VOLUME XI, NUMBER 9

#% INNOVATION ABSTRACTS

PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

PORT FROM THE W..K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION AND THE SID W. RICHARDSON FOUNDATION

 

It’s All in the Cards!

Lotteries, playing the odds, and gambling are social,
enjoyable, and sometimes addictive activities. They do
not create visions of students reviewing notes or formu-
lating thoughts. However, an instructional modifica-
tion of these activities can be used to stimulate thought,
actively engage students in learning, and build camara-
derie. Further, it can serve as a method of focusing
attention, learning others’ names, and encouraging
participation.

Preparation

During the first class meeting, students put their
names (as they wish to be addressed in class) on 3" x 5"
cards. Nicknames are encouraged. Students are in-
formed that these index cards will be used in a “volun-
teering” system to answer class questions. [Please note
that the procedure for using the cards should be
described only after they are collected. One year, a
more “spirited” class was told, before collection, how
the index cards would be used; as a result, about one-
third of the cards bore the name of one popular stu-
dent.]

The Game

At the beginning of the second class day, five or six
questions reviewing material from the previous class
are written on the overhead or blackboard. The index
cards are shuffled, held face down, and one card is
drawn by a student. This student reads the name on the
card aloud, and the student whose name was called is
allowed to select any question he/she prefers to answer.
If this “volunteer” is successful, his/her card is sepa-
rated from the rest, and the process continues. If the
answer is incorrect, the instructor can either give the
correct response or ask other questions designed to help
the student “discover” the correct answer.

Care must be taken not to embarrass or degrade the
student. Whether successful or not, this student is
allowed to select the next card and read the name of the
next “volunteer.” This process continues until all the
review questions have been answered. By continually
separating the “volunteers” from the others, students
who have not participated know that their chances of
being “volunteers” are improving.

Students seem to enjoy trading barbs when their
names are called; likewise, some students vow a
friendly revenge. Once all students have “played,” the
cards are reshuffled, and the process begins again.

After the first few class periods, students have settled
into the procedure. Once the instructor begins writing,
the students immediately quict down and begin skim-
ming over thcir notes.

The Rules

Students will answer at least one question aloud
during the semester. This creates a little motivation
because most students want to demonstrate their
knowledge and ability to classmates. With a class of 30,
this daily 10-minute process will have actively engaged
all students in approximately five class meetings.

Students are informed that this activity has no effect
on their final course grade. Asa result, it becomes a no-
risk situation.

Students are allowed to say, “I don’t know.” They
are informed that this response will work a couple of
times, but not forever. However, once a student
answers, “! don’t know,” that response triggers a brief
review of the related material.

Variations

If you sense boredom with this approach, add varicty
by writing a “bonus” question. No information about
the question is made available until the student selects
it. If the student volunteers for that question (as op-
posed to its being the only question left), praise him/
her for the curiosity. At times, several bonus questions
can be made available in sealed envelopes. It all adds to
the fun!

Conclusion

During one semester I used this activity once or twice
a weck. The following semester, in a sequential course,
I didn’t use it at all. About half of the students told me
that they missed the activity, thought it was useful, and
that it made the class more interesting.

James W. Taylor, Director, Cardiorespiratory Care
For further information, contact the author at Kalama-

z00 Valley Community College, 6767 West O Avenue,
Kalamazoo, MI 49009.

 

 

EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ( NISOD)
Community College Leadership Program, The University of Texas at Austin