In both classes, students have been asking for the study guide for the final. Asking a lot. I'm not against giving it out at this point. But still, it is 11-12 days before their final. And the problem is, I don't have a study guide that I can just pull up on my computer and send out! I have to CREATE it. And that takes about 4-5 hours per guide. And I've been busting my butt lately with lectures, etc.
They don't know it, but it will obviously turn my Saturday into a workday. There's simply not enough hours in the week. Especially now that our after-school babysitter called in sick this afternoon, setting me back on my workload even further.
Where's MY study guide? You know, the one that helps me learn about how to have both an academic career and a nice family life?
Hi Mom, Ph.D. I've been lurking forever and ever and haven't commented (I'm a slacker, I know). I just wanted to say that I found a way to appease my students on study guides without causing myself a lot of work. My deal now is they bring 1-3 questions each that they think might be on the exam, I compile them, and email them back out to the students who contributed (No contribution = no study guide for you).
ReplyDeleteMost of the time the questions are spot on, and usually at least a handful of them are actually questions I've put on the exam. They get the study guide, I trick them into reviewing, and I don't have to do much work
Make THEM create the study guide. Everybody writes down or e-mails you something they think they should know for the final, or the most important thing they've learned, something like that. You still have to check that the entries aren't wrong, or way too easy, but it's text you can work with, so you're not starting from scratch.
ReplyDeleteWow--great suggestions from Psycgirl and Dame Eleanor Hull! I've never heard of this idea. I do plan to implement some version of it next semester.
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