I use a Late Policy in class that is posted initially and every other week. If students ask for permission to submit an assignment late and have a good reason, they may get an exception to the policy. (Plausibility, performance to date and number of times assignments have been late are considerations.) After the fact excuses generally require documentation for exception. My policy is a 7 percent per day deduction for late assignments. That maxes out after 5 days in order for the student to receive a passing score (65%) on the assignment. Late assignments are not accepted the last week of the course or after the course ends (except when the Dean approves an “Incomplete.â€) This applies to written papers. Discussion Board projects are not accepted late since that would defeat the purpose of the assignment. If dire circumstances contributed to a late DB then, as in other aspects of the policy, an alternative assignment will be made.
I have “tested†the policy over a five year period and it seems to work while being fair. I agree with “life happens†and I think that instructors can make the call as far as allowing late assignments based on circumstances. To be fair to everyone in the class, I do enforce the late policy with those caveats mentioned.
George,
I really like your policies. You hold to them but don't practice zero tolerance. Good for you. I do think zero tolerance is problematic.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I am in agreement with you George!
Yes, plausible latenesses, based on past performance, with time limits, are acceptable. I request that my students provide me with a "plan of action" for completion so they own their solution.
You can't always buy into all of the crisis for your students. I try to politely make it clear that their crisis is not my crisis. "Make sure you stay on top of your work, and don't let your work get on top of you!" is my warning to students.
Tina Cressman
Tina,
I like the plan of action. I think that does make them solve their own problems. I think that we have to let them do that! great post.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
There are some great comments in this thread. I try to be flexible and understanding with student’s as I do understand that they’re juggling school, work and families. However, part of the life lesson here is that there are deadlines that need to be met, and if for some reason you can’t meet the deadline there must be a valid reason or consequences, late points in this case, will apply.
Helena,
THANK YOU HELENA! I understand that life happens but students take the class for a reason and because of that need to develop a plan to adjust their lives accordingly. Time management is the key.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I have taught at colleges where I can make a decision to accept late work, and colleges where the late work policy is strict with the only possible exception being being that a student is able to document being in a flood, tornado, or a similar situation. I abide by this policy, but I much prefer being able to analyze the situation and come to my own conclusion about accepting late work.
If I see a stude3nt repeatedly needing to submit late, I will contact him or her and see if there is an underlying problem such as one of the online student pitfalls that needs to be addressed.
Marcia,
I agree with you. I don't believe in zero tolerance; life happens. But, I hold to expectations and don't take late work lightly.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Right!
The "big picture" here is that we need to prepare them for the real world. Telling a supervisor/boss/client that you'll need a few extra days to get a task done would be unacceptable.
However, there are times for leniency. Although I don't like handling any personal documentation from students, I would prefer to have that so I can verify their "story."
I will always make exceptions and take late work if the fault is "our fault"--and by "our," I mean the school having some type of tech issue that gets in the way of them submitting work or taking a quiz. However, such outages are easily verified.
mica,
Yes, you are right. One of the reasons I like using a LMS for both online and f2f courses is that it date stamps homework. It is hard to say the "the dog ate my homework" On the other hand, I can't say that they never turned it in either. I think that we need to hold people accountable. I will take late homework but there is a price (lost points).
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I have a late work policy (3 days for one school, 2 weeks for certain assignments on the other), but I very rarely grant extensions or exceptions to this. It's too easy for students to make up a story about what's going on, and I don't want them to get in the habit of doing so for the rest of their classes (it also seems unfair to other students who have turned in their assignments on time). If whether they pass or fail hinges on the assignment (and the excuse seems plausible and unavoidable), then I may reconsider.
It is a disservice in that it encourages students to ignore time management, plus it is against my university's policy and also raises the issue of favoritism.
Krystal,
I agree with you. I don't typically give extensions they are rarely met. I have even stopped giving incompletes.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Lois,
You have good points. I hadn't thought about the issue of favoritism. That is something to consider. I also think it is selfish to think that one person's time is more important than another's.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I actually found that a policy at my school is a good one:
Late work is penalized, and instructors may choose to accept it or not. Normally, I take off 10% per week.
Extended work is not penalized, but in order to get an extension on work, the student must contact the instructor *before* the due date. This means that if they are sick or having a problem, they must be proactive.
I think this is a fair policy; just like in traditional campus classes, sometimes life gets in the way, and we need to be flexible.
Thanks,
Kate
Katherine,
I like that policy and it is fair. I don't believe in zero tolerance of anything but that policy allows for your flexibility but it is the students responsibility.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
The online programs that I have worked for have traditionally not accepted make up work. One program, for example, did not accept assignments that were more than three weeks late. I think that if students know on the first day of class that there is no make up work, it will push them to try to stay on track.
Willie ,
I don't have a problem with that. High expectations are usually met by students. You are right, you have to communicate those expectations throughout the course.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
The university that I instruct classes allows for the acceptance of late work. 35% is the maximum late penalty allowed. However, we are encouraged to include in the Course Expectations document the late policy, along with point deductions; and the fact that only one late paper can be accepted during the final week of class. Many students adhere to the policy; however, I always have some exceptions. I clearly state that the final papers must be posted prior to midnight and will not be accepted if posted at 8:00 am. I will always have a couple posted late; often the issue is technology - related. I require notification from tech support if it is a university issue. During my last session, prior to the holiday, one student felt that she should not receive any late penalties. I had granted her two weeks without penalty. I do believe her child had been ill; but without approval, I thought it unfair to other students to grant acceptance of all work without penalty. The student became incorrigible. She sent disrespectful emails and was a challenge to the end and then afterward.
I do deduct three percent per day for late submissions. I will waive points but require a reason. Zero-tolerance is extreme. There has to be a balance. However, I do adhere to school policy and do not accept late discussion board responses.
I think faculty has to be flexible but also fair to other students.
Sandra,
I am sorry that you had to deal with a student like that. The sad fact is many times I give students some lead way, they take advantage of it. I have stopped taking late work a all. It is in the syllabus and reminded each assignments. I don't believe in zero tolerance like you so if I have late work, I make students "sign" an agreement with the expectations explained. If they don't do it they are held to the standard. If they do and can document it I will consider it.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
