Students must read there books in order to pass tests!
I am a chef instructor who has reached an impass with my students and their responsibility in reading their assignments.
I have tried to give homework that would make them read the required material, only to have students complain about the homework.
When I explained that the test results for this course have been a concern and the best way for them to process information they have read is to write a short paper about it, well you would have thought that I asked them to swim the English Channel in Winter.
I have also looked at the exams and developed new exams and though their are some questions that could be construed as a little far and wide of the subject; overall the contact is correct accurate and all covered in the chapters assigned.
I have also appealed to the students telling them that the content is very detailed and though we go over content in class using power point presentations, lectures and demonstrations they still need to read assigned chapters in order to pass the tests.
Please if any one has any thoughts or ideas, I am all ears.
Phil
This test cannot be broken up. The course I teach uses state mandated tests. This test is one of three required during a three week course. The test isn't even really a major exam, as it is only 35 questions long.
Hi Chris- Thanks for your post to the forum. Do you break up testing that is based on that 300 mpg book, or is there just one major exam? A bi-weekly quiz on parts of the text might be the way to go. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I aggree with this philosophy. In one of my 3 week courses, the students have one book that is near 300 pages, which needs to be read in the first week. This is in addition to lab and classroom instruction. If I allow them the time in class to read, or worse, try to walk them through, cover to cover, I won't have the time to cover the additional material required for the course. I do make sure that the book is covered for the material it offers, but only as an overview. I leave the oportunity to read it to the student, although some choose not to. I even try to give out the book a few days early, when I can, to afford them additional time. The non-reading students are often given a wake up call during testing, which can turn them around for the rest of the course.
We have the same problem at our school. The students are issued a text book on day one which most of them never open. They complain about homework because between school, work, sleep, and (oh yeah) their boyfriend/girlfriend time they have no time to read a book. But they always manage to bring laptops, PSP's, or car and bike magazines to class that they demand time to look at. So, we can assign them projects to do from their book during class which will make them read for a passing grade.
It's understandable the negative reaction from students today as we observe how educational proceeses are acheived. By this I mean that writing skills in many parts of our country are not pursued as aggressivly as they should. Critical thinking skills are required to successfully attempt a written response to reading the required subjects. Also, given the current trend of electronic delivery of information trains the public to gravtitate towards that means of deliverly as it's so easily done for you. Taking the time to read and write a response becomes a burden of a path least traveled by our students today. It's important though that whatever the assignment is, it must be relevant to a career goal with a skill to be sucessful in todays' economic enviorment.
i have a problem with them not doing this as aften as they should.
I have the same exact problem. My philosophy is that I can only show them the door, they are the ones who have to walk through it. When we start putting more emphasis on the written exams, then maybe things will change.
