October 2008 Archives
so from my experiment of the previous post, the results are in: 1/3 chose to take it in class, and 2/3 as a take-home. but 100% made the choice for themselves.
interesting comments from the students: "i need to take it home because i am a slow writer and a very slow test-taker"; "i need to do it in class so it isn't hanging over my head all week"; "i want to be able to check the dictionary".
based on what the students felt they needed to perform well on the test, they got. of course, i am altering my expectations from the in-class group to the take-home group. i cannot expect the same kinds of responses when one set gets to use books (take-home) and the other does not (in-class). but they get to perform and produce the information under their preferred circumstances. overall, i think this is powerful.
interesting comments from the students: "i need to take it home because i am a slow writer and a very slow test-taker"; "i need to do it in class so it isn't hanging over my head all week"; "i want to be able to check the dictionary".
based on what the students felt they needed to perform well on the test, they got. of course, i am altering my expectations from the in-class group to the take-home group. i cannot expect the same kinds of responses when one set gets to use books (take-home) and the other does not (in-class). but they get to perform and produce the information under their preferred circumstances. overall, i think this is powerful.
this is not a political post... in one sense.
today, i did an interesting experiment in the concept of differentiation and democracy. i gave my students a choice in order to enable them to decide which option was in their best interest.
background information: the midterm is monday and i gave them the choice to do it in class, fifty minutes, no notes, not resources, no help. or they can take it home, use resources, notes, dictionaries, etc. with the understanding that i would expect more detail and information in that format.
the class of course approached this as if it would come to a vote and then the majority ruled. i, instead, explained that this was not going to be a democracy of majority rule, but instead where everyone was represented and they could choose what was in their own best interest... aka each student chose for herself and had "representation".
chaos ensued. the debate became animated. the issues were questioned. discussion of the pros/cons. decisions were not made. more discussion. each student now had to decide what was in her favor and what was not. chaos. stress and questions about format and expectations.
stress about what they had to do when. on the one hand, in-class meant that they had to study this weekend to prepare. they had to work now. give this weekend up. on the other, they could have the weekend and take it home, but it would require more work later, and over a longer period of time. more chaos. more animation.
one student told me that she could not live in a world with such freedom, that i needed to decide for her, that this was just too much for her to deal with. another struggled with what he wanted versus what was in his immediate best interest. he wanted to do the take-home but he didn't have time with other midterms and papers.
in the end, they will email me their choices, and i will give you the statistical breakdown of their choice. overall, i am very fascinated by their reaction to choice. that they prefer a majority rules or a dictatorship over deciding for themselves. i honestly believe that they will ultimately prefer this to the other two options.
today, i did an interesting experiment in the concept of differentiation and democracy. i gave my students a choice in order to enable them to decide which option was in their best interest.
background information: the midterm is monday and i gave them the choice to do it in class, fifty minutes, no notes, not resources, no help. or they can take it home, use resources, notes, dictionaries, etc. with the understanding that i would expect more detail and information in that format.
the class of course approached this as if it would come to a vote and then the majority ruled. i, instead, explained that this was not going to be a democracy of majority rule, but instead where everyone was represented and they could choose what was in their own best interest... aka each student chose for herself and had "representation".
chaos ensued. the debate became animated. the issues were questioned. discussion of the pros/cons. decisions were not made. more discussion. each student now had to decide what was in her favor and what was not. chaos. stress and questions about format and expectations.
stress about what they had to do when. on the one hand, in-class meant that they had to study this weekend to prepare. they had to work now. give this weekend up. on the other, they could have the weekend and take it home, but it would require more work later, and over a longer period of time. more chaos. more animation.
one student told me that she could not live in a world with such freedom, that i needed to decide for her, that this was just too much for her to deal with. another struggled with what he wanted versus what was in his immediate best interest. he wanted to do the take-home but he didn't have time with other midterms and papers.
in the end, they will email me their choices, and i will give you the statistical breakdown of their choice. overall, i am very fascinated by their reaction to choice. that they prefer a majority rules or a dictatorship over deciding for themselves. i honestly believe that they will ultimately prefer this to the other two options.
this morning, on my walk in, i couldn't help but notice all the foot traffic. it was truly backpack to backpack traffic. lots of people have taken to walking and my heart was gleeful.
i love that people who can, walk or bike to work do. this makes me happy. the reason is not out of exercise or health or environment but for all of those things. that people choose to do it for a combination. and hell, it is fairly cheap.
i understand that not everyone can do it every day, but at least once or twice a week... that would be awesome if there were truly backpack to backpack traffic. imagine the sidewalk rage!
i love that people who can, walk or bike to work do. this makes me happy. the reason is not out of exercise or health or environment but for all of those things. that people choose to do it for a combination. and hell, it is fairly cheap.
i understand that not everyone can do it every day, but at least once or twice a week... that would be awesome if there were truly backpack to backpack traffic. imagine the sidewalk rage!
