Instructors...solve this mystery for me..<please>

[justme1972]

One of those questions that you always wondered but were afraid to ask...

What is the deal with instructors not giving students back their ENTIRE exam...assuming everyone has taken it?

When I went to college several years ago, I always got my exams back, and now I never do...they pass them out and we have to turn them back in. I don't get it.

Last semester I took a course where, when I went through the exam and found two, very clear errors that were missed during the exam review we had in class. He allowed us to keep this one, which wasn't his normal practice. I wasn't trying to pick the exam apart, I was trying to figure out what I missed for the comprehensive final.

Since we had the exam review..I e-mailed my professor, very nicely and the response I got was, "This is why I don't like to give back exams".

I was like...say WHHAATTTTT?

Please...don't anyone get mad at me for saying this...this is just a student's perspective....why should an instructor fear students going back over the test?

Another example is my current A&P professor...I'm doing extremely well in his class...but by his own admission, he hasn't read the current edition of our book and using PP for lectures (we are not given a copy)..but I think he's been using the same PP for so long that the terms, order, everything is not "flowing" in our book and on every exam he has to throw out 3 or 4 questions b/c his notes are not corresponding with our book, which is all we have to study from.

During his lectures, it is extremely obvious that he doesn't understand some of the systems he is describing, and when I take notes, and go back and read the book....they aren't even close to matching, and what I am researching on the internet corresponds with my book...not his lecture.

He even admitted that he "threw together" exams sometimes as late as the EARLY MORNING of the exam.

Things like this irritate me, because isn't that like...HIS ENTIRE JOB?

I'm just looking for some insight!!!

[vickynurse]

In all due respect...my post wasn't to "rip an instructor to shreds" because I didn't get the grade I "deserved".

.......Thank you for the "respect" shown in this post. You were not being singled out.

How valid do you think an exam is that is constructed in an hour or so?

......If the questions are from a test bank, it is probably ok. If they are off the top of the instructor's head, the exam probably will not be an accurate measure of student learning. Obviously the exams you experienced were constructed in an inferior manner.

If GOOD instructors are willing to put in that kind of time to prepare for lecture...what do GOOD instructors think of those that don't care to?

.....I think the student evals and meetings with the Dean will take care of the problem. It is none of my business what other faculty do in their classrooms. As long as students have mastered the content of the pre-req courses, I am happy.

.

Clearly you believe you have mastered the content and not received an appropriate grade for the course. Did you follow the chain of command and discuss this with the Dean? I'm sure your knowlegde of A&P will serve you well in succeeding courses. Good luck to you.

[justme1972]

Clearly you believe you have mastered the content and not received an appropriate grade for the course. Did you follow the chain of command and discuss this with the Dean? I'm sure your knowlegde of A&P will serve you well in succeeding courses. Good luck to you.

To be honest, I have actually never appealed an entire term grade to a Dean before. I have actually never heard of someone successfully doing something like that unless there was a Mathmatical miscalculation.

Once I appealed a single exam (long story...save it for another time), the Dean agreed with me, but only agreed to interfere it affected my final grade...fair enough.

However, I'm still thinking on it...not sure what I'll do just yet.

[doliveri]

Hi,

A test review in my point of view should give feedback to a student in order to learn, first and foremost. A student should be able to understand the concepts that were not clear to them on the exam. This should be a learning process. On the flipside, it should also be a learning experience for the instructor. We use PAR SCORE at the school where I teach and this computerized program gives the instructor a very detailed item analysis of each question on the exam. This allows the instructor to tailor their lectures, to tweek what did not work so that the next time it will work, students will understand the concepts because the instructor devoted more time to those hard to get concepts based on evidence.

I have a policy about test review. It is not a battle, and I am not the enemy. I answer questions, and I let students know that I am not opposed to change answers or grades , but they have to have sound data to support their convictions. I have not had any problems with test reviews, and most of my students tape lectures.

I do fear the opportunity that some students will take to copy an exam if they are allowed to keep the exam. We give the exams out for test review and go over them in detail. Students are allowed to make notes about concepts on the exam , but obviously can not copy the question. Students have to return the exams or they suffer consequences.

I don't know why some instructors do the things they do, but if you have serious issues with some instructors, you should take those issues up with them or go through the chain of command at your school or university.

