Just to chime in with a similar report, take-homes were easy for those who'd come to class and knew the text material beforehand. Those who depended on the book for last-minute answers didn't/couldn't find them. Then, as now, it wasn't a big surprise. DKH
David K. Hogberg, PhD Professor of Psychology, Emeritus Albion College, Albion MI 49224 dhogb...@albion.edu home phone: 517/629-4834 >>> "Shearon, Tim" <tshea...@collegeofidaho.edu> 05/12/09 10:08 PM >>> Karl and Bill Same here with the take home exam. I usually do that in History and Systems (though I do not give an option!). Last year I gave the option in a class the next term. Three of the students from History and Systems said, as if they'd rehearsed it, "Oh, please not one of your take homes!!!" That's one of the few times during a class that I have laughed so hard I had tears. And I didn't laugh nearly as hard as did the rest of the class. And, yes. The hardest exams I took in grad school included take-homes in animal behavior classes (Estep and Bernstein). And yes, I still remember a lot of what I learned doing those exams!! Take care all- I just spent a day on campus with our internet hubs completely kaput! I hope I didn't miss too much on the list! Tim _______________________________ Timothy O. Shearon, PhD Professor and Chair Department of Psychology The College of Idaho Caldwell, ID 83605 email: tshea...@collegeofidaho.edu teaching: intro to neuropsychology; psychopharmacology; general; history and systems "You can't teach an old dogma new tricks." Dorothy Parker -----Original Message----- From: William Scott [mailto:wsc...@wooster.edu] Sent: Tue 5/12/2009 7:56 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: RE: [tips] Open book test Like Karl, I have given those same alternatives to classes and they ALWAYS choose the open text format and they ALWAYS do worse when they act on that. My guess, like Karl's, is that they think they don't have to study and come into the exam expecting to look up the answers in the text. The exam is, of course, the kind of exam that I would give as a take-home. When I give them the alternative of a take-home exam in opposition to an exam where they are allowed to bring notes to class for an in-class final they ALWAYS choose the take home exam and they ALWAYS complain about how hard the take-home exam is. The following is a complaint I just now received about a take-home exam that the class voted to have instead of an in-class exam with notes. "I don't know if you meant it to be lots of outside work, but I think it took everyone a really long time." Oh my... Bill Scott >>> "Wuensch, Karl L" <wuens...@ecu.edu> 05/12/09 5:07 PM >>> A few years back I gave an Intro General class three options regarding the last examination: 1. I give them ahead of time 20% of the actual questions that would be on the exam. 2. I let them bring and use five sheets of paper on which they have written anything they wish. 3. I let them bring and use the text book. I told them I would go for option 2, but they went for option 3. Then they just did not even read the chapters or do any studying. They performed worse on this exam than on any other, even though the material was easier. Some of them did not even bring the correct text book. A few students did well -- they had not only studied a bit but also annotated the text book with notes pointing them to the appropriate pages for key concepts. Cheers, Karl W. ________________________________ From: msylves...@copper.net [mailto:msylves...@copper.net] Sent: Monday, May 11, 2009 1:26 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: [tips] Open book test Do you give open book tests? What are the pros and cons? I knew a prof who thought it was great for Crossword puzzles psychology test. Michael Sylvester,PhD Daytona Beach,Florida --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly (bsouthe...@frostburg.edu) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly (bsouthe...@frostburg.edu) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly (bsouthe...@frostburg.edu) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly (bsouthe...@frostburg.edu) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly (bsouthe...@frostburg.edu)
