Open Notebook
It is hard to make students take good notes during lectures and critique. I found having a suprise open notebook test on occassion will encourage them to be better at this.
HI Lawrence- Thanks for your post to the forum! How do they know when you are stressing a point? Do you write it on the board? What other ways do you use to be sure they know that what you are presenting is especially important? Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
We do open book test but some of the material is not in the book I let them know at the start of the class that if I stress a point they should write it down
this works well in culinary arts, when the students often just expect to learn by cooking. The reality is that they must take good notes for future cooks and/or employees to follow if they are going to be successful chefs.
I like this idea very much. Note taking is crucial in my classes to perform the tasks the students are asked to do.
Think this is a great idea. I will definitely use this method.
My quizzes and tests for a cost cotrol class are open book, because I know students generally do not take good notes. As the formulas in the text function as reference material in the real world, I stress understanding what piece of information is asked for and then use the approprioate formula.
I also say, "Write this down," when I want them to note an important concept.
I use this system as the course progress's. It gives me the opportunity to view the class as a whole with their note taking ability's. Focusing in on the students that need futher guidence on what main power point discussions during the class need to be focused on. It also puts the students own accountiblity in their hands. If they have a hard time recalling from their own notes then a red flag goes up for them to become more focused, have clearity and be more concentrated in there note taking.
I agree, even better, I encourage students to take good notes and let them know ahead that open note quizes are aloowed as long as they are personal hand written notes. Final test however, is taken without notes
Hi Shawn- I find that giving the students a hand-out that is basically an outline of my lecture before I begin can help. I direct them to fill in the outline by taking notes as I lecture. Sometimes I will collect the notes and assign a grade with feedback on the outline and notes. Susan
