I had dinner with a group of faculty recently during which we had a prolonged and intense discussion of rubrics—I know, only college teachers could become impassioned about a topic like this. The debate centered on whether rubrics could capture all the aspects of an assignments or whether they constrained both instructors and students.
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Grading Advice for the End-of-the-Semester Crunch
Posted Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 by Maryellen WeimerI’m thinking that this week you don’t have time for blog entries that require more than a quick read through. End of courses are such a harried time, so much grading, students lining up for office hours, final committee meetings and with the holidays, there are all those celebratory events at attend. To say nothing of everything that needs to be done at home.
So, take a deep breath and a moment to relax while I offer some simple reminders about grading.
Does Test Anxiety Hinder Performance?
Posted Thursday, March 19th, 2009 by Maryellen WeimerMost faculty have seen test anxiety firsthand. It’s that hot, sweaty smell that lingers in a classroom after students have finished an exam. It’s that student who comes to the office to discuss an exam and can answer in detail questions missed on the exam. It’s the student who doesn’t follow directions on the exam or the one who selects the correct option but then regularly changes the answer. Test anxiety manifests itself in various ways and to varying degrees.
Simple Self-Assessment Activities
Posted Tuesday, March 17th, 2009 by Maryellen WeimerThe last post explained how self-assessment is an important professional skill and how it’s a skill students should be learning, but aren’t in college. Here are some quick and easy ways to work with students on developing the skill.
Self-Assessment Should Play a Central Role in Review and Revision
Posted Thursday, March 12th, 2009 by Maryellen WeimerI’ve been reading some articles on self-assessment—as in having students look at their own work and come to some conclusions about its quality. Most faculty don’t let students self-assess and for good reasons. Most students can’t get past the grade they would like to the one they deserve. Moreover, several of the studies I’ve read document that when given the opportunity, given the criteria, and even given some guidance, students still see the activity as an opportunity to figure out what the instructor wants and/or would likely give them on the completed work. Almost none of them see self-assessment as a useful skill.
Research on Crib Sheets
Posted Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 by Maryellen WeimerI am often amazed by the amount of pedagogical research a seemingly simple straightforward instructional strategy can generate. Take crib sheets, for example—you know, when faculty allow students to prepare a card or sheet of notes that they can then use during an exam.
There’s a new study published in a recent issue of Teaching of [...]