Re: Scientific method was physical pendulums/ an opportunity

[Joseph Bellina <jbellina@SAINTMARYS.EDU>]

Seems to me that if you emphasize estimation in the classroom and
actually quiz them on it, and if you take off no more than 5% or so of
the exam for arithmetic mistakes, and reward claims of unreasonable
answers by giving them some points, then you might be able to get away
with not having calculators...except perhaps for the trig functions.  Of
course you could just play hardball and say thats the way its going to
be...for me I generally try to be more cooperative.

cheers

On Thu, 30 Sep 1999,
Joel Rauber wrote:

> Leigh wrote in part:
>
> > I have a real tactical problem here. My exam on Friday will be
> > held in a room with 335 seats. I have 304 students still left
> > in the course! I couldn't possibly allow them to use their
> > calculators; I would be unable to enforce a ban on programmable
> > calculators with text and formula storage capability. As it is
> > my TAs and I will have to get very glowery to reduce wandering
> > eyes.
> >
> > Leigh
>
> Leigh would you share a few thoughts about not allowing calculators on
> tests.  Have you been doing it long? Does it work well? What sort of student
> resistance do you have? What's your reasons for doing it? etc etc.
>
> I have been toying with this idea for a while now, but haven't had the guts
> to implement it such a policy.  I worry more and more about "programmable
> calculators with text and formula storage capability" as well; and like you
> wouldn't like to enforce forbidding particular types of calculator.  One
> might add that some calculators now-days can transmit to other calculators
> information; and I assume this capability will get more so.
>
> To date I haven't worried too much as most of my students can't operate the
> sophisticated features of their calculators; but this may change.  One
> thought I had, but not supported by my colleagues, would be for the
> department to provide cheap calculators for test time.  Much like I provide
> rulers for ray tracing on optics section tests in my introductory course.
>
> Joel Rauber