Jedi Mind Tricks

[kiana]

I am coming primarily from developmental math, and I found that the "waiting until the last minute" was just catastrophically bad. For example, last semester in 4 classes of developmental math less than half submitted the first one on time. I don't feel able to just give zeros to that high a percentage of the class on something that's worth a fair amount of their grade.

I started a new policy this semester. If you don't submit the test on time, it's still open, with a 10% per day late penalty. Tech issues? Should have troubleshot it sooner/taken it earlier (global extensions given in the case of failure of OUR systems), but it's okay, you can take it late. The test does not open for review until everyone who appears likely to take it has done so.

This has taken an amazing amount of stress off me.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I am coming primarily from developmental math, and I found that the "waiting until the last minute" was just catastrophically bad. For example, last semester in 4 classes of developmental math less than half submitted the first one on time. I don't feel able to just give zeros to that high a percentage of the class on something that's worth a fair amount of their grade.

I started a new policy this semester. If you don't submit the test on time, it's still open, with a 10% per day late penalty. Tech issues? Should have troubleshot it sooner/taken it earlier (global extensions given in the case of failure of OUR systems), but it's okay, you can take it late. The test does not open for review until everyone who appears likely to take it has done so.

This has taken an amazing amount of stress off me.

I like this idea. I just don't want test problems getting out and having students look them up online. I use question pools, but still...

[the_geneticist]

I am coming primarily from developmental math, and I found that the "waiting until the last minute" was just catastrophically bad. For example, last semester in 4 classes of developmental math less than half submitted the first one on time. I don't feel able to just give zeros to that high a percentage of the class on something that's worth a fair amount of their grade.

I started a new policy this semester. If you don't submit the test on time, it's still open, with a 10% per day late penalty. Tech issues? Should have troubleshot it sooner/taken it earlier (global extensions given in the case of failure of OUR systems), but it's okay, you can take it late. The test does not open for review until everyone who appears likely to take it has done so.

This has taken an amazing amount of stress off me.

I like this idea. I just don't want test problems getting out and having students look them up online. I use question pools, but still...

Have the penalty start as soon as the due date passes.  Students who might be tempted to use extra time to look up answers online will be dissuaded by the immediate penalty. 

[kiana]

I like this idea. I just don't want test problems getting out and having students look them up online. I use question pools, but still...

Have the penalty start as soon as the due date passes.  Students who might be tempted to use extra time to look up answers online will be dissuaded by the immediate penalty.

Yes. If you submit even one minute late, it hits you.

As far as sharing questions, I haven't seen that happen on a large extent (in general, the students who submit late do worse even before the late penalty), but since I have an asynchronous class and therefore no fixed exam schedule, that possibility was always there anyway.

I feel that the people who can't get it together to submit their test on time are also likely to not be able to get it together enough to get useful information from others AND make good use of it.

[KiUlv]

Jedi Mind Trick for online classes.
If a student emails to ask about grading on late work, rather than saying "you only earned 4/10 points because your quiz was late" I say "any answers you submitted by the due date and time will be graded out of full credit".

My syllabus uses that type of reframed language-- "Assignments turned in by the due date are eligible to earn full credit. Assignments turned in after that date will be eligible for x percent of the total possible credit" (or something like that) rather than "Late assignments are deduced by X percent each day." They still get the deduction, but the reframing has been more positively received.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I thought this was funny.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/18/us/tennessee-professor-syllabus-money-trnd/index.html

[Puget]

I've been doing this for a few years (and it certainly isn't unique to me) and can't remember if I posted about it before, but thought I'd share (again?) since it is working so well.

I have 3 exams, with the 3rd (non-cumulative) given during the final exam block, same length as the first two, so only designed to take half or less of the 3 hour block. Students can choose to add on to this third exam a "second chance exam" covering the material on one of the first two exams, which then replaces the earlier grade (for better or worse). They have to sign up for this by the last day of class, and as part of the sign up they have to write how they will/have prepared better for this second chance (some of these are pretty sad/funny, like "This time I'm using the study guide and starting before the morning of the exam"). I also post a study skills video and materials, which they are supposed to review before signing up.

