I agree with Nadia, and would add one thing:  I have found that it is a relatively easy thing to say to a student who wants to argue that there is an appeals process (I might add that I have an individual appeals process and that students rarely use it -- my appeals process requires that the student defend their answer; I do not allow them to "argue the question').

I used to dread these meetings, but found that an individual meeting allowed me to get a clearer sense of what the issue was (test anxiety, issues with study processes, fundamental misunderstandings of the text, or a desire to argue each question).  I could then proceed from there with recommendations for the student.

The other advantage I find in this process is that I can establish a relationship with students that reinforces what I want them to believe about me and our institution.

John Ludlum
Communication and Leadership Studies
Otterbein University

On Thu, Feb 14, 2013 at 10:08 AM, Anderson, Nadia [ARCH] <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Tony,

I completely agree with the most recent comments. I've had similar experiences with international students, especially those coming from systems where memorization is a typical learning method. The idea of critical thinking and discussion-based learning can be really new for these students. I have also had non-international students who do not have good reading skills - they may be reading very superficially and haven't developed a way of identifying key ideas and concepts.

If they just want to knit-pick the questions and the RAT process, I also agree with Mary that it's good to end the discussion quickly. In such cases, I do try to again explain why we are doing this is class. Some students, however, seem to refuse to accept the process no matter how many times it is explained to them or how well their classmates are engaging it. Thankfully, these are the exceptions!

Nadia

Nadia M. Anderson
Assistant Professor, Architecture
Extension Specialist
Iowa State University


On Feb 14, 2013, at 8:53 AM, Mary Mccord <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Hi Tony,
I have had this happen with International students or students where English is a second language.  Some of them truly wish to understand the material better, and did not understand how the team and class reached a decision, because the discussion went too quickly for them to capture the information.  For these students, a one-on-one meeting can be a rich and in-depth discussion of the material.  For others, I've discovered during our one-on-one session that the student has a closed mind to learning and is nagging for more points.  After giving some basic tips about how to study and take my RATs, I end those sessions.  I reiterate to both types of students that the purpose of the IRAT is to prepare for hands-on material done later in class, and my RATs are a low percentage of the overall class grade.
Mary McCord

On Thu, Feb 14, 2013 at 7:42 AM, Anthony Mento <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Hello,


i have a student who has done very poorly on his first two IRATs; his team however has done a very good job.

He wants me to go over his individual IRAT responses.  I hesitated to do this, telling him he went over each question with his team on the TRAT on which they received immediate feedback.

I wonder how you have treated this issue?

Thanks,

Tony Mento



--
Dr. Mary McCord
Professor and Coordinator, Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise
Servant, StartUp Center and experience entrepreneurship (e2 )
Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies, Management Department
Dockery 405 G
Warrensburg, MO  64093