Exams by Andy Jobson

Everyone knows that exams are stressful for students.  For students who have not performed well during the semester, the exam can ‘make or break’ the credit, determining if a course must be repeated.  Even for the good students, the ones who care deeply about their grades, the exam can make the difference between an A or a B.

American students, though, might like to know that British students face a much more stressful exam time.  For one thing, the exams tend to come only at the end of the year, meaning that you have to remember a whole year’s worth of material.  For another, the exam can represent half of the final grade; at my school, the exam is only worth 20% of the semester.  When I spent my junior year abroad, stories were rampant of the various ways students coped (or failed to cope) with the anxiety.  One of my favorites involved a student who brought a teddy bear (presumably as a comfort) to the exam; midway through, he received permission to visit the loo.  Upon his return, he glanced at his paper and grew enraged.  “Why haven’t you done more than this?”  he yelled at his bear.  “Don’t you realize the time?”  He then proceeded to tear the bear apart.  (Of course, since I didn’t observe this directly, I cannot swear to its veracity!)

Students need to understand that exams can be stressful for teachers, too.  I always fret about whether I’m being too tough or too easy.  Did I cover the material sufficiently?  Did I ask the questions in a fair way?  Multiple choice tests can be challenging to write; I want my answers to have one clear ‘best’ answer without having too many ridiculous options.  Essay and short answer tests are easier to write, but tougher to grade.  How do I determine the point value of various questions?  What must a student say in order to receive full credit?

Mostly, though, the exam tells me if I’ve been successful in reaching my students.  What do they recall?  Did I manage to make them care about the material enough to prepare?  It’s always disheartening to see the occasional blank page, where a student clearly remembers nothing.  It can be ironic when a student displays absolutely no understanding or knowledge of anything I tried to teach, then writes on the final page something like “Thanks for being a great teacher!” 

I do sometimes laugh at the responses; we’ve all seen our share of crazy answers.  One of my favorites this year was in response to the question, “What book in 1798 launched the Romantic Movement in Britain?”  More than one thought the safest answer was Romanticism for Dummies.  A few others, possibly already thinking of college, wrote Romanticism 101.

Any teachers out there want to share the best ‘wrong’ answers to your exams this year?  Please share below.  Have a great, test-free summer! 

An educator of 22 years, Andy Jobson has taught government, economics, and U.S. History. Currently teaching English literature at Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, GA, he’s also been an administrator, a STAR teacher twice, and taught elementary school with Teach for America.

Too Much Testing by Mike Siekkinen

Testing today is a hot topic, with recent legislation passed on the federal level to reduce the number of standardized tests given to students. Most states are even jumping on this, also reducing state and local testing. So with reduced testing, how can a teacher measure concretely that students are "getting" what they are supposed to "get?”

Remember that determining what a student has or hasn't learned does not need to be only assessed with a multiple choice test. There are many other options available to check on learning, such as:

• have students write about what they have learned. They can even make it a story. Many students love to write, so let them!
• have students "draw" about what they have learned. I often have students do this in the form of a comic strip. They make the picture and write captions for what is occurring in their comic.
• write a speech as that person explaining how they feel about modern times or put them in a situation and have them write as this person would write.
• do a poll or survey to see if whole class understanding is occurring or if you need to spend more time on an area. 
• use personal white or chalk boards, or even sheets of paper. Have students respond during the lesson by holding up their board/paper.
• quick quiz - no more than 5-10 quick questions as students leave your class to see if they "got it.”
• think of something of your own. These are just some things I do rather than the formal pen and paper assessment. Students often don't even see these as "test.” So come up with your own methods to stay away from those "standardized tests.”

How else do you assess for understanding? Share your ideas with us.

Dr. Mike Siekkinen, a retired U.S. Navy submariner, became a teacher as a second career. He teaches history at St Marys Middle School as well as Adult and Career Education at Valdosta State in Georgia.

Technology and Critical Thinking by Jim Triplett

Like many others today, I rely on technology for many tasks I once reserved for my brain and a trip to the library, including problem-solving.  Many websites exist that offer to solve problems, including determining the root cause.  Many times the root cause of a problem may be lost in the noise of an issue leaving some to be less-informed than they think.  This bias can diminish the effectiveness of the steps used to refine the solution to a problem. Chabris and Simons (2009) addressed a number of cognitive illusions that lead people to misunderstand the world around them, one of which is the illusion of knowledge, one where a person thinks he or she knows more than he or she does as well as the illusion of cause.  These are also quite common and, thus, lead people to make decisions that are less-than-ideal.

