Hi Tim

No sure if anyone has responded

The getting students to set grade weights is a good idea....

Let students figure out how to solve stalemates....unlikely if it comes to
some form of vote that the class would split exactly down the middle

but see your problem with add/drops........Can you set the weight for the
first round and move the activity of grade weight setting to later in course

With the add/drops....if you create teams in the classroom....could ³are you
like to NOT drop this course² be a criteria you use for team
formation....that way team members might come and go but each team would
have a consistent core

Attached is my TBL handout that is probably too complicated for classroom
purpose........anyone have some piece to insert in a syllabus?

JIm



From: Tim Connors <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: Tim Connors <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:15:55 -0400
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: 1st Week TBL - Advice

I have been baby-stepping my way into TBL over the past year but now feel
like "going all the way."  I could use some advice/examples on how to
implement a couple of things I have not yet done.  The class I will be doing
this with is an upper division undergraduate course in theatre history that
is required of all theatre majors and minors (virtually the entire class
will be majors or minors).

The first of these is grading.  Up to now I have pre-determined the grading
system:  70% individual; 20% team; 10% team maintenance.  I want to allow
the class to determine the grading this Fall.  Would it be out of line for
me to establish a minimum % for each of these (e.g., minimum of 50%
individual, 10% team, and 5% team maintenance)?  If I don't establish
minimums, what kind(s) of issues might I anticipate?  How are stalemates
resolved?

Also, drop/add for the class won't be over until after the third class
session (course is MWF, 50-minutes per class).  It seems unfair to wait
until the 4th class session (after the deadline to drop) to determine the
grading system.  And I have an "intro to teams" activity I want to use
during the first week.  Should I make temporary teams for grading and the
first activity, or make permanent teams and hope that a bunch of people from
one team don't drop?

And, lastly, does anyone have a student handout and/or intro to TBL
presentation they use in your first class session that you would be willing
to share?

Thanks very much.

Tim



Timothy D. Connors
Professor of Theatre
Central Michigan University
 
Office/Voice:  989-774-3815
Fax:  989-774-2498