Jan 31 MWF classes: Jan 31 TWR classes: Jan 30 February 3 - 7 February 18 – April 25 (Monday of Week 5) (Monday of Week 2) (Monday of Week 2) (Monday of Week 8) (Monday of Week 5) (Tuesday of Week 2) (Tuesday of Week 6) (Monday of Week 8) Page 5 Complete University Academic Schedule: http://www.registrar.ualberta.ca/calendar/Academic/Schedule/11.1.html For Professional Terms Classes, Field Placement and Exams: http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/fieldexperiences//pdfs/Web%20Dates%20D Notes: Fall 2013 On Campus -Fall Term Break: Nov 11 – 12 Placement( Field Experience) -No day off for Fall Term Break: Nov 12 MAY1 , 2013 Winter 2014 On Campus -Reading Week: Feb 18 – 21 Placement(Field Experience) -Teacher’s Convention: Feb 27 – Feb 28 -School Spring Break: Mar 31 – Apr 4 Page 6 PREPARING YOUR COURSE 1. Contact the Subject Area Committee (SAC) Chair well in advance of the start of the term. (See contact list on p.3) Consistency across multi-section university courses offered on the U of A campus and at all collaborative program campuses is essential. The SAC Chair or Course Coordinator will provide you with information on course objectives and expectations, course outline templates, textbooks, assignments, resources, etc. Multiple section courses must use the same percentage weighting for term work and exams. 2. Ensure that the Department has your current email address for initial correspondence. NOTE: You will be assigned a University of Alberta (@ualberta.ca) email address and all information and announcements to instructors, prior to and during the term, are sent via email to that account. It is expected that you will check this account regularly and use it for all teaching related correspondence. Forward your U of A email address to the Department Receptionist at your earliest convenience. 3. Course outlines are official agreements between instructors and students. General Faculties Council (GFC) and University Regulations require that all instructors provide a course outline for each student. The requirements for course outlines are identified on page 7. Once course outlines have been distributed to students they should not be altered in any way. However, GFC recognizes that: circumstances might develop, during a term, where a change to the course outline, as set out in §23.4(2)a, makes sense to all concerned. Such changes shall only occur with fair warning or general class consent. With this in mind, please become familiar with the requirements, policies and advice within this manual prior to developing your course outline and assignments. The regulations within this manual draw on Sections 20 – 26 of the 2014-2014 University Calendar and the General Faculties Council (GFC) Policy Manual. Both documents are available online at: University Calendar: http://www.registrar.ualberta.ca/calendar/Regulations-and-Information/index.html GFC Policy: http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/gfcpolicymanual/ 4. All course outlines must be submitted electronically on or before the first day of classes to Department receptionist. Instructors in collaborative programs must also send a copy to their respective program coordinator. MAY1 , 2013 Page 7 COURSE OUTLINE REQUIREMENTS University of Alberta Department of Elementary Education EDEL XXX Lecture XX Course Title (use the title provided in the University Calendar) Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer Month, Year Instructor: Office Number: Phone: Email: Office Hours: XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX Course Prerequisites: Check the University Calendar. Note: Bear Tracks does NOT screen for prerequisites. Course Description: Provide a brief description of the course and its content. Course Objectives: State the main goals and objectives of the course. Multi-section courses should have the same objectives across sections. Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (for Interim Teacher Certification in Alberta): Select appropriate KSAs. The KSA’s chosen should be consistent across all sections of the same course. KSA’s are listed in Appendix I of the Instructors’ Policy Manual. Required Texts and Readings: Instructors may NOT collect photocopying money from students. You may provide access to readings through Textbooks, Course Packs, Moodle, or Library Reserve. Evaluation: Each course will vary in terms of the number of assignments and exams. All undergraduate courses must have final exams unless approved by the Chair. Final exams must be worth between 30% and 70%. Any assignment worth 10% or more must have a due date. Assignment Mid-Term Exam Term Assignment Final Exam Due Date Weight Policy on Late Assignments: (Optional – Examples provided in Italics) Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date. Ten percent will be deducted for each day if it is late. The instructor may consider an extension if notified within 48 hours of due date and documentation (e.g., medical note) is provided. MAY1 , 2013 Page 8 Final Grade: Instructors must state how the final grade will be determined. Indicate whether you will use an absolute system, a distribution system, or a combination of both for grading purposes. You should attach a copy of the Department of Elementary Education Interim Grading Policy Sheet to your course outline .This sheet contains general information about the absolute and distribution grading systems. PROFESSIONALISM STATEMENTS: (Optional – Examples for Attendance, Disruptive Behaviour and Code of Conduct provided in Italics) Attendance: Attendance in this course is very important. Missing a class has consequences for completing assignments and preparing for exams. Students who arrive late or are absent from class are responsible for getting materials and information about the class activities from their classmates. "Those who choose not to attend must assume whatever risks are involved" (University of Alberta Calendar, Sec. 23.3) http://www.registrar.ualberta.ca/calendar/Regulations-and-Information/AcademicRegulation/23.3.html#23.3 If you are or will be absent, please let your instructor know. If you are repeatedly absent you may receive an email notifying you of the risks associated with absenteeism. The Associate Chair will be copied on these emails. Recording in the Classroom or Gymnasium The use of mechanical or electronic devises for recording lectures, labs, etc. is permitted only with prior approval of the instructor (see note below on SDSS). Disruptive Behaviour: To ensure a positive learning environment for all, please make sure that your actions do not disrupt the instructor or other students in the class. students who are disruptive may be asked to leave Arrive on time and prepared for class. Chronically arriving late is distracting to others. Ensure that cellphones are turned off. Listen to the instructor during lectures and other students during discussions. Refrain from off-task conversations that disrupt the learning of yourself and others. ATA Code of Professional Conduct: Students enrolled in the Faculty of Education are bound by the ATA Code of Professional Conduct (Code of Student Behaviour). http://www.registrar.ualberta.ca/calendar/Regulations-and-Information/Code-Student-Behavior/25.html In brief, preservice teachers: should conduct themselves in a manner that respects the dignity and rights of all persons should treat other students with dignity and respect and be considerate of their learning circumstances. should not undermine the confidence of their classmates in other instructors. should meet with the instructor in private when questioning professional competence, including methods of instruction or grading issues. should act in a manner which maintains the honor and dignity of the profession Additional Information Regarding Student Code of Behaviour: MAY1 , 2013 Page 9 Additional information regarding student rights and responsibilities under the Code of Student Behaviour can be found online: http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/en/CodesofConductandResidenceCommunityStandards/CodeofStudentBeha viour/COSBIndividualHyperlinkedSections.aspx MAY1 , 2013 Page 10 COURSE MATERIALS Photocopying Course Materials Instructors in Elementary Education may duplicate course outlines, examination materials, and additional pages as needed to a maximum of 30 pages per student in a class. Photocopying is the responsibility of individual instructors. Support staff members are not available to do this for you, although they will help if you have difficulties with the machine. Instructors should attempt to limit the number of additional pages photocopied and consider alternative ways to provide students with access to materials: textbooks, course web sites (i.e. Moodle), course packs, or the Coutts Library reserve service. You may NOT copy class sets of published articles since this is a violation of copyright law. Textbooks Common textbooks are used in most EDEL 300-level courses. The subject area coordinators and the program coordinators for collaborative programs are responsible for ordering textbooks for 300 level courses. If you are responsible for ordering textbooks, requisitions may be made electronically at: www.bookstore.ualberta.ca. Go to the Faculty Resources link on the left to locateCourse Materials Adoption. Complete the form and submit it electronically. eClass Powered by Moodle eClass (Moodle) allows you to create and customize a website for your course and provides tools for communication, course content, assessment and course management. Access to the site is restricted to students registered in your course. We request that instructors set up an eClass site for all courses and that as a minimum, post the course syllabus and description of assignments. The automated Request a Course system will allow you to easily and efficiently create eClass sections with very quick response times. Once you are able to view your course under the instructor tab in Bear Tracks you are able to request eClass for the course. Please note that if you teach the same course in another term, you have to request a course for the new term but you may ask to have the content from the earlier course copied into the new one. You will find eClass Powered by Moodle resources, including tutorials, at: http://ctl.ualberta.ca/technology-services/eClass Course Packs Course packs are a collection of readings and notes used as primary or supplementary course material. To create a course pack, the instructor photocopies the required materials, prepares a table of contents and completes an electronic access copyright log. The Print Centre (SUBprint) digitally scans, cleans, organizes, prints and binds the materials. The completed course pack is delivered to the University Bookstore for purchase. Please submit materials at least 4 weeks prior to the start of class. For more information see: http://www.su.ualberta.ca/businesses/subprint/coursepacks/ Please be judicious in the choice of Course Pack materials because the cost can add up quickly. Library Reserve Instructors may request that materials be placed on reserve in the Coutt’s Library. Library owned materials will be retrieved from the library stacks by library staff. Instructor owned materials, including photocopies of articles, should be submitted in person or through campus mail to the 2013-2014 Page 11 library. Complete information regarding Reserve Materials is available on the Coutt’s Library web site. Guidelines for placing materials on reserve are available at: http://www.library.ualberta.ca/reserve/faculty/index.cfm Reserve requests must be made electronically at: http://www.library.ualberta.ca/reserverequest/index.cfm All requests submitted for reserve must comply with copyright regulations. It is not permitted to place textbooks on reserve. It is not permitted to place Course Packs on reserve. If the material is Required Reading Students are not permitted to make photocopies. If the material is Supplementary Reading Students are permitted to make photocopies. Copyright Please consult http://www.copyright.ualberta.ca regularly for up to date information on Copyright and Licensing so that you can be sure you are working from the most current information available. There are many gray areas but there are hefty fines for violations. Err on the side of caution and consult a librarian if you are in doubt. What you currently are allowed: ˜ You may provide students with links via e-Class for material in E-journals and Full Text publications to which the University subscribes. ˜ You may place the material (not more than 10% of a book) on reserve in the library. ˜ Prepare a Course Pack that students will purchase at the bookstore. See p.11*. ˜ You may provide student with a reference list either on e-Class or hard copy. ˜ Provide students, either on line or hard copy, with material that you have written for the course. What you currently may not do: ˜ Photocopy a class set of copyrighted material. ˜ Digitize a print article or chapter and post it to your students. Under any of the above mentioned permissible options there are still some restrictions. Copying is generally limited to either 10 or 15 per cent of a work, or the whole of a chapter, short story, poem, journal article, or newspaper article, whichever is greater. Again, relevant policies and procedures are posted above photocopiers and are available at: http://www.copyright.ualberta.ca/ Pre-session Study For courses requiring pre-session study, course packs of materials must be ordered through the Bookstore (see above) or posted on e-Class well in advance of the beginning of the class. When the course is scheduled on Bear Tracks, ensure that there is a statement, “Pre-session study is required. Contact the Department,” so the students know where to check if they need further information and cannot access e-Class or do not know who the instructor is. TEACHING: POLICIES & ADVICE Prerequisites The course outline must identify prerequisites and instructors should announce prerequisites for the course on the first day of class. Students who are deficient should be asked to withdraw from 2013-2014 Page 12 the course and the instructor should notify the Undergraduate Program Administrator. Students often try to persuade instructors to waive prerequisites by presenting the instructors with reasons as to why they need to stay in the class e.g., they have financial difficulties and need to graduate in a timely fashion, etc. Refer these students to the Undergraduate Program Adminstrator in the Department Office for assistance in sorting out the remainder of their program. When you make a referral, avoid making statements that reinforce the students belief that the prerequisite may not be necessary (e.g, “ I would let you into this class if I could). This can make it more difficult for the student to accept subsequent alternatives suggested by the Program Adminstrator. Registered Students A student is responsible for the completeness and accuracy of his or her registration. The appearance of a student’s name on the Official Class List indicates confirmation of registration in the course section. A student whose name does not appear on the Official Class List is advised to see the Undergraduate Program Administrator in the department office to confirm registration status. A student who does not have a confirmed registration in a course section is not permitted to attend. The Undergraduate Program Administrator carefully monitors enrollment and occasionally keeps waiting lists for some sections. Do not allow students to sit in on classes if they have not registered for the course and do not tell students that you are willing to add another student above the cap. Announcements During the first week of class, include a thorough overview of the course outline. Identify assignments, dates, policy for late assignments and the grading system used. Do not assume that students will read this independently. Plagiarism Instructors should announce how the University defines plagiarism, cheating, misrepresentation of facts and participation in an offence and explicitly point out the statement that you have included in the course outline. (See excerpts from the Code of Student Behaviour on the last page of this manual.) Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPP) Personal information such as name, address, telephone numbers, email addresses and personal identification can be shared only with students’ consent. Visitors Instructors are under no obligation to admit visitors, including the children of students in the class. Any class is a learning community that can be disrupted by the presence of outsiders. Give permission for visitors only after careful thought to the requests and when advance notice of such requests is given. Do not give permission at the door of your classroom. We suggest that you talk with your students before giving permission for visitors to come into your class. Do not allow graduate students to sit in on a class. The appropriate route for these requests is through auditing. Identifying Leaders for Scholarships & Awards Our department awards several scholarships annually. Many are based primarily on GPA but others require a demonstration of leadership within courses or within the community. If a student has demonstrated excellence in leadership in your class, submit his/her name to the Associate Chair after the course. Each term there will be a request for the names of outstanding students from your course. They will receive a Certificate of Excellence. 2013-2014 Page 13 Group Work There are many good reasons to group student to work on assignments and classroom projects. However, working together can prove to be stressful, and can promote feelings of inequity, freeloading and even bullying. Students occasionally appeal marks when they feel that the requirements of group work have unfairly hamptered their grade. Monitor groups carefully and recognize that you may be called upon to facilitate positive group dynamics to ensure that individual student achievement is fairly reflected in the grade. UNIVERSAL STUDENT RATINGS OF INSTRUCTION (USRI) (FORMERLY KNOWN AS IDQS) General Faculties Council requires each instructor to obtain an evaluation by students in each course section that they teach. A Universal Student Rating of Instruction questionnaire is required for all courses with enrollment of 10 or more students. (See Appendix V for a sample questionnaire.) Please adhere to the following procedures for administration of USRI. 1. Questionnaires will be distributed to all instructors in the middle of the term. For instructors teaching in collaborative programs, questionnaires will be mailed to home addresses or given to coordinators for distribution. Ensure that: 1. the course and section numbers are correct; 2. there are adequate numbers of questionnaires based on student enrollment; both instructors are identified on the header for courses that are co-taught.If you notice any errors, contact the Department Receptionist. 2. Questionnaires should be administered prior to the last week of the course. Where possible, arrange for a colleague to administer the questionnaires to your class. 3. HB Pencils must be used. (Pencils are available in the Elementary Education Office.) 4. Instructors should review the purpose of the evaluations (see Appendix V) and who receives the information. Only the instructor reads the written comments and the Chair only receives a one page numerical summary. Remind students that although comments are anonymous, they should respond in a professional manner. 5. Instruct students to provide written feedback on the back of the form. 6. Adequate time must be allowed at the beginning of class for completion of the questionnaire. 7. The instructor should not be present while students respond to the questionnaire and should neither distribute nor collect the questionnaires, nor should any teaching assistant who has been involved with the class Students should be asked to complete the questionnaires under examination conditions, i.e., quietly and individually. If you are concerned whether this condition will be met, contact the Associate Chair to arrange for another staff member to administer your questionnaires. 8. A student should be designated to distribute the questionnaires, collect all completed and uncompleted evaluation forms, complete and sign the Checklist for Administration of USRI form, and place the form and questionnaires in the envelope. Seal the envelope and return it and the pencils to the General Office. 9. In classes with enrolment of less than 10 students, instructors are to distribute the department’s Small Course Evaluations. Please contact the receptionist for further information. 2013-2014 Page 14 For additional information on USRI, see Section 111.3 of the GFC Policy Manual: http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/gfcpolicymanual/content.cfm?ID_page=39298§ion=39301 &contentshow=section. MARKING, GRADING & EXAMS: POLICIES GENERAL POLICIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS University policies for assessment are posted online at: https://policiesonline.ualberta.ca/PoliciesProcedures/Procedures/Grading-Procedure.pdf. These policies were approved at General Faculty Council in May 2012. Ensure that you are familiar with the principals upon which your assessment practices must be based. Create Assignments that Make Distinctions Among Students Exams and all course assignments should be challenging, scholarly and make distinctions between students. Select and weight assignments according to their importance in demonstrating course objectives. Avoid assignments where all or most students are given full marks. Set expectations early in the course to demonstrate how you will mark student work. Ensure that your course outline and course materials clearly explain the procedure you use to convert raw scores to grades. Discourage Plagiarism Several cases of plagiarism occur each year in the department. Each case is emotionally difficult for all parties involved and is usually time consuming. Carefully select assignments that will discourage plagiarism. While cases often include quoting or paraphrasing internet sources without references, many plagiarism cases involve using previous students’ assignments and also unauthorized collaboration in which two or more people work together and submit very similar assignments. Avoid using the same assignment in consecutive terms, especially across several sections. For individual assignments, set clear expectations. That is, you may encourage students to work together to think through questions in an assignment, but that each person must submit his/her own work. Attendance and Participation Marks You may assign marks for class participation; however, you are strongly encouraged to explicitly tie attendance/participation to course objectives and provide students with a clear rubric in the course outline indicating how you will assess participation [University Regulations §23.4(2)a]. As noted above, participation marks should make distinctions between students; it should not be used if all or most students will receive full marks. Mid-Term Exams A term exam such as a mid-term is optional. Instructors may schedule term examinations during any regularly scheduled class period, but it should never exceed class time. There is no provision for a deferred exam date of a mid-term exam. You may accommodate the student by invigilating an alternative exam at a mutually acceptable time but you are not obligation to do so. Alternatively the exam may be waived and the value of the mid-term added to the final exam. Competence in Written Work General Faculties Council urges all instructors of University undergraduate courses to provide that suitable portions of course testing or other course work should be in the form of written 2013-2014 Page 15 essay responses and to emphasize to students that competence in written work is integral to competence in a subject and will constitute part of the basis on which the student’s course grade is determined. All instructors should make clear at the outset of each course their expectations in regard to standard and importance of writing in assignments and examinations [University Regulations §23.4(9)]. Completing and Turning in Assignments Instructors should allow students a reasonable time in which to complete an assignment, bearing in mind its weight .Students are not allowed to turn in assignments at the Department Office. If a student is handing in work outside of class time, make arrangements for the student to deliver the work to you in your office, to mail or email it to you. It is not appropriate to ask students to deliver an assignment to your home. Marking Assignments Instructors should mark and return to students with reasonable dispatch all term examinations and, provided the students submit them by the due date, all course projects, assignments, essays, etc. Returning Marked Assignments All projects, assignments, essays, etc. should be returned on or by the last day of classes in the course, with the exception of a final major assignment (which may be due on the last day of classes), which should be returned by the date of the scheduled final examination or, in nonexamination courses, by the last day of the examination period [§23.4(2)j]. Assignments returned in class must be given directly to students. They may not be given to another student to deliver. Assignments returned outside of class time must be sealed in envelopes with the student’s name, instructor’s name, course, and section number (do not use ID number). A file cabinet has been set up in the general office for this purpose. Assignments will be kept for a period of three months after which time assignments that are not picked up will be returned to the instructor. Class List Your class record book is a confidential document. Keep it in a secure location and avoid taking it to class with you. General Faculties Council requires that departments keep class record books and detailed records of the component marks for at least one year after the final exam. Official Grades Student grades are unofficial until they have been approved by the Chair and Faculty Council. Students are to access their final grades via Bear Tracks. Do not post or email final letter grades. Historical Guidelines Use historical guidelines to see whether your grading is consistent with standards that have historically been maintained in the Department. If there is a Departure, attach a written explanation when you submit them for approval at the end of term. The Chair will then contact you if there is a need to discuss your grades. See Appendix II for the guidelines. 2013-2014 Page 16 DISTRIBUTION AND ABSOLUTE GRADING SYSTEMS University grading policy allows instructors to use a distribution system, an absolute measures system, or a combination of the two for calculating final course letter grades. Each grading system has its advantages and disadvantages. Consult with your subject area coordinator and consider the following information before determining a grading system for your course. The grading system used must appear on the course outline. Be aware that upon request, instructors are required to provide the method which was used to translate final and, where appropriate, term marks into grades. Distribution Grading System: Under the distribution (or relative) system, a student's final grade is based on his or her ranking or relative position in the class upon completion of the course. GFC has specified that distributions are not mandated by the university. Advantages: Allows the instructor to adjust for very high or low final averages at the end of the term. Percentage distribution works well for class sizes greater than 40 and for ‘typical’ classes. Disadvantages: Because grades are determined by rank order of students, it may not provide a clear indication of achievement relative to learning objectives. Strict adherence to the distribution system is less reliable for smaller classes and atypical classes. For example, a student with a raw score of 90 in a low-achieving section may receive an A, while a student with the same score in a higher-achieving section may receive a B. It also doesn’t account for students who, as a group, have high or low entrance GPAs. Since students are in competition for grades, students may be less willing to collaborate. Procedural Considerations: Once final raw scores are determined, place scores from highest to lowest on the Frequency Distribution Sheet (see Appendix II). If the raw scores appear to follow a normal distribution, use the chart on the following page to determine approximately how many students should receive each letter grade. For example, in a typical 300 level class with about 35 students, approximately two students should receive A+, three A, five A-, … one D, zero D+, and zero F. Note: The number of students in grade band is rounded to the nearest whole number. Moderate variation of the number of students assigned to each grade level is expected. Use natural breaks between raw scores on the Frequency Distribution Sheet for grade divisions when possible. Use the grade descriptors and absolute scale expectations to assist with grade division locations. 