Due to privacy laws I can't comment on any of the specifics of a student's work, even to his parents. I can however give you information on the process and the options available to a student in the situation you describe, as well as advice for understanding the structure of the website. I've inserted comments in appropriate places in your message. The comments are tagged with h3 (enclosed between the signs < >) at the beginning and /h3 at the end of each (these are html tags with which you might well be familiar), as is this paragraph.
He has not started the lab portion. I am out for spring break next week and I am going to try and help him to read and understand the directions for the labs so he can get through as many of the labs as he can next week. I don't believe we have all of the lab kit. The labs talk about a certain rubber band, etc. The kit we bought at the bookstore does not contain those. Also I am not sure ****** is doing everything he is suppose to do for your class and sending it in. I am even a little confused about what is required and what isn't. Would you please verify exactly what has to be completed and submitted to you?
My recommendation would be for a student in the position you describe to concentrate on the q_a_ assignments. The q_a_ is generally the first thing mentioned in the assignment. The problems in the q_a_ are intended as an introduction to the new topic(s) presented in the assignment.
It is intended that these problems be worked in the manner prescribed in the Orientation. The q_a_ set is meant to be more or less independent of the rest of the course. No reading or other introduction should be required in order to follow the q_a_. The proess should be to work each problem and make the best possible attempt at solving it before then reading and if necessary taking notes on the solution given by the q_a_. If the student's solution attempt does not match the content of the given solution, then the student is expected to self-critique his or her work in a manner that becomes clear with my feedback over the first couple of assignments. The student's responses and self-critiques, along with my comments, are posted to a website the student accesses with an access code provided at the student's request early in the term.
You might want to look over the Orientation in order to get an idea how this all works. The website set up in such a way that a the user learns by experience to navigate it and use its resources. The Orientation is the first step in the process. The Orientation also addresses the use of the q_a_ process, and includes a number of exercises designed to orient the user.
A tutor who is having difficulty following the site would do well to look over the questions and given solutions in the q_a_. It is possible to 'click through' the q_a_ and create a file containing all questions and solutions (in fact some students do this and submit the solutions given by the program as their own; this is not recommended procedure, not because it is directly penalized, but because it truncates the learning process at the beginning).
If you want to see how this process works, you are welcome to submit a few of the orientation exercises yourself (the first few don't take too long and explain a great deal; there would be no need to take the time to answer the questions posed by the q_a_, but if in the process you have questions of your own, you would be welcome to insert them as responses and I would be glad to answer them). If you want to do this, I can send you an access code, just as I would for a student, so you can see the process from the student's perspective.
He has taken one test, but neither of us know where to look for the grade.
I can't comment on this except to say that as far as I know all grades on that test have been emailed to students via their VCCS accounts. In some cases students didn't submit the 'test taken' form and those emails were as a result inadvertently delayed.
In summary I suppose what I am asking is for some explanation as well as some guidance. He is ready to take the second test but would like to know what he made on the first one.
If a student is ready for a test he should take it. If the test isn't good, it is possible to regard it as a practice test and take another, so there is no risk in doing this.
I know this is uncommon for parents to e-mail the professor but I just felt so compelled after the tutor spoke with me this morning and I have been worrying about this a great deal.
Note that I would be happy to correspond with the tutor on the structure and design of the course, as well as suggestions and answers to his or her questions.
A student who makes a good and consistent effort in my course with an indication that he or she is capable of doing the work with extra time, will typically be given extra time to finish the course, if this turns out to be necessary.
I'm limited in what I can share with parents and do not generally encourage dialogs that distract me from the work I do for my students. As an educator I believe you understand what I mean. However in this case I welcome your constructive comments and will be happy to further advise and clarify the situation.