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On Fri, 28 Apr 2000, Rodney Dunning wrote:question
If anyone can offer the wisdom of experience (do's and don'ts of
or,phraseology , make sure you ask this, don't bother asking this, etc.-
responses)effective strategies for getting useful information out of the
I would very much appreciate it!
For example, would it be useful to ask the student for the grade she
expects to earn, to identify her gender or class status (Fr,So,etc)? Are
there good reasons _not_ to ask these things?
Think about what would be useful to you to know as opposed to what your
bosses want to hear/see/believe.
As a teacher, I want to know whether the student put out his/her best
effort; if not, why not; and what could have been done better to motivate
them to do their best (other than hiring, or behaving like, trained
monkeys).
Rather than course evaluation, I title my mandatory exit poll Course
Participation Survey and probe whether they: did the work, regularly; came
to class and lab, regularly; think they mastered the material, adequately
from their perspectives; whether the exams were appropriate to the
expected level of mastery, etc.
In each case I give them the chance to say what they wish they'd done
differently; what they wish I'd done differently; and what difference they
think those changes would accomplish. This approach is consciously and
deliberately for the benefit of both them and the bosses who will read the
results: I place the responsibility for learning predominantly on their
shoulders and ask what further could be done to provoke their best
efforts and make those efforts more effective.
I would avoid any options that offer them easy cop-outs or evasions of
their responsibility to do their share. Of course, you have to ask if
they think you did your share in the enterprise.
Knowledge, and understanding, are wild things,
to be hunted down and subdued.
Ignorance, stupidity and superstition are
infectious, treatable conditions; but
successful treatment requires the
cooperation of the patient.
John N. Cooper, Chemistry
Bucknell University
Lewisburg PA 17837-2005
jcooper@bucknell.edu
http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/jcooper
VOX 570-577-3673 FAX 570-577-1739