Teaching Strategy Resource Shelf

Alternatives to the Traditional Final Exam

Apr 23, 2015 8:00 am

Alternatives to the Traditional Final Exam. As you prepare your students for the final exam, keep in mind the following: research has shown that students vary the way they study depending on how they think they will be tested. For example, if students think they will be tested on details, they'll spend their time memorizing. If they know the test will ask them to apply theories and concepts to unique problems and situations, they'll practice this skill. This means that preparing for the final exam can be a powerful learning experience if we give students the information they need to study effectively. Providing sample questions is an excellent way to do this. The challenge is to create a final test which reflects what we most want students to learn. If you're interested in some alternatives to the traditional final exam, consider the following alternatives.

Final Exams: Fair or Unfair?

Apr 23, 2015 8:00 am

Final Exams: Fair or Unfair? A common complaint from students is that final exams do not always test the kinds of knowledge that is asked for in homework or quizzes or presented in lectures. Whether this perception is accurate or not, it's still an excellent starting point for talking about what you are testing when you give a final exam. The worst final exams can seem unfocused, determined to test everything, or random things. The best final exams are learning moments. If you presented a set of learning goals and objectives to your students on your syllabus, you're way ahead of the game, because that means you've thought through what is important to you for a particular class. The very simplest procedure then is to develop an exam that will demonstrate whether students have achieved these objectives.

"She Didn't Teach. We Had to Learn it Ourselves"

Apr 2, 2015 8:00 am

"She Didn't Teach. We Had to Learn it Ourselves" A faculty member had received on her student ratings this comment: "This teacher should not be paid. We had to teach ourselves in this course." I remember another faculty member telling me about similar feedback, which was followed later with a comment about how the course "really made me think." Two possible reasons for these comments are students being overly dependent on the instructor for their learning and no rationale is provided for a specific assignment or action. This article shares ways in which to reach a balance between student and faculty goals.

What’s an Empowered Student?

Apr 2, 2015 8:00 am

What’s an Empowered Student? When students are empowered, they learn more and learn better. Some things that instructors can do are to provide accurate descriptions of those actions learners must take in order to succeed. Create authentic assignments and delineate the tasks and steps to achieve and support student efforts through coaching. In this article, Weimer provides more strategies.

Using Whole Class Feedback When Returning an Assignment or Exam

Mar 11, 2015 8:00 am

Using Whole Class Feedback When Returning an Assignment or Exam. Whole class feedback … you know, when the teacher returns a set of papers or exams and talks to the entire class about its performance, or the debriefing part of an activity where the teacher comments on how students completed the task. Is it a good way to provide feedback? Do students pay any attention to feedback delivered in this way? Weimer describes a future-focused discussion where students identify what to do to improve, and what to stop doing.

Four Key Questions about Grading

Mar 11, 2015 7:00 am

Four Key Questions about Grading. There's an excellent article on grading in a recent issue of Cell Biology Education-Life Sciences Education. It offers a brief history of grading (it hasn’t been around for all that long), and then looks to the literature for answers to key questions. Does your grading system motivate your students? Does it help them to improve their learning? And… what kind of learning is being measured? Here are some thoughts to consider.

The University of China at Illinois.

Feb 26, 2015 8:00 am

The University of China at Illinois. Did you know that UIUC has nearly 5000 students from China? That’s more than any other U.S. University. Our Chinese students make up the largest group of international students on our campus, followed by South Korea and India. Read this article from Inside Higher Ed, including interviews with Charles Tucker and Nicole Tami about how our students adapt. To learn more about how to create a more supportive learning environment for a diverse student body, attend our Post Faculty Retreat Workshop Series (open to all graduate students and faculty).

How Diversity Makes Us Smarter

Feb 26, 2015 8:00 am

How Diversity Makes Us Smarter. The first thing to acknowledge about diversity is that it can be difficult. Yet, the first thing to acknowledge is that good diversity, such as expertise, is beneficial, but even more so is social diversity, such as ethnicity, race, gender. This article states that it is social diversity that promotes creativity, innovation, and higher cognitive action in our work environments and team projects.

Reading Circles Get Students to Do the Reading

Feb 12, 2015 8:00 am

Reading Circles Get Students to Do the Reading. Eric Hobson reports that on any given day and for any given assignment, 20 to 30 percent of the students have done the reading. When students don’t do the reading, they hear about the text, but they do not actually experience it or do anything that develops their reading skills. When students are placed in reading circles, with a rubric and assigned roles, they improve their reading skills, their self-confidence, and ability to express their ideas.

Getting Students to Read: Fourteen Tips