Most of class failed test... is this fair?

[JennyMacRN2B]

I was just wondering what you all thought about this. We had test 3 of the third semester of an associated degree program at a community college. Most of the class failed the test, I have spoken to only a handful who passed ( Many people had issues with Test 2 as well). Last year 70% of the class failed this test. The way I see it is if most of the class fails, then there must be a problem with the teaching. I studing my behind off and made a 69. I have not made that low of a test grade since I have been back in school (3 years). I know that when I take the board there will not be a curve, or any mercy but I should hope that my teachers would go back and say hey, maybe there is something wrong on our side.

Anyones input would be appreciated

BTW the test was on CV and Endocrine

[HyperRNRachel]

Was the test information covered in the required text book?

[mariedoreen]

Would also like to know if all test material was covered in the required reading... although sometimes the questions are just bad!

On our last exam slightly more than half of the class made 76% or less (75 is passing)... A few of the questions were worded somewhat ambiguously so they curved it 3 points... 2 of the questions were just downright BAD (ie: you have your left leg amputated and now have pain in your right toe and they wanted us to mark that it was phantom pain...) so they curved another 2 points. The rest of the questions were difficult, but fair because all info was covered in the 8 chapters of required reading in our pharmacology books...

I guess my opinion is that if the questions are fair AND the material is covered in the text I'd say it's the students' problem and not the instructor's. But then our school's really big on the students' taking ownership of their own learning and not expecting the instructor to spoon feed them...

What does everyone else think?

[Fiona59]

Ask them to explain how pain in an existing limb is phantom !

[HappyNurse2005, RN]

lol, maybe you go to my nursing school! (nah, im not in tennessee)

we are in 3rd semester, which is effectively about 50 times harder than 2nd semester. anyhoo, our class of approximately 60. first test-peds. class average of 72. (passing is 75). second test-oxygenation. class average 67. third test-psych. class average 72.

so it is certainly not just your school. here, it is just that it is hard. you really really really have to know your stuff, and be able to apply it all. plus, the amount of material is huge, hard to get it all down.

so yes, its fair. if all material was covered, all material was in reading,its fair. It's just hard, can't change that.

but i can sympathize.

love, rose