Ernie Posted March 15, 2012 Author Share Posted March 15, 2012 My class just took a test. This test is 1/4 of our grade for the semester. The highest score on the test was an 82%, the second highest was an 80%. The average score was a 62%. This means that the majority of the class failed. We are only allowed 2 C's for the entire program. Is this common? I feel like if a student or two does poorly, it means that the student didn't study, but if all 30 students do poorly, then that means one of two things: 1 The professor didn't adequately cover the material, or 2 The test was written as to be too difficult. When the class tried to talk to the professor, he said that it was obvious to him that we weren't studying. It is quite frustrating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 My class just took a test. This test is 1/4 of our grade for the semester. The highest score on the test was an 82%, the second highest was an 80%. The average score was a 62%. This means that the majority of the class failed. We are only allowed 2 C's for the entire program. Is this common? I feel like if a student or two does poorly, it means that the student didn't study, but if all 30 students do poorly, then that means one of two things: 1 The professor didn't adequately cover the material, or 2 The test was written as to be too difficult. When the class tried to talk to the professor, he said that it was obvious to him that we weren't studying. It is quite frustrating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 is the prof going to curve the grade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 is the prof going to curve the grade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLReed Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 We would often have a curve based on the class average. I think it is also useful for students to be able to review exams and have professors explain why an answer is the correct one. That allows you to address a poorly written exam. It's another story if the information was not taught well. Our program addressed this by providing "learning objectives" before each exam. We were responsible for any information in the objectives even if it wasn't covered in the lecture. Sometimes it led to a lot of independent learning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLReed Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 We would often have a curve based on the class average. I think it is also useful for students to be able to review exams and have professors explain why an answer is the correct one. That allows you to address a poorly written exam. It's another story if the information was not taught well. Our program addressed this by providing "learning objectives" before each exam. We were responsible for any information in the objectives even if it wasn't covered in the lecture. Sometimes it led to a lot of independent learning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenmood Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 You just started in January, right? How many tests have you had with this professor, for this class? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenmood Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 You just started in January, right? How many tests have you had with this professor, for this class? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 To address all: The school has a policy of no curving of test scores for any reason. This class is the only one of our six classes which does not provide objectives. Yes, we started in January, and this is the second exam for this class, but the class is being taught by two professors. The first section and test was one professor, and this portion of the class and second test is the second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 To address all: The school has a policy of no curving of test scores for any reason. This class is the only one of our six classes which does not provide objectives. Yes, we started in January, and this is the second exam for this class, but the class is being taught by two professors. The first section and test was one professor, and this portion of the class and second test is the second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAAdmission Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Here's an easy fix for no objectives: tell your program director that you are concerned about the lack of objectives and you intend to contact the ARC-PA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAAdmission Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Here's an easy fix for no objectives: tell your program director that you are concerned about the lack of objectives and you intend to contact the ARC-PA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 I sent the professor an email: Is there any way that I can get the course objectives for this section of the course? I am hoping to use them as an aid to study for the next exam. This is the reply that I got: For a graduate course of this caliber, we do not supply objectives. The power points essentially serve as the objectives material. So I am not sure where to go from here. Even more incredible, we were scheduled to receive a lecture in that class today. After a class doing as poorly as we did, I was surprised that the professor cancelled the lecture and had us meet in lab instead. When we got there, neither professor showed up. They sent a TA instead. It is kind of bothering me that a class does poorly on an exam, and the two professors who teach that course can't be bothered to show up to the very next class meeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 I sent the professor an email: Is there any way that I can get the course objectives for this section of the course? I am hoping to use them as an aid to study for the next exam. This is the reply that I got: For a graduate course of this caliber, we do not supply objectives. The power points essentially serve as the objectives material. So I am not sure where to go from here. Even more incredible, we were scheduled to receive a lecture in that class today. After a class doing as poorly as we did, I was surprised that the professor cancelled the lecture and had us meet in lab instead. When we got there, neither professor showed up. They sent a TA instead. It is kind of bothering me that a class does poorly on an exam, and the two professors who teach that course can't be bothered to show up to the very next class meeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneValgene Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Here's an easy fix for no objectives: tell your program director that you are concerned about the lack of objectives and you intend to contact the ARC-PA. if you want to strong arm them, this would probably do the trick. according to arc-pa standards: "B1.09 For each didactic and clinical course, the program must define and publish instructional objectives that guide student acquisition of required competencies." however, it might be a bad move to get on the bad side of your program director... but if a lot of people are failing, i wouldn't worry too much...what can they do, kick the whole class out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneValgene Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Here's an easy fix for no objectives: tell your program director that you are concerned about the lack of objectives and you intend to contact the ARC-PA. if you want to strong arm them, this would probably do the trick. according to arc-pa standards: "B1.09 For each didactic and clinical course, the program must define and publish instructional objectives that guide student acquisition of required competencies." however, it might be a bad move to get on the bad side of your program director... but if a lot of people are failing, i wouldn't worry too much...what can they do, kick the whole class out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterallsummer Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Find out how the students who got B's studied and study with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterallsummer Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Find out how the students who got B's studied and study with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted March 18, 2012 Author Share Posted March 18, 2012 The two highest grades had the same professor from undergrad. One of the people who got a higher grade than me- and this is not a joke- didn't study at all, and said that she had given up on this class, so she "made designs on the scantron sheet with her answers." If it was a solution as easy as studying a different way, I wouldn't be discussing this, would I? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted March 18, 2012 Author Share Posted March 18, 2012 The two highest grades had the same professor from undergrad. One of the people who got a higher grade than me- and this is not a joke- didn't study at all, and said that she had given up on this class, so she "made designs on the scantron sheet with her answers." If it was a solution as easy as studying a different way, I wouldn't be discussing this, would I? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Any chance that the two professors didn't show up as they were detained in a meeting with the school director to review/discuss the exam? When a test question performs poorly (more than 50% of the class miss it), that question is reviewed and typically thrown out. Could there be a chance that the test is being reviewed again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Any chance that the two professors didn't show up as they were detained in a meeting with the school director to review/discuss the exam? When a test question performs poorly (more than 50% of the class miss it), that question is reviewed and typically thrown out. Could there be a chance that the test is being reviewed again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taotaox1 Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Solution to angering program director: anonymous email. Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taotaox1 Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Solution to angering program director: anonymous email. Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenmood Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Some perspective is needed here. The entire class failed (below 80); they are not going to cut the entire class. I think it's obvious there is some mismatch between what the professor expected you to know and what you actually studied. Many factors involved in that, most likely. It's early in the didactic year for you and for them, plenty of time for adjustments on both sides. This was your first experience with this professor's testing style. It's on you to learn from it and make sure you're better prepped for his questions next time. It's on the prof and school to take the scores and address the gaps in your knowledge from this unit. I recommend taking a deep breath. It will work out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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