Holly (and Scott) and other interested TBL Listerserve members,
One way to resolve the issue of individuals hearing what the teams are
doing on Readiness Assessment Tests is to implement Michaelsen's "5 MINUTE
RULE." I do not allow the teams to begin working on their TRATS until
after ALL individuals are finished with the IRATs. The advice I provide
below is contingent upon effectively written RATs (see pages 41-44; 218-221
in the 2004 Michaelsen, Knight & Fink TBL TBL textbook).
Basically, I allow everyone in the class five minutes more than the slowest
individual on the fastest team to finish taking their individual (and their
team) tests. Let me explain by way of example.
As students finish their individual tests, they place their individual
scantron forms inside a team folder. As soon as everyone on one team has
finished their individual test and placed them in the group folder, one of
the team members brings the folder to me. I then announce to the class
that the "5 MINUTE RULE IS IN EFFECT." Everyone now has 5 minutes to
complete their individual tests. This procedure prevents individuals to
benefit from overhearing teams talk about the TRATs--it also provides a
quiet and respectful atmosphere for students who require silence to perform
effectively on quizzes.
I also use the 5 MINUTE RULE for the TRATs. As soon as the first team is
finished with their TRATs I announce that the rest of the class has 5
minutes remaining to finish their TRAT. This prevents teams from wasting
class time as they know that nothing else can be going on in the classroom
while they are finishing their test.
When I was first exposed to Team-Based Learning as a graduate student in
1993, I was amazed that students (both graduate and undergraduate) were
able to complete their IRATS within the allotted time. I have been using
TBL primarily in communication courses with undergraduate students at the
University of Kentucky since 1996. I've also used them with statistics and
research methods courses. Students with learning disabilities are able to
complete the IRATs in the time allotted without any problem. Though, when
I have visually impaired students I have to provide a reader and another
ajoining classroom (or office) so that the blind student can be given the
IRAT orally. In many cases, the blind student finishes the IRAT well
before any of the other individual students.
The 5 MINUTE RULE should eliminate the problems associated with IRAT honor
issues.
As far as feedback from individual IRATS:
I scan each of the individual IRATs as the teams are taking their
TRATs. When the first team finishes their TRAT, they bring either the Team
scantron form (or, the completed IF-AT form) to me. I record the team
score on the board (for comparison purposes and for global feedback to the
class) and place the IF-AT form (or Team scantron form) inside the team
folder which I return to the team. Individual team members then record
their individual scores, their team score, and (when appropriate) begin
writing appeals.
Hope this helps.
-Derek
At 10:10 AM 10/11/2004, you wrote:
>Holly,
>
>I have encountered this student concern as well. My reply has been that
>I am not overly concerned about this happening as the RATs aren't the
>same as an exam. It is an opportunity to receive feedback on their
>understanding of the material read. More learning of the material will
>occur in the TRAT and associated learning activities. If a student is
>unable to see the value of the feedback and wants to "get the answers"
>elsewhere, they are only hurting themselves. They will not get the
>feedback that is so helpful for later study.
>
>The number of points available from the IRAT relative to the exams is
>small enough that "cheating" for a point or two advantage on an IRAT
>will not change their grade. It will harm their learning and therefore
>their exam score.
>
>My students seem satisfied with this answer.
>
>Scott
>
>
>Holly Bender wrote:
>
>>Hi Team based learning fans,
>>I am now in the thick of my first semester using team based learning,
>>and I am really thrilled with the results. I would appreciate some
>>advice from those of you with more experience than I with the following
>>question. I have a weekly exercise where my 17 teams of 6 students
>>first do an individual RAT and then repeat this exercise with a team
>>RAT. The students turn in their individual bubble sheets, and then as
>>their team members finish up, continue to take the same test as a team.
>> One student expressed concern during the exercise because she is an
>>honor board representative. She was concerned that individual members
>>might overhear a neighboring team's discussion and have an unfair
>>advantage--either on purpose or inadvertently. She was suggesting that
>>we have all teams wait to discuss their group answers until all
>>individuals have passed in their sheets. I wasn't crazy about this
>>idea because time is so tight. Have any of you encountered and
>>addressed this issue?
>>Thanks
>>Holly
>>
>>Holly Bender, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVP
>>Director, Biomedical Informatics Research Group
>>Room 2254 Veterinary Medicine
>>Department of Veterinary Pathology
>>College of Veterinary Medicine
>>Iowa State University
>>Ames, Iowa 50011-1250
>>ph. 515-294-7947
>>fax 515-294-5423
>>[log in to unmask]
>>http://www.vetmed.iastate.edu/faculty_staff/profiles/hbender.asp
>>http://www.birg.vetmed.iastate.edu/
>
>--
>Scott D. Zimmerman, Ph.D.
>Associate Professor of Biology
>University of Wisconsin-Stout
>410 10th Ave.
>Menomonie, WI 54751
>Ph: 715.232.1448
>Fax: 715.232.2192
>[log in to unmask]
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