t 12:45 PM 4/11/97 -0600, you wrote:
>>I wish I had some answers. We are having the same problem. I wonder if it
>>is not time to rethink developmental education--from content to class
>>structure--to possible stronger connections to reading and writing. Many
>>of our developmental math students are also very poor readers and writers.
>>
>>Martha
>AMEN! We instituted on-line testing for beginning and intermediate algebra
>students this year. Because of the nature of testing on the computer we
>asked more specific questions rather than just stating a problem and
>letting the student write whatever they think of. On our tests students
>must not only work the problem but be able to answer questions about the
>answers they got. Amazingly enough they don't have a clue about what they
>got. One student on the last test, when asked to simplify an expression
>gave the answer -5/14. The correct answer was 14x + 5. Of course, what he
>did was create an equation and solve it but what was significant to me was
>that he was very indignant about not getting credit since he got the right
>numbers. I suggest that we start asking questions instead of stating
>problems on all our tests and don't give them credit for working the
>problem unless they understand what they got. They can learn if they have
>to so its up to us to make it so that they have to.
>
>Wayne F. Mackey
>Director, Math Resource Center
>University of Arkansas
>P.O. Box 2441
>Fayetteville, AR 72702
>(501) 575-7661
>(501) 582-3764
>wmackey@comp.uark.edu
>http://comp.uark.edu/~wmackey
>
>
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>
Lillie R.F. Crowley
Associate Professor, Mathematics
Lexington Community College
Lexington, KY 40506-0235
Phone: 606-257-2797
Fax: 606-257-4988
E-Mail: lillie@pop.uky.edu
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