2013-2014 Page 17 Absolute Grading System: When using the absolute (criterion-referenced) system, a student's raw score is compared to predetermined standards of performance. In the past, the Department of Elementary Education established a fixed scale and letter grade descriptors for scoring under this system (see the chart above and pp. 8-9 of this manual). When this scale is applied, a student’s final raw score (out of 100) is compared to the preset scale to determine a final letter grade. This scale is not mandated but instructors are encouraged to use it wherever appropriate. Advantages: Easy to calculate final letter grades. Allows grades to be directly related to student’s achievement of defined learning objectives. As a result, students are more able to track progress throughout the term. Students are not competing directly with each other and may be more likely to collaborate. Disadvantages: The Department’s predetermined grade level scores and descriptors are arbitrary and may not fit individual instructors’ methods of marking. System does not allow instructors to adjust letter grades down to account for high raw scores and class averages at the end of the term. Therefore, instructors must be diligent throughout the term to ensure that exams and assignments discriminate among students. Procedural Considerations: Once final raw scores are determined, place scores from highest to lowest on the Frequency Distribution Sheet (see Appendix II). Use the scale on the Department of Elementary Education Grade Conversion sheet for Undergraduate Courses to determine final grades. See Appendix II for a copy of the grade conversion. FINAL EXAM POLICIES Required Final Exams A final exam is to be held in all undergraduate courses except where departure from this arrangement has been authorized by Department Chair. Weight of Final Exams Final exams must be worth a minimum of 30% to a maximum of 70%. Multi-section courses are to have identical weighting for final examinations. If you have a final exam in your course, a weight of not less than 30% and not more than 70% should be assigned to the final examination except where a departure from this weighting has been authorized by Faculty Council. The remaining weight should be assigned to term work [§23.4(1)]. Exam Headers Use the following headers on final exams. (This is also a requirement for the Exam Registry.) Course Name Course Number Section Type: Final, Midterm, Quiz, Term Exam, Sample Questions, etc. Date: Month/Year 2013-2014 Page 18 Professor(s) Surname and First Initial If it is a consolidated/common exam Schedule of Final Exams Final exams must be written on the date and time slot scheduled in the Registration Procedures handbook. The final exam schedule for daytime classes is available to instructors and students once the course schedule is published. Exam schedule at: https://www.registrar.ualberta.ca/ro.cfm?id=15. Exams for evening courses are held during the last regular class period. Exceptions are occasionally made; however, a strong rationale and consent from students, Department Chair and Associate Dean (Teacher Education) is given at least one month prior to proposed date. See the Associate Chair for proper procedure. The re-scheduling of examinations or tests in the final week of classes is not permitted [§23.5.3(2)]. Note: Some courses do not fit the normal exam times as per Bear tracks (e.g., MW 0930-1050.) In these cases, the final exam is held as if the class began half an hour earlier (e.g., MW 0900). Students occasionally encounter conflicts in their initial exam schedule during the IPT and APT terms. When this happens, the Undergraduate Program Adminstrator will adjust the schedule and notify the students. Location of Exams Antonella will distirbute information about the location of your final eams. If the location needs to be changed for any reason, ontact Antonella. Do not change the location on your own. Allowable Materials in Exams Prior to any examination, students should be made aware of permitted references and aids: only those items specifically authorized by the instructor may be brought into the exam facility. The use of unauthorized personal listening, communication, recording, photographic and/or computational devices is strictly prohibited. Such devices must be turned off and stowed. Proctoring Exams 1. Before the examination begins, organize furniture in the classroom so as to reduce chances of students inadvertently or deliberately looking at other students’ papers. 2. If instructions are needed prior to the exam, provide them in writing to students. 3. Inform students about how to get your attention if you should need help or assistance and where they should hand in their exam papers. 4. Move around the classroom periodically. 5. For visual acuity, sit or stand at the back of the room. 6. When the signal is given to end the exam, students shall promptly hand in their exam papers and answer sheets to the exam supervisor or marks shall be deducted. Deferred Final Exams All students must write final exams during the scheduled exam period unless they receive approval for a deferred exam. Deferred examinations may be granted to a student who is prevented by illness (attested by a physician), domestic affliction or other extreme circumstances (including religious convictions) [§23.5.6 (3)]. A deferred exam will not be approved if a student has completed less than half of the assigned term work [§23.5.6 (2)]. Do not make individual deals with students no matter how heart rending their concern may be. 2013-2014 Page 19 All students must apply for a deferred exam through USS, no later than 2 working days following the scheduled exam. Students should be directed to Undergraduate Student Services (Ed N 1-107) for a deferred examination application. Applications must be accompanied by documentation to be considered for approval. The Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs and Services will review the application and decide if the deferral is appropriate. Instructors will be informed whether a deferred exam has been granted. Instructors must not arrange alternative examination times and dates for students who do not meet deferred final examination regulations (e.g., they have purchased an airline ticket for a flight which departs prior to the final exam date, my best friend is getting married in Hawaii, etc.). Also, a student may not write an exam in a course section in which they are not registered [§23.5.1(3)]. To maintain consistency within the department, instructors must ensure that a deferred final examination has been applied for and granted. Deferred exams must be written in an atmosphere conducive to scholarly achievement. Therefore, the instructor may: make arrangements with students receiving approval to write at a mutually convenient time and in a suitable location (e.g., a conference room or classroom). The instructor is expected to proctor the examination or arrange for a suitable alternate. If you decide to make such a arrangement with your student/s, ensure that the time and place are clearly stated in writing. inform the student of the common date for writing deferred exams. (See Elementary Education Grading Policy, p.43 or the Academic Schedule, p. 4.) Instructors must provide examinations and instructions to the receptionist in the Department Office in a sealed envelope with the following information: 1 Students’ name and ID number 2. Course and section number 3. Time alloted for the examination 4. Any special provisions (e.g, open book examinatino) . The Department will provide a proctor to supervise the examination. The completed exam will be placed in your mailbox for marking. Students Requesting to View Final Exams 1. The student should arrange an appointment with the instructor to review his or her exam. If the instructor is unavailable (e.g., an instructor who is not on campus after the exams have been submitted), the student may review the exam in the presence of the Chair or Associate Chair. 2. The instructor should retrieve the exam from the Undergraduate Program Administrator (5th floor office). 3. The instructor and student should review the exam together. The objective should be educational. Students should follow reexamination procedures (below) if they disagree with your appraisal. 4. Return the exam to the department office. Grades of Incomplete The grade of “incomplete” (IN) is normally awarded when an undergraduate student is prevented by illness, domestic affliction, or other extreme circumstance from submitting an assignment by the end of term. When a grade of IN is awarded, the student is required to submit the assignment within 10 days after the end of the final examination period of the term for the course. At the request of the Department Chair, the Associate Dean may grant an extension of time to a maximum of four months after the end of the term. If the assignment is not submitted by the 2013-2014 Page 20 prescribed deadline, the Registrar will record a grade of “NC” or a grade of “F” plus a remark of “1”, as appropriate. Before finalizing the student’s grade the Office of the Registrar and Student Awards will give 30 days written notice to the student’s Faculty and to the Department in which the course is offered [§23.5.3(6)]. SUBMITTING FINAL GRADES Timeline Final letter grades and documentation must be submitted to the Department of Elementary Education within five working days after the final examination is written or, for courses without exams, four days after the due date of the final assignment. Marking examinations should be given first priority in order to expedite the submission of grades to the Department for approval. This is particularly important for final year students who will be convocating. Instructors are not permitted to leave the vicinity, taking original examination papers with him or her for marking without permission from the Chair [§23.5.3(4)]. Electronic Grade Entry All grades are to be submitted electronically. The following are 5 “easy” steps to Electronic Grade Entry: 1. Grade Roster – The Instructor will see the Grade Roster page in Instructor Self-Service (Bear Tracks). 2013-2014 Page 21 2. Class List/Supporting Docs Please include a supporting document that includes breakdown of marks. This is to be attached or uploaded to the Grade Roster. If you have been keeping records manually use the photocopier to send a pdf. copy to yourself to upload. The instructor will also have the option of uploading a file to support the grade approval process which will be accessible to the grade approver. This file may contain specific grade breakdown or boundary information, as required by the department. 3. Grade Distribution Grade Summary/Distribution Report Explained As you enter final grade information for your class, you will be able to generate the Grade Distribution/Summary Report for the class; it is a .pdf file. This report was created to prevent instructors from having to manually create the Grade Summary Sheet for submission with final grade rosters for grade approval purposes. The instructor is able to generate and view this report through Bear Tracks. Likewise, the grade approver will be able to generate and view this report through Campus Solutions. This report is accessible using the Grade Distribution link at the top of the Grade Roster page. Note: the distribution is not mandated by the university but the Chair will review it prior to approving the grades. If your grades have an unusual distribution it is helpful to attach and explanation for the Chair. 2013-2014 Page 22 The information in the grade summary/distribution report will update according to the final grade information currently entered and saved in the grade roster. http://ais-web.srv.ualberta.ca/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Grade-Summary-and-DistributionReport-Explained.pdf 4. Grade Roster Action *Approval Status – Ready for Review/Send for Review Once the Instructor reviews the final grade information they have entered/uploaded and are satisfied with the summary/distribution information, they will set the Grade Roster status to “Ready for Review”. Once they do this, the Primary Grade Approver (Antonella) will receive notification that a grade roster is awaiting their review/approval. If the Primary Grade Approver requires the Instructor to edit the grades entered, they will set the status to “Not Reviewed”. This will trigger a notification email to the Instructor to indicate that the grade roster requires attention. The Primary Approver will enter comments in a field on the Grade Roster page to let the Instructor know why the grade roster is being sent back to them. Once the grade roster status is set to “Approved”, an automated process will post the grade roster. This process will run four times per day, allowing the Grade Approver approximately two hours (during regular business hours) to change the status, should changes to the grade roster be required. Grade Posting will happen 4 times a day, 7 days a week. Timing will be 9 am, 12 pm, 3 pm and 6 pm. Grades which are approved for more than 5 hours will be posted. Once the grades are posted, students will be able see them in Bear Tracks. Emails are sent to students within an hour of the grades being posted 2013-2014 Page 23 5. To be submitted to the Elementary Education Office i) Course Outline (Course outlines are posted online on the Department of Elementary Education website. Please ensure that you course outline is there. If not, check with the receptionist ii) Final Exam and Final Examinations written by students (Please turn them in immediately. The exams are kept in the department office for a period of one year.) iii) Exam Registry (GFC policy 52.8) Mid-Term Exam, Term, and Final Exams worth 30% or more of the course grade have to be submitted to the Registry. Sample questions are acceptable. (Please mark “Exam Registry” on the front page of exam. GFC policy stipulates that evaluate material shall be made available to the Students’ Union Exam Registry. The Registry makes these exams available to students.) Please remember that the Grades must be submitted for Approval within five working days of the final examination or within five working days of the final assignment deadline date of the course. Informing Students of Grades The Department Chair must approve final grades and adjustments are occasionally made. Therefore, do not post, announce or email course grades. Encourage students to access their final grades via the web using the Grade Reporting Service. Unofficial grades are posted on Bear Tracks within days of the grades being received and approved by the Department. Grades of Incomplete The grade of “incomplete” (IN) is normally awarded when an undergraduate student is prevented by illness, domestic affliction, or other extreme circumstance from submitting an assignment by the end of term. When a grade of IN is awarded, the student is required to submit the assignment within 10 days after the end of the final examination period of the term for the course. At the request of the Department Chair, the student’s Dean may grant an extension of time to a maximum of four months after the end of the term. If the assignment is not submitted by the prescribed deadline, the Registrar will record a grade of “NC” or a grade of “F” plus a remark of “1”, as appropriate. Before finalizing the student’s grade the Office of the Registrar and Student Awards will give 30 days written notice to the student’s Faculty and to the Department in which the course is offered [§23.5.3(6)]. 