Re: Homework (Was Measure of student understanding)

[Brian Whatcott <inet@INTELLISYS.NET>]

At 08:20 AM 4/29/02, Rick Tarara wrote:
>  My original question remains--do courses with high FCI/FCME gains
> produce better Physicists, Chemists, Biologists, Engineers, Doctors,
> Accountants, Lawyers, Indian Chiefs, etc.?
>
> Rick
>
> **********************************************
> Richard W. Tarara
> Professor of Physics
> Saint Mary's College
> Notre Dame, IN 46556
> rtarara@saintmarys.edu
>
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I cannot help but observe that a person who is not dismayed that
the deferred gratification (so to speak) of providing corrected homework
 assignments hours or days later, which is associated with sub optimal
student uptake of material, should also be interested in a long-deferred
measure of educational success, which is also already known to have
unexceptional correlation with any objective measure of the
educational process.

 Do you doubt the role of happenstance in occupational
 outcomes?  Still, if you want an academically respectable measure
for occupational outcomes   [for males] - take details of height where
above average height is an advantage, a distinctive or handsome
appearance, superior social skills, a sporting background, and
no more than a modestly bright intellect.  Or even total expenditure
on the subject's education. I suggest that this is the kind
of measure that is predictive for the fields mentioned: skip the
FCI/FCME by all means, if this is the professional predictor that
interests you!

[Offered more in sorrow than pique]





Brian Whatcott
  Altus OK                      Eureka!