I also explain to my students that iRATs are formative assessment (the
midterm and final are summative). The goal for the iRAT is to help me know
what I need to go over. It tells me what's not clear to them and what
needs addressing. I also remind them that they've given iRAT's the lowest
possible grade weight (this happens in every class). Usually, via the
T-RAT, they see where they've made their mistakes. After the second go
around, there are almost no appeals. I over hear too often "oh, I didn't
read that part". This is despite the fact I give them 5 minute podcasts
describing exactly what they should be reading and what they should be able
to explain on the iRAT (e.g. "Make sure you understand the difference
between.."). It was comforting to hear Jim say that 65% was typical. My
students average 68-72%. What's really fascinating to me is that not only
do they tend to miss the same items from semester to semester but they do
so by similar percentages.
On Thu, Sep 10, 2015 at 10:05 AM, Neil Haave <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> First the context: this is a first year course for majors and non-majors
> in biological function. Most of the students are either majoring in biology
> or intending to enter a professional program in the health sciences.
>
> My question: How have people on this list handled the huge disappointment
> that happens with the first RAT of the first term in freshman courses?
>
> This is typically students' very first university quiz as I start right
> after the first week of setting up the course structure with the first TBL
> module. This past weekend I gave students their reading assignment complete
> with reading guide (key objectives and keywords matched to the pages and
> figure numbers in the text book). Then they wrote their first RAT
> yesterday. I received fairly typical results I think except that the iRAT
> score were lower then I had hoped.
>
> [image: Inline images 1]
>
>
> [image: Inline images 2]
>
> It breaks my heart when I hear stories from students during the tRAT and
> after class that they studied 10-15 hrs and made 10-15 pages of notes over
> the long weekend only to receive an iRAT mark of 2/10. They had such energy
> at the start of the term last week. Now I think I have killed it.
>
> How do the rest of you manage this sort of disappointment and help
> students regain their spirit for learning (and mine for teaching!)? I
> suspect the issue is that many of these excellent students (and I have no
> doubt they achieved excellence in high school) simply were able to excel in
> high school without developing good study, reading, and note-taking skills.
> I have a couple of excellent senior students who will be coming into class
> tomorrow to explain how they read and take notes. I hope that helps.
>
> I would love to hear the collective wisdom of the TBLC.
>
> Thanks very much.
>
> Neil
>
> *Neil Haave, PhD*
> Associate Professor, Biology
> Managing Editor, *CELT
> <http://celt.uwindsor.ca/ojs/leddy/index.php/CELT/index>*
> Vice-President, AIBA
> <http://www2.mtroyal.ca/~tnickle/AIBA/AIBA_website/AIBA.html>
> Faculty Affiliate, CTL
> <http://uofa.ualberta.ca/centre-for-teaching-and-learning/about-ctl/people/faculty-affiliates>
> McCalla Professor
> <http://uofa.ualberta.ca/centre-for-teaching-and-learning/awards/mccalla-professorships>
>
> University of Alberta, Augustana Faculty
> Rm C155, Science Wing, Classroom Building, Augustana Campus
> 4901 - 46 Avenue, Camrose, AB, CANADA T4V 2R3
>
> email <[log in to unmask]> | Augustana dossier
> <http://www.augustana.ualberta.ca/profs/nhaave/> | Google+
> <https://www.google.com/+NeilHaave> | blog
> <http://activelylearning2teach.blogspot.ca/> | Twitter
> <https://twitter.com/nhaave> | LinkedIn
> <https://ca.linkedin.com/in/neilhaave>
>
> "*We do not learn from experience . . . we learn from reflecting on
> experience*" - John Dewey
>
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--
Herb Coleman, Ph.D
Dir. Instructional Computing and Technology
Adjunct Professor of Psychology
Austin Community College
Highland Business Center
5930 Middle Fiskville Rd.
Austin, TX 78752
[log in to unmask]
512-223-7746
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