Consider this TED talk from Dr. Simons on illusions.

Now, consider these additional videos from Chabris and Simons, with particular attention to the selective attention test, the movie perception test, and the door study, reminders that when it comes to thinking, we suffer from illusions that interfere with decision-making:

Many thoughts are present at any given time, some more prevalent and others that are subconscious. Research has shown that one's mental framework is a function of their education, experiences, religion, etc and these are also forms of bias as they are the filters by which we analyze and process information (Frew, 1981).  These biases are efficient in that they allow one to process large amounts of information quickly and they typically are pretty good at doing so most of the time (Gilovich, Griffin, & Kahneman, 2002).  The challenge is when these do not work well for us, especially when trying to identify the cause of a problem.  Being aware is a key to managing biases in critical thinking as it allows one to recognize when a problem may be created and one can then focus on the generation of alternatives with which one may solve the problem.

I’ve been studying biases and heuristics for nearly 15 years now and even with this increased awareness, I’m aware that biases may still be present when I conduct research.  When I’m aware of the presence of bias, I’m also keen to ensure it’s noted in my communications.  As you reflect on this, consider how active listening, as part of an active mind, helps with critical thinking.

Chabris, C. & Simons, D.  (2009).  The invisible gorilla.  New York, NY:  Broadway Paperbacks.

Frew, D. R.  (1981, November).  Diagnosing and dealing with task complexity.  Personnel Administrator, 87-92.

Gilovich, T., Griffin, D., & Kahneman, D.  (2002).  Heuristics and biases:  The psychology of intuitive judgment.  New York:  Cambridge University Press.

Jim Triplett is an author, instructional designer, and instructor in the areas of finance, economics, ethics, and critical thinking. Jim holds Masters Degrees in Finance, Organizational Leadership, and Instructional Design Technology, is ABD / PhD in Organization and Management, and is currently completing a doctoral degree, Ed.D, in Educational Leadership with a focus on Educational Technology.

Attention to Detail by Andy Jobson

Working at a military academy brings its own set of priorities.  Our literature promotes the JROTC program as a structural support for academic success, and in many ways that is true, despite occasional conflicts between military and academic goals. 

One element that I have grown to appreciate more over the years is the emphasis on attention to detail.  For a JROTC officer, that entails making sure your gig line is straight, your insignia is correct, your shoes are shined, and your room is “squared away.”  As a teacher, I emphasize the same thing in different ways.  Have you followed the directions as written?  Have you produced neat work?  Have you paid attention to margins and the heading I require?  Are you using punctuation appropriately?

Sometimes the boys get frustrated with my demands.  I work with eighth- through twelfth-graders, and like many teenage boys, they tend to overlook ‘minor’ details.  (How many times have my own boys at home simply not ‘seen’ the piles of clothes and toys in their room?)  There was a time in my educational journey where I might have been willing to forgive such niceties; did it really matter if the boys used the heading I suggested or something else?  The older I get, though, the more I find myself insisting that the boys pay attention to my expectations and meet them.

I think I resisted some of this because I didn’t like the ‘factory’ model, where we were training our boys to be laborers under the industrial system.  The ‘new education,’ we were told, was to prepare students to be critical thinkers, not clock-punchers and automatons.  I agree that critical thinking and independence is vital (hence my association with izzit!), but I also see that paying attention to the directions is a vital skill for success.  Can you say “tax returns”?

If all I’ve done is to train my boys to follow directions, I have failed.  At the same time, though, if I haven’t trained them to read and follow directions, including MLA citation format and the works, then I think I have also failed.  Details matter.

An educator of 22 years, Andy Jobson has taught government, economics, and U.S. History. Currently teaching English literature at Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, GA, he’s also been an administrator, a STAR teacher twice, and taught elementary school with Teach for America.

What is Critical Thinking? by Jim Triplett

A frequent question I receive from my students is  "what is critical thinking?"

Critical thinking requires that a person reflect upon his or her experiences and then participate in a systematic examination of other views and facts related to the topic (Brown & Keeley, 2012). A key component within this process is one's willingness to ask questions. This process of asking questions enhances and deepens one's understanding of an issue or a problem. As part of the deeper examination of an issue or problem, one should explore the strengths and weaknesses of his or her views. In addition to understanding the strengths and weaknesses of our views, one should strive to objectively understand the strengths and weaknesses of others' views.   

