“The single, most important thing you need to learn in any job or business is how to communicate.” Paul Tudor Jones (a billionaire investor)
If you do not plan to attend lectures and participate constructively in classroom discussions, you should withdraw from this course.
Missing class will lower your participation grade, and you will also likely miss in-class assignments that make up a significant portion of your grade.
On average, students that miss more than two classes during the semester receive grades significantly below the class average.
The Hankamer School of Business also requires minimum attendance (see HSB attendance policy).
Classroom participation is essential not only for your success in the course but also for the success of your classmates. Maintaining a professional attitude towards your studies and learning how to communicate effectively--coming to class on time, being prepared, actively participating in discussions, avoiding distractions (using your smartphones, computers, etc.), and being courteous to your professor and classmates--is also an attitude that will prepare you for life after college. Therefore, I expect you to attend lectures and maintain a professional attitude during the semester.
In addition, the emphasis in this course is not only on learning "what" to think (facts), but also, and more importantly, on "how" to think. This is to say that the emphasis will be on using the tools and knowledge you will learn this semester to weigh different arguments, make informed decisions, come up with creative solutions, and convincingly convey information to others. In that sense, class discussion is an essential skill that you will need to work on during the semester.
Just like in your professional career, if you want to be successful, you will also need to be persistent, proactive, and make an impression. Research by Nobel Laureate James Heckman shows that being smart is not enough; instead, non-cognitive (soft) skills play an equally (if not more) important role in your future success [see here], and these types of skills are becoming increasingly more important as a growing number of jobs are being automated [see here].
What this means is that you will need to take the initiative to participate in classroom discussions (not wait for me to call your name). It is a good idea, for example, to start writing down questions and thoughts about the readings while you prepare for our lectures.
If you are going to attend class, then do it. What this means is that you will have to turn off your phone and put away your laptops. There is by now a great deal of evidence that the so-called "multi-tasking" is a waste of time. If anything, multi-tasking tends to make you less productive and more depressed [read here]. So if you want to be successful, quit social media, make a to-do list, and start working on one thing at a time (known as deep learning).
Why can't I use my cell phone in class?
Mostly, out of respect for others. But also because you--and really almost everyone these days--are literally addicted to their phones. This class involves paying attention, listening closely, and carefully thinking about what others have to say. None of that would be possible if you are staring at your cell phone during our meetings.
Today, most people use their cell phones every 5 mins, on average, during a 17 hour day (peak usage can involve checking your phone every few seconds!) And, yet, there is plenty of evidence by now that you are not able to pay attention to classroom lectures AND check your email, AND Facebook, AND Reddit, AND Instagram, AND Snapchat, AND Twitter, and so on. If anything, the research shows that you are mostly wasting your time. I am sure you don't want to waste your time.
I understand that using your phone to find valuable information can happen from time to time. This is admirable, but certainly not necessary. You can write down important questions, and look them up later. In fact, anticipating to do lookup an important question after class can spark your curiosity even further and increase your happiness once you do this later.
But why can't I use my laptop/iPad to take notes?
There are some advantages to using a keyboard for note-taking--you type faster and it's easier to edit your work. However, most students are unable to use a computer without compulsively checking their e-mail, Facebook, or browsing the web.
In other words, it's highly doubtful that using a computer can have any benefits, overall, on your ability to contribute to classroom discussions and take notes.
On the other hand, research indicates that typing your notes results in inferiors notes compared to notes written by hand. In fact, research indicates that taking notes by hand is better for long-term comprehension [see here] and is far more conducive to learning [also see here].
Therefore, I encourage you to take handwritten notes (both while you do the readings and in-class) as it is far more effective than taking notes by typing [see here].
Based on these objectives:
1. I will take attendance at the start of every class. If you are more than 5 minutes late, your attendance will count as a missed class.
2. You are allowed to miss up to three classes without any penalty.
3. Each class you miss after your three allowed absences will cost you 20 points from your attendance & participation grade.
4. If you miss seven or more classes, you will receive an automatic F for the course.
5. To be clear, I do not consider whether or not the absences are excused or unexcused. You are adults, and I expect you to manage your affairs as such. If you are conservative using your free misses, they will be available to you when something unexpected happens.
In addition, the following penalties will be enforced:
1. Falling asleep in class: You will lose 50 pts.
2. Using your laptop or text messaging (i.e., being distracted in class): You will lose 25 pts.
3. Being more than 5 minutes late: You will lose 10 pts.
To be fair, the same rules will apply to me as well. I will award the same number of points if I happen to violate these rules (e.g., if I fall asleep during one of your presentations, I will award everyone in class 50 points). Now, don't put sleeping pills in my coffee while I start the computer before class.