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Re: Value of Homework



At 11:51 -0600 10/31/01, Tina Fanetti wrote:

I am currently thinking about next semester. I was wondering, how ma=
ny assign homework, collect and grade it? How many just assign the p=
roblems and expect the students to do them on their own (ie not for a=
grade)?

For those that don't have a specified recitation section for your cla=
ss, like at a community college, do you spend class time going over t=
he homework problems? How much time?

Assuming that you don't have any help in grading problems, and that
your teaching load leaves you little time for such activity, here is
what I would recommend:

1) Assign problems for homework, but do not collect them. Discuss the
problems only if someone has an interesting question about their
solution. Do not discuss in open class such questions as "How do you
work problem 37?" That kind of cluelessness does not need to be
encouraged and students with this type of non-specific question
should be gently steered in the right direction in private
conferences.

2) Give frequent short quizzes, where you have them do one problem
that is typical of the type assigned for homework, but modified to be
more in the style of test problems. They should learn fairly quickly
that not doing the homework problems will really hurt them on the
quizzes.

3) Publish (sketchy) solutions to the problems and quizzes either on
a web site or near your office.

Hugh
--

Hugh Haskell
<mailto://haskell@ncssm.edu>
<mailto://hhaskell@mindspring.com>

(919) 467-7610

Let's face it. People use a Mac because they want to, Windows because they
have to..
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