A good rule of thumb is to keep the Readiness Assessment Tests geared to the "Table of Contents" rather than tto he "Index." The concepts can be written at higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy (synthesis, evaluation, etc) but it is best to keep them at the knowledge or comprehension level. The questions should not be so simple that students could answer them correctly without reading the course content. On the other hand, it is critical to determine if students know the content that you will be asking them to use during the application exercises. The key is to establish the essential (table of contents) content and write the RAT to assess the "essential" content that students must know in order to be successful with application exercises. Larry Michaelsen has an interesting process he uses to deal with enforced curves. He uses a median split to assign As and Bs (consistent with non-TBL courses). I don't want to misrepresent the process. Larry? -Derek On May 19, 2009, at 3:38 PM, Sweet, Michael S wrote: > Colleagues, > > RAT DIFFICUTLY > I am curious what folks' current recommendations to new folks are > re: how difficult to make RAT questions. I think at the conference > someone (might have been Larry) recommended targeting performance > levels of 60-80% for individuals and 70-90% for teams. When you are > helping someone new get started, is this compatible the advice you > give them? > > ENFORCED CURVES > Some folks have curves enforced upon them by their departments or > schools. Does anyone out there have experience with setting up > their TBL experience so it can "play nice" with an externally- > enforced curve? Sophie Sparrow posted about this a while back and I > am not sure if the conversation went private or if it just never got > picked up. > > Even if you don't have experience with fitting your own TBL teaching > into an external curve, any help brainstorming the issue or > practical advice will be greatly appreciated! :-) > > -M > > > > > Michael Sweet, Ph.D. > Faculty Development Specialist > Division of Instructional Innovation and Assessment (DIIA) > University of Texas Austin > MAI 2206 * (512) 232-1775 > > "Teaching is the profession that makes all other professions > possible." - Todd Witaker -Derek Derek R. Lane, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Graduate Programs in Communication College of Communications & Information Studies 133 Grehan Building University of Kentucky Lexington, KY 40506-0042 Tel: (859) 257-7805 Fax: (859) 323-9879 Email: [log in to unmask] Faculty website: http://www.uky.edu/~drlane PROUD TO BE A GREEN DOT SUPPORTER IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER REGARDING THIS TRANSMISSION: The contents of this email message and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for the addressee(s). The information may also be confidential and legally privileged. This transmission is sent in trust, for the sole purpose of delivery to the intended recipient(s). If you have received this transmission in error, any use, reproduction, or dissemination of this transmission is strictly prohibited. Neither the transmission of this email message and any attachments nor any error in transmission or misdelivery shall constitute waiver of any applicable legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify the sender by reply email and delete this message and any attachments.