Students engaged in critical and creative thinking are expected to understand a body and foundation of knowledge, rather than striving to develop specific answers to questions or a fixed set of facts. As technology and culture change, so will the questions being asked and their answers. The key is that one knows how to solve complex problems and create solutions to tough problems and situations using an objective process of evaluation. If people only have answers to specific questions, society is limited in its ability to apply problem solving skills. By developing the tools needed to create relevant and effective solutions, one is armed with the knowledge and skills needed to face the challenges in any industry. 

The video I posted below is very helpful in exploring how the process of critical thinking helps one solve problems. Developing these skills takes time and effort. Brown and Keeley (2012) noted one must also be willing and able to ask and answer questions “at appropriate times” something mentioned in the video as well (p. 3).   With this in mind, consider some of the ways you’ve developed your critical thinking skills since you started school.

This video examines critical thinking and how these traits assist one in developing solutions to problems. 

Browne, M. & Keeley, S. (2012). Asking the right questions: A guide to critical thinking (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Jim Triplett is an author, instructional designer, and instructor in the areas of finance, economics, ethics, and critical thinking. Jim holds Masters Degrees in Finance, Organizational Leadership, and Instructional Design Technology, is ABD / PhD in Organization and Management, and is currently completing a doctoral degree, Ed.D, in Educational Leadership with a focus on Educational Technology.

Starbucks Moments by Jim Triplett

The other day I found myself automatically going to a Starbucks in the local mall.  The coffee shop was not on my list of places to visit; rather, I entered the store by habit.  In other words, this was a decision I made without thinking.  While the outcome of this decision has little overall impact on me, other than the opportunity cost of time I could have been doing something else and the economic cost of about $5 for the drink, I’m reminded of the number of decisions we make daily with little or no active thinking.

Reflection and asking questions of oneself reduces the likelihood one uses limited or zero active thinking.  Mental shortcuts - called heuristics - are quick ways of thinking that may work in routine and predictable settings with little negative impact, but may lead to problems when they don’t match the situation.  Individuals develop these heuristics to manage the number of decisions faced each day.  These mental shortcuts are developed over time based on experiences, cultural and religious influences, socioeconomic status, etc.  They become a filter - a bias - that leads people to make decisions automatically, often without even being aware of the decision.

Research in the field of judgment and decision-making by such notable persons as Herbert Simon, Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman, suggests that much of one’s thinking is really automatic decision-making that is performed without much thought (like driving and having a conversation with someone in the front seat - try to remember every driving decision you have made from point A to B).

Behavioral economist Dan Ariely (2008) suggested that when it comes to the effects of marketing, for instance, "We are pawns in a game whose forces we largely fail to comprehend ... just as we can't help being fooled by visual illusions, we fall for the '’decision illusions' our mind show us" (p. 243).  This research suggests because so many decisions are made on autopilot, people fail to make truly informed decisions until they actively think about how these decisions are made.  Ariely used the example of standing in line at Starbucks I noted above to illustrate.  At some point, one first encounters Starbucks and, lacking experience with the store, goes in to try it.  If the experience (and coffee) is pleasant, one may go back again.  Over time, one may find him/herself standing in line at Starbucks without even thinking about this (my wife almost always stops at Starbucks, even without thinking about it).  Ariely suggests the reader periodically ask themselves, "Why am I standing I line at Starbucks?"  If you are good with the decision, keep standing in line; otherwise, maybe it’s time to go to Dunkin' Donuts or even just go back to work.  Automatic decisions made every day will not change until you actively thinks about them.

So, next time you find yourself standing in line at Starbucks - or other moments or decisions that, upon examination you find are made with little or zero active thinking, consider how you might improve your awareness of them so you can make better decisions.

Ariely, D. (2008).  Predictably irrational: The hidden forces that shape our decisions.  New York, NY: Harper.

Jim Triplett is an author, instructional designer, and instructor in the areas of finance, economics, ethics, and critical thinking. Jim holds Masters Degrees in Finance, Organizational Leadership, and Instructional Design Technology, is ABD / PhD in Organization and Management, and is currently completing a doctoral degree, Ed.D, in Educational Leadership with a focus on Educational Technology.