I found that I was giving RATs that were too difficult for the material when I first started.  I've since come to give relatively easy questions--I'm teaching in the humanities and there is generally a lot of focus on interpretation, but I've learned to just ask factual questions about the readings that the students can get.  If I've done the work well, I find that there are usually a couple of students who get all or all but one of twelve questions correct.  The class average changes however.  Indeed, I usually curve the RAT grades so that the class average is an 85%.  That way, if I have made a quiz that is really too difficult, the students will not be penalized.  At the same time both I and the students know what they have to work on.  It is excellent feedback.

A couple of points to keep in mind.  I was finding that my questions were problematic when I first started, not because the scores were low and the students were dejected, but rather because the students continued to argue with me about the fairness of the questions.  There was constant grumbling that my tests were asking too much from even the best readers.  When no one was getting a good score, it seemed clear to me that I needed to change something.  That's when I began making what I consider to be fairly simple questions.

I expect some of debate over questions each time--today, for instance, I inadvertently wrote one question that could not be answered from the readings and another that proved to have two possible answers.  When I am convinced that the question is problematic, I willingly concede the point.  But I have to be convinced:  there was another question, today, that I found completely fair.

Because I see the work of the next several class periods as time to get more deeply into the material, I no longer try to include really difficult or interpretive questions on the RATs--this just starts them with the basics that we can draw on.

Incidentally, I find that sometimes during the class discussion of the RAT answers, I get a good response by asking the students why I asked a question.  This often will elicit a very good discussion and initiate a mini-lecture from me.  I find that the students tend to be extremely attentive during my short lectures on these days so the RATs are extremely good pedagogy.

Stephen

At 12:32 PM 10/19/2004, Kubitz, Karla wrote:
Hello TBL colleagues,

I've a couple of questions that I'd like to put out there for some
feedback.

First, how do you tell whether your RATs are too hard?  My students have
been averaging about 66-67% on their individual RATs and about 93-94% on
their team RATs.  That's across three classes and across 4 RATs so far
this semester.  Does that sound like they're too hard?

Second, I just did a class session to look at team processes (along the
lines of the one suggested in Michaelsen's book) where you ask the teams
what behaviors have helped, hurt, etc.  I also included the question
about what the instructor could do to make the class better.  In both of
my classes, I got the suggestion to lecture before the RATs instead of
after.  Any suggestions on how to respond to the classes about this
suggestion?

Karla

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Stephen P. Weldon, Ph.D.
History of Science Society Bibliographer
Assistant Professor
Department of History of Science
601 Elm St., Room 622
The University of Oklahoma
Norman, OK  73019
Personal email:  [log in to unmask]
Isis Bibliography:  [log in to unmask]
Phone: 405-255-5187
Fax:  405-325-2363
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