Rod, I am curious - did your students ask the instructor of the other required course to do that course as an idependent study? If I were you, I would tell the students that I am unable to take on independent study students this semester given your unusually difficult teaching load. I would suggest that they try aksing the other instructor to do an independent study, or to talk to the administration to get one of the required courses offered sooner than 2005.
Michael J. Caruso Associate Professor, Psychology University of Toledo e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] www: http://www.utoledo.edu/~mcaruso/ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Hetzel, Rod" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, November 06, 2002 10:49 PM Subject: problem with independent studies > Here's another post...Guess I've got a lot of questions this week... > > In our curriculum we have a designation for an "Independent Study" course. Over the past year I've had a number of students ask to take independent study courses with me. All of these students wanted to take independent study courses in the place of regular courses that are offered in our curriculum but for various reasons couldn't be fit into their schedules. I have tried to accomodate students when it was reasonable to do so, but faculty don't receive additional remuneration or any other credit for teaching independent studies. Teaching an independent study essentially means another preparation in addition to the regular teaching load. > > Here's my problem: Next semester I am teaching four courses, three of which are new preparations for courses that I've never taught before. One of the courses that I am teaching next semester is Tests and Measurements. This is a course that I have designed specifically around group projects and activities. Well, today I had two senior psychology majors ask me if I could also teach Tests and Measurements as an Independent Study next semeste r. They told me that they both have other non-psychology courses that they need to have for graduation but which are scheduled during the same time as Tests and Measurements. I initially told these students that I would not be able to teach this course as an Independent Study because the course was specifically designed around group projects and because I was already teaching four other courses, three of which were new preps. They came back and told me that if I didn't allow them to take an Independent Study in Tests and Measurements, then they wouldn't be able to take the regular Tests and Measurements course that I'm teaching because of the other required course they need to take, they would not be able to graduate in May, and would have to wait until the 2005 Spring Semester to take this course (which is the next time that Tests and Measurements, a required course, will be offered). > > If I allow these two students to take an Independent Study in Tests and Measurements, then I will need to significantly revise the course to accomodate these two students. This is a lot of extra work in a semester that is already packed. If I made the Independent Study harder than the regular course, then that means more work during the semester to help the students. If I make the Independent Study easier than the regular course, then why would students want to take it as a regular course if the Independent Study is easier. Even if I kept the course the same, why shouldn't the other students who are taking the regular Tests and Measurements course not also want to take it as an Independent Study? After all, if you had a choice of taking a class during the regularly scheduled time (in this case, 8:00 am three times a week), or taking the very same course but without having to go to any class sessions (which essentially is what happens during an Independent Study), why wouldn't you want to take the Independent Study? On the other hand, if I don't allow the Independent Study then these students may have some significant problems with graduation. > > What is the policy for independent studies in your departments? Do you reserve independent studies for those students that want to pursue some line of study that is not covered by the curriculum? Or do you allow students to take independent studies for regular courses that just can't be fit into students' schedules? > > Your help is much appreciated! > > Rod Hetzel > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
