I teach courses in Medical Assisting, and I feel it is important to utilize a variety of testing styles, depending on the course and the topic. So, while many tests have T/F, Multiple Choice, Fill in the Blank, and Matching, I do also use Essay exams when I want to know they grasp the concept and can apply it to the real world. When I use an essay format, the questions are usually worded such that I can read the answers for content, even spot read them and know if the student understands the concept. On my final exams, however, I stay away from essay questions or short answer questions. This allows me to grade the final exams in a more timely manner.

MML is a wondeful tool provided by the Pearson company to help students and teachers understand mathematics better. It almost provides the student with an on site tutor helping them as they work through the problems and provides the teacher with clear results on what the student understands and on what topics they need additional help. It is a win-win. LOVE IT

Students are most concerned about the correct answers on a test immediately after the test. If you wait too long to return their papers, they are no longer concerned with what the correct answer was but are now concerned with how many they got wrong and why their answer is not correct. They no longer care about anything except the almighty grade. So when deciding what needs to be done immediately, returning the test to the student is right at the top of the list. If your class only meets once a week it becomes necessary to be clever and get those papers back before the next meeting. Otherwise be prepared for lenghty arguments over why their answer should be worth an additional point or two.

I was little surprised that we focused on the symptoms but didn't address the underlying condition - fear. All of the behaviors involved can be tied back to a basic fear of failure whether it be unpreparedness of even lack of paying attention (apart from legitimate medical issues). Conquer the fear and capture the students imagination and energy. As John Wayne said, "Courage isn't not being afraid, its saddlin' up anyway". Let's make sure that we create positive learning environments and deal with the issue in a straight-forward, understanding basis. This can also work on an individual one-on-one basis even though it takes additional time and effort.

I am a kennel manager and instructor at our Vet Tech Institute. I am in charge of scheduling student rotations, maintaining order, and over seeing our kennel facility for husbandry (taking care of the animals in house)as well as teaching coarses. I have 183 students at the moment. I only teach or have taught 60 of them and know these students The problem that I run into is that the students I do not teach, I do not know their names/faces. I know 'about them' or have come to know them by exceptional or bad performance. How can I get to get to know them or even their names if I do not have direct contact with them everyday?

I teach surgery and anesthesia at a Vet Tech Institute. The age of our students ranges from: right out of high school to ~40 (career change). These students are easy to "mold" and are receptive to learning. We also have students that have been working in the field as assistants for pieriods of time. I am all for on the job training, but some of these students are set in their ways and it not always the 'right' way. How would you approach them in a positive way to help guide them in the correct direction without making them? I have had students tell me that "thier doctor at work says we are wrong for showing them how to do 'x' this way"

If you make a mistake in class it is ok because the students need to see you make a mistake so they know it is ok for the to make a mistake

I think all there doing is Cheating them out of money

You need Class Management if not the kids will walk all over you

You need buy in from a student before you can teach them anything

When starting to teach a new module at the school I teach at I almost always approach other teachers in that class about projects and grading, however once I covered a new class on the first day of lab, assuming it would be simple considering my experience and the fact that it was an advanced class with a veteran instructor. What a mistake. Total disaster. First the training aids were at a certain level of disrepair that advanced students should be able to work on, unfortunately on the first day of lab they need significant guidance and I was severly outnumbered and unprepared and swore never to teach that class again. After class I ran into another veteran instructor and told him what had happened. He told me what he would have done and how he would have handled it and it reminded me of something I knew from when I was a dishwasher in highschool. You gotta have a system. In that class every training aid had to for example be turned "on". After being turned on they had to be "initialized". After that they needed to be checked for "operation". Then they could be operated and tested for repair. If I had had every member of the class working on the same step on every one of the training aids instead of having them working on random steps throughout the process, I would have been able to manage many training aids and students on the same step as opposed to having to many students with to many problems on to many different projects at the same time. Start everyone at the beginning, be sure for your class you know what the beginning is, and build your class from there step by step.

Strict execution of assigmrnt and home work deadlines and punishments keep students on track and esure nobody is left behind.

Get challenging students to paticipate in controlled group discusions with a time limit to air their opinions.

You reduce student anxiety about your course by letting them know that you are a good listener, your are always available for help, and that you are commited to making sure that their learning is as easy as possible.

Besides strategies for increasing silent/introverted students involvement in the class, I think it is important to manage the extroverted students from dominating the class interaction as well. I acknowledge the differences in communication styles pointing out the differences without a value attached.

WE ARE HUMAN we all make mistakes Own up to a mistake the students then they KNOW we're human

During testing you just have to pay attention to the room. Let them know your watching and they are more apt not to cheat

Hello, I must say that I regularly struggle with this idea. Because in my class I provide timely and consistent feedback, and provide clear expectations, that if a student chooses not to participate, or not to correct past mistakes, then this is the student issue - not mine. So, from this class/topic, I have been newly inspired to reach out to these students with some additional guidance - as their short-comings in class may be the result of them feeling a little "rusty" in the classroom. Overall, I found the information in this topic area to be "right on". It is good to know that you are doing some things right - and for other challenges that you may be having - that there are realistic soultions and or techniques to avoid the challenges in the first place.

In the early classes, I think some students are unfocused because they have not fully made the decision to be college students and are grappling with an "imposter mentality." One way as a faculty member I have addressed these emotional and psychological possiblities is through a discussion of the stages of change they are in and what getting their degree means for them and their families. I am interested in knowing if others have had similar experiences and have suggestions for different responses.

In preparing to facilitate an online course for students new to college I will be incorporating the following: 1. state in weekly communications that using the college resources is a smart thing to do, in fact, is expected; 2. affirm when a student self-discloses using help; 3. reinforce collaboration amongst students; 4. focus on skills that need improvement and give specific direction to a particular resource. These strategies with help students be successful in the course and their subsequent courses.