A course progress record (or CPR) is really just an individual’s report card. It helps students keep track of the assignments for each class and also gives them a great icebreaker for meeting with an instructor for the first time. Students who take time to read the syllabus and then meet with the professor also tend to make a good first impression, and it increases the likelihood they will seek help if needed. Plus the instructor knows that at least one student read their syllabus.
It’s a win-win!
Students choose a format for use with each class (they may use different forms depending on the type of class or they may stick with just one method for all classes). The important thing is for them to fill out as much information as possible before the semester gets too far underway. Of course some syllabi have every assignment, due date, lecture topic, etc. and some don’t. Students just have to do the best they can knowing that they may have to add, subtract, or change assignments down the road.
I find that students often don’t know what their grade is in a class. They’ll tell you they’re doing great because they got an A on a 10 point assignment and they completely forget the D on the 100 point test they earned two weeks before. Conversely some students are sure they’re failing as soon as they have one poor grade not remembering that they’ve still got 1000 points possible to earn in the class.
During the first week of classes the student reads each syllabus and completes one form for each class including all listed assignments, a way of recording attendance, due dates, etc.
By the second week of classes the student needs to make an appointment to meet with instructor and follow through. In the meeting, the student should show his/her CPR to the instructor and ask for feedback. It may go something like this:
“Professor Jones, I read your syllabus and want to make sure I do well in this course. I have taken what you wrote and created a chart for myself to help me keep track of my assignments and grades. Would you be willing to take a look to make sure I haven’t missed anything and that if I do everything on this list and do it well I will learn the content and earn a good grade in the course?”
Sometimes the response will be noncommittal or even unimpressed, but in my experience instructors tend to react favorably to this kind of early interaction with students. It shows that the student 1) read the syllabus and 2) has taken the information and created a new represtentation. No matter what happens, the student has most likely made a favorable first impression on the instructor making it easier to come back later in the semester. I once had a student whose instructor suggested that he use a particular web resource from the textbook when studying for his exams. He did, taking every sample test they offered. It turned out that the instructor simply used that program and copied and pasted the test questions directly. So when the student went to take the test he had already studied every single question ion it. She didn’t share that information with the entire class just those who went to see her.
Grades should be added to the CPR as soon as they come in, and I encourage students to keep the form in their notebooks or with their syllabi to facilitate this. Once a week students should review their grades, make additions as necessary, and calculate their grade for each class. Students who are in academic difficulty can be required to email the form to their instructor, advisor, tutor, or anyone else who might be able to help them. I also recommend that a student send them to the instructor if s/he is struggling in the class.
Students struggle with deadlines and understanding syllabi, keeping track of their grades, and realizing the impact that each assignment has on their GPA. Using a CPR encourages students to actively engage in the evaluation process and reduces the risk of missing an assignment.
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