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astro300_f17:day5 [2017/08/31 19:29] – [Homework for Next Time] cchengastro300_f17:day5 [2017/09/14 18:00] (current) – [Administering Demos (15 min)] ccheng
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 Today we'll be continuing our discussion of how to write good free response questions and discuss how to approach a creating a rubric and grading.   Today we'll be continuing our discussion of how to write good free response questions and discuss how to approach a creating a rubric and grading.  
 +
 +We'll also discuss the pros and cons of using demos and best practices when implementing them
  
 ====General Takeaways==== ====General Takeaways====
  
     - Especially when writing free response questions, it can be useful to develop a grading rubric for each question as a way of ensuring that your questions are specific, clear, and not testing the same concept over and over again.     - Especially when writing free response questions, it can be useful to develop a grading rubric for each question as a way of ensuring that your questions are specific, clear, and not testing the same concept over and over again.
 +    - Demos can be useful, but one should be wary of oversimplifying a concept or disengaging the class
    
  
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-===== Multiple Choice and Free Response Questions (40 min) ====== 
  
- +=====Rubrics and Grading (30 min)=====
-The students should have prepared one multiple choice question and one free response question as last week's homework.  +
- +
-   - (10 min) Share your questions with a partner. Have them attempt to answer the questions or at least determine what concepts were being probed and what would have constituted as an "acceptable answer." Once you have gone over all the questions, discuss in your small groups the goods and suggested improvements for the questions. Some questions to consider (perhaps project on the board): +
-       - For both:  +
-           * Is the wording clear? +
-           * What concepts are being tested? +
-       - For the multiple choice: +
-           * Is there clearly only one correct answer? +
-           * Are there any obvious throw-away answers? +
-           * Are you able to rule out any response because of the wording alone (i.e., are there hints in the structure)? +
-       - For the free response: +
-           * Does part B test the small conceptual/procedural knowledge as part A? +
-           * What if students cannot solve part A? What does that imply for part B? +
-           * What sort of responses might students give under the pressures of an exam setting? +
-   - (5-10 min) Come back as a class and discuss. +
-         * Did you learn anything surprising?  +
-         * Is this easy? (Unfortunately, NO!) +
-         * What part of question writing did you find the most difficult?  +
- +
-=====Rubrics and Grading (40 min)=====+
  
 ====Activity==== ====Activity====
  
   * Activity in groups of 2. Each group receives the same free response question.   * Activity in groups of 2. Each group receives the same free response question.
-  * Have each group develop a key and rubric for the question. (5 minutes) +  * Have each group develop a key and rubric for the question. (5 minutes) Done in previous class day 
-  * Give each group one student response to that question (three different responses, one for each group). Have each student grade the quiz based on that rubric individually. (5 minutes)+  * Give each group one student response to that question (three different responses, one for each group). Have each student grade the quiz based on that rubric individually. (10 minutes)
   * Have students compare your grade with others in the group and discuss. (10 minutes)   * Have students compare your grade with others in the group and discuss. (10 minutes)
   * Discuss as a class and recap the main ideas of grading as a class. (10 min)    * Discuss as a class and recap the main ideas of grading as a class. (10 min) 
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         * Grade in blue or green. My (Aaron's) philosophy: Grade your own work in red, because you don't care about your own feelings. Grade other people's work in blue or green.          * Grade in blue or green. My (Aaron's) philosophy: Grade your own work in red, because you don't care about your own feelings. Grade other people's work in blue or green. 
         * GRADE WHAT YOU TEACH AND TEACH WHAT YOU GRADE.         * GRADE WHAT YOU TEACH AND TEACH WHAT YOU GRADE.
 +
 +=====Quiz Exchange (20 minutes) =====
 +
 +Take each other's quizzes and provide feedback as to the structure, wording and efficacy of the quiz.
 +
 +  * Quizzes are not just assessments of a student's understanding but opportunities to teach as well.
 +  * Well constructed quizzes reward engagement with the material, test multiple levels of Bloom's Taxonomy, incorporates questions of various types, tests what was taught, and encourages deeper learning and understanding.
 +  * Remember to take your own quiz slowly and time yourself. Multiply that time by ~3 to estimate how long it'll take your students. 
 +  * Don't grade in red pen!
 +
 +
  