Good luck, hope this helped

[smk1, LPN]

As long as there is at least a time to review the test that isn't to many weeks past when it was given, I feel like that would work. I am not one to complain too much, I know when I didn't put the time or effort in to make the highest grade...on the flipside, I also know when I know the material VERY well and I expect a fair anaylsis of the question if the texts aren't agreeing with the instructor. That is only fair.

[Terri W]

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most students, like me, think, "well, why don't they just make a different test for each semester, how hard can that be?"

.....or is it more difficult than i think it is and that is why alot of instructors don't?

quote]

yes ... i is extremely difficult to write good test questions. a good question not only has to be based on information provided by either the text or the lecture ... it also has to discriminate well. in other words, the best students need to be able to answer it correctly while the worst students can not. if the question is so simple that everyone can answer it, it's only use is to show that the students know the basic material. if the question is so difficult that very few people get it right, then it only identifies the very top students and the students that made a lucky guess. a really great question is answerable by the people who know the material well, but is really tough for those who don't know the material well -- so that the grades reflect the students' actual level of performance and not just luck. that is super-difficult to achieve. good test questions are a valuable commodity in the education world that need to be diligently guarded.

also, faculty members often don't want to get bogged down in relatively minor details while the "big picture" is going unnoticed. that often happens when people start dissecting the wording of particular questions.

in answer to the comment:

"things like this irritate me, because isn't that like...his entire job?"

no, it may actually be a very small part of the instructor's job. college faculty have many different responsibities in addition to teaching classes. for many instructors, their teaching duties represent a very small portion of the obligations to the university and teaching may make up a very small portion of his job evaluation and criteria for tenure and promotion.

faculty members are expected to be guardians and developer of the knowledge base -- expected to conduct research, publish articles and books, speak at conferences, etc. for many, that it the largest component of their role. they are also expected to advise both undergraduate and graduate students and supervise their research and other academic work. faculty are also expected to serve on several committees that are necessary to keep the school running, such as the applications committee, the evaluations committee, the tenure committee, search committees for various positions, comunity relations committee, etc. there is a long list of committeess.

the actual teaching of classes is just one (sometimes small) component of their role.

this is an excellent explanation of the difficulty writing fair and appropriate exam questions;). as an instructor i think it is only fair for students to know how we test and why. to prepare them for nclex questions, although important, is not my ultimate goal. in our program the major reason we don't allow them to keep copies of the test is because we use a majority of repeat questions from year to year (approx 80%) for validity. by looking at the discrimination (how many answered each option) from class to class, it helps us adapt to different learning styles and may suggest better methods for "teaching" the content. i tell my students this up front.

another advantage we have with this process is to identify where misunderstaning of content might come from. our faculty look at each question that 25% or more of students miss (that means even when 75% got it correct). this certainly doesn't mean we're willing give credit for incorrect answers, but it occasionally helps us see where misunderstanding might have come from (and we occasionally give credit for a second option). more importantly, it provides an opportunity to discuss the content briefly again. after all, the students' understanding the concept is the primary goal (not getting an a on the exam).

thanks for the opportunity to enter the conversation.....terri

[shull]

Hi Hopefull 2009. I enjoyed reading this thread you started. It is great to see people listen to everyone's responses and like you said not "instructor bashing". I teach at the LPN program at a Technical School. It isn't like being in the college but I do go through the same things some of the other responders talked about. There are various things we must do. First of all, I believe your teacher has a responsibility to stay informed and have the correct books. We do have test banks ,however, we have to go through each question and make sure the answer given is correct. Some times I find mistakes. If my students can prove that something is wrong or not in the reading material they were to use then I do give the points back. I feel its my job to have things right. I want them to learn not be stressed out over a question/answer. It is alot of work to do new tests each semester. Plus do lesson plans and prepare to lecture. I also go to the clinical sites with the students. I also tutor if someone needs help. There are meetings and evaluations due. I am a mother, a friend, a counselor, a shoulder to cry on for them when they don't do well on a test, I am a cheerleader and I must discipline when necessary. It is alot of work for a low pay, so most educators do it because they love it. I still think that I have a responsibility to the students by making sure I have what they need. Your teacher should approach the adm. and put in his request for new updated books and then he needs to read them and be ready for his lecture. I don't blame you for being frustrated, I got upset for you just reading your note. Good luck and hang in there. Shull:lol2: