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  • 1.  Assessment options that encourage postgrad students to better prepare for class discussions

    Posted 04-11-2006 00:19
    I would like to invite discussion and or comment on the ways that
    promote postgraduate students to prepare for class discussions that
    centre on discussion of assigned readings. Obviously there is a
    correlation between the extent to which the student has prepared for
    these discussions the quality of discusison that follows and in turn,
    the quality of the learning experience.

    The specifics of my circumstances. 1) It is a postgraduate sport
    management course where students are assigned 4-6 weekly readings
    drawn from the sport management and mainstream mangement literature.
    The course is in the first year of 2 year Masters degree where the
    second year is thesis based. The course approximates a 'doctoral
    seminar' in terms of its goal of preparing students for the advanced
    study of management. 2) Assessment for the course is a HBR case study
    and a literature review. 3) The problem - students are not adequately
    preparing for the discussion of the assigned readings and I find
    myself doing too much of the talking. Note that the students have
    been provided with an generic review sheet that is to be applied to
    each of the readings, so there is a least a reasonable level of
    guidance/direction provided.

    I am reflecting on my own style/ approaches etc but wonder if
    students make some sort of written report on an article or perhaps an
    oral presentation. Should this become part of the assesment?

    Should marks be assigned on the basis of participation and or
    contribution? (Note, I would never assign marks for mere attendance).

    Are there assessment ideas (other than the case study and literature
    review) that are more closely aligned with a weekly discussion of
    readings.

    Thanks.



    Yours sincerely,

    Geoff Dickson Ph.D.
    Head of Research
    Division of Sport and Recreation
    AUT University
    Private Bag 92006
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Tel: (+649) 921 9999 ext 7851
    Fax: (+649) 917 9960
    Email: geoff.dickson@aut.ac.nz


  • 2.  Assessment options that encourage postgrad students to better prepare for class discussions

    Posted 04-11-2006 09:11
    I recommend each student be required to submit a Concept Map for each of the
    readings. cf., http://cmap.ihmc.us/

    This lets them express their understanding in the minimum amount of time.
    Also it lets the professor assess their understanding in a minute or so per
    map.

    Class discussion is then best conducted as an exercise in arriving at a
    common map.

    Jack Ring

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Geoff Dickson" <geoff.dickson@AUT.AC.NZ>
    To: <MG-ED-DV@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU>
    Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 9:19 PM
    Subject: Assessment options that encourage postgrad students to better
    prepare for class discussions


    >I would like to invite discussion and or comment on the ways that
    > promote postgraduate students to prepare for class discussions that
    > centre on discussion of assigned readings. Obviously there is a
    > correlation between the extent to which the student has prepared for
    > these discussions the quality of discusison that follows and in turn,
    > the quality of the learning experience.
    >
    > The specifics of my circumstances. 1) It is a postgraduate sport
    > management course where students are assigned 4-6 weekly readings
    > drawn from the sport management and mainstream mangement literature.
    > The course is in the first year of 2 year Masters degree where the
    > second year is thesis based. The course approximates a 'doctoral
    > seminar' in terms of its goal of preparing students for the advanced
    > study of management. 2) Assessment for the course is a HBR case study
    > and a literature review. 3) The problem - students are not adequately
    > preparing for the discussion of the assigned readings and I find
    > myself doing too much of the talking. Note that the students have
    > been provided with an generic review sheet that is to be applied to
    > each of the readings, so there is a least a reasonable level of
    > guidance/direction provided.
    >
    > I am reflecting on my own style/ approaches etc but wonder if
    > students make some sort of written report on an article or perhaps an
    > oral presentation. Should this become part of the assesment?
    >
    > Should marks be assigned on the basis of participation and or
    > contribution? (Note, I would never assign marks for mere attendance).
    >
    > Are there assessment ideas (other than the case study and literature
    > review) that are more closely aligned with a weekly discussion of
    > readings.
    >
    > Thanks.
    >
    >
    >
    > Yours sincerely,
    >
    > Geoff Dickson Ph.D.
    > Head of Research
    > Division of Sport and Recreation
    > AUT University
    > Private Bag 92006
    > Auckland, New Zealand
    > Tel: (+649) 921 9999 ext 7851
    > Fax: (+649) 917 9960
    > Email: geoff.dickson@aut.ac.nz
    >
    >


  • 3.  Assessment options that encourage postgrad students to better prepare for class discussions

    Posted 04-11-2006 10:33
    Geoff,

    I have found that by assigning different students to lead the discussion of different readings class discussion improves tremendously. It places the discussion in their hands and forces them to be prepared to lead a discussion. What you may want to consider is serving as an example the first class to demonstrate what is expected of a discussion leader ( i.e. content expert, questions raised, possible solutions, keeping the discussion on topic), possibly provide a checklist of duties, and let the students take turns leading the discussion.

    Hope this helps,

    Jeremy Tekell
    University of North Texas
    I/O Psychology

    On 4/10/06, Geoff Dickson <geoff.dickson@aut.ac.nz> wrote:
    I would like to invite discussion and or comment on the ways that
    promote postgraduate students to prepare for class discussions that
    centre on discussion of assigned readings.  Obviously there is a
    correlation between the extent to which the student has prepared for
    these discussions the quality of discusison that follows and in turn,
    the quality of the learning experience.

    The specifics of my circumstances. 1) It is a postgraduate sport
    management course where students are assigned 4-6 weekly readings
    drawn from the sport management and mainstream mangement literature.
    The course is in the first year of 2 year Masters degree where the
    second year is thesis based.  The course approximates a 'doctoral
    seminar' in terms of its goal of preparing students for the advanced
    study of management.  2) Assessment for the course is a HBR case study
    and a literature review. 3) The problem - students are not adequately
    preparing for the discussion of the assigned readings  and I find
    myself doing too much of the talking.  Note that the students have
    been provided with an generic review sheet that is to be applied to
    each of the readings, so there is a least a reasonable level of
    guidance/direction provided.

    I am reflecting on my own style/ approaches etc but wonder if
    students make some sort of written report on an article or perhaps an
    oral presentation.  Should this become part of the assesment?

    Should marks be assigned on the basis of  participation and or
    contribution? (Note, I would never assign marks for mere attendance).

    Are there assessment ideas (other than the case study and literature
    review) that are more closely aligned with a weekly discussion of
    readings.

    Thanks.



    Yours sincerely,

    Geoff Dickson Ph.D.
    Head of Research
    Division of Sport and Recreation
    AUT University
    Private Bag 92006
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Tel: (+649) 921 9999  ext 7851
    Fax: (+649) 917 9960
    Email: geoff.dickson@aut.ac.nz