2013-2014 Page 24 DEALING WITH STUDENT ISSUES The University and Education Faculty are guided by policies related to student issues, complaints and difficulties. Instructors or students needing clarification of university policies should contact the Associate Chair. Students experiencing academic or personal difficulties should see a student advisor or the Director of Student Support in the Undergraduate Student Services office (Ed N 1107). COMMON CONCERNS RAISED BY INSTRUCTORS Students with Poor Attendance Attendance at University courses is not required; however, instructors are encouraged to be proactive with regard to students with poor attendance. If the student has been absent for several consecutive classes or if attendance is irregular, email the student and copy the Associate Chair indicating your concern and the risks associated with poor attendance. If you believe the student is in need of career, academic, or personal counseling, alert the Associate Chair and refer the student to Dr. Carley Christianson, Director of Student Support. If the student has been absent for an extended period, check with Antonella to see if the student has withdrawn from the course. The Associate Chair will contact students who have had concerns expressed by more than one instructor. This contact is meant to be proactive in locating and assisting students who may have difficulty meeting program requirements. Missed or Late Assignments Instructors are under no obligation to provide extensions or alternatives for missed assignments regardless of the reason; however, instructors are encouraged to establish a consistent policy to deal with this issue and include the details of the policy on your course outline. Late/missed assignment policies should include expectations for whether late assignments will be accepted or not; if a penalty will be imposed; whether documentation is required; and when notification must be received. If you allow a student to submit a late assignment, be sure that they date and time for submission are clearly stated in writing. The assignment should be submitted directly to the instructor. To avoid potential issues with assignments that are said to be lost, ensure the student knows they are responsible for submitting another copy upon request. For missed term work worth 20% or more of total course work students must provide documentation regarding the absence within two working days following the due date. If the absence was due to illness, a University of Alberta Medical Statement Form must be completed by a recognized health care provider. These forms are available online: http://www.registrar.ualberta.ca/files/2010_Medical_Statement.pdf If the instructor excuses the absence he or she has the discretion either to require the student make-up the term work or to waive the term work and allot the weight of the term work missed to the final exam. [See University Regulations §23.4.3] You are encouraged to contact the Associate Chair for consultation when making this decision. 2013-2014 Page 25 Missed Mid-Term Exams Students requesting an excused absence for a midterm exam must do so within two working days of the scheduled exam. Instructors are not obligated to grant excused absences for reasons such as vacations, weddings, or travel arrangements. Acceptable excuses include incapacitating illness, severe domestic affliction or some other compelling reason including religious convictions. Documentation is required for deferral of all exams worth more than 20% of total course work. For incapacitating illness, a student must present a University of Alberta Medical Statement form (not simply a note from their family doctor). Adequate documentation is also required for all other cases including domestic affliction or religious conviction. Instructors are also encouraged to request supporting documentation for missed exams worth less than 20% of course work; however University Medical Statement forms will not be issued through University Health Services. If excusing a student’s absence from a term exam, the instructor has the discretion either to waive the term exam or require the student to write an alternate exam. For a waiver, the percentage weight allotted to the term exam missed is added to the percentage weight allotted to the final exam. For a make-up, the student is required to write an equivalent exam at a time set by the instructor. If the student does not write the alternate term exam at the prescribed time, a raw score of zero will be assigned for the exam. Without an acceptable excuse, a final grade will be computed using a raw score of zero for the exam missed [See University Regulations §23.5.6]. (For information on final exams missed see p. 19.) Students with Poor Performance Instructors are encouraged to identify and provide support for students who are doing poorly in the course due to illness, frequent absences, poor writing skills, etc. If possible: Meet with the student as early as possible in the course to communicate your concern. Provide specific information about how to improve. Provide information about course withdrawal dates. Encourage the student to contact Carley Christianson (Director of Student Support, USS, 492-2638) for further assistance. ACADEMIC OFFENCES The Code of Student Behaviour (GFC Section 30) provides policies on a number of student offences including: 30.3.2 Inappropriate Academic Behaviour: plagiarism, cheating, misuse of confidential materials http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/CodesofConductandResidenceCommunityStandards/ CodeofStudentBehaviour/303OffencesUndertheCode/3032InappropriateAcademicBehav. aspx 30.3.3 Inappropriate Behaviour in Professional Programs: offences under the Professional Code of Ethics both on-campus and during practicum placement. (See Appendix IV for the ATA Code of Professional Conduct) http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/CodesofConductandResidenceCommunityStandards/ CodeofStudentBehaviour/303OffencesUndertheCode/3033InappropriateBehaviourinPr.as px 2013-2014 Page 26 30.3.4 Inappropriate Behaviour towards Members of the University Community: disruptions in class, discrimination, dissemination of malicious material, retaliation, unfounded allegations, violations of safety or dignity http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/en/CodesofConductandResidenceCommunityStandar ds/CodeofStudentBehaviour/303OffencesUndertheCode/3034InappropriateBehaviourtow .aspx 30.3.5 Inappropriate Use of University Property and Resources: damage to property, etc. http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/en/CodesofConductandResidenceCommunityStandar ds/CodeofStudentBehaviour/303OffencesUndertheCode/3035InappropriateUseofUnivers i.aspx 30.3.6 Other Offences: alcohol provision and consumption, identification, misrepresentation of facts, participation in an offence, smoking, etc. http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/CodesofConductandResidenceCommunityStandards/ CodeofStudentBehaviour/303OffencesUndertheCode/3036OtherOffences.aspx Process for Dealing with Inappropriate Academic Behaviour 1. Get information and advice: As an instructor, if you suspect Inappropriate Academic Behaviour has occurred, contact the Program Coordinator of your SAC or the Associate Chair for advice on the process. Also review descriptions of Inappropriate Academic Behaviour in 30.3.2 and the Discipline Process 30.5 in Code of Student Behaviour (above). 2. Be sure that you have proof: You must be confident that you can substantiate your suspicion that material in the student’s work has been plagiarised; that you have the proverbial “smoking gun”. One must maintain the presumption that there may be a valid explanation but the process is complicated and it is unwise to proceed on suspicion alone. 3. Contact the student: If you suspect Inappropriate Academic Behaviour, you are required to contact the student to arrange for a meeting. If more than one student is involved, contact and meet with them individually. Students must be informed of the purpose of the meeting ahead of time. (For example, “I have some concerns that you didn’t cite all of your sources in your paper.”) Provide dates/times when you are available. Although not required, you are strongly encouraged to have someone else attend (e.g., Associate Chair, Program Coordinator, Course Coordinator or a fellow faculty member). Advise and encourage the student to contact Student Ombudservice for advice. (www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/OmbudService/) Students may also bring an advisor to the meeting—preferably someone from Ombudservice. 4. Meet with the student: At the meeting it is generally helpful to have someone else chair the meeting. The chair can help structure the meeting by first allowing the instructor to provide more information regarding the concern and the evidence they have. Next, the student should be given an opportunity to respond to the concern. Ensure that the student understands the process that will occur after the meeting. 5. Write a report: If there was a code violation you are required to report the incident to the Associate Dean in Undergraduate Student Service. See Appendix VI of this manual for the reporting form. 2013-2014 Page 27 In your report include the following: a. Academic Discipline Report Form (p. 48) (documents information about the student, course, nature of suspected offense, record of meeting, contact information, etc.). b. A letter providing information on the circumstances of the case, the evidence available, and student responses during the meeting. c. Attach a photocopy of the assignment/exam, assignment sheet, course outline, or any other relevant information. 6. Provide copies to students: Instructors are encouraged to provide the student with a copy of the Academic Discipline Report Form and letter written to the Associate Dean. 7. The Associate Dean will contact the instructor and student to investigate the allegations further. If a sanction will be imposed, the instructor’s recommendation will be considered. The Associate Dean can impose minor sanctions (e.g., reprimand, zero on assignment/exam, grade reduction or an F in course). If the Associate Dean recommends major sanctions (e.g., notation on transcript, conduct probation, suspension or expulsion), the matter is turned over to a Discipline Officer in the Office of Student Judicial Affairs. 8. If a major sanction is recommended, a Discipline Officer may conduct an investigation. 9. The student may appeal the charges or severity of sanction imposed by the Associate Dean or the Discipline Officer to the University Appeal Board. If an appeal is made, the instructor may be called as a witness. Note: If a case is still unresolved at the end of a term, report the student’s grade as IN (incomplete). Students Who Appear to Cheat on Exams If you are proctoring an examination and discover that a student is cheating, broach the student immediately. Do not wait until the examination is finished because the student might suppress the evidence in the interim or other students may see what is going on and become agitated because nothing is being immediately done. Take the following action: 1. Confiscate the student’s examination paper and any other hard evidence that might serve as proof that the student was cheating on the exam. 2. With sensitivity so as not to disrupt other students who are writing the exam, ask the student to leave the class and accompany that student to the Department Office or call the Department Office on your cell phone to ask that an office staff person come to your room to supervise the exam. 3. Ask a Department Office person to go to your class to supervise the exam until you can return. 4. Ask someone in the Department Office to witness your allegation against the student before confronting the student. Advise the student of the next step: that you will be writing a letter to the Associate Dean, Teacher Education outlining the details of the particular incident, and presenting documentation (the examination paper, and other collaborating evidence) to support the fact that cheating took place. University of Alberta, University Governance, Code of Student Behaviour 30.3.2(2). http://www.registrar.ualberta.ca/calendar/Regulations-and2013-2014 Page 28 Information/Code-Student-Behavior/25.html 5. Advise the student of possible penalties: i) a grade of Fail on this particular examination, ii) a reduced grade in the course, iii) a grade of 1F or 1F1 in the course, Article 30.4.2(7), iv) Suspension, Article 30.4.2(11), or Expulsion from the university, Article 30.4.2(5). The penalty may include a combination of the aforementioned sanctions. The student should be allowed to continue to attend your class and other classes in the student’s program of studies until such time as an official ruling has been made regarding punitive action. (See GFC Section 30.3.2.) Students Who Write Offensive Comments If an instructor has a student who submits written comments (e.g., on exams, assignments, etc.) that appear to have implications for the Student Code of Conduct, the instructor should take the following steps: 1. Retain a copy of the student’s written comments. 