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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