The week before our trimester exam, I set up several lab stations and have the students make specific measurements on each. For example, a ramp and cart are set up; students are asked to measure the ramp's length, height, and the time it takes the cart to go 50 cm down the ramp from rest. Students are encouraged to discuss meaning and technique while taking these measurements. They put the data, along with any pictures, charts, equations, etc. into their lab notebooks. On the day of the exam, I ask them a series of questions on each station to determine their understanding. For example, "What was the acceleration of the cart down the ramp? Was it constant? How do you know? What forces were acting on the cart while it was accelerating, and how much work did each force do on the cart?" Watching students teach each other during the measurement phase is very gratifying, and they typically do quite well on the exam part of the exercise.
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-----Original Message-----
From: Aaron Titus [mailto:titus@MAILAPS.ORG]
Sent: Friday, November 28, 2003 15:49
To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
Subject: lab final exam
For the first time, I'm going to give a final exam in the lab that
assess students' "lab skills". Does anyone have a final exam they use
or does anyone have good ideas for questions and exercises. I want the
lab to be "hands-on".