2. Meet with the student to provide the student with fair warning about the concerns. 3. Provide an opportunity for the student to demonstrate improvement. 4. Let the student know that if concerns are not addressed by the student, then a record of the concerns will be forwarded to the Associate Chair or Chair of the Department for consultation with the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Student Services. In most cases, that will be the end of the process for you. If the Associate Dean recommends a suspension or expulsion, the Discipline officer will also want to speak with you as part of his or her investigation. Occasionally, the decision of the Associate Dean or the Discipline Officer may be appealed to the University Appeal Board, in which case you will normally appear as a witness at the hearing before the Board. For further details see GFC Section 30.3.3 or 30.5.4 Procedures for Instructors in Cases Respecting Inappropriate Academic Behaviour. http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/CodesofConductandResidenceCommunityStandards/Codeof StudentBehaviour/305TheDisciplineProcess/3054ProceduresforInstructorsin.aspx Students Who Disrupt the Class When a student disturbs, disrupts, or otherwise interferes with classroom activities, the instructor may immediately exclude the student from the class for that particular class meeting and subsequent meetings not to exceed 3 hours of instruction in total [Code of Student Behavior 30.5.3(1)]. Inform the Associate Chair about any situations that arise. For further details see GFC Section 30.3.4 or 30.5.3 Procedures for Instructors in Cases Respecting Class Disruptions. http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/CodesofConductandResidenceCommunityStandards/CodeofStud entBehaviour/305TheDisciplineProcess/3053ProceduresforInstructorsin.aspx COMMON CONCERNS RAISED BY STUDENTS Concerns about Marking of Term Work Instructors have sole discretion for marking term work. There is no policy or process in place for students to appeal term work or have it reassessed However, students who have concerns about marking of term work should bring their concerns to the attention of the course instructor to try 2013-2014 Page 29 to resolve the concern. If the issue cannot be resolved the student can meet with either the Associate Chair or Chair of the department. Depending on the concern, the Department Administrator may meet with the student and instructor to mediate the issue. If the student believes that either there is bias in marking and/or an error in marking occurred, the student will be advised that he/she can follow the process for an informal appeal after the final grade has been submitted. Concerns about Final Grades Students who have concerns about their final grades should meet with the course instructor first. In many cases, students are not concerned about how the grade was determined, but rather how the grade will affect their academic standing. If this is the case, instructors should not consider altering the grade because of the consequences it might have. Instead, encourage the student to meet with the Director of Student Support to discuss possible options. If the concern is with regards to grades received on a final exam, students may apply for a reappraisal or reexamination of final examination (see next section). If the student is concerned about how the grade was determined, that is, they believe that there has been bias or that there is an error, the student should follow the process for informal grade appeals as outlined by the Faculty of Education. The full document is available online at: http://uofa-education-student-wiki.wikispaces.com/ The process for informal grade appeal in the Department of Elementary Education is as follows: 1. The student must first meet with the course instructor or the course coordinator if the instructor is unavailable. 2. If, after students have made a reasonable effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, the matter cannot be resolved, students shall then discuss their concerns with the Associate Chair or Chair. 3. The administrator will investigate the concern further and may meet with both the student and instructor to mediate the issue. 4. If the matter is not resolved after meeting with a department administrator, students may appeal to the Associate Dean. Grade appeals, with supporting documentation, must be submitted to the Associate Dean or delegate by: February 15th for Fall term courses June 15th for full-year and Winter term courses July 15th for Spring term courses September 15th for Summer term courses In the event of an adverse decision, students may initiate a formal appeal to Faculty of Education Academic Appeals Committee (FEAAC). A copy of the Faculty Appeal Policy is available online: http://www.uss.ualberta.ca/~/media/fieldexperiences/AcademicappealsPPUNDERGRADMay20 121.pdf Reappraisals of Final Exams Only final exams may be reappraised. A student should apply for reappraisal of a paper only if he or she has good reason to believe that an error has been made. A request for reappraisal must be made in writing to the Department Chair. Payment of the required fee (see University Regulations §22.2.12) will normally be made at the time of the request; the fee will be refunded if the appeal is successful. If the grade is changed, the new grade, whether higher or lower than the original, replaces it as the student’s official grade in the course [See Section §23.5.4]. 2013-2014 Page 30 Reexaminations Undergraduate students who have written and submitted a final examination may be considered for a re-examination provided the following conditions are met. a. The course was failed. b. The final examination is 40 percent or greater, as originally scheduled. c. The Fall or Fall/Winter GPA is 2.0 inclusive of the failed course. The mark received for the reexamination replaces the original final examination mark and is used in computing the final grade in the course. Students requesting a reexamination complete an application form available within the department. Payment of the required fee (see Section §22.2.12) will normally be made at the time of approval of the application. Once approval has been granted reexaminations are to be written at a time and place agreed upon by the instructor and the students concerned [See University Regulations §23.5.5]. Handling Concerns Raised by Students Be proactive. Follow the requirements for course outlines, marking and grading. Consider using a midpoint evaluation that may allow you to adjust your approach to the course. Instructors must be available to meet with students during the term. Most issues will be resolved through these meetings; however, keep the following points in mind: Allow several days between handing back an exam or assignment and meeting with the student. Do not close your office door during a student meeting. If you believe the student may have the potential to act in an aggressive manner towards you, ask the Associate Chair to sit in on the meeting. Meeting with students should be an opportunity to aid learning. In this regard, you may: Review connections between course material and exam questions Explore the strategic thinking the student used as he or she prepared the assignment or studied for the exam. Discuss how the student can do better in future assignments and exams. Students also have the responsibility during these meetings to: Take responsibility for the work they submitted to you. Be accountable for their work and conduct. Show evidence of their developing sense of professionalism (e.g., being honest about factors such as attendance that likely influenced their work). Conduct themselves in a manner that shows evidence of their developing ability to cope with personal and professional challenges: calm under stress, rationale and polite, respectful, and able to cope with frustration and disappointment with a sense of grace and humility. Please see Appendix VIII Talking to an Upset Student for suggestions for communicating with students. SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC DIFFICULTIES Support is available within the Faculty and University for students with personal and academic difficulties. In most cases, refer the student to Carley Christianson (Director of Student Support, USS, 492-2638) for support of both personal and academic difficulties. Alert the Associate Chair if these difficulties interfere with the students’ academic success or your ability to teach. 2013-2014 Page 31 Duty to Accommodate The University acknowledges a duty to accommodate students’ special circumstances. This duty stems from (1) the Alberta Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Act, s. 4, and from (2) UA Discrimination Policy and Reasonable Accommodation Policy (GFC Section 44). (1) The Alberta Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Act, s. 4 covers services provided by the post-secondary institutions. It states: No person shall (a) deny to any person or class of persons any goods, services, accommodation or facilities that are customarily available to the public, or (b) discriminate against any person or class of persons with respect to any goods, services, accommodation or facilities that are customarily available to the public, because of the race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, physical disability, mental disability, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income or family status of that person or class of persons. (2) The Reasonable Accommodation Policy [GFC Section 44.8] states: The University of Alberta will take reasonable steps to accommodate individuals who are disadvantaged by employment, tenancy or educational rules, standards, policies or practices because of their race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, physical or mental disability, marital status, age, ancestry, place of origin, family status, source of income, sexual orientation, or political belief, to the extent required by law. “Physical and mental disabilities” include but are not limited to: hearing disabilities disabilities related to chronic health mobility disabilities problems psychological and psychiatric disabilities disabilities as a result of serious vision disabilities illnesses, such as cancer learning disabilities developmental disabilities neurological disabilities The duty to accommodate is a shared responsibility. When a student needs accommodation, that individual is responsible for: 1. Providing reasonable advance notice to his or her Instructor … of the need for an accommodation, if this is not apparent. 2. Providing enough relevant documentation including medical reports or other materials as are required to verify the need for accommodation and for identifying his or her specific accommodation needs. 3. Cooperating in searching for and implementing a reasonable accommodation. 4. Accepting reasonable accommodation. The individual asking to be accommodated cannot expect a perfect solution. The duty to accommodate does not 1. require that post-secondary institutions lower academic or non-academic standards to accommodate students with disabilities. 2. relieve the student of the responsibility to develop the essential skills and competencies expected of all students. 2013-2014 Page 32 Specialized Support and Disability Services The SSDS provides support services to students with disabilities to enable complete access to University facilities and successful completion of programs. SSDS will provide exam arrangements, note taking support, adaptive technology and assistive devices. For further information contact the SSDS office at 492-3381 or http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/SSDS/contact.cfm Accommodating Students with Disabilities: A Short Guide for Faculty http://www.ualberta.ca/~ssd/ssdshelpingstudents.pdf Note: the nature and extent of accomodations must be decided by SDSS. They are not subject to negotiation between the instructor and student. Occasionally, students state that the required accomodations were not fully written on the SDSS form. If there is any discrepancy, contact the Associate Chair for assistance in resolution. U of A Student Success Centre (formerly known as Academic Support Centre) Student Success Centre provides writing resources, learning resources, and testing services. The Centre teaches students how to function in university so that achievement can be maintained. Learning Resources teaches them how to achieve by utilizing strategies that are taken from research into learning and performance. Some typical workshops offered are: Time Management, Note Taking, Reading Tips, Strategies for Academic Achievement, Memory Skills, and Study Techniques. Student Success Centre also deals with test anxiety and teaching students how to deal with it on their own so they can function in an exam situation. If the anxiety is extreme, Student Success Centre will refer students to physicians or other related professionals. Student Success Centre provides this service by seeing students on an individual appointment basis but also offer students a variety of workshops throughout each term. Students encountering difficulties should contact the Student Success Centre (previously known as Academic Support Centre) in Room 2-300 Students’ Union Building, Phone: 780-492-2682, Email: [email protected] or http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/academicsupport/. Additional Services for Students For additional Student Services links see Appendix VII and Student Services links online at: http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/studentservices/. 