Ask-Dr-Kirk

What To Do If Students Do Poorly On Exam?

Last week I gave my first exam of the semester. Some of the students did not do as well as I thought they should have and I’m trying to decide what to do. On the other hand, there were a number of A's on the exam so I believe the exam was a valid one.

 

I rarely curve grades as I don’t like the idea of just giving points away although I understand the reasons for curving. You can read here about Professor Dave Richeson's (Dickinson College) approach to curving exams.

 

Last week's exam was on theories of motivation. I've developed an assessment form which asks them to discuss how motivation theory applies to their preparation for exams (if they can explain it well to me, I'll add 5 points to that first test score). Hopefully this process will help encourage the students to set a goal of improving their study habits.

 

Here's the assessment form: Download Midterm eval OB

 

 

 

 

 

Short Free Videos On Motivating Employees

 

Here are several short videos on motivation that I have found useful.

 

• This one is an interesting approach by Zappo's that I use in my Human Resource Management class when discussing recruiting and selection:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQLTQAv5JQA&feature=fvw

• I show this to give the students a glimpse of what a motivating workplace culture looks like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFyW5s_7ZWc

• This is a very entertaining animated video of Daniel Pink discussing the surprising results of how motivation actually works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc 

 

"Those" Emails From Students

I'm reading some of the "favorite" student emails that faculty are sharing on the Chronicle of Higher Education's discussion forum and trying not to laugh (or roll my eyes). I especially like the approach advocated here though. Instead of getting angry when you get an email like one of these, this professor advocates: 

"save them in a special folder to share with colleagues later. Thus, my first reaction to this message was one of glee ("I can't wait to show this one to Prof. CornerOffice!") instead of anger and frustration ("must.. control... fists!"). It's so much better for my stress level."

I had a student email me at the beginning of this semester asking if it was ok if he missed the first FOUR weeks of classes...

You can add your own favorite student emails here:  http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,29894.0.html

 

 

 

Because "Stuff Happens"

Professor Daniela A. Feenstra (Central Pennsylvania College) shares her creative way of handling students' excuses for missing assignment deadlines.

 

 

How To Teach Students The Skills They Need For Jobs That Don't Yet Exist?

Here's why teaching is so challenging today: 25 new careers that did not even exist ten years ago.

 

 

Dr. KirkCat Demonstrates Answer To "Why Do I Need To Learn This?"

Research On The Validity Of Learning Styles

In an earlier post I shared that I sometimes have my students do this questionnaire on learning styles and then write up a short paper discussing how they plan to take responsibility for their own learning.

I'm now reading this interesting research article on the validity of learning styles sent to me by Dr. Sherman Dorn, University of South Florida-St Petersburg).

You can read the article here: Download Research on learning styles.doc

 

Tip On Managing The Classroom

I'm trying something new this semester which is really working and I'm wondering why it took me so long to figure it out :)

I assign short papers that are due most class periods. In the past, I've walked up and down the aisles taking up the papers which takes time and which seems to encourage students who are tardy to throw their paper at me when they come in even though I have told them I don't accept these late.

This semester the class policy is the papers are due on my desk at the front of the room at the beginning of class. When I walk in, I gather the papers and put in my briefcase. I found this to be a lot less disruptive and since I don't take any more papers after these go into my briefcase, I find the students are more likely to be on time.

 

Do Students Rate Male And Female Instructors Differently?

 

Reading this article examining whether students rate female professors differently than male professors (and for criteria that have nothing to do with teaching).

 

Website For Creating Graphs

Here's an easy way to create various graphs (bar, line, pie) for classes.

 

How To Handle Students Who Are Disrespectful

Reading through the scenarios posed by Dr. Billie Hara (Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi) in the Chronicle of Higher Education on disruptive student behaviors. Lots of great suggestions mentioned in the comments section.

Here are some more tips from Michael Linsin.

 

How Learning Is Escaping From The Box

I'm reading this interesting article by Professor Gary Motteram (University of Manchester) titled, "How Learning Has Escaped From the Box." As he notes:

The relationship between the teacher and the learner is also changing. In the past it was mostly the teacher who brought material to the classroom; now learners and teachers can bring it in on a portable device, and the teachers can help students to understand and respond to it more effectively. In this way teachers can help learners to make the link between the classroom and the real world, encouraging the transfer of school learning to the world and vice versa. This was possible in the past, but is now so much easier.

You can read the short article here:  Download Escaped_from_Box

Tip On Laptop Use In the Classroom

A professor at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska, recently shared with me her tip for handling students who brought laptops to class but were using these to surf the web or play video games. Her policy? She told her students they were welcome to bring their laptops to take notes on and that the first two rows in the classroom were reserved for them only. She said the serious students were fine with the policy and that those who wanted to hide in the back playing video games decided not to bring theirs to class.