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Re: Value of Homework

Hi all-
Well, I handle the time problem differently. In the last few
classes that I taught I assigned several homework problems each week.
However, I only graded two, chosen at random, and the grading was for
credit. I spent a lot of classtime reviewing the assigned problems,
although I frequently had a student go to the board to present the problem
solution.
Any students who came to class without homework were excluded from
the class. This was after the first homework assignment when NOBODY did
the assigned homework (apparently the culture at that particular
institution). I required 85% class attendance to take the final and a
minimum grade of 20% on the final to pass the course.
Correcting a sample of the problems was a very revealing exercise;
it exposed many fallacies in student thinking.
Regards,
Jack

On Wed, 31 Oct 2001, Joe Heafner wrote:

From: Tina Fanetti <FanettT@QUEST.WITCC.CC.IA.US>

Hello all
I am currently thinking about next semester. I was wondering, how many assign homework, collect and grade it? How many just assign the problems and expect the students to do them on their own (ie not for a grade)?

At my school, the official teaching load is 18-21 contact hours per week per term. This is far too high if we're expected to give thoughtful homework assignments and then grade them in a timely manner so the students can get useful feedback. Something has to give, and graded homework was the first for me. However, in one class (calc-based) I still give graded homework assignments. The ridiculous teaching load prevents me from getting it returned in a timely manner however. Administrators refuse to see this point when determining teaching loads.

For those that don't have a specified recitation section for your class, like at a community college, do you spend class time going over the homework problems? How much time?

In class, time is at a premium. I used to go over problems in great detail, but I don't any more. I have come to the conclusion that any problems discussed in class should be restricted to just "setting up" the problem, emphasizing the physical principles involved. We're not teaching math, so the students should be responsible for filling in the mathematical details. Now, the students will typically complain about this approach, saying that "you're not giving us the answers." NERTS! We're not obligated to *give the answers*. The students need to work those out for themselves.


Cheers,
Joe

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