Yes, but mostly when I took them. I have a small story to relate and then
an example of something I have been trying.
When I was in graduate school one of our instructors based our grade on
take-home exams (that could be worked in groups) and board presentations
during class. My partner and I would work the exams independently and then
compare our results and we contributed equally in the process. We both
received high scores on the exams. However, she refused to go to the board
for presentations and I volunteered for presentations at every opportunity.
I received an A and she received a C (I am female, too, by the way). The
instructor decided that she must be "cheating" off of me on the exams since
she couldn't do work at the board. Oh, well.
I have been trying something in some classes lately and I was wondering if
anyone else did this and could comment. After I give an in class exam, the
students take the SAME exam "home" and complete it. The at-home work is to
be done in groups and the students turn in one group at-home exam. Each
student must write up their fair share of the at-home portion. Total score
= 2/3 * (in-class score) + 1/3 * (at-home score).
I thought this would force the students to go over the exam on their own
but I found that the groups divided up the work so that those students who
could do the problems in class were the ones who wrote up the answers out
of class. If I do this again I will have them each write up their own
at-home portion.
Any thoughts.
Murphy
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Murphy Waggoner
Department of Mathematics
Simpson College
701 North C Street
Indianola, IA 50125
waggoner@storm.simpson.edu
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