I believe RATs should be at a basic definition, rule, concept level. Even
very good students will not remember everything they read, so even my A
students typically score in the 80s on RATs.
Using the IFAT forms for the team RATs is vital to resulting in "100%
knowledge" at the end of the class session and being sure the class is
ready to move on to applications. If certain questions were difficult for
several teams, I try to make sure they are clear before moving on.
Certain key concepts are will also review again in a different format to
be sure they are understood.
Molly Espey
> I'm new to TBL--just did it in a portion of my class last semester.
>
> For the RAT questions--should they be limited to definitions, rules, and
> basic application? My students complained that my RAT was too hard and
> in retrospect, I think I wrote them to allow me to generate lots of
> discussion. Now I think perhaps best to hope all of these answered
> correctly, indicating students are ready to do more complicated tasks,
> which can be done in the Application Exercises.
>
> Thoughts?
>
> Alex Albright
> Univ of Texas Law
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Team-Based Learning [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
> Behalf Of [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 3:16 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Your advice re: RAT difficulty & enforced curves?
>
> My individual RAT scores mostly fall between 60 and 75, and certainly no
> higher than 80. My team scores typically fall between 85 and 100, (less
> at the higher end in more advanced classes).
>
> I think it is important for faculty new to TBL not to be afraid of these
> "low" individual scores. If the tests are too easy, there is little
> need
> for discussion, resulting in less team building, and less new learning.
>
> In order to alleviate student concerns about "low" individual RAT
> scores,
> I remind them: (1) RATs are a small part of the overall grade, (2) their
> purpose is to get students to prepare for class (hence "readiness
> assessment"), (3) the process allows us to spend more time on
> application
> and interesting activities during class time, rather than having me
> review
> a bunch of defintions and terms in class, and (4) since my individual
> and
> team RAT scores tend to about balance in terms of their contribution to
> students' final grade, the average of say, 70 on individual and 90 on a
> team RAT is still a low B, not a bad grade.
>
> Molly Espey
> Applied Economics and Statistics
> Clemson University
>
>
>> Colleagues,
>>
>> RAT DIFFICUTLY
>> I am curious what folks' current recommendations to new folks are re:
> how
>> difficult to make RAT questions. I think at the conference someone
> (might
>> have been Larry) recommended targeting performance levels of 60-80%
> for
>> individuals and 70-90% for teams. When you are helping someone new
> get
>> started, is this compatible the advice you give them?
>>
>> ENFORCED CURVES
>> Some folks have curves enforced upon them by their departments or
> schools.
>> Does anyone out there have experience with setting up their TBL
>> experience so it can "play nice" with an externally-enforced curve?
>> Sophie Sparrow posted about this a while back and I am not sure if the
>> conversation went private or if it just never got picked up.
>>
>> Even if you don't have experience with fitting your own TBL teaching
> into
>> an external curve, any help brainstorming the issue or practical
> advice
>> will be greatly appreciated! :-)
>>
>> -M
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Michael Sweet, Ph.D.
>> Faculty Development Specialist
>> Division of Instructional Innovation and Assessment (DIIA)
>> University of Texas Austin
>> MAI 2206 * (512) 232-1775
>>
>> "Teaching is the profession that makes all other professions
> possible." -
>> Todd Witaker
>>
>
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