Should I email the department or my professor first
Ok, hear me out. I know the answer is almost always professor.
This is a 100% asynchronous online history course in California
Classes just started yesterday and the Canvas for our class is a little lackluster. Instead of any materials being accessed through canvas, we’re given a google drive link. Instead of turning in anything through Canvas, we are supposed to email them to our professor. Except discussions, which we do on Canvas and it was stated they won’t be graded until the end of the course (you’ll lose points for doing them late, they just won’t be graded until the end).
I have two big concerns with this setup. One, nothing has due dates on Canvas. There ARE due dates and they’re all in the syllabus, so it’s not flying blind. But nothing has due dates on Canvas - even the discussions. The second concern I have with this setup is that by emailing our work, we aren‘t able to see the grades or feedback from the assignment. A couple reviews for the course mention that the only way to find out your grade is by emailing him.
Another concern that I have is a lack of rubrics. Nothing has a rubric.
My last observation that honestly feels kinda petty but lowkey still feels important is the course was advertised as zero textbook however there is a textbook we are responsible for getting ourselves.
So, I’m hesitant to reach out to him since that would be essentially criticizing his entire course in the first week of class and honestly, this strikes me as more of a department needing to step in issue than a student having a question he can answer.