I don't actually say a lot about TBL to the students initially, except to
make it clear to them that I will be the one making the teams, that
students will be in the same team for the whole semester, and that ALL
team work will be in class.
Then I run through the RAT process with the syllabus a la Michelsen
(individuals read the syllabus, take an iRAT on it, then take the tRAT).
That, and clarifying and emphasizing important points pretty much takes
the first class period. I usually teach MWF 50 minutes at a time. The
second class, Friday, I have a variety of team based activities, a few
very basic multiple choice on the board generating team discussion, and
one more detailed getting at some aspect of the course that students can
do a good bit of without course content. For example, I teach natural
resource economics, so I might have the students discuss as many of the
effects across the economy of rising oil prices as they can think of and
illustrate it some way on a piece of paper. This is fun for them, lets
them see that they already know a bit of economics, and that working with
others in class doesn't have to be a drag or all the work falling on one
or two top students.
So, explaining by demonstrating.
Molly Espey
> Tim & Jim,
> I am attaching a couple of my attempts to capture a TBL explanation in my
> 1st day handout.
>
> Jim's idea to do a midterm weighting adjustment sounds like great advice!
> I
> keep clinging to setting the grade weights but I am finally putting on my
> big professor pants and taking the plunge this fall :)
>
> I have found it very helpful to not only do a midterm anonymous "soft"
> team
> mate eval, but also a "soft" anonymous class eval and then make 2nd half
> changes based on this. Students seem to appreciate both of these.
>
> What do other folks have for student orientation to TBL materials?
>
> Best of luck to you Tim! While it may be a challenging term, it should be
> rewarding and educational for you :)
> -Mike
>
> Mike Welker
> History Adjunct Faculty
> & Interim Coordinator, Distance Learning
> North Central State College
> Mansfield, Ohio
> (419) 755-4706 - ofc.
> [log in to unmask]
> Room 163 Kehoe (Shelby)
> Campus Mail: AT-27
>
> "Remember, I'm pulling for you... we're all in this together. Keep your
> stick on the ice." -Red Green
>
>
> On Wed, Jul 7, 2010 at 1:35 PM, Jim Sibley <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> Hi Tim
>>
>> No sure if anyone has responded
>>
>> The getting students to set grade weights is a good idea....
>>
>> Let students figure out how to solve stalemates....unlikely if it comes
>> to
>> some form of vote that the class would split exactly down the middle
>>
>> but see your problem with add/drops........Can you set the weight for
>> the
>> first round and move the activity of grade weight setting to later in
>> course
>>
>> With the add/drops....if you create teams in the classroom....could “are
>> you like to NOT drop this course” be a criteria you use for team
>> formation....that way team members might come and go but each team would
>> have a consistent core
>>
>> Attached is my TBL handout that is probably too complicated for
>> classroom
>> purpose........anyone have some piece to insert in a syllabus?
>>
>> JIm
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>> *From: *Tim Connors <[log in to unmask]>
>> *Reply-To: *Tim Connors <[log in to unmask]>
>> *Date: *Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:15:55 -0400
>> *To: *<[log in to unmask]>
>> *Subject: *1st Week TBL - Advice
>>
>> I have been baby-stepping my way into TBL over the past year but now
>> feel
>> like "going all the way." I could use some advice/examples on how to
>> implement a couple of things I have not yet done. The class I will be
>> doing
>> this with is an upper division undergraduate course in theatre history
>> that
>> is required of all theatre majors and minors (virtually the entire class
>> will be majors or minors).
>>
>> The first of these is grading. Up to now I have pre-determined the
>> grading
>> system: 70% individual; 20% team; 10% team maintenance. I want to
>> allow
>> the class to determine the grading this Fall. Would it be out of line
>> for
>> me to establish a minimum % for each of these (e.g., *minimum* of 50%
>> individual, 10% team, and 5% team maintenance)? If I don't establish
>> minimums, what kind(s) of issues might I anticipate? How are stalemates
>> resolved?
>>
>> Also, drop/add for the class won't be over until after the third class
>> session (course is MWF, 50-minutes per class). It seems unfair to wait
>> until the 4th class session (after the deadline to drop) to determine
>> the
>> grading system. And I have an "intro to teams" activity I want to use
>> during the first week. Should I make temporary teams for grading and
>> the
>> first activity, or make permanent teams and hope that a bunch of people
>> from
>> one team don't drop?
>>
>> And, lastly, does anyone have a student handout and/or intro to TBL
>> presentation they use in your first class session that you would be
>> willing
>> to share?
>>
>> Thanks very much.
>>
>> Tim
>>
>>
>>
>> Timothy D. Connors
>> Professor of Theatre
>> Central Michigan University
>>
>> Office/Voice: 989-774-3815
>> Fax: 989-774-2498
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
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