Besides being humane (I do, in fact, believe in second chances) I've found that this solves so many problems and makes my life much easier. All those frantic emails begging to take an exam late or get a do-over because [they are sick/their grandma died/they slept through the alarm/etc.] are greatly reduced, and when they do send them they get a cheery reply reminding them they can simply take the second chance exam. I have to make zero judgement calls about who deserves make-ups, and don't have to proctor any additional exam times or make multiple versions of exams.

In addition, it reduces their anxiety a ton on the first two exams, both in the lead up and if they get a bad score. A bunch of students who would otherwise be complaining and stressing to me about their grades don't (and those that do get the same copy and paste cheery response).

Most of these students also don't go on to take the second chance exam, because by the end of the semester they don't want to study for it, and have come to accept that their course grade is actually OK. About 15-20% actually take it, with mixed results-- some do no better (or even worse), but some improve dramatically.

I thought this was funny.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/18/us/tennessee-professor-syllabus-money-trnd/index.html

Saw that too!

[the_geneticist]

Anyone have a Jedi mind trick to get students to actually go to office hours?

I had students reflect on their study habits, why they missed questions on an exam, how they will change their habits, and what else they want to help their learning.

Less that 1% of students have attended office hours with either me or their TA.
But >90% are wanting time to review questions from class, go over missed concepts on assignments, or a to go to a "review session".
We are on quarters and I do not have time to burn for a review session during a registered class (This class meets a grand total of 8 times).  I'm not making my TAs hold review sessions at other times, especially when NO ONE goes to their office hours.

Anyone try rebranding their office hours as "review sessions"?

[OneMoreYear]

A colleague has branded their TA's office hours as "class help sessions" and put the dates/times in the syllabus (this involved coordinating with the TA ahead of time--with multiple TAs, this could get complicated).  Mixed success in general, but a decent number of students at the session prior to the midterm and fewer complaints about not having a review session in class.

[Morden]

RE: office hours
https://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/careers-cafe/maximizing-the-impact-of-office-hours/

I have heard anecdotally that some undergraduate students think we're doing "IMPORTANT things" during our office hours, so they shouldn't disturb us. And I do remember hovering outside my professors' closed doors during office hours as an undergraduate trying to hear if they were in there or not, and wondering if I should knock.

[Puget]

Anyone have a Jedi mind trick to get students to actually go to office hours?

I had students reflect on their study habits, why they missed questions on an exam, how they will change their habits, and what else they want to help their learning.

Less that 1% of students have attended office hours with either me or their TA.
But >90% are wanting time to review questions from class, go over missed concepts on assignments, or a to go to a "review session".
We are on quarters and I do not have time to burn for a review session during a registered class (This class meets a grand total of 8 times).  I'm not making my TAs hold review sessions at other times, especially when NO ONE goes to their office hours.

Anyone try rebranding their office hours as "review sessions"?

I use a calendar with bookable 15 min slots, and interestingly that seems to have increased use of office hours-- they seem to like knowing they have an appointment that is just for them, and committing to a time means they actually show up (most of the time). They also have the option of zoom or in person. Zoom seems to lower the psychological barriers for some of them.

[the_geneticist]

I like that idea!  What program do you use for the bookable timeslots?

[FishProf]

RE: office hours
https://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/careers-cafe/maximizing-the-impact-of-office-hours/

I have heard anecdotally that some undergraduate students think we're doing "IMPORTANT things" during our office hours, so they shouldn't disturb us. And I do remember hovering outside my professors' closed doors during office hours as an undergraduate trying to hear if they were in there or not, and wondering if I should knock.

The Jedi Mind Trick:  Call them Student Hours in your syllabus. 

[Puget]

I like that idea!  What program do you use for the bookable timeslots?

I just use my google calendar (we are a google campus- not sure if this is available with free personal accounts or not)-- you can select "appointment slots" when creating an event (which you can set to repeat), and the appointment calendar has its own link, which I then post on the CMS and department page. When they book a slot it I get an email notification and shows up on my calendar and their calendar, and they can add notes about what they want to meet about if they want. They can also cancel it by just deleting it from their calendar and I get a notification of that.

[WidgetWoman]

I like that idea!  What program do you use for the bookable timeslots?

I don't know what the previous poster uses, but I use https://calendly.com/. You can set up a free account that lets you schedule one booking page, and it syncs really nicely with my Outlook calendar. It makes life so much easier for my students and I!