12am VS 12pm problem

12am VS 12pm problem

by Steve Ambro v3.8 -
Number of replies: 13

I was wondering if anyone has any fix for this.  If I set a due time as 12pm, students remain confused (or use it as an excuse for being late) claiming they did not know if that was Midnight or Noon and at that which Midnight.  I doubt that including the terms Midnight or Noon on the pick list would help.

It is strange to have something due at 11:55pm or even 11:59pm if I could set it and many students do good work at 2am.  For a while, I was setting due time for 5am.

Granted, I could require students to plan ahead but,......





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In reply to Steve Ambro v3.8

Re: 12am VS 12pm problem

by Matt Bury -
Picture of Plugin developers

Hi Steve,

Having recently emigrated to N. America, I believe that this is an issue that most N. Americans face. Everywhere else I've visited, lived, and/or worked uses the 24 hour clock: midnight = 00:00, midday = 12:00. There's no mistaking it.

Do you think your students could get used to the 24 hour clock? I think the US military and airlines already use it.

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In reply to Matt Bury

Re: 12am VS 12pm problem

by Steve Ambro v3.8 -

The problem continues with midnight.  I cannot set Thursday at 24:00.  It would be nice if I could.  Friday at 0:00 still says Friday and hence the problem continues.  "...but Moodle says it is due on Friday..."

Can Moodle use 24:00?  If so, will I be able to use 24:00 just for one instructor or will all instructors have to use it?

I am thinking that a very clear option will be called out as "1 hour before class" and  will be definite enough but it gives me no time work on the submissions.  Considering my options, I could work with that.

I cannot satisfy everyone but I do have to choose a method and be able to explain it.




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In reply to Steve Ambro v3.8

Re: 12am VS 12pm problem

by Matt Bury -
Picture of Plugin developers

Just to clarify, the time 24:00 doesn't exist. The minute after Thursday 23:59 is Friday 00:00. Does that make sense?

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In reply to Steve Ambro v3.8

Re: 12am VS 12pm problem

by Guillermo Madero -

Hi Steve,

Yes, it is quite confusing as many arguments can be given to say 12 am & 12 pm mean whatever one wants them to mean.

As Matt already said, best solution is to use the 24 hour standard.

Another solution would be to hack the code and --assuming that in Moodle 12 am = 12 noon-- add a test: if it is 12 am and format is timeformat_12 then display "12 noon" and viceversa. Maybe this could be suggested in the related Tracker entry:

https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-2281

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In reply to Guillermo Madero

Re: 12am VS 12pm problem

by Steve Ambro v3.8 -

And herein is a question, no?  How would you say that a paper is due by the end of Thursday and be able to set that time in Moodle? Moodle can set at late as 11:55 further confusing the issue.  To place 0:00 would show as Friday and that throws off the student.

If I am going to stick with a midnight deadline then I am going to have to get the students to understand that "Midnight, on any given day, can only occur before noon".  Something interesting to ponder.


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In reply to Steve Ambro v3.8

Re: 12am VS 12pm problem

by Guillermo Madero -

I would simplify everyone's lives and simply set as late as possible, 11:55 pm if that's the latest allowed. Good excuse to have students learn some latin --ante meridiem, post meridiem-- and some geography smile

I guess you could make a nice image to explain that Thursday at 11:55 pm means five minutes before Friday and place it at the top of the course so students won't miss it:

 am----------------------------------pm-----------------------------------------
12 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11   11:55 12
|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|------^---|....
 Thursday                                                                        Friday
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In reply to Guillermo Madero

Re: 12am VS 12pm problem

by john Simpson -

Thankfully we don't have the confusion in Moodle with "What's the date I hand in my assignment? Is it to be on 12/8/14 or 8/12/14. Let's say the students come from different countries. Plenty of time available if it is 8/12/14, or does that depend on which country you come from.

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In reply to john Simpson

Re: 12am VS 12pm problem

by Guillermo Madero -

In my case... 8/12/14... plenty of time, till December! smile

The japanese did it right: yy/mm/dd. Best system to have file names sorted without issues.

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In reply to Guillermo Madero

Re: 12am VS 12pm problem

by Steve Ambro v3.8 - 


聞け聞く
聞け聞く
Kike kiku
Kike kiku




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In reply to Steve Ambro v3.8

Re: 12am VS 12pm problem

by Guillermo Madero -

to tell and to hear (listen, ask)?

kikoeru? imperative and normal?

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In reply to Guillermo Madero

Re: 12am VS 12pm problem

by Steve Ambro v3.8 -

It was a feeble attempt at "Hear Hear".

Or should it have been "Hear Here"?

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