Re: RE:The 5% solution
I wonder if this tells us something about the efficacy of comprehensive exams? JL Edwards [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: Carroll, M. DR BSL [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 11:27 AM Subject: RE:The 5% solution Jeff Ricker wrote: And does anyone know if similar kinds of studies have been done by anyone else (and more recently than 1977)? I've been lurking for awhile and learning a lot from many of the posts - thought I would finally jump into the pool. Anyway, I remembered seeing an article in Teaching of Psychology just a while back and was able to located the reference: VanderStoep, S. W., Fagerlin, A., Feenstra, J. S. (2000). What do students remember from introductory psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 27, 89-92. The article contains the reference from Ellis and Rickard that was mentioned: Ellis, N. R., Rickard, H. C. (1977). Evaluating the teaching of introductory psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 4, 128-132. Marjorie Carroll, Ph.D. United States Military Academy Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership West Point, NY 10096
Re: RE:The 5% solution
These findings are not particularly surprising given the circumstances. Remember there are huge differences in retrieval accuracy as measured by recall, recognition and relearning. When an exam is given several months after a course is over, recall and recognition memory will have declined precipitously but there will still be a considerable savings. I have been in a number of theatrical performances and have a difficult time learning my lines. I was the lead in one play and received a frantic call from the director a year and a half later. The lead has become ill and the "play must go on" I had three days to relearn my lines which had taken me weeks. Furthermore, the material on a comprehensive exam is usually detailed and difficult to retrieve. I am not concerned that my students can't recall six months later whether GABA or glutamate is the excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter, but I certainly hope they have learned the concept of neurotransmitter and an appreciation of the complexity of the issue. And I expect that if they need to know the difference, they will know where to find the information and be able to relearn it quickly The same applies to any area. _ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
