[KACT] Re: Finals & Students
- From: "Robert Bartholow" <robertbartholow@xxxxxxxx>
- To: <kact@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2005 08:57:15 -0600
Folks,
What a timely question, because we are finishing three days of finals.
First my final consist of three parts, equally weighted. Since the
start of the school year, I have repeatedly told them that they will
hand in their notebook for a grade. While they are completing the
written part, I look at four different dates of notes for 10 points
each. If the three sections it tell them to have: general information
and returned tests, notes and homework, are there, they don't get the
last 10 points. The second part, worth 50 points, 22 multiple choice
questions. Ten of the questions are over the material since the last
test. Why 22 questions? Cause that is what fits on the front and back
of a single sheet of paper. The third part, also on a single sheet of
paper consist of six short answer questions: Such as number one this
year: For the molecule written on the front board (maybe NH3 or CO2)
give a) the electron dot diagram, b) the polarity of the bond, c) the
shape of the molecule (specify one bond angle) and d) the polarity of
the overall molecule.
No note card, but I give them an individual periodic table with symbol,
At Mass, and At #. No name, and I always make sure that sulfur is in
one of the naming questions so I can find out who thinks S stands for
sodium.
Question three, on the short answer is calculate the energy of a
microwave of (and I vary this wavelength with each class) wavelength 1.2
x 10 -11 meters. I must be getting old because I give them planks
constant.
I also do something a little different that may not set well with fellow
teachers. I make it a high stakes test. It is worth 20 % of their
semester grade.
I don't use Scranton, because I give this test back to them and want
them to look it over. Fortunately for me, grades aren't due until Jan
9th, and it will take a little longer to grade.
M Bartholow (Shawnee Mission North)
________________________________
From: kact-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:kact-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Deters, Kelly
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 11:01 AM
To: KACT (E-mail)
Subject: [KACT] Finals & Students
I was just curious, what do others give as their "final"?
I used to give 75 MC questions (the only time I do MC) and let them use
a notecard.
Now I give half that many questions and they use the front side of a
piece of paper.
I've found my students less and less able to perform well on finals,
even though their performance and effort throughout the course hasn't
had the same problem (especially the last two years when I redesigned my
course--now their effort and interest is greater than in the past).
I also used to give them 2-3 days in class to prepare for it, but over
the years they did less preparing and more wasting time...now I just
give 1 day and even that gets wasted!
Anyone else have the same problem with finals? I know it's that time of
year...but it seems to be getting worse over the years! :)
Kelly
detersk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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