The evaluation process used by professor Hoisington is called the Mastery Approach. No grade is given on any written assignment until it has reached B level competence. Since every student is unique in their learning style the requirements to meet competence are communicated between student and professor, mostly by email. This is done with every written assignment.
Rather than having one set of grading criteria applied to all students, the Mastery concept allows the professor to develop individualized grading criteria tailored to each student.
Professor Hoisington uses the mastery approach in all of his classes. The mastery approach allows for additional instruction on-line through the exchange of emails and documents. The goal of the mastery appraoch is to reach mastery in a particular subject. The student continues to turn in documents, and ask questions, until the document is shown to demonstrate mastery. The criteria for "mastery" are determined based on the subject matter being examined by the student, the requirements of the assignment and the progress made by the student through the process. Until mastery is achieved the professor will make comments on documents and/or send comments in an email. This exchange between the student and the professor will continue until a "B" level has been attained (or a pass when the pass/fail option is being used). No grade is given until basic mastery is achieved. Do not hesitate to ask questions throughout this process!
If the student receives a "B" (or higher) the student is notified and has the option to move on to the next assignment OR take the comments given in an email that speak to what the student needs to do to move toward an "A" grade. Comments on the document are no longer exchanged - just comments within an email. This email exchange continues for as long as the student wishes to work toward an "A" level paper. This process of improving the paper ENDS when the next paper is due (for the last paper it is the end of the semester).
The mastery approach puts the demand on the student to find the information, work with it, and make the effort to produce a document independent of being "spoon fed" by the teacher. This may be an approach that is different than what the student is used to experiencing. The student is expected to communicate concerns or questions by email - as often as is needed! Lack of communication often leads to a breakdown in the Mastery approach. Do not hesitate to send emails as often as you need to.
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6th edition changes included in the above
