I theorize that 201-2 can be summed up in a single, powerful word. Absurd.
201-2 is absurd because...
1. It is organizaitonally backwards. It gives you five days to think up an idea. You cannot start early, because your idea must be approved, but only after five days, and the knowledge you require to complete your task will only be bestowed upon you on the fifth day. Then, you have 1.5 days to complete your task.
2. It does not assess learning, i.e. whatever learning that takes place in the class is never actually assessed. Rather, it "teaches" you through grading you on a task you've never done before, at which point it moves swiftly on to the next subject.
3. It evaluates you in such a way that ignores the finiteness of your resources and time.
4. It claims "deadlines" are "deadlines for a reason" but keeps extending them. The point is the deadlines should have been extended to begin with. If you have five days to do a story, you're going to have a better story idea than if you have one day to do a story.
5. It assesses you on your awareness of current events when the very reason you cannot keep up with the news is because of the class.
6. It is aware of its own absurdity but does no apparent effort to change it.
Yes, I concede the point that I am being absurd myself because these comments accomplish nothing in relation to this class. However, although a waste of your time, it was a personally productive decision. I need somewhere to catalog all the manifestations of absurdity that seem to be popping up in my life, particularly in relation to Medill.
If you have anymore to add, please email me at cperryk@gmail.com or FB message me.