2013-2014 Page 33 SERVICES AVAILABLE TO STAFF Edmonton Campus Office Staff Help and Materials Preparation All instructors see Barbara, the receptionist in the Elementary Education office, for any secretarial support, i.e. assist instructors in obtaining office supplies, such as office paper and teaching supplies, assisting with the use of the photocopier and fax machine. Please allow ample lead-time for requests to be completed. Printer / Photocopier Use Please see Barbara to obtain your individual photocopier access code. The photocopy machine in the workroom also functions as a printer. Full time faculty and some sessional instructors have their office computers set to send printing to the copier. Otherwise take work on a thumb drive to the computer station in the office and send it from there. Barb is available to help with initial instructions. Instructors are responsible for the photocopying of all their own course materials. The Department is not able to provide this service for instructors. However, if a problem arises do not hesitate to ask Barb for assistance. Normally all instructors should use the photocopier in the Staff Workroom 550. The photocopier in the general office is reserved for administrative and support staff. However, in emergency situations (i.e. a breakdown) or if there is a long wait, the general office photocopier may be used. If you have a large photocopying task that will tie up the machine for a lengthy period of time try to avoid initiating this task during periods when user demand is high. It’s always appreciated if, when you are engaged in a large run, you stand aside for someone who is in a panic to run one or two copies. These procedures will help to free the photocopier to a wider number of users. Staff Workroom The Staff Workroom, Room 550, houses all mailboxes for academic and instructional staff. The workroom is furnished with a photocopier / printer and fax machine. The fax machine will only send local messages for part-time instructors. For access to this workroom after hours, please obtain a key requisition form from Barb Vickerman, the Department Receptionist. Key Requisitions: Office Space, Classrooms, Staff Workroom Contact Barb for key requisitions for assigned office space and access to your classroom and the staff workroom. Please note that some instructors may be required to share an office due to the shortage of space. Offices should normally be vacated by visiting instructors and sessional staff at the conclusion of the term in which the teaching assignment terminates. Technology Support Education Technology Services will soon merge with AICT, check website: aict.ualberta.ca/ps/av for current updates. If you have a technology related problem: Educational Technology Services (EdTech) is implementing a new process for handling requests for faculty technology services. The Issue Management System (IMS) is based on a "trouble 2013-2014 Page 34 ticket" server which is designed to accept requests and allow staff to react quickly and responsibly to inbound inquires and technical problems. If you need technical help you should proceed in one of two ways: 1. Go to the website at http://support.educ.ualberta.ca and log in with your CCID. You use this website to create a new issue “ticket” or review any open issues that you may have. 2. Call 780-492-3563 and leave a detailed message describing the issue. The EdTech staff member assigned to your issue will respond by email or phone. Please do not call EdTech staff directly when you have a service request as has been done in the past. Direct calls will make it more difficult for them to assist you, as they will be required to create a new issue ticket manually which may delay their ability to respond to your issue. Equipment for Classroom use Portable A/V Equipment on-site support with any installed classroom equipment After Hours Tech Support (Until 8pm Monday to Friday); Phone: 780-492-3923 Centrally Supported Educational Technologies Contacts for Technology Technical support AICT HelpDesk Room 302, General Services Building [email protected] 780-492-9400 http://www.aict.ualberta.ca/contact PD/consultation/media services/ student support EdTech Services 3-104 Ed N [email protected] 780-492-3563 http://edtech.educ.ualberta.ca Central eLearning services (eClass, eClass Live!, eCast) Center for 133 Telus Center Teaching & Learning (CTL) [email protected] 780-492-9372 http://ctl.ualberta.ca/ The following eLearning services are managed and supported by the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) http://www.ctl.ualberta.ca/technology-services eClass The University of Alberta’s brand name for its Learning Management System is eClass. Currently, eClass is powered by Moodle. If you would like to integrate eClass into your course, you need to request that an eClass section be created as they are not automatically available. Please note that if you teach the same course in another term, you have to request a new section for the new term but you may ask to have the content from the earlier course copied into the new one. Once you are able to view your course under the instructor tab in Bear Tracks you are able to request an eClass for the course. The automated Request a Course system, available from the 2013-2014 Page 35 eClass page, will allow you to easily and efficiently create eClass sections with very quick response times. If you run into difficulties please contact CTL at [email protected] or 780-4929372. You will find all eClass resources here: https://eclass.srv.ualberta.ca/portal/ Note: Your student list on eClass will continue to be updated daily until the add/drop deadline. After the add/drop deadline all students will remain on your eClass students list even if they withdraw from the course. Students do not have access to eClass until the first day of class unless you specify differently when you request the section. eClass Live! As an instructor at the university, you have access to a web-based desktop conferencing system, branded as eClass Live! (http://www.ctl.ualberta.ca/technology-services/eclasslive). It is powered by Adobe Connect, which allows you to enable real-time communication and collaboration. You can virtually bring a guest speaker into your classroom, enable working groups for students, or meet virtually instead of face-to-face. eCast Every member of the campus community also has an account on the eCast podcasting server (http://www.ctl.ualberta.ca/technology-services/ecast). You and your students can upload audio and video files to this streaming server for use in classroom activities or assignments. Educational Technology Services http://edtech.educ.ualberta.ca/ 3-104 Ed North [email protected] 780-492-3563 EdTech Services provides instructors and students in the Faculty of Education with the help they need to become more effective, knowledgeable and confident integrating educational technology into their daily practice of teaching & learning, research, communication and administration. Call, email or drop in to EdTech Services to get answers to your technology questions. If the staff can’t help, they’ll get you to the person who can. Technology Support for Student Assignments The EdTech Learning Commons (ELC), located on the third floor of Education North (3-104), is a place where students can access specialized equipment (such as SMART boards and iClickers) and software and work on assignments, independently or in groups, with tutoring and support close by. Hours of operation: Fall and Winter: Monday to Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm Spring and Summer: Monday to Friday, 8:00am – 4:00pm Customized Assignment Support Program (CASP) If you would like students to receive specific tutoring or support in the ELC, you can submit your assignment to CASP through the online request form. Work with an EdTech staff member to identify and plan for the training and support needed to help your students successfully complete your assignment. Professional Development and Training for Technology Integration If you would like to learn more about integrating technology into your teaching, if you are interested in learning about a specific teaching strategy that incorporates technology, or if you would like training or support with implementing a technology activity or assignment, EdTech 2013-2014 Page 36 Services has academic staff available to provide instructors with consultation, coaching, training, assistance and support regarding the use of technology in their teaching. They will start wherever you are in terms of your technical know-how and work with you to help you develop the skills and expertise you want to develop. Media Services EdTech Services offers a wide range of general multimedia services, including graphic design support, audio and video capture for live events such as guest speakers, audio and video editing, screen capture, equipment training, media support for assignments, scanning, printing, laminating and more. They also provide support for video conferencing. Direct Deposit for Monthly Paid Employees To reduce transaction costs, the University of Alberta uses direct deposit as the only method of payment for all monthly paid employees. In order to activate your Direct Deposit account, please sign in to Bear Tracks: https://www.beartracks.ualberta.ca/psp/uahebprd/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/?cmd=logout 1. After signing in to Bear Tracks select the Direct Deposit link from the left hand navigational menu. 2. Use the Add Account button for the following: Add new direct deposit information - new set-up Add additional direct deposit information. Deposits can be made to more than one bank account. You can allocate portions of your paycheque to other accounts using either amount or percent. 3. Use the Edit button for the following: Edit existing Direct Deposit information - change the Account Type (Savings or Chequing), change the Bank ID or the Branch number. Library Privileges ONEcard: Sessional lecturers can obtain library privileges with a ONEcard. After Staff and Student Payments process your contract you go to the ONEcard Office located in the basement of the Cameron Library (B-12 Cameron), being sure to bring a copy of their letter of employment and picture ID with you. In addition to library privileges, your ONEcard serves as campus ID and provides access to University Health Services, Health and Fitness Facilities, and special discounts at the MicroStore. ONEcard Office 492-7924 B-12 Cameron Library Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am 4.30 pm, Wednesday to 5.30 pm http://www.onecard.ualberta.ca/ If you do not wish to obtain a ONEcard, sessional staff may obtain a Library Card Application form the Chair’s Assistant in the department. Once completed, the application may be taken to the circulation desk of the Herbert T. Coutts Library to obtain a card. Parking Campus parking is available. You may require a letter from the Chair to present at the Parking Services Office to obtain parking privileges for monthly parking permit. 2013-2014 Page 37 Faculty Lounges The Department of Elementary Education Staff and Graduate Student Lounge is in Room 548, Education South. Please feel welcome to take a coffee break or to join colleagues for lunch and conversation. Those who wish to join the Coffee Club pay $5.00 per month for this privilege. Incidental coffee drinkers or water cooler users pay 25¢ per drink. Further inquiries should be directed to Barb in our general office. A cafeteria on the main floor, Education North is open to serve customers. Hot and cold beverages, soup, sandwiches, sweet rolls, and desserts are available. There are several restaurants and coffee shops within a short walk on the Education building. 2013-2014 Page 38 APPENDICES 2013-2014 Page 39 APPENDIX I: KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES FOR INTERIM TEACHER CERTIFICATION contextual variables affect teaching and learning. They know how to analyse many variables at one time, and how to respond by making reasoned decisions about their teaching practice and students’ learning; the structure of the Alberta education system. They know the different roles in the system, and how responsibilities and accountabilities are determined, communicated and enforced, including the expectations held of them under the Certification of Teachers Regulation, A.R. 261/90 as amended and their school authority’s teacher’s evaluation policy; the purposes of the Guide to Education and programs of study germane to the specialization or subject disciplines they are prepared to teach. They know how to use these documents to inform and direct their planning, instruction and assessment of student progress; the subject disciplines they teach. They have completed a structured program of studies through which they acquired the knowledge, concepts, methodologies and assumptions in one or more areas of specialization or subject disciplines taught in Alberta schools; all students can learn, albeit at different rates and in different ways. They know how (including when and how to engage others) to identify students’ different learning styles and ways students learn. They understand the need to respond to differences by creating multiple paths to learning for individuals and groups of students, including students with special learning needs; the purposes of short, medium and long term range planning. They know how to translate curriculum and desired outcomes into reasoned, meaningful and incrementally progressive learning opportunities for students. They also understand the need to vary their plans to accommodate individuals and groups of students; students’ needs for physical, social, cultural and psychological security. They know how to engage students in creating effective classroom routines. They know how and when to apply a variety of management strategies that are in keeping with the situation, and that provide for minimal disruptions to students’ learning; the importance of respecting students’ human dignity. They know how to establish, with different students, professional relationships that are characterized by mutual respect, trust and harmony; there are many approaches to teaching and learning. They know a broad range of instructional strategies appropriate to their area of specialization and the subject discipline they teach, and know which strategies are appropriate to help different students achieve different outcomes; the functions of traditional and electronic teaching/learning technologies. They know how to use and how to engage students in using these technologies to present and deliver content, communicate effectively with others, find and secure information, research, word process, manage information, and keep records; the purposes of student assessment. They know how to assess the range of learning objectives by selecting and developing a variety of classroom and large scale assessment techniques and instruments. They know how to analyse the results of classroom and large scale assessment 2013-2014 Page 40 instruments including provincial assessment instruments, and how to use the results for the ultimate benefit of students; the importance of engaging parents, purposefully and meaningfully, in all aspects of teaching and learning. They know how to develop and implement strategies that create and enhance partnerships among teachers, parents and students; student learning is enhanced through the use of home and community resources. They know how to identify resources relevant to teaching and learning objectives, and how to incorporate these resources into their teaching and students’ learning; the importance of contributing, independently and collegially, to the quality of their school. They know the strategies whereby they can, independently and collegially, enhance and maintain the quality of their schools to the benefit of students, parents, community and colleagues; the importance of career-long learning. They know how to assess their own teaching and how to work with others responsible for supervising and evaluating teachers. They know how to use the findings of assessments, supervision and evaluations to select, develop and implement their own professional development activities; the importance of guiding their actions with a personal, overall vision of the purpose of teaching. They are able to communicate their vision, including how it has changed as a result of new knowledge, understanding and experience; and they are expected to achieve the Teaching Quality Standard, i.e., providing students the best possible opportunity to learn. Source: Alberta Education. (1999). An integrated framework to enhance the quality of teaching in Alberta. 