** High Priority ** I agree. Michael Lavin
=============================== Michael J. Lavin | 716-375-2488 Department of Psychology St. Bonaventure University 14778 [EMAIL PROTECTED] | Fax: 716-375-7618 http://web.sbu.edu/psychology/lavin/ Listen to: http://www.pagoo.com/signature/mlavin =============================== >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 9:03:44 AM >>> In a message dated 12/7/2001 5:56:27 AM Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > such as the diathesis-stress approach, behavior modification, the effects of > stress, etc. where they need to carry forth important ideas throughout and > show that knowlege on critical thinking exam questions. however, i feel > that the material we teach is not that vitally important in the long run. > how many facts do you remember from college? probably not many. what i hope > they keep for the long term is critical thinking, knowing how to solve > problems and look for answers themselves, and exhibiting good oral and > written communication skills. of course for the semester they are in my > course I only give cumulative finals if I have run out of time and decide to give a take-home final, instead of an in-class test. If my last exam is an inclass test it covers only the final unit. I have to concur heartily with Tasha here, although I fear that I will immediately be accused of being a "softie." I sometimes feel like these discussions get into a "how tough I am!" kind of competitive mode that makes me want to demure. I don't think the memorization & regurgiation completely overlaps with true learning, and I think that all of us are forgetting how little we retained from college in the way of specific facts UNLESS they were somehow meaningful and useful to us. As we all know from the research, meaning enhances learning. And that is what my final tests pull for (in class or not) - a meaningful integration of the broader underlying themes that were presented from the beginning and re-introduced periodically throughout the semester in the different topic areas. I trust that my successful students will know the facts or know how to get them, which is pretty much what we know and do, right? Nancy Melucci LACCD --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
