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ic

   

Hit’m with a E1.S.T.

Hitting students with a F.1.S.T. helps floundering grade

point averages by:
F = Finding students who do not perform well on
first exam.

I
S
T

Identifying standardized test scores.
Supporting students in their educational quest.
Teaching students good study skills.

ul

@
Step 1: F = Finding Students Who Need a “Hit”

Our recent research indicates that grades on the first
test best predict students’ final course grade. The Spearman
Rank Order Correlation Coefficient for first test grade
and final course grade is +.83. We use this first test
grade as a critical indicator of potential academic
difficulty and a useful tool for identifying students who
need hitting with a F.1.S.T.

From the first test we garner two bits of information.
(1) We determine each student's perception of test and
study time: two noncredit questions at the end of the
test assess whether the student thought the test was
difficult, easy, or average and determine the student's
preparation for the test in terms of hours studied. On
an objective test these questions appear as two multiple-
choice items. On an essay or short-answer test, these
two questions are open-ended. We know that the
student has a vested interest in the answers to these
questions; but they provide us with a point of departure
for later discussion, and most students are honest in
their responses. (2) The actual test score is the second
piece of important information.

For analysis of this first test score, we use an effective
two-step technique. First, at the beginning of the class
hour, and as soon as the exams are returned, the
student completes a short questionnaire: 1) What do
you consider “studying”? 2) How did you study for
this test? 3) Did you miss questions based on lecture
notes? 4) Did you miss questions based on the text-
book? 5) Did you miss questions on application of
information? 6) Did you miss questions integrating
material to higher order thinking skills? Second, after
the student completes this questionnaire, we conduct

NNOVATION ABSTRACTS

VOLUME XI, NUMBER 8

individual interviews, either in the corner of the
classroom or out in the hallway.

Frequently, after analyzing the questionnaire and
talking with the students in these short sessions, a
pattern emerges. Many times we make “band-aid
surgery” suggestions for rectifying study skills or test-
taking skills. For example, if students miss questions of
an application nature, we suggest that they consciously
apply the information to their daily lives. If they miss
questions from the textbook, we try to determine if the
problem is a lack of reading skills or is simply the need
to take more time in reading and studying the text! If
we determine that “band-aid surgery” is not sufficient
to help solve the problem, we recommend that the
student make an appointment with us, Developmental
Studies, or Counseling for additional intervention.

While the individual sessions are being conducted,
other students “class edit” their exams by discussing
the correct answers. (One student is provided witha
corrected test and serves as arbitrator.)

@
Step 2: I = Identifying Standardized Test Scores

The “I” in our model stands for identifying students’
standardized test scores. We check college records to
determine whether or not the student qualified for
freshman English (Counseling’s recommended scores
on SAT, ACT, and ASSET determine qualification). In
our research we find that students who have not
qualified for freshman English tend to have more
academic difficulty in our classes than those who have.
We recommend to these students that they seck help
through Developmental Studies to improve reading
ability, writing, and study skills. With this supplemen-
tal help, students who did not qualify for freshman
English stand a much greater chance of earning a
passing grade in our course and less chance of with-
drawing from the class. For students who qualified,
there is a direct and high correlation between study
time and final course grade. For students who qualified
for freshman English but did poorly on our first exam,
we stress the benefits of more productive study time
and good study skills.

Standardized test scores are readily available
through the registrar, and collecting these scores from

 

Community College Leadership Program, The University of Texas at Austin

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Way

EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712