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Re: Scientific method was physical pendulums/ an opportunity



I'll add a question. What's the value in having students memorize
equations? If you are testing problem solving abilities, a more 'realistic'
scenario is that one does have access to the equations. How to setup the
problems and use the equations is what is more critical. I have gone to
allowing students to bring a sheet of paper with them to the tests with
'almost' anything they want written on the sheets. I do forbid them to
write out sample problem solutions and I do collect their sheets, but by
writing problems (both for the tests and their homework) that are context
rich and are different enough from the back of chapter exercises, you can
'short-circuit' the algorithmic solvers.

Rick

----- Original Message -----
From: Joel Rauber <Joel_Rauber@SDSTATE.EDU>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 1999 8:10 AM
Subject: Re: Scientific method was physical pendulums/ an opportunity


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