2013-2014 Page 41 APPENDIX II: DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION INTERIM GRADING POLICY In accordance with university policy, instructors in courses offered by the Department of Elementary Education may use the absolute measures system, the distribution system, or a combination of the two for calculating final course letter grades. In the Absolute Grading System, students attain their letter grade on the basis of the absolute raw score total they have earned through completion of the course. Under the absolute measures system, the instructor determines ahead of time how raw scores will be converted to grades. Under the distribution or relative scoring system, the instructor determines the final grade based on the distribution of scores achieved by all of the students in the class. If a distribution system is used, the conversion is at the discretion of the instructor; specific patterns of distribution are not mandated by the university. Under this arrangement a score of 65% may be a letter grade other than C depending upon the score distribution of other students in the class. Under the combination system, the instructor uses a combination of absolute achievement and relative performance in class to determine course letter grades. Instructors are required to announce at the beginning of the course the manner in which the official University grading system is to be implemented in the course. Please note that specific grade distributions are not mandated. In all instances, however, 50% is required for a minimal passing letter grade of D. The following verbal descriptions explain the levels of performance represented by various grades. A+ exceptional performance with respect to course learning objectives; exhibits original, creative thinking and demonstrates a capacity to analyze critically and synthesize information. A excellent performance combined with strong evidence of critical thinking. A– excellent performance with respect to course learning objectives. B+ very good achievement of course learning objectives B good to very good achievement of course learning objectives B– good achievement of course learning objectives C+ satisfactory to good achievement of course learning objectives C satisfactory achievement C– acceptable achievement but somewhat less than the normal expectation of course learning objectives D+ poor achievement with respect to course learning objectives D minimal pass F unsatisfactory performance and considered a failing grade The following class means and medians were recommended in the 2010-11 academic year. They are presented here for information purposes only: 3rd Year 4th Year Mean 3.00 3.11 Median B B+ 2013-2014 Page 42 DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION GRADE CONVERSION FOR UNDERGRADUATE COURSES The following charts illustrate how grade conversion has been historically determined within the Department of Elementary Education. Your instructor will use these historical guidelines for grade conversion in this course, in conjunction with the university Grading Policy (seehttps://policiesonline.ualberta.ca/PoliciesProcedures/Policies/Assessment-and-Grading-Policy.pdf ABSOLUTE SYSTEM: DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM: 30 Students 35 Students 4th yr Percentages 25 Students 30 Students 35 Students 6% 1.5 1.8 2.1 8% 2.0 2.4 2.8 92-95 9% 2.3 2.7 3.2 12% 3.0 3.6 4.2 A- 87-91 14% 3.5 4.2 4.9 17% 4.3 5.1 6.0 B+ 83-86 16% 4.0 4.8 5.6 16% 4.0 4.8 5.6 B 78-82 18% 4.5 5.4 6.3 16% 4.0 4.8 5.6 B- 73-77 14% 3.5 4.2 4.9 12% 3.0 3.6 4.2 Satisfactory C+ 69-72 9% 2.3 2.7 3.2 7% 1.8 2.1 2.5 C 64-68 6% 1.5 1.8 2.1 5% 1.3 1.5 1.8 (comparison) 96-100 A Absolute Raw Score 25 Students Good 400 Level Courses Approximate Number of Students at Each Grade Band A+ Descriptor 3rd yr Percentages 300 Level Courses Approximate Number of Students at Each Grade Band Excellent ) C- 60-63 4% 1.0 1.2 1.4 3% 0.8 0.9 1.1 Poor D+ 55-59 2% 0.5 0.6 0.7 2% 0.5 0.6 0.7 Minimal Pass D 50-54 1% 0.3 0.3 0.4 1% 0.3 0.3 0.4 Failure F <50 1% 0.3 0.3 0.4 1% 0.3 0.3 0.4 GPA 3.00 3.00 3.00 GPA 3.11 3.11 3.11 The course outline acts as an agreement between the student and the instructor regarding the details of the course. Circumstances might develop, during a term, where a change to the course outline, as set out in §23.4(2)a, made sense to all concerned. Such changes shall only occur with fair warning or general class consent. Policy about course outlines can be found in Section 23.4(2) of the University Calendar. The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at www.ualberta.ca/secretariat/appeals.htm) and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University. (GFC 29 SEP 2003) The Faculty of Education is committed to providing an environment of equality and respect for all people within the University community, and to educating faculty, staff, and students in developing teaching and learning contexts that are welcoming to all. The Faculty recommends that students and staff use inclusive language to create a classroom atmosphere in which students’ experiences and views are treated with equal respect and value in relation to their gender, race, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds. 2013-2014 Page 43 Students who require accommodations in this course due to a disability affecting mobility, vision, hearing, learning, or mental and physical health are advised to discuss their needs with Specialized Support and Disability Services, 2-800 Students’ Union Building, 492-3381 (phone) or 492-7269 (TTY). Students can access their course grades via the web using Bear Tracks (go to ‘For Students’, then ‘Registration’, then ‘Your Class Timetable’). Students will need to use their GPU accounts and know their GPU login ID and password in order to access this service. Deferred Exams: A deferred final examination is a privilege extended to students meeting the criteria listed in Section 23.5.6(2) of the University of Alberta Calendar. The common dates for writing deferred final examinations for EDEL courses are as follows: Fall Term 2013: 0900, February 4, 2014 Winter Term 2014: 0900, May 24, 2014 Intersession 2014: 0900, August 18, 2014 2013-2014 Page 44 Absolute Scale Raw Score APPENDIX III: FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION SHEET A+ 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 89 88 87 86 85 84 83 82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65 64 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 < 50 A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D F Instructions: bullet not exclamation marks. Round raw scores (out of 100) to the nearest whole number. Place tallies on scale for all scores. If the distributive scale is used, indicate letter grade divisions One scale may be used for multiple sections, provided that assignments and grading are similar. 2013-2014 Page 45 APPENDIX V: DEVELOPING PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT – CONNECTIONS TO THE ATA CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT Selected Statements from the ATA Code of Professional Conduct Pre-service Teachers in a Professional Program The teacher teaches in a manner that respects the dignity and rights of all persons without prejudice as to race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical characteristics, disability, marital status, family status, age, ancestry, place of origin, place of residence, socioeconomic background or linguistic background. The teacher treats pupils with dignity and respect and is considerate of their circumstances. The teacher does not undermine the confidence of pupils in other teachers. Pre-service teachers do not undermine the confidence of their classmates in other instructors. For example: making or repeating unprofessional comments about instructors. The teacher criticizes the professional competence or professional reputation of another teacher only in confidence to proper officials and after the other teacher has been informed of the criticism Pre-service teachers, if criticizing the professional competence or professional reputation of an instructor, should follow proper procedures. For example: meeting with the instructor to discuss the difficulty in private – making the best effort to resolve any difficulty at this first stage. asking yourself “What was my responsibility in regard to this difficulty?” and “How can my difficulty be resolved so I can get the most out of my education program?” meeting with the Associate Chair of the department if you cannot resolve the issue with the instructor. Pre-service teachers should conduct themselves in a manner that respects the dignity and rights of all persons, including the instructor, without prejudice as to race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical characteristics, disability, marital status, family status, age, ancestry, place of origin, place of residence, socioeconomic background or linguistic background. For example: respecting other students’ ideas and ways of representing their ideas. using inclusive language. willing to do group work with a variety of other students. developing a sense of respect for diverse children and their families. Pre-service teachers should treat other students with dignity and respect and be considerate of their learning circumstances. For example: respecting other students’ rights to an optimal learning environment (planning to arrive on time, remaining for the entire class, and being attentive). 2013-2014 Page 46 The teacher, when making a report on the professional performance of another teacher, does so in good faith and, prior to submitting the report, provides the teacher with a copy of the report. Pre-service teachers, when reporting on the professional performance of other students or an instructor should do so in good faith. For example: meeting with the students or instructor to discuss the professional performance issue. providing constructive feedback. providing adequate time for change to occur. sending a signed copy of any letter to the students or instructor in question. The teacher acts in a manner which maintains the honor and dignity of the profession. Pre-service teachers should act in a manner which maintains the honor and dignity of the profession. Develop a commitment to self-improvement. Improving yourself academically. For example: being willing to know and consider new ideas. being willing to engage your mind in thinking about your courses. developing the discipline needed for self-directed learning. meeting the standards for scholarship in all courses. Improving your social skills. For example: being willing to work with diverse people. being accountable during group assignments. Improving your sense of responsibility. For example: always being willing to credit other people for their work (plagiarism issues). accepting responsibility for completing assignments on time. being responsible for the choices you make when no one is watching – e.g., written comments on course evaluations. Respect the teaching profession. For example: seeing yourself as a practicing professional in the field of education and acting accordingly. developing a sense of pride and respect for the teaching profession. promoting the teaching profession within the university community and to society. Department of Elementary Education: UCC, April 11, 2003 2013-2014 Page 47 APPENDIX VI: UNIVERSAL STUDENT RATINGS OF INSTRUCTION Instructor’s name: ___________________________________________________ Course/Class: ___________________________________________________ Using an HB pencil, fill in only one circle for each statement. Completely erase any response you wish to change. Please use the scale SD=Strongly Disagree, D=Disagree, N=Neutral, A=Agree, SA=Strongly Agree unless an alternate scale is provided as part of the question. The University of Alberta would appreciate your careful completion of this questionnaire. The results help instructors and departments or faculties to initiate constructive change in curriculum and instruction. In addition, the results are one important factor in decisions affecting the career of your instructor. To protect the anonymity of student responses, written comments will be typed where the Department Chair/Dean deems it advisable. Students who are concerned about he anonymity of their responses should submit their typewritten comments within 5 workings days of the assessment done in class to the Chair of the Department, making sure to note the course number, section and name of the instructor. Questions about this questionnaire should be addressed to your Chair, Director or Dean 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The goals and objectives of the course were clear In-class time was used effectively I am motivated to learn more about these subject areas I increased my knowledge of the subject areas in this course Overall, the quality of the course content was excellent 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. The instructor spoke clearly The instructor was well prepared The instructor treated the students with respect The instructor provided constructive feedback throughout this course The instructor endeavored to create and maintain a climate of mutual respect Overall, this instructor was excellent If you have any additional comments, please use the back of this sheet. 