The Fora: A Higher Education Community

BW also probably made a bad choice, 5 years ago, in severing its ties to the United Methodist Church, as denominational affiliation would doubtless financially be a help.

I have been trying this week to wash my white tiled floor, after, well, a few months.   I really was not in any shape to do so before very recently, my leg being too weak to push off of (I was hospitalized twice this semester, first for excessive edema and then for cellulitis in one of my legs, both of which stem from severe lymphedema, which also causes severe anemia-- the lymphedema had gotten so severe that my legs 'weep' (that is really the term the docs and therapists use), leaking said fluid onto the floor) and before that, well, let's just say I am in much better condition now than I have been for months.   The lymphedema treatments are also working.   But the el cheapo WM mop I have just won't cut the mustard-- I am going to head back to WM tomorrow to buy something better.  What do you suggest I get, and how do I best use what I get?  Thanks loads!

Quote from: sinenomine on Today at 12:55:55 PM

Quote from: bio-nonymous on Today at 10:34:22 AMTwo traditionally-aged grad students working in my lab were unable to figure out how to save their data to a flash drive. They said,"We didn't know how to do it, so we didn't do it."

Digital natives my a%$^#!

It is shocking that they got 4 year college degrees and still have no clue how to do this. But worse yet, there was no way for these grad students to, say, ask Google, "Google, how do you save a file from a PC to a flash drive?"

Now I have to go across to another building to pull the data from the machine they were using. The saddest thing is that when I was showing them how to use the equipment, I SHOWED THEM HOW TO SAVE THE DATA! Not very helpful Research Assistants...

:(

UGGGGGGGG!!!!!!

Wow. I see learned helplessness like that with some undergrads, but grad students — sheesh!

Dang!

Quote from: bio-nonymous on Today at 10:34:22 AMTwo traditionally-aged grad students working in my lab were unable to figure out how to save their data to a flash drive. They said,"We didn't know how to do it, so we didn't do it."

Digital natives my a%$^#!

It is shocking that they got 4 year college degrees and still have no clue how to do this. But worse yet, there was no way for these grad students to, say, ask Google, "Google, how do you save a file from a PC to a flash drive?"

Now I have to go across to another building to pull the data from the machine they were using. The saddest thing is that when I was showing them how to use the equipment, I SHOWED THEM HOW TO SAVE THE DATA! Not very helpful Research Assistants...

:(

UGGGGGGGG!!!!!!

Wow. I see learned helplessness like that with some undergrads, but grad students — sheesh!

Quote from: artalot on Today at 10:53:48 AMI saw course averages go down when I allowed completely open note and open book exams. Some students just weren't studying and you can't look up all of the answers in 50 minutes. I allow a note card now, it's a good way of getting them to study. Many don't actually use the card; they just like to have it.

That's weird.  They thought that "open book exam" meant you didn't need to study at all?

I saw course averages go down when I allowed completely open note and open book exams. Some students just weren't studying and you can't look up all of the answers in 50 minutes. I allow a note card now, it's a good way of getting them to study. Many don't actually use the card; they just like to have it.

Two traditionally-aged grad students working in my lab were unable to figure out how to save their data to a flash drive. They said,"We didn't know how to do it, so we didn't do it."

Digital natives my a%$^#!

It is shocking that they got 4 year college degrees and still have no clue how to do this. But worse yet, there was no way for these grad students to, say, ask Google, "Google, how do you save a file from a PC to a flash drive?"

Now I have to go across to another building to pull the data from the machine they were using. The saddest thing is that when I was showing them how to use the equipment, I SHOWED THEM HOW TO SAVE THE DATA! Not very helpful Research Assistants...

:(

UGGGGGGGG!!!!!!

Good morning!

Somewhere past genius with pangram today.  Yesterday we had team QB.  I think I needed dino, dodging, rigor.

No luck on LB again.  Congrats on your solutions!

Langue_doc, you are probably right that students may not read their emails! I also think that the deluge of emails doesn't help with that.  The senders just seem uncoordinated, like all these different groups are offering opportunities or sending reminders, and it gets to be a bit much.  Damned if you do, damned if you don't, I guess.  At least they are trying.  I know that youngest barely ever even checked email to begin with before going to college, as that generation just doesn't seem to communicate that way.  I hope that has changed!

Happy solving!

Good morning!

QBw2LL for donor (!!). Genius with pangram today.

LB: No solution! I had a lot of good words, but no combos. I did not even see fjords or spinach.

Happy puzzling!

Quote from: marshwiggle on Today at 05:02:55 AM

Quote from: apl68 on October 03, 2024, 07:34:30 AM

Quote from: kaysixteen on October 03, 2024, 06:18:06 AMStudents having physical possession of books during an exam may make them feel more secure, until/ unless some of them end up spending a bunch of time rifling through pages of textbooks trying to scare up test info, wasting too much time and effort in the process, and making the students feel decidedly less secure in the process.

I think I see what you're getting at.  If students have actually familiarized themselves with the book, they might be able to derive benefit from having it available.  Otherwise, having course materials with them during the exam might end up being an unhelpful distraction.

As I used to say, when I gave exams and made them open book, "You can't learn the course in two hours." (As someone said above, my exams were about applying knowledge, rather than regurgitating information, so people who didn't know what to do before they entered were still lost.) I was amazed at the stack of books some students brought in, especially given that my course didn't actually have a textbook.

K16 is correct. So is Marshwiggle. I tell my students, repeatedly, that if they haven't done the reading by the time of the exam, they're not going to be able to do all the reading during the exam. The ones who have prepared for the exam do well and rarely have to open their books. Those who have not prepared for the exam do not do well and often provide extensive summaries and excerpts on 3-5 pages of the book.

In some way, there is no real difference than if I hadn't let the students bring in the books. However, I find that too many students think they have to memorize everything in the book, and letting them bring the book diffuses come anxiety. (Yes, as K16 points out, their anxiety may go up when they realize they don't know anything about the material, but I would think that K16 would be the last person to complain about unprepared students feeling, well, unprepared. I would assume that K16 does not think the point of giving exams is to increase student's security.)

I disagree, however, with K16 that these students would have wasted time and effort. First, the only time they would have used is the exam time itself. And for effort, well such students tend to put in much less effort than most students who pass the exam. As to whether it is wasted, this depends on whether they then prepare for the next exam or not.