Lawrence Bignall

Hi Daniel:

I have a couple of other thoughts you may want to consider. It takes a lot of work in the beginning, but if you repeat the course, the work is considerably less.

1. I structure my classes for success by using various methods that allow for good grades and self-evaluation of the students as they proceed. I pass out a packet the first day of class, with questions I have made up covering the entire text. Usually about 100 or so questions - asking about the author, publisher, contents pages, index, glossary and chapter headings and some questions from the chapters. This gives them an overview of the class the first day and gets them into the text. It is due the next class period. It follows the text in an orderly fashion- Usually there is a day in between, so they have time to do the work, or a weekend.

I use the packet as an outline for discussion the second class period and get the students involved in the purpose of the class and text and the background that went into developing the text. In order to discuss they must have read, answered the questions and made some comments as to why they answered the questions as they did- Critical thinking skills are developed in this fashion. You, as the instructor, get some idea quickly.

2. I have packets or homework for each chapter or series of chapters. They follow the syllabus.
Packets are collected as we go along, graded and returned to the students. So they can track their scores. Most do very well when they do the work.

3. Included within the packets are projects that require research and documentation and all of the packets require a listing of the page and paragraph as to where the student found the answer to the question. - This helps in documentation for business purposes and also teaches quick referencing and time management.

4. All the packets are graded, and all are open book.

5. Tests are all closed book and come from the information in the packets. Tests also have a mataching sheet for fill in questions. Questions vary in the packets from: T & F, to Multi-Guess, to fill-in and research.

6. The deal here is if the students have done the homework packet, they have the answers to the test questions and they have a matching page to assist them.

7. I enter the grades for the packets for each period - we usually have 3 grading periods. So if we have 4 packets of home work - usually 50-100 questions of varying types there would be 4 grades plus an exam grade for the first period for a total of 5. All added up and divided by 5 for an average grade for the first period. That way not everything rides on the closed book test at the end of the period. Same thing for the next period and so on. Then I take the averages of the 3 periods add them up and divide by 3 for a final grade for the quarter or semester. Fair and Balanced.

8. I have been using this adult education method of total student learning and involvement and disucssion and averaging for a long time and the feed back is good. The students really feel, eventhough there is a lot of work, that they have come out of the course knowing considerably more than when they came in. Those that last have demonstrated a solid work ethic and have the papers and research to show as their accomplishment.

9. I try to keep lecture to a minimum and act as a facilitator and stimulate discussion on subject matter and current events that lead to showing the practicality and necessity of the course they are taking.

10. Lastly this method provides balance in grading and allows for self-evaluation of the students as they go along. They can see their progress and if they are faltering I am there to provide a boost - but they must do the work. Just like any job for any employer. They get what they earn - I do not have make-up or extra credit - but I do allow for extenuating circumstances.

11. Of course I have them read the syllabus, rotating around the class and having each student read a portion. Allows for evaluation of reading skills for me. I also have a hand out that outlines what I expect of them and talks about the grading process. I then illustate the grading procedure on the board - so they have a full understanding of how they will be graded and evaluated.

12. The idea being that from day one we have no misunderstanding of what is expected of the students or how the students will be evaluated and graded. I have not had any problems with this method over the extensive period of time I have used it. The students know where they stand with me and what their grades are as they move through the course. It is all up front.

Some or all of this may be of help to you.
Feel free to correspond or call.

Larry Bignall
Cleveland, Ohio

Barry Westling

Hi Daniel:
Glad you're getting something useful and practical from the module!

Regards, Barry