I agree with Chris that if learning is taking place we shouldn't get hung up on issues relating to grading. In fact, I don't grade application exercises and find the level of engagement to be just as great as it is during tRATs, which are graded. As long as learning occurs, I can assess it in other ways.
I am concerned, however, especially in a professional program, about allowing students to violate standards of academic integrity. If there is a stated policy that teams must not share answers during a tRAT, then violations of that policy warrant commensurate student accountability. I state clearly that such activity will result in all members of both teams receiving a zero on both the iRAT and the tRAT. I've had to act on the policy only once, and the effect was profound. I've seen first-hand that students who are willing to risk their own grade to "cheat" on a quiz or exam are loathe to inflict punishment on innocent classmates. Hence, team, rather than individual, consequences serve as a powerful deterrent. More importantly, allowing an act of dishonesty to go unpunished might inadvertently reinforce unprofessional behavior.
As we focus on optimizing the effectiveness of our TBL methods we should also keep in mind the development of our students from a more holistic perspective.
Thanks.
Dan Brown, PharmD
Director of Faculty Development
Professor of Pharmacy Practice
Palm Beach Atlantic University
MATTHEW 5:16
From: Team-Based Learning [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Neil Haave
Sent: Saturday, October 19, 2013 8:46 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: IF AT problems
This is where using online RATs can be an advantage. Most, if not all, LMS's have the ability to randomize answer choices and question order so that overhearing the letter choice of an adjacent team is of no use. But of course the advantage of the IFAT cards is that they are low technology and thus are not prone to technical glitches. And students really do enjoy the tactile task of scratching the answers on the cards.
One must be very careful to address this sort of dishonesty ASAP because it can poison the learning environment: if teams realize that others are cheating and not being penalized they could start to think that they need to cheat in order to remain competitive. No matter how much I tell my students that I do not grade on a curve, they still approach their learning from a competitive point of view.
My two cents.......
Neil Haave
Assoc Professor, Biology
University of Alberta, Augustana Campus
On Saturday, October 19, 2013, Douglas C. Anderson, Jr., Pharm.D., D.Ph., C.A.C.P. wrote:
On 10/19/2013 11:48 AM, Chris Burns wrote:
In response to a survey about TBL, over 80% of my students reported that the GRAT helped them understand the core concepts and correct misunderstandings. This is what counts.
Are one or two groups gaming the system and listening in on other groups? I don't care. When I walk around the classroom the discussions are at a high level. The vast majority of students are learning the material and developing team skills. Those that don't do the work won't get all the benefits and may not do so well on course exams.
My concern is that the effect of not doing well on the exam is going to affect some students in the groups that cheat more than others. I'll give it a shot this week with using multiple cards. I have 9 groups, 4 different IF AT forms.
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Douglas C. Anderson, Jr., Pharm.D., D.Ph., C.A.C.P.
Professor and Chair
Department of Pharmacy Practice
Cedarville University School of Pharmacy
Phil 4:13
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Neil Haave, PhD | Associate Professor, Biology | Augustana Faculty, University of Alberta | [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> | 780-679-1506
DISCLAIMER: Any and all spelling mistakes contained in this email were inserted at the whim of my iPad
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