Re: Exam do's and don'ts (formerly RE: Projectile Motion)

[Steve Clark <sclarkphd@MINDSPRING.COM>]

I agree with Larry. You can use the test to lead he students to the
solution of an interesting situation that wasn't presented in class.
They can work the problem if you provide some guidance, demonstrate
that they know some physics, and make (hopefully) a connection. I
especially like to do something like this on a take home exam where
time is generally not an issue and the students can do some thinking
about what they're doing. In class exams tend to be too pressure packed
for my students to make connections, but I can make the connections for
them when the tests are returned.

I had a student write me a nice note once where she told me how much
see appreciated the time spent in class going over the test. She said
there was real learning happening even after the test. Which brings me
to me last point. I don't call my tests "tests." I prefer to call them
"assessments of their current state of understanding." Of course,
everyone knows that a grade will be assigned, but I try to emphasize
for the students what we're really about in this class - improving
their understanding of the physical world. It takes about a semester
before they really catch on - but by the end of the year they are
"thinking physics" and I think it helps that they know that is the
ultimate goal.

Steve Clark, Ph.D.

The box said "Requires Windows 98 or better,"
so I bought a Macintosh.

On Tuesday, September 24, 2002, at 06:50  PM, Larry Smith wrote:

> At 11:09 AM -0500 9/24/02, Frohne, Vickie wrote:
> > Don't use
> > the exam to try to teach the students something new.
>
> I disagree.  But you can teach them something new while still writing
> problems they can do.
>
> Larry