Please don’t teach to the test

I would love to see one person teaching and a different one grading. Better yet, a panel of credentialed faculty grading assignments to ensure the student learning outcomes are met. This way, the same person teaching does not rate their own student’s learning success. Is the better teacher the one with all the A’s in class or the one with well-distributed grades? We can’t tell by just this information. Then, there is after the course. 

How do the students do after your class in another course? That’s more telling than grades. I have students in my quantitative analysis classes that sometimes cannot convert decimals to percentages. I mean, I am stopped in the middle of class when I say there is a 6% probability of xyz (wait, Dr. C. where did the 6% come from?).  So, I start with another problem and work it out and I get the same question. Eventually, I realize that I omitted the automatic step of .06 = 6% because to me that is common knowledge. 

Does that mean that their algebra teacher failed? What about their elementary school teacher? Well, probably not. These may be students that did not do well in these sorts of subjects to begin with. Maybe, they were barely passed with a C, which means they potentially do not understand 30% of the material (or even more).

The bottom line is that there should be a better system to ensure that all of the required objectives are met by the student and not just 70% of them. 

Mapping Demonstrated Competencies to Credit Hours

How about we create competency-based training that can be mapped to credit hours (although credit hours were created as a faculty load measuring tool and turned into a student learning number, so I don't think we ought to be bound to these hours, but that is the world we are in; therefore, fitting a new model into the current structure - like a the children's toy with the shapes to go into the cube).

We would have to break down each course and determine the concepts learned in each course and the contact hours required in each concept in order to map it back. Then, we will be able to have students learn what they need to learn. I am thinking of the retired military sergeant who is being required to take a management intro class or even a speech course. I understand that there is theory to test, but maybe s/he can focus his/her attention on the necessary items.

Many others can fit the made-up person above and figuring out what is in each course down to the concept can come in handy in better serving this student to maximize the learning experience. 

Let’s meet our students at “home”

Let’s meet with our students in their “home” page, that is. If that is where they are hanging out, let’s educate them where they are or at least meet them half way. I am one that allows the use of technology (laptop, mobile devices, etc.) in the college classroom. Every once in a while during the discussion I ask guiding questions that they can search for. In a quantitative analysis class, I may pose a question about seeing the +/- % at the bottom of polls, survey results, articles, etc. Many of them go to their devices to look for that. Or, I refer to an article found at xyz site.

Of course, not all students are engaged in the discussion, but usually, all are engaged at some point or another. I don’t have to call on anyone as they are more than eager to share (and brag) about what they found. I ask them to post their links in a central location in online board. 

Taking advantage of what students love: Tech

The online world is here and technology should be able to help (not hurt). We can use it to teach our students responsible behavior. My daughter conducted research regarding phishing. Her objective during this nice summer weekend was to explain three instances where phishing has occurred and identify 5 ways to prevent it. She is in middle school and as technology is used more and more in the classroom, she needs to be aware of the possible dangers and the better ways to approach its usage.

Again, nothing will be perfect, but I would much rather experience this vicariously and maybe even fall a fool for a couple of trick now giving her favorite color and life’s savings away today than when she has much more to lose like a job, real savings, etc. 

This article from CNN shares more about bringing the classroom to our students using technology (but, the technology that 'they' use):

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/31/tech/innovation/new-tech-high-school/index.html?c=tech