Re:I KNEW IT!! (Score 1)

I agree that the goal of encouraging students not to give up is an admirable on, but this minimum 50% method is a hamfisted way of going about it.

Rather than give the students a free boost, why not give the students the opportunity to earn a boost. The best method I've seen was used by a college professor who offered what he called a "resurrection final". Basically, if you performed poorly on section A of the course, than that section of the final would be scored to allow you to earn back the points you missed before. You got a benefit for good performance early in the semester by having a cushion going into the final, but were never in a position that you were down and out.