Thursday, April 3, 2008

I need help

Ok, it's about 1010 again. This class has a departmental final. One of the people who are teaching it has decided to organize math karaoke night for her students and the idea is that if they do it they can get 4-6% extra credit on their final. She has asked the other two instructors to participate. I dislike the idea. On the other hand, I do not want my students to be disadvantaged because I don't like the concept. So, although I don't like extra credit at all, I would like to come up with something that would put my students on equal footing with the others. Any ideas? Thanks.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Math karaoke night? What is that?

If it's as bad as it sounds, maybe you can come up with a more appropriate way to drop the passing score by 5 points (isn't that what the other instructor has really done?)

Jonathan

e said...

They come up with a song that covers some topic we have covered in class (there is a list of approved topics and what the song should contain). The premise is that not everybody will want to participate, so it's not really lowering the score, but select few get it. I myself have never been very creative in that way and would be the first one not to do it, but that's not the only reason I do not like the idea. A friend said that maybe I should come up with a list of say 10 pretty challenging problems, give it to them to work on beforehand and say that one of the problems will appear on the final exam as extra credit. That way they will have at least done some mathematics. I like that idea.

Anonymous said...


I have a song
....
I like your idea better.

e said...

That was awesome!

I'm sure you've heard this one already.

And, I'm glad you approve, Mr. Know-it-all :)

Jackie Ballarini said...

I love that one e!

I also really like the idea of the 10 challenge problems and one on the test for extra credit. I'm borrowing that one. Thanks!