One interesting thing I learned from a student's paper is that there is a
building in Kansas City, the Bryant Building, built in the 1920's that has
a parabolic ceiling (now hidden by a dropped ceiling) that was made of
bricks. The bricks were placed in without mortar and not a single brick
has fallen in all of that time. My student who wrote the paper about
quadratic functions, parabolas and quadratic equations was an older man who
had worked on the building as a construction worker. I had him share his
knowledge with the class. The younger students had a new respect for the
man, and had a new respect for parabolas as a result.
Requiring papers has not reduced attrition, but the ones who succeed know
more than my students used to know. Also, my students more frequently drop
now because they do not have the time to commit or do not choose to spend
the time rather than because they are flunking tests--without understanding
why they are flunking.
Martha
>Regarding take home tests: I teach a course called Mathematical
>Systems, which includes a finance portion. I allow them to take home the
>tes, put them on their honor, and make sure they show me all of their
>work. No work, no credit. This is about 1/8 of their total grade. I realize
>that some students will try to copy others. This is inevitable. But, I find it
>to be a valuable use of their time, because I make the take-home test
>harder than the in-class version.
>
>As long as this is not a regular practice to give take home tests, I see it
>as a valuable way to see how students do without the time factor
>involved.
>
>Incidentally, I require people to write a two page paper at the end of a
>quarter, relating a topic they have learned in this class to their life, job,
>career, or an area that interests them.
>
>We have alot of very bright, creative, and quantitatively talented people
>out there, just waiting to be untapped!
>
>Ok, so you may think this is nuts to require a paper. But realize, that
>most students have been very receptive to this idea, and what they
>produce has been phenomenal.
>
>Please let me know what you think....
Martha Haehl
Maple Woods Community College
2601 N. E. Barry Rd.
Kansas City, Missouri 64156
(816)437-3147