I'm afraid there are some students for whom it doesn't matter what you do,
they will remain disinterested. For others, they are used to being able to
do little in class and study the night before the exam and pass; maybe passing
is all they are shooting for. Still others think they can free ride on the
efforts of the team. For either of these latter two types of students,
honest peer evaluations and mid-semester grade updates can shake them out of
their misconception that they can pass with little or no in-class effort.
I've had several students turn it around when it becomes clear to them
that they actually have to participate in team activities to get a decent
grade for that portion of the class. I also try to impress on everyone in
the class how important it is to send that signal to their teammates that they
are poor participants if they are. The mid-semester evaluations (which I
don't count toward the final grade) are the perfect time to send the signal,
allowing students sufficient time to improve their performance. Most
improve, at least somewhat, in my experience.
Molly Espey
Department of Applied Economics and Statistics
263 Barre
Hall
Clemson University
Clemson, SC 29634
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 6:36
PM
Subject: How to handle disinterested
students
Usually, I can tell when students are not going to make it
because they
stop coming to class. I have a couple of students in an Intro
to Psych
class taught on a Sunday afternoon, that seem totally
disinterested.
They don't seem to give much in the way of discussion to
the group and
only help with the mechanics, (writing up or entering the
teams
answers). Their iRATs are abysmal. We are ending our first unit so
this
will also be our first peer reviews so I hope these things will take
care of themselves. I also plan to directly address the offenders. I was
just wondering if anyone has dealt with this before?
--
Herb Coleman,Ph.D
Dir. Instructional Computing and
Technology
Adjunct Professor of Psychology
Austin Community
College
Highland Business Center
5930 Middle Fiskville Rd.
Austin, TX
78752
[log in to unmask]
512-223-7746
*************************************************
“I,
and every other professor on this campus, are
here to help you to find,
take back, and keep your
righteous mind.”
---Professor Melvin
Tolson
from the motion picture "The Great
Debaters"
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