Impact and Results? Each quarter that I have taught using this new approach, about 7% of the original enrollees have come to me to explain (apologetically) that they could not attend class regularly; they then dropped or withdrew. (Usually my students don't bother to explain their reasons for dropping.) Another 2% never showed up or just disappeared, thereby earning a grade of U. No other students had excessive absences (that is, more than the allowed 2 or 3 per quarter). No other students dropped. In the last quarter I taught this course before changing formats, 15% of the students dropped, withdrew, or disappeared. Thus, despite the fact that no one can pass just by showing up for exams, attrition may have decreased slightly.
I've had three students say they were too afraid to speak in front of a group, one of them with a certified anxiety disorder brought on by exactly that sort of situation. In the two less serious cases I asked them to try it out for one day; both stayed and performed well throughout the quarter. In the more serious case I had to adjust my procedure, allowing that student to only volunteer. To my relief, she turned out to be one of the most enthusiastic and helpful participants.
Average presentation scores have ranged from a low of 72% to a high of 97%, with more high grades than I usually assign. Some students do well from the beginning; others start off with inadequate preparation, but quickly improve. I'm gradually tightening my grading rubric to bring the curve down, since I don't want students signing up for "an easy A." However, I'm convinced that my students are working harder and learning more, so I'm not sure how far to bring it down.
To my surprise, I have had no complaints from students so far. In fact, at the end of each class, I have many more students than usual telling me they appreciated the class. They feel proud of comprehending such complex material, they believe they will retain more material than usual, and they feel much more confident about speaking before a group.
|
