Delete comment from: Captain Capitalism
Your story is a fascinating odyssey.
I teach, and I find plagiarism another strange and frustrating issue: Students don't get it, that when they take quotes and ideas verbatum from a web site, they have to give credit to their sources. One semester, I had two students who plagiarized; I gave them both an extra chance, and they both plagiarized on the next essay. Amazing.
Your story reminds me of a turning point: When I started teaching, I assumed that if I gave an assignment, I'd grade it, and the grade would count toward the student's course grade. Only years later, while attending a workshop on formative and summative evaluation, did I realize there was another way. This changed my approach: Now I give some early assignments that are scored, but the score doesn't count toward their grade: Rather, the "formative evaluation" goal is to find out student knowledge and skill level, and to let students know the areas they need to work on in their study. It lifts much of the pressure and frustration students feel about assignments and grades; if they KNOW they need to study certain things to get a higher score, and if they don't, then they know it's their own fault. Then "summative evaluation" comes later, and measures whether they made the needed progress. The formative evaluation can also help identify students who need extra tutoring and help to pass the class. In a state university they get such services free from certain on-campus centers, but in a 2- year program, those services are often reduced and not as available to many who take night classes, etc.
Jan 15, 2009, 5:45:00 PM
Posted to Degree Mills