Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: Value of Homework



From: Hugh Haskell <hhaskell@MINDSPRING.COM>

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.

Excellent advice!


Cheers,
Joe

CVAC Home Page <http://users.vnet.net/heafnerj/cvac.html>
My Book <http://www.willbell.com/new/fundephcomp.htm>
My Home Page <http://users.vnet.net/heafnerj/>
Please -- no Microsoft attachments. They're a security risk.