Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Why So Difficult?
I asked my students today why the quiz was difficult for many of them. They responded by saying that when the questions are on the screen they find it difficult to look and transfer the correct answer to their page, especially when there is a multiple choice format on the screen. Many need to have the choices in front of them on a printed sheet so they can cross off, eliminate, see what's right in front of them. I agreed with them but explained that the reason the screen was used was to save on photocopying costs. So economics militates against success?
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I personally prefer to have questions/readings on a printed sheet so that I can highlight and write notes on it. I guess that is just my learning style, like many of your students are like that too. You do make a good point where we need to save on photocopying costs but when it comes to "success", I don't think many will care about the issue. So here comes the question about "values" in life... Which is more important to you: Trees vs Your Success? -Jane Park #317877
ReplyDeleteI personally prefer to have questions/readings on a printed sheet so that I can highlight and write notes on it. I guess that is just my learning style, like many of your students are like that too. You do make a good point where we need to save on photocopying costs but when it comes to "success", I don't think many will care about the issue. So here comes the question about "values" in life... Which is more important to you: Trees vs Your Success?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jane 100%, I also learn this way, and I suspect the same is true for many students - when students have to look up at questions and then back down at their paper over and over again, you are ensuring students will score lower. They will waste time and energy and be less able to focus on the actual material being tested. I can almost picture some evil professor doing this if his/her class is doing too well (i.e. higher ups might question why the marks are so high), but in high school I assume you want students to do their best. If a test is to truly show how much students know (and not their ability to look up and down at two sources of information and coordinate them effectively/efficiently), then I definitely think it is worth the extra paper cost.
ReplyDeleteWhat about this: if all the questions fit on one screen, then they would probably fit on one side of a paper. You could re-use some GOOS (good on one side) paper from some previous test or assignment.
Sad but true. I too need to have a physical document in front of me and justifiably so. My parents and I pay taxes which is then funnelled to schools for overhead and teacher and staff salaries. Why should students pay again because a school is bent on conserving resources. Perhaps teachers can ask which students would like physical copies and then and only then, make an appropriate number of copies.
ReplyDeleteThere are many ways to save cut costs but like anything change is resisted. I believe ultimately if it is a better or more preferable format it will prevail over time. Conservation is a hot topic but I often wonder if anyone has done the research to see if the fossil/nuclear fuels we use to power all our electrical devices are not creating a greater depletion of resources than if we went back to textbooks and notebooks. Good old conversational evaluation would cost nothing more than oxygen, but then we ultimately arrive back at the key issue, we are a society that requires documentation and for that we will always need paper as digital seems to always be floating off in the ether. In the end I have faith in the human race. We are animals bent on self preservation and although slow in our reactions, eventually do what is best, be it paper or digital!
ReplyDeletePersonally, a hard copy of the resource will help me to learn better, it gives me tangible feeling and direct touch to the resource. I think that it is not an economical question. Although it is true that we should save up paper and help the environment, it is important to take into students' learning into account. A question can be: Do students NEED paper to assist their learning? If most of the students learn best in this way, is it considered as a need of students?
ReplyDeletePriscilla Ching Man, Leung
317855
I was able to relate immediately to this particular post as I am someone who requires the questions and readings of a class to be directly in front of me so that I can make notes to aid me before responding. This helps with my thinking process. Having to read off of a screen in the classroom may tend to be distracting for some students. Constantly having to look up and then back down may make it difficult for one to maintain his/her concentration. Also, when doing this one cannot help but notice one's peers within the class. This might be part of the distraction, that is, noting the demeanour of other students. If they appear to be writing without hesitation, while you are having difficulty, then this could lead to anxiety during a test. Sometimes cutting back on paper distribution to help the environment may cut back on the success of a student as well. Perhaps you could use the back of paper that has been recycled. Use the blank side. This will still help the environment and students will be able to maintain focus.
ReplyDeleteBy Laurie Mangru
Where are the accommodations? Is it our responsibility for students to succeed? Every student learns different and to have only one way of learning in the classroom is insensitive to the student’s learning needs. Every classroom is given a budget; I do not agree that saving on photocopying a valid reason. Having the questions on the screen increases anxiety. Students process information differently as some students need more time but some may not and would be waiting until the slide is changed. I personally need a hard copy for competing test or exams. I strongly feel that the teacher did not put the needs of the students first.
ReplyDeleteIris Kuk
Economics shouldn't militate against success. Economics can militate against certain strategies or resources available, but this doesn't dictate whether or not students are successful. In the cases where teachers are limited by economics it seems they will need to be more creative and flexible to come up with activities and assessment that meets the students' needs. Teachers shouldn't compromise student success in any case, for it is the duty of the teacher to reach every student. If the teacher is working within a budget, they need to choose wisely how funds are allocated while still ensuring that all students have a fair opportunity to succeed. If there is a limit as to how much the teacher can photocopy, they will need to plan carefully what actually needs to be distributed and what can be copied out by the students themselves or perhaps posted in the classroom on a projector or chart paper.
ReplyDeleteKatelyn VanMiddelkoop