[morgansacre]

Hi,

I am doing a Certificate IV in Small Business Management. The first two subjects I enjoyed very much, and I found the work easy to understand and I got HD's for all my assessments....

Then came the next two subjects, they are both Financial ones. The first workbook is divided into two sections. The first section I struggled with, I couldn't do the activities (about 25 in all) as I just didn't get it. I asked the tutor, but she told me to just skip everything and go to the first assessment I couldn't as I didn't understand what to do....

A few other students and myself ended up helping each other and I felt confident enough to do the assessment....then once I submitted it, I realised I missed a section of it I just hoped I would at least get a 50% mark so I didn't have to resubmit it, that's what I was hoping for....

I got a HD today for it...though it was 25 pages long and I reckon I understood what was asked but I didn't finish it, I really don't think I deserved such a high mark. I feel maybe the tutor has given it to me so her record looks great

I haven't received the assessment back, which I should have done, so I can't see if the tutor wrote anything on it or not. I just received a grade notice from the college, which is how I know I got this grade.

What would you do?

I am onto the second section of this workbook and I get it all. It's better laid out with information than the first section. I am about to do the second assessment.

Lynn

[Two cheeky monke...]

I would accept the grade. I have done a Masters through Distance Ed and I understand how difficult it can be at times. But at the end of the day, once you finish your degree no one even cares about what grades you got in what subjects. I can't even remember mine!

I imagine there is marking criteria that the marker would have been checking off. You probably did a lot better than expected. Anyhow, all you can do is just wait for the feedback. I wouldnt make an issue out of it until you have the evidence in front of you!!

[PeppermintFreddo]

HD is 85% and above? You might find you just snuck in at 85%. I wouldn't be complaining.

[Fanny McPhail]

When I was at school, physics confused the bejesus out of me. At the end of each year I would sit the exam convinced that I had failed. I never did, it was my highest scoring subject and I even got put up to the top science set based on my "strength in physics".

In your situation I would just put it down to the fact that you worked hard and despite not finishing the work book did a lot better than you thought.

Also another thing to consider is how it was marked perhaps certain sections of the work made up more of the final percentage and that's why your tutor told you to skip the first section and concentrate on the assessment.

As for not understanding the subject, i think that only matters if you are doing subjects which follow on from this and that lack of comprehension hinders your ability absorb the next subject.

Oh and well done on all those HD's! To me, it sounds like you worked hard and deserve them.

[countrymel]

I imagine there is marking criteria that the marker would have been checking off. You probably did a lot better than expected. Anyhow, all you can do is just wait for the feedback

I've had that problem before when marking student work... you are sitting there ticking off criteria and get to the end of a dire and dreary vomit of an essay and realise the student has actually done quite well! Through the chaos they managed to stumble and hit all the 'points' you were assessing on!

My problem is usually the opposite of yours though - the student isn't at all interested in hearing how they could improve or the areas they are weak in because... "I DID GREAT though??!!"

[tibs]

The marks are probably scaled to reflect the performance of the whole cohort, so happily it probably just means you did better than most of the other students, even if you didn't get a raw mark as high as you may have liked. Congratulations

[morgansacre]

Thank you all so much. I am feeling a bit better about it, than I was. I guess for all the stuff I was totally gobsmacked on and then thinking I might understand enough of it to do the assessment, then the disappointment of missing a section, then getting a high mark....just kind of had me thinking what the hell!

I have just done the 2nd assessment (only 3 more to go in this workbook) and submitted it. It was easy so I know I understood the readings completely.

Its just this first section was so hard to grasp....I still don't think I understand it properly. I spent 2 months trying to read, re-read, and just take in what it said....but I feel information was missing from the workbook. A lot of students were having so much trouble, so it wasn't just me. Some of the students are still stuck on it.

I know I worked hard on it, and as I said it was 25 pages long, so maybe like you have all said it went on merit and criteria mostly.

Thank you
Lynn

This post has been edited by morgansacre: 24/07/2012, 04:22 PM

[Peridot]

I did this course!! It took me just under 5 months to complete it by distance! I understood only about half of the whole coursework, but still managed to finish it and get awarded my certificate!!

We only have competent and incompetent as results though! I would just accept it

[BlondieUK]

The marks are probably scaled to reflect the performance of the whole cohort, so happily it probably just means you did better than most of the other students, even if you didn't get a raw mark as high as you may have liked. Congratulations

This generally does not happen in criteria-based assessments, and only happens under extreme circumstances - for example, where there was an interruption to a course or the assessor realised that the instructions/assessment criteria were somehow misaligned.