TAKING SOC 119 ONLINE OR IN PERSON – WHAT IS POSSIBLE?
Can I take SOC 119 online?
At this point, only if you’re in the WEB section (119.002). But even if you’re in that section, you have the option of attending class in person in 100 Thomas Building on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:05 – 4:20pm.
Coming to class (if you’re in Section 002) will mean that you don’t have to write a Class Reflection Assignment (CRA) after each class.
What if I cannot attend class?
SOC 119, students receive points for being in class because attendance is an “assignment.”
If you miss class, then you still must make up those points. Even if you have a valid excuse (medical, academic, personal situation), you will need to make up those points because attendance is an “assignment.”
How do I receive attendance credit when I am in 100 Thomas?
We will take attendance using an Canvas In-Class Attendance Quiz on Canvas at the beginning and end of each class.
During the first week, there are no attendance points calculated in Canvas or taken manually.
Can I just log into Canvas and answer the attendance quizzes from home and not be in the classroom, right?
You need to be in the classroom to take the Canvas attendance quizzes. You can try to do it from home, but periodically we will check to see if people are in the room. If you take this attendance quiz from home and we catch you, you’ll answer to the so-called “authorities” :-)
How do I make up attendance points when I miss a class?
You can watch the livestream or a recording of the class and write a Class Reflection Assignment, about 900 words.
Writing this 900 word assignment will be the only way to earn these points. So if you’re in Section 002 (WEB), you can see how it might be in your interests to just show up in 100 Thomas to get your attendance points.
How many times during the semester can I NOT come to 100 Thomas for the in-person class?
Unless you are in Section 002 (WEB), you can watch the livestream or recording instead of attending class on THREE different occasions throughout the semester.
If you’re in the WEB section, then you never have to attend class.
What happens if I have to (or choose to) miss class on more than THREE occasions?
Again, remember, after the first three, you can only earn half credit for those attendance points – even if you take the Out-of-Class Attendance Quizzes and earn all of the points.
Of. course, that’s not the policy if you’re in Section 002 (WEB)
What if I get Covid-19 during the semester? Or what if I must go into quarantine? Or what if I cannot attend class for an extended period because I have encountered some other issue?
If you are diagnosed with Covid-19, then as long as we have an email from Penn State, you will need to reach out to Yuli at the “staff@soc119.org” email. (You still have to watch the class and submit the CRAs.) But Yuli wants to track Covid cases.
So keep in mind that if you decide that you don’t feel like coming to class and so you stay home, this reduces your flexibility for deciding that you want to miss class for some random reason later in the semester.
That said, we will follow Penn State guidelines, just like we do for any extended illness when instructors are asked to allow students to make up work that they have missed.
What should I do if I am sick?
You can stay home and watch the stream (if you’re feeling well enough) or watch the recording of the class.
Each time you do this, however, it counts as one of your THREE opportunities to not come to 100 Thomas for the class.
What if I arrive late to 100 Thomas?
If you arrive AFTER the first Canvas Attendance Quiz, then you will not receive those 1.5 points.
If I only take one of the two In-Class Attendance Quizzes, can I make up those other points by submitting the CRA?
No. You’ll have to settle with 1.5 points for that day.
What if I am in class and I need to leave before it ends?
If you are not present for the Canvas Attendance Quiz, then you won’t receive those points.
What if I take the first Canvas Attendance Quiz and then leave the room?
THIS would be CHEATING and our attendance team will stop you and we’ll refer you to the Office of Judicial Affairs.
Do not do this, please, because we don’t want to do that.
Can I just stay home and watch the SOC 119 live stream instead of coming to the Thomas Building?
Yes, but each time that you do this will count as one of your THREE opportunities to miss the in-person class.
FYI: SOC 119 is streamed on YouTube every T/R @3:05-4:20pm. We will make sure that you have the links.
Are there any days during the semester when class will be canceled?
At this point, you will be watching videos of previous SOC 119 classes on probably four days during the semester.
We will announce the specific days as soon as we know them.
So on these days, you will watch a recording of class and submit the CRA. Everyone will write and submit the CRA.
What if we have a snow day and class is canceled?
You will still have to watch an online class video and write and submit a Class Reflection Assignment.
Remember, the 30 class meetings are a requirement and we’ve attached points to them already. We’re not just going to give you points.
That video will be sent to you and be somewhere on Canvas.
If I miss a class and I’m not watching the live stream, then how long do I have before I must watch the recording?
You will have one week to submit the CRA. Check the syllabus for more information
How will my attendance points be calculated?
Canvas will track the Canvas Attendance Quizzes.
The SOC 119 Attendance TAs will read the CRAs and then Yuli will submit the grades. These generally take about 10 days after each particular class.
How can I contact Sam or Yuli to address anything I need in the course?
We are available to respond to all class questions or issues ONLY at the staff@soc119.org email address.
DO NOT send emails via Canvas because we likely never respond to messages on those accounts so you will not receive a timely response.