Just a note to support everything I've just read in Marcy's response to
Russ about the need for close collaboration between persons teaching the
linked courses. I'll add that this collaboration must extend to support
services as well, especially if this is a new venture for those publishing
the schedule. Here's an example.
Two years back a History colleague and I planned linked courses. One of
my first-year classes was to be made up entirely of one of the History
seminars. That would give each of us 22 students. Since we had offices
near each other, we collaborated closely on content, both before the term
and during the term. Content collaboration, therefore, was no problem.
I taught largely my regular first-year syllabus, which normally requires a
research paper. In this case, the research paper was the History research
paper, which the History prof and I marked independently. Other short
assignments also focused on European history, with which I happen to be
fairly familiar. That wasn't the end of the matter though.
The History lectures and the English class had to be scheduled
independently, but by the time this went through the system, that didn't
happen. That issue was finally resolved, but then the course linkage
described in the timetable was worded somewhat ambiguously.
The final result led to my class having a strange mix of students:
a. About 60% that signed into the class because of the
linkage. These students all enjoyed the class
and said they'd take more classes like this.
b. About 40% of the class that didn't really care, but happened
to see an English class that fit their timetable--and then
found that they had to take History as well; or that
happened to see a History class that fit their interests
but then had to sign up for English; or that needed ANY
class near the end of the registration period, and found
a slot that was still open (because of the confusion
around these two linked sections).
Conclusion: Collaboration doesn't end with those teaching course content:
for new ventures, collaboration must include support services.
Henry
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Henry A. Hubert, Chair | [log in to unmask]
Department of English and Modern Languages .
University College of the Cariboo | Ph. 250-828-5236
P.O. Box 3010 . FAX 250-371-5697
Kamloops, B. C. |
V2C 5N3 .
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