 ==== Notes from Past Years==== ==== Notes from Past Years====
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 +=====Administering Demos (15 min, if time)=====
 +
 +Printable Version Here: [[astro300_f14:DemosHandout]]
 +
 +  * Demo basics:
 +    * Demos are a great addition to a standard/dry worksheet.
 +    * Sometimes they actually do help elucidate concepts and students like doing "hands-on" experiments (this **is** a science class!).
 +    * As always, the EBRB is a great resource and has a page devoted to [[private:ebrb:demos|demos]].
 +    * In addition, on a given topic's page in the EBRB, there should be listed any relevant demos.
 +
 +  * What makes a good demo?
 +    * Illustrating difficult physical concept(s)
 +    * Interactive: students can participate
 +    * A springboard to new topics
 +    * Straightforward: minimal risk of failure
 +    * Demo actually illustrates concept in question
 +
 +  * When demos go wrong:
 +    * Demos **can and sometimes do** FAIL!
 +    * Sometimes, especially in astronomy, they can confuse students more than help them or oversimplify a concept.
 +    * Materials may be missing or broken, so CHECK IN ADVANCE!
 +
 +  * Some of our favorite demos:
 +    * Remind everyone that most are written up in the EBRB and on the Resources handout (and wiki page)
 +    - Arc lamps: Put high voltage through tubes of gas and look through diffraction gratings to see spectral lines.  On the EBRB [[private:ebrb:light_blackbodies_spectral_lines_and_the_doppler_effect|Light Blackbodies Spectral Lines and the Doppler Effect]] page, "under Line spectroscopy and arc lamp activities".
 +        * Head GSIs will train GSIs, Ask Ay375 instructors if you need help. 
 +        * Students like this one
 +        * Make sure the stuff is there if your section is early in the day.
 +        * Test it yourself and make sure you can see lines so you can help your students better.
 +    - Warping of Spacetime: A 2D analogy using stretchy black fabric and balls/weights.  No worksheets exist in the EBRB for this one, but feel free to make one! 
 +    - Celestial sphere, phases of the moon, seasons, orbits: Styrofoam balls, a lamp or flashlight, people getting up and moving around.  Many worksheets go with these kinds of demos and can be found on the Demos page of the EBRB or on the Celestial Sphere, Gravity and Orbits, and Earth/Moon/Sun System pages of the EBRB.
 +         - Retrograde motion //(Discuss pitfalls)//
 +         - Day & night on Earth (circle up around a lamp and groups of 3)
 +         - Lunar phases (balls on a sticks around a lamp and groups of 3)
 +         - Seasons (circle up around a lamp)
 +         - Lunar rotation and orbit (//i.e.// tidal locking) (one person orbits another with the Moon's arms outstretched)
 +    - Parallax with your finger (very simple, “close one eye then the other” kind of thing)
 +    - Doppler shift of sound (whirling a buzzer on a string)
 +    - Class H-R diagram 
 +    - Stating in words, stating in math, drawing, and acting out Kepler's and/or Newton's Laws (can be done with a worksheet, or just have students take notes as each group presents their law)
 +    - Donut/bagel on a string (though I'm sure profs will do it in class)
 +    - Jumping on a chair with balls being thrown (though I'm sure profs will do it in class)
 +    - (Rayleigh) Scattering of Light: Fill a fish tank with water and a couple drops of milk and shine a flashlight through it to show scattering of blue light and transmission of red light. On the EBRB [[private:ebrb:light_blackbodies_spectral_lines_and_the_doppler_effect|Light Blackbodies Spectral Lines and the Doppler Effect]] page there's a worksheet called "Emission, Absorption, Scattering, and Nebulae" and one called "Scattering Demo."
 +    - Planetary Nebulae (and Limb Brightening and Optical Depth): use a Hoberman sphere covered in Christmas lights to show how spherical radiating clouds can appear ring-like.  On the EBRB's [[private:ebrb:stellar_evolution|Stellar Evolution]] page, there's a worksheet called 'Limb Brightening: "Hoberman Planetary Nebula" Demo.'
 +    * Physics has some, but it's kind of a pain to check them out, but some are good for section and some are good for full lecture.
 + 
 =====Homework===== =====Homework=====
  
-  - Continue to improve your two exam questions. Email me one of your two for further feedback.  
-  - In the next few weeks, try a new group work strategy or method of discussion in your sections or office hours. You'll report back to the class on how things went in a few weeks.  
   - If you haven't done so already: peer visits. Meet up for discussion with both the person who visited you and the person you visited by 9/20. Bring a completed {{:peergsivisit.pdf| Peer Visitation Worksheet}} to class on 9/20.   - If you haven't done so already: peer visits. Meet up for discussion with both the person who visited you and the person you visited by 9/20. Bring a completed {{:peergsivisit.pdf| Peer Visitation Worksheet}} to class on 9/20.
  

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