Grades
Updated May 2025
With the Distance Calculus course pedagogy (teaching strategy) based upon Mastery Learning, the concept of grades calculated with point accumulation is not applicable: all of the student's homework is expected to be completed at 100% correct, so getting anything less than an "A" on your homework is not really possible.
Accordingly, we have devised the following combination of different evaluations to fairly and accurately determine an earned letter grade in a Distance Calculus course.
Mastery Learning: Point Accumulation Does Not Apply
This is a tough concept for many students, especially those who are in high school currently, where the accumulation of points synonymous with academic achievement.
In Mastery Learning, there are only 2 grades for each assignment:
- Complete: "C" = 100% completed
- In-Progress: "IP" = There is more work for the student to do, and resubmit the assignment for recursive re-grading
Unlike traditional courses where you submit an assignment once and get a score of "85", in Distance Calculus you will be returning to any assignment that is not marked "Complete" = "C" and engage the assignment to master it.
Finish: Finish All Course Assignments → Final Exams
Before a student may begin the final exam sequence, all assignments must be marked "Completed" = "C".
In some sense, this is akin to earning the right to take the final exam
Distance Calculus does not offer "credit by examination". The only path to the final exam sequence is through the course assignments.
Proctored Final Exam: The Last Task in the Course
All students must PASS at 70% or higher a proctored final exam, given by the Course Professor or Teaching Assistant, over Video/Zoom call, under exam conditions.
Even if you complete all 70-140+ Assignments for the course, you must PASS the proctored final exam to earn a passing letter grade in the course.
The proctored final exam is not overtly difficult, and is the easier of all of the exams in the course.
Oddly, this is the last task in the course.
Proctored Final Exam may include an Oral Exam of 1-3 Problems, to ensure Academic Honesty throughout the course engagement.
C Grade: Minimum Passing Grade
Usually because letter grades do not always transfer as letter grades to some colleges/universities, some students decide to stop with a C grade.
Completing all 70-140+ Assignments at "C" = Complete status, and then PASSING the proctored final exam, will result in an earned C Grade.
B Grade: Solid Middle of the Road
The requirements for a B grade are a bit higher than a C grade, as one might expect.
- Complete All Assignments
- PASS B-Level Take-Home Final Exam: Engage and PASS at 70% or higher the B-level Take-Home Final Exam under exam conditions as instructed (which may include screen-recording your exam engagement for instructor review).
-
Proctored Final Exam:
Engage and PASS at 70% or higher the Proctored Final Exam under exam conditions
over video with the Course Professor or Teaching Assistant
Proctored Final Exam may include an Oral Exam of 1-3 Problems, to ensure Academic Honesty throughout the course engagement.
If you do not PASS the B-level Take-Home Exam, then the maximum grade you may earn is a C grade - achieved by then PASSING the Proctored Final Exam.
Take-Home Exams are afforded 48-hours to complete, and may be scheduled at your convenience so you have time in your home/work schedule to dedicate. Take-home exams usually require 4-8 hours of student engagement time to complete.
A Grade: Goal For Most Students
To earn the right to engage for an A grade, you must PASS the B-level Take-Home Final Exam at 85% or higher.
To achieve an earned A grade, the student must:
- Complete All Assignments
- PASS B-Level Take-Home Final Exam: Engage and PASS at 85% or higher the B-level Take-Home Final Exam under exam conditions as instructed (which may include screen-recording your exam engagement for instructor review).
- PASS A-Level Take-Home Final Exam: Engage and PASS at 85% or higher the A-level Take-Home Final Exam under exam conditions as instructed (which may include screen-recording your exam engagement for instructor review).
- Complete Video Portfolio: Video screen record a video portfolio the solutions of 2-5 assigned problems, which will demonstrate your mastery of the course content.
-
Proctored Final Exam:
Engage and PASS at 70% or higher the Proctored Final Exam under exam conditions
over video with the Course Professor or Teaching Assistant.
Proctored Final Exam may include an Oral Exam of 1-3 Problems, to ensure Academic Honesty throughout the course engagement.
If you do not PASS the A-level Take-Home Exam, then the maximum grade you may earn is a B grade - achieved by then PASSING the Proctored Final Exam.
Chatbot Usage: Fast Way to an F Grade
Chatbot usage is not allowed in any Distance Calculus course.
One fast way to earn an F grade in the course: use a chatbot.
Chatbots are everywhere now. Using a chatbot is like watching someone lift weights at the gym: your muscles will not gain any strength from watching.
Analogously, using a chatbot is these courses will not allow your brain to gain any strength or knowledge.
Chatbots include ChatGPT, Google, Bing, Gemini, Whatever. You know when you are getting chatbot-type data from search engines or Alexa/Siri or whatever.
If we detect you using a chatbot, then expect an earned F grade to be issued.
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