What I have found is totally different from Gerald. The poorer students don't even bother with the study guides--only the ones who care and are motivated. If you wish students to learn to apply the material in new situations, how about putting those type of questions in the study guide? Also, when I ask students if they have ever been provided study questions before, the vast majority say NO. So maybe we are talking about apples and oranges. The study questions I provide are not even close to being called "answer sheets." In fact, that's such a baffling description to me that I would appreciate an example of study questions that do so. Again, I feel if study questions are done as if you are by the student's side providing cues/hints BUT not answers, then it is a form of scaffolding, which "motivated" community college students in my classes seem to thrive on. You receive complaints about the exams or study questions? My good students universally appreciate the study guides. But this discussion possibly is not useful as we each might have quite different notions of what a study guide is.
Joan [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 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 > > > > --- To make changes to your subscription go to: http://acsun.frostburg.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=tips&text_mode=0&lang=english
