Saturday, December 19, 2009 2:52 AM,

Students are still writing, although mostly I am not forwarding:



	 Dear Dr. Patt,
	 
	    Since you stated that a C- means that you think we should consider 
	 retaking the course and a C is not much higher than a C-, do you think 
	 we should consider retaking the course if we got a C?
	 
	 Sincerely,
	 <<name withheld to protect the student who is not sure he is ready for 
	 312>>



Thank you for the email.  Finally, email from a student who wants to develop 
his foundation rather than one who wants to grub for points.

I just looked at your record and clearly C was the correct grade, and with it 
my feeling that you can move on to EE 312.  Certainly, if you retook 306, you 
would strengthen your foundation more before moving forward.
The problem with that is that it could take much too long to graduate, and at 
some point the university would say enough is enough.

You showed in Part A that you do have the basics, and you showed on the 
programming part of the course that you do get it, somewhat.

I think you can safely move on to EE 312.  When you hit 319K next fall, you 
may want to revisit a number of concepts in the 306 book along with what the 
319K instructors will have you do with a real microprocessor in that course.  
So, 319K could easily solidify your current understanding of 306 concepts.

By the way, there is a big difference between a C and C- specifically because 
a C- says you can not go on and a C says you can.  So, when I look at your 
record and assign the grade, I am asking myself exactly that question, should 
you go on.  In your case, I gave you the C, because I think you can  
...although not as strongly as the student who got an A in the course, 
obviously.

Good luck in 312 in the Spring.

Enjoy the semester break.

Yale Patt