|
|
RE: [math-learn] FCI and CCI in China #2
Posted:
Jan 27, 2012 6:42 PM
|
|
|
|
I would second that, as the FCI or FMCE are not used as a final exame. But
they are given near the end of the course. Sometimes they are given
separately, but sometimes they may be included as part of a final exam, but
never as a whole final exam. So I would think the CCI could also be used
the same way. When I put the FMCE on a final exam, I often give it less
weight than the other questions. I suspect that some may think that
conceptual exams are used to pass or fail the students, and this is never
done. It is really used to quantify how well students are understanding
material.
In my class students also have to do some other types of things, but in line
with Mazur's recommendation I have a lot of other very conceptual questions,
but also some problems. And some of the questions require writing
explanations. These are often the hardest. Students also see a few
problems which have never been done in class, but which just require a
simple understanding of a few ideas, and extremely simple calculations. One
of my favorites is the thunder problem. They know sound travels and that
light travels at an extremely fast speed, so I ask something simple like
"You see the lightning and 5s later you hear the thunder. If sound travels
at 340m/s how far away was the lighning strike. You must make a drawing or
diagram of the situation as part of your answer" I may even add some extra
description to the problem. Any student who understands speed and velocity
will get it right. Others will often do the calculation upside down and get
a ridiculous answer. This is a situation I never discuss in class so it
measures a small amount of near transfer. This can actually be done in a
math class, and you might be amazed at how many get it wrong.
There is however, one problem. If you must review the final exam with
students or post it, you can not put a research based inventory on that
exam. Often the final exam is the last time the students are around, so
this if usually not a problem.
John M. Clement
Houston, TX
>
> I am baffled. I thought I was quite explicit multiple times.
>
> THE CCI IS IN NO WAY A SUBSTITUTE FOR A FINAL EXAM IN CALCULUS.
>
> It was never intended to be anything like that. It was
> designed from the
> beginning, before a single test question was suggested, to be
> a test of
> the /most basic, conceptual principals of calculus/. There
> are all kinds
> of important topics in calculus I that are NOT tested. I have
> said this
> so many times, it is stunning to me that I still need to say
> this. It is
> not usable as a final exam and was never designed to play that role.
>
> OK??
>
|
|
