At 09:22 PM 9/1/2008, you wrote:
>I'm a new user of TBL and I'm wondering what policies you all have
>concerning absences on the days that RATs are scheduled. Thanks.

Virginia (and all),

I set my point structure up to include (typically) 5 RAT scores, then 
schedule 6 RATs. I explain at the beginning I will drop the lowest 
individual and the lowest team score at the end.

Many students miss one RAT - and they get a pair of 0s, which are 
then dropped. This also allows me to schedule the first RAT 
relatively early, before the university's "last day to add" a course 
date. Only a very few students have ever missed 2 RATS in my 10 years 
of TBL (and well over 1000 students).

Also, if a student comes in late, they must take the Individual RAT 
first (sometimes in the hall if the Group RAT is about to start). If 
that causes them to miss the Team RAT, then they get a 0 on it (but 
again, their lowest score gets dropped).

Hope that's helpful.

Andy


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T. Andrew Finn
Visiting Associate Professor
Department of Communication (3d6)
George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030

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