Whew

[trinityvixen]

Survived the test. We'll see how I did come next week. I'm not sure. Once again, I find myself going, "I think I knew everything, but I could see where I might have missed a point or two on not getting wording exactly right." Last time, that led to me doing well but still missing a shit-ton of easy points that I shouldn't have. Also, I think the curve will be higher on this one because it wasn't as out-and-out tricky as the last test. We'll see.

A mini-rant, if I may? Why the hell do teachers give take-home exams? This professor is a really nice guy and all, but I kind of want to throttle him when I have to do an additional half-hour (at least) of work on a take-home exam because his stated excuse is that he has more to test us on but doesn't want us to rush and write novels in the exam space. That reason is bullshit. If you can't write a test that can be reasonably answered in the space of time allotted, that's your problem, not mine.

I guess I don't understand the point of closed-book take-homes either. I don't cheat. I've already done it, and packed it away, not to look at it again until I hand it in. I didn't even touch the computer when I got in until it was done and put away. But I don't have the faith in humanity that some honor code means everybody behaves that way. Pssh.

Comments

Great Teacher Q must comment

[negativeq.livejournal.com]

For the most part, take home exams are bullshit. You know everyone is going to wiki it, or perhaps get a sibling or friend to do it. I spend too much time checking essays and powerpoints for plagiarism. (The time has been shortened since I have the most common cheat sites memorized. Ah hah! Insta-zero!)

I despise open-book exams. Students these days are already overly coddled and infantilized. They are convinced they don't have to retain anything in their heads - they just look it up on their I-phones. To make a point, a few times I gave the kids open-book exams. I warned them, you do NOT want this. I am going to make these very nasty. And they did worse on the open-book than they every did on the closed-books.

Why is that? Because a worthwhile exam is going to be mostly application questions. The recall should be stuff that you SHOULD have in your head at that point in your life. You should be able to figure out the rest from reading the question and thinking about it. If you know jack, then the book and cheat sheet won't help you. You waste time flipping through pages trying to find something relevant. And then you copy nonsense from the book and I sit back and laugh at you.

I'm grading midterms! Can you tell?

Re: Great Teacher Q must comment

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I dunno about open-book tests. I haven't taken all that many. I've had tests where you could bring a note card with equations--it's not a bad thing to do when you're not in an out-and-out math class where the equations are the things to have recall on and apply. If you're talking about physics, or biochem, I don't have a problem with keeping the notes of the equation around, but testing closed-book on the reasoning behind the relationships in the equation is a must.

If it doesn't test your recall and your application skills, what's the point?