Andrew Finn's materials are very helpful! I'd appreciate some quick feedback, for any who have time-- I'm teaching a winter term Intro to Music class. There are 14 kids so that will easily break into 2 teams. It's a hybrid class. For an online component -- Do you think an appropriate individual assignment is to write a 7-10 sentence paragraph on, 1st, a favorite short piece, then as we plow thru stylistic periods, they'd have to write on e.g., comparing medieval chant to a baroque piece and also to respond with questions/comments on at least 2 team members' paragraphs? And for a team project, to compile a team outline/report on a short piece not covered in the text? The format would be a brief timeline of the piece noting big shifts in dynamics, instrumentation, climax areas, main themes. A 3-min piece or section would need only a 1- page description in this mode and hopefully not be able to be parceled out. Thanks for your input as you are able -- Anna Rubin On Dec 29, 2007, at 1:54 PM, Andrew Finn wrote: > At 08:49 AM 12/29/2007, you wrote: >> Something else that's missing from the "health" TBL book is the >> "Setting Grade Weights" exercise, with which the class determines >> the weights of the various types of evaluation. Is this exercise >> available elsewhere, preferably online? >> >> To reduce the math involved, my own inclination is to weight by >> providing different numbers of points for different things, rather >> than getting into percentages. For example, an IRAT question might >> be worth 1 point, GRAT 1, and end-of-topic 3. But that's what I >> would let the students decide, I guess. > > Lane, > > Here are forms I use when running the Setting Grade Weights exercise: > - the Word document allows (requires) the teams to come to class > with their initial decisions set > - the spreadsheet is displayed in class to show the teams the > class average (I've erased the formulae) > - the initial breakdown of 1000 points in the syllabus gives the > students a general guide as to my view, which they can adjust in > teh Setting Grade Weights exercise > > I found this level of organization necessary since I was using 40 > or so teams in this class. You can adapt it for any number, of course. > > My biggest challenges with incorporating the 'Setting Grade > Weights' component of TBL were: > - how to explain it to the students clearly and simply > - what "stake" to put in the ground at the beginning of the > semester - i.e., what percentages do we START with, so students see > how their grade is calculated > > So what I do is: > - pick MY initial breakdown of points (and tell them if the class > can't agree on Grade weights in one in-class session, we will > revert to my initial point distribution) > - use the forms attached to this message to run the exercise > - update the syllabus and re-distribute this new point > distribution after the exercise > > BTW, virtually every class begins thinking that there is too much > at stake for "team" points. And virtually every class ends up > increasing the "team" points when they talk through the issues in > Setting Grade Weights! (As Larry intended it to go, I believe. Then > THEY'RE responsible for the choice, and you have buy-in!) > > Hope this is helpful. > > Andy > > <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> > Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge. > > - Charles Darwin (1809-1882) > <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> > T. Andrew Finn > Visiting Associate Professor > Department of Communication (3d6) > George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 > > Office: Thompson 109d > Dr. Finn's mailbox is in Thompson 212 (the Comm. Dept. office) > 703-993-4387 (office) > 703-993-1096 (office fax) > E-mail: [log in to unmask] > Web Site: http://mason.gmu.edu/~afinn/ > <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> <Comm 250 > Teams 1st Cut at Grade Weights.doc><comm250 setting grade weights > TEMPLATE.xls><comm250 f2003 syllabus - points and gradeweights > section only.doc><comm250 f2003 syllabus.doc>