Thank you Andrew and Everyone! I actually started out my TBL with the extra RAT, drop the lowest score system. But I had been giving tRAT scores to absent members--oops! Now I know better! I'll switch to only giving points for legitimate absences. Thank you all for your valuable input. You're terrific! Christine --- "Andrew Finn" <[log in to unmask]> --- >Hi all & especially Christine, > >Not surprisingly, this issue came up on the list a couple years ago. >(Wish I could find the exchange from then). But here's a short version >of what I said: > >Legitimate absences (medical, athletic, tragic, emergency excuses) are >always going to be an issue. I solved it years ago by giving 6 RATs >and dropping the lowest iRAT and the lowest tRAT. It takes the >pressure off everyone in several ways. Obviously then, I build my >total semester points based on 5 RATs from the beginning. > >(Re: Dean Parmelee's 4/20/10 comment - if you had 5 or fewer no shows >after 1600 students (times X number of RATs!), your Wright State >students are amazing. I've personally had over 1000 students through >my TBL courses and legitimate absences come up almost every semester.) > >Related - > - if you aren't present in class to contribute to the tRAT, you >can't get the points > - I always give RATs at the beginning of class, and inevitably some >students walk in late. My rule is: you must do the iRAT first. When >the tRAT starts, you must turn in your iRAT regardless of whether you >are finished. If teams have already started the tRAT, an arriving >student can take the iRAT out in the hall, but will have to miss the >tRAT. "Readiness Assessment" starts at the individual level, then the >team level. > >Andy > >On Apr 20, 2010, at 1:06 AM, Christine Kuramoto wrote: > >> Dear Friends, >> >> I have a question about absent team members. In the past I've >> always given students the tRAT score from their team when they >> missed a RAT day and a 0 for the iRAT. I'm teaching the same 100 >> students in their second round of TBL and notice the same guys tend >> to skip class as the last time. My students had a tendency to be >> quite lenient on their peer evaluations, so the skippers got the >> team points and still got pretty good peer evaluations last year >> (with a few brave members commenting "you should come to class more" >> but still not lowering their scores much). >> >> I'm beginning to wonder if I should step in and say that absent >> students won't get the team score for the tRAT. The tRATs are what >> saved a few of them from failing last year. Am I teaching them that >> it's OK to be lazy and let your team take responsibility for it? Or >> should I be looking at the bigger picture that says, "See team! You >> have the power to let them sink or save them. It's up to you."-- >> which is then teaching them the responsibility of being part of a >> team and what the real world is like. >> >> Hmmmmm. . . >> >> Please let me know what you think. >> >> Thanks! >> Christine > ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> > >Make sure you have finished speaking before your audience has finished >listening. > > - Dorothy Sarnoff > ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> >T. Andrew Finn >Associate Professor >Department of Communication (3d6) >George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 > >Office: Sci & Tech II, Room 153 >Dr. Finn's mailbox is in S&T II, Rm. 230 (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/ ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Christine Kuramoto, Assistant Professor: Medical English Kyushu University, Department of Medical Education Faculty of Medical Sciences 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582 Japan Phone: (+81)92-642-6186 Fax: (+81)92-642-6188 E-mail: [log in to unmask]