2013-2014 Page 48 APPENDIX VII: ACADEMIC INTEGRITY PROCESS FOR DEALING WITH INAPPROPRIATE ACADEMIC BEHAVIOUR 1. Get information and advice: As an instructor, if you suspect Inappropriate Academic Behaviour has occurred, contact the Associate Chair or Program Coordinator for advice on the process. Also review descriptions of Inappropriate Academic Behaviour in 30.3.2 and the Discipline Process 30.5 in Code of Student Behaviour. 2. Contact the student: If you suspect Inappropriate Academic Behaviour, you are required to contact the student to arrange for a meeting. If more than one student is involved, contact and meet with them individually. Students must be informed of the purpose of the meeting ahead of time. (For example, “I have some concerns that you didn’t cite all of your sources in your paper.”) 3. Provide dates/times when you are available. Although not required, you are strongly encouraged to have someone else attend (e.g., Associate Chair, Program Coordinator, Course Coordinator or a faculty member). Encourage the student to contact Student Ombudservice (www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/OmbudService/) for advice. Students may also bring an advisor to the meeting—preferably someone from Ombudservice. 4. Meet with the student: At the meeting it is generally helpful to have someone else chair the meeting. The chair can help structure the meeting by first allowing the instructor to provide more information regarding the concern and the evidence they have. Next, the student should be given an opportunity to respond to the concern. Ensure that the student understands the process that will occur after the meeting. 5. Write a report: If you believe there was a code violation you are required to report the incident to the Associate Dean in Undergraduate Student Service. In your report include the following: a. Academic Discipline Report Form (which includes information about the student, course, nature of suspected offense, record of meeting, contact information, etc.). b. A letter providing information on the circumstances of the case, the evidence available, and student responses during the meeting. c. Attach a photocopy of the assignment/exam, assignment sheet, course outline, or any other relevant information. 6. Provide copies to students: Instructors are encouraged to provide the student with a copy of the Academic Discipline Report Form and letter written to the Associate Dean. 7. The Associate Dean will contact the instructor and student to investigate the allegations further. If a sanction will be imposed, the instructor’s recommendation will be considered. The Associate Dean can impose minor sanctions (e.g., reprimand, zero on assignment/exam, grade reduction or an F in course). If the Associate Dean recommends major sanctions (e.g., notation on transcript, conduct probation, suspension or expulsion), the matter is turned over to a Discipline Officer in the Office of Student Judicial Affairs. 8. If a major sanction is recommended, a Discipline Officer will conduct an investigation if necessary. 9. The student may appeal the charges or severity of sanction imposed by the Associate Dean or the Discipline Officer to the University Appeal Board. If an appeal is made, the instructor may be called as a witness. Note: If a case is still unresolved at the end of a term, report the student’s grade as IN (incomplete). Code of Student Behaviour: http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/en/CodesofConductandResidenceCommunityStandards/CodeofStudentBehaviour. aspx Academic Integrity Handbook for Instructors and Teaching Assistants: http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/TIE//pdfs/2009_10%20Academic%20Integrity%20Handbook%20for%20Instructors %20and%20TAs.pdf 2013-2014 Page 49 DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION INAPPROPRIATE ACADEMIC BEHAVIOUR REPORTING FORM ID Student Name Student Phone Student Email Assignment Type (check one) Essay Department: Assignment Course Number: Relative weight of assignment: Online Project Course Name: Presentation Section: Other (specify) Term: ____ % Nature of suspected offence (check one) Plagiarism (including unauthorized collaboration) Cheating Misuse of Confidential Materials Bribery Other (specify) Misrepresentation of Facts Participation in an Offence Attach the following documents: Description of the offence Summary of discussion with student Course Syllabus Assignment sheet or test materials Student’s assignment/test/project Any other supporting documents Meeting date and names of attendees Instructor Instructor phone Instructor email Date Signature: Possible Sanctions for Offences Reprimand Zero on assignment/exam Grade reduction in course F in course Notation on transcript Conduct Probation Suspension Expulsion Adapted from Academic Behaviour Reporting Form: http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/TIE/pdfs/InappropriateAcademicBehaviourReportingForm.pdf 2013-2014 Page 50 APPENDIX VIII: CAMPUS SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS NEED HELP? 24 Hour Assistance Emergency Response Campus Security Services 492-5555 492-5050 Distress Line/Suicide Line Edmonton Sexual Assault Centre (Crisis Line) AADAC Recovery Line Police/Fire/Ambulance 482-4357 423-4121 423-4121 427-4291 911 Health and Personal Help University Health Centre U of A Sexual Assault Centre Student Counseling Services Student Distress Centre Birth Control Centre Planned Parenthood STD Centre (Capital Health) 492-2612 492-9771 492-5205 492-4357 413-5735 423-3737 413-5156 Discrimination and Harassment Office of Human Rights Academic Help Student Success Centre Student OmbudService 492-7325 Information Information Services (Info Booths/Housing/ Exams /Tutor) Dean of Students Office of the Registrar 492-4212 492-4145 492-3113 Financial Help Student Financial Aid and Information Centre (SFAIC) Access Fund Students’ Union Advocacy group Student Awards Office 492-3483 492-3483 492-4236 492-3221 Walk Home Service Safewalk 492-5563 Specialized Services Campus Food Bank Career and Placement Services (CaPs) Chaplains’ Association International Centre Native Student Services Specialized Support and Disability Services Student Legal Services 492-8677 492-4291 492-0339 492-2692 492-5677 492-3381 *492-7269 492-2226 **492-2682 492-4689 *TTY **voice and TTY Need Help cards are a joint production of the University of Alberta and the Students’ Union. (09/00) Resource: Helping Students: A Guide to Resources 2013-2014 Page 51 APPENDIX IX: TALKING TO AN UPSET STUDENT There are many reasons why students could come into the office upset. They may be feeling angry, overwhelmed, confused, sick, or stressed. Please keep in mind that they may also be dealing with problems or issues that are unrelated to their visit to you. The basic process for dealing with students who are upset is the same: Acknowledge the student’s FEELINGS. This lets them know that you care how they are feeling and that this needs to be discussed before you can get to the specifics of the problem. Use your listening skills to allow the client to explain, in their own words, what has got them upset. This will allow the client to release pent-up anxieties and help them to “calm down.” Ignore rudeness and avoid the temptation to blame others, justify, defend, or lecture. Understand what the upsetting experience has meant to your student. Understanding does not mean the acceptance of fault or point of view. Move the student to a private area to discuss matters. Now you can begin to work on the problem that has brought your student to your office. Remember to: Express willingness to help the student solve the problem. Clarify what has been communicated. Summarize what action has been proposed to make sure that there is a mutual understanding. Most importantly, recognize that your student is upset and has a valid reason for being upset. Let your student know that you acknowledge both: e.g. “You sound really upset about all of this.” e.g. “You’ve been through an experience that would make anyone upset.” Tips on angry students: Angry students may be the toughest to deal with. A normal first reaction to anyone who is angry is to become defensive or to become angry yourself. In a professor-student relationship it is especially important to make an effort to not respond in these ways. You should: Acknowledge your student’s anger. Let them know it is OK to feel angry. If your student has raised his/her voice, try SLIGHTLY raising your voice and then slowly bring your voice back down to normal. Many times your student will follow with his/her tone of voice. If the student is not calming down, or you can feel yourself getting frustrated or upset, it may be best to invite the student to come back at another time. You may also refer your client to the Student Counseling Service (Professional counselors*) or Student Distress Centre (Peer counselors*). Sometimes it can help to talk to someone who is not directly involved in the problem. As staff, please feel free to also use the Student Counseling Service or Student Distress Centre to discuss any student interaction you find upsetting. Both services are (typically) free and confidential. If possible, contact an appropriate service with the student in your office and get the name of a contact person with whom the student may connect. If appropriate, offer to walk the student to the service. Other quick references are available on the Need Help Cards 2013-2014 Page 52 provided by many of the Services including the Dean of Students office. (*Refer to their entries for a complete description of their services.) Suicide Professors play a major part in students’ lives. It is not uncommon for a student to view his or her professor a mentor or someone who can offer help. Students who are feeling overwhelmed may approach you for help. You may even be presented with a student who is suicidal. Common Clues to Suicide Verbal Direct statements: Indirect statements: “I wish I were dead.” “I don’t wish to live anymore.” “All of my problems will end soon.” “Everyone will be better off without me.” “No one can help me now.” “I just can’t take it anymore.” Talking or joking about suicide; describing methods or plans for committing suicide Expressions of helplessness and hopelessness Saying goodbye Behavioral depression, sadness drop in grades by good students or sudden interest in grades by poor students impatience and irritability inability to concentrate (becoming bored and listless) a previous attempt of losses to suicide fascination with death giving away possessions, putting affairs in order isolation and withdrawal from family and friends lack of interest in hobbies, jobs, school, or physical appearance Situational losses pressures low self-esteem lack of help or communication trouble with the law drug and alcohol abuse What can I do if I think a student may be suicidal? First and foremost: TALK to the student. If you need help, please contact Student Counseling Services at 492-5205 or the Student Distress Centre at 492-4357. They can discuss the following points in more detail. Ask the student in a straightforward manner if they are suicidal. (e.g. “I’m worried about you. Are you thinking about suicide?”) Asking this question will not plant the idea in a student’s head. In fact, if a student has considered suicide, it can be a relief to talk about it with someone who is not afraid to discuss the issue. 2013-2014 Page 53 Ask if the student has a plan on how to carry this out. Find out if they have planned a time to do it. This allows you to assess the risk of the situation. Ask the student to contract with you. This means asking the student to promise to contact you, a friend or family member, or even the Distress Line before they act on their suicidal feelings. The best way is to pick one that both you and the student are comfortable with and ask them to promise to contact that person. Discuss what resources are available to the student to help deal with their suicidal feelings. These include things the student is able to do for him or herself (such as hobbies or writing things in a journal) as well as people the student can go to for help (such as friends, family, clergy, or yourself!) If you believe that a student is in immediate danger of hurting themselves or someone else, contact an emergency number such as 911. Resources Edmonton Distress Line Student Counseling Centre Student Distress Centre Walk in Counseling 482-HELP (4357) 492- 5205 492-HELP (4357) 482-0198 24 hours 8:30 – 4:30 Mon –Fri 9 – 9 Mon – Fri (No appointment) Call for hours Source: Helping Students: A Guide to Resources *************************************************************************** Amendments to the Code of Student Behaviour occur throughout the year. For the most recent version of the Code, visit the University Governance website at: http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/governance/StudentAppealsRegulations.cfm Notice to Instructors Regarding Plagiarism, Cheating, Misrepresentation of Facts and Participation in an Offence: http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/gfcpolicymanual/content.cfm?ID_page=37633#38363 A fuller discussion of Academic Integrity for students and instructors is available at this link: http://www.tie.ualberta.ca/ 2013-2014 Page 54
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