I agree with Ed about the silliness of study guides. They are usually used as a crutch. Having said that, of course I do use them to keep the students happy! Those that are cramming and haven't read or even bought the text, can at least see how behind they are. I stress the problems with the study guides, but tell the students the questions are there to help get them involved in the material and promote elaborative learning not last minute cramming. In my case I use about 40 essay type questions and many tell students to be able to explain, illustrate, apply the material. The A and B students seem to use them as good self-test study aids, and the rest just seem comforted to have something called a study guide. They COULD be useful to help students (in addition to lecture/demos) learn what is important, how material is organized, etc., and to promote active rehearsal. Alas, students have been taught in most school settings that the study guides are like an answer sheet. I have even provided extra credit for students to evaluate and think about study guides in relation to material we have covered about learning. Many of them arrive at the same conclusion --namely that they are typically used as crutches by the students with weaker study skills but are valuable for those who are on top of things. Now and then, a student will tell me that the study guide was no good because they used it to cram and it didn't do magic for them. I also have students who have used old exams from previous semesters, and then they feel overconfident, do not attend and do not study, and of course, do not really understand the material. They still are unable to answer any of the thinking or application questions, and of course, the exam is never exactly the same. I get complaints from them on the class evals. Gary Gerald L. (Gary) Peterson, Ph.D. Professor, Psychology Saginaw Valley State University University Center, MI 48710 989-964-4491 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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