Pg. 2-3 |
Previous | 4 of 27 | Next |
|
|
This page
All
|
Loading content ...
Dec. 2,1983 (OrpDQQ5(5)iB) * - fisr No one wins in the student testing game Well, it's almost time to play the game again. The testing game I mean. Some students and teachers treat tests with the same seriousness as the Bulldog Foundation treats basketball. Then there are those of us who recognize the true worth of tests. Tests, I feel, are unnecessary at the college level. I know, I know, they tried alternative grading systems at Santa Cruz or wherever it was, and it didnt work. But. hey. profs, I'm getting as tired as you i a of II ■tag: A few weeks ago the Collegian informally polled nine students in the Free Speech Area. All responded to the question: "What do you do special to prepare for a test?" The majority said they crammed the night before. Cramming doesnt work for everyone. Which means not everyone does better on a test because they cram although many people claim they do. But that isn't the point of the test. A test is supposed to measure your progress in a given subject, isn't it? Studies have shown — and most crammers will readily admit — that cramming produces no learning. There is no long term advantage to cramming. Many campus intructors don't like testing, either. My sophomore year 1 was insulted when a prof said, knowingly, to my class: "OK, I'm moving the test and paper due dates up two weeks because you guysll just do both of them the night before, anyways, and it takes me a long time to grade them." But he was right. I had vowed to get mine in early, but there 1 was, the night before, reading the assignment and trying to b.s. my way through four pages, and passed the test with knowledge gained from chapter summaries. In talking with a couple of my friends, the subject the other afternoon led, as things tend to this time of year, to finals. One friend. 111 call hsr Sue, said she had to get a B on her history final to pull a C in the class — her semester goal. The other, who well call Stan, said he'd be happy to pass his literature course with a D, and he should, since he'd bought three different brands of "Cliffs Notes" and has his girlfriend editing his term paper. ■ Stan said he was sorry he'd ever taken that course; he got to be so bored he didnt want to drag himself to class. Sue however, echoed my thoughts, saying that even though her grades were lousy, she felt she'd learned a lot. Most of my classes are that way. I have learned a lot in many of my classes. So much so in a couple of my G.E. courses that I would have liked to take some more similar ones, except I knew they would pull my GPA even lower. So now it's that time of year when the game players flourish. Those are the students who will make it through, cramming and bargaining with fellow students, and come out with high I'm not saying all "A" students are like this. My roommate made straight A's last semester. She really did study a lot and kept up on her reading. But, come test time, she began rereading just what she knew the teacher would be testing on. ^ A solution? Perhaps there is none. I certainly don't advocate state or federal money to researching an alternative to But I do feel that there should be more praise for those of us who dislike 'tests. For those of us who aren't good at eSee Gradea, Page 3 I Letters School for study? Editor, the Collegian: What is this institutuion of higher learning coming to when some administrative personnel seem to regard academic study as a sacrificial Iamb for the sake of commercial entertainment? This is in reference to a situation that occured this evening (Nov. 30) in the College Union when a number of students attempted, to study, on the East side (much less than half of the main floor) during a showing of the film "Rocky III" on the other side. That the film was one of the "Rocky" series felt appropriate, as the underdog. 25-or-so students went up against a reported 75 "paying customers "for control of the environment. If the struggle wasn't difficult enough, as we tried to concentrate amid blaring trumpet fanfares, insult was added to our injury when a member of the CU programming personnel tactlessly threatened us that if we didn't stop making "noise" that was bothering the movie audience, the r:an side would be closed down and the students would be kicked Our reactions were varied. Some students took the threats as empty, even |_ eS«e Lettera, Page 3 The Daily Collegian Founded in 1922 acs^yg Dec. 2,1983 •Letters Coatinacd (ran Pag« 2 though they were repeated, and remained indifferent. Others sat and complained among themselves about the inequity of the situation. But a small contingent took action by carrying a letter of protest to the Associated Students Senate at 8:30 p.m. Three Senate members, including President Andrea Hedgley, attempted to pursue the matter on our behalf. Understandably, they were not met receptively by the CU programmers; when confronted with questions about the students'need to study, the CU people responded with such solutions as moving downstairs in the CU or to the These alternatives were unsuitable. Downstairs in the CU is not an envir- o nment conducive Jo any kind of serious study, with the distractions of heavy student traffic, food machines, telephones, and the bowling alley. The^ library has already been cut back in its commitment to student needs, with short- ened hours, and stifles interaction among quick reapocam actions of the AS Senate members, and suggest that these issues bt investigated more closely. We choose the second floor of the CU because we were comfortable and accustomed to getting our work done there. The showdown round never came, as the Senate members' intervention apparently checked,tfve dictatorial tendencies of the CU p/ogrammers. Serious issues remain, however, as to priorities, needs and right-of-way for students. We, too, are "paying customers," as our constantly increasing fees remind us, and are entitled to a little of what our university was supposedly founded for (i.e. academics). There is a time and place for entertainment activities, which are beneficial to the school and community in general. A little more thoughtfulness could have been demonstrated, though, by not scheduling an event which impacts our efforts in the middle of the week, so close to end-of-«emester assignments and exams, at least posting visible notices around the entire College Union that such an event was taking place. 1 would like to commend those students who had ihe initiative to complain in the first place, and especially the Profeaakmattam needed Editor, the Collegian: This is in response to the article written by John Rich in the Nov. 29 edition. As he went on to write the statement made by AS President Andrea Hedgley: "I. for my, par\. refuse to be shaken, or even to quiver at the whining of a pack of selfish malcontents," he introduced found in poor taste. His statement that read "Hedgley said, reading from a prepared statement..."' to me, was another example of an attempt to discredit her by lightly implying Andrea had to read from a prepared statement to voice her views, as if to imply such words would not ordinarily have been in her vocabulary. What difference does it make if her statement was prepared or not? I fail to see why you as an editor — especially a supposed unbiased one — would include the fact that ihe read from a prepared statement. If anything. I feel that by reading from a prepared statement exhibited the professionalism that President Hedgley maintains about herself, *i do other formidable leaders. Unfortunately, this style of professionalism is often put on the back burner along with courtesy and respect by some members of the AS Senate. •Grades memorizing or playing Ihe game. It's a good thing newspaper employers don't really care about grades. They care about experience and skills. And that's what counts. So here's to all of us who will be shocked if we luck out with a grade higher than a "C". We know what we've learned and what we ha vent. We know about the game and we're happy to just be spectators. Go Dogs! 9 DAYS LEFT ASK US! KENNEL BOOKSTORE WATCH FOR OUR INVITATION! .-;-. COUPON WORTu 52 00 OFF S200 \Pt2ZAF*RlO«S^ '; p **-£# ,uV -^ vr "'Vnw.iiTnw-ML-ii S200 ;r
Object Description
Title | 1983_12 The Daily Collegian December 1983 Reloaded |
Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
Publisher | Associated Students of CSUF, Fresno, Calif. |
Publication Date | 1983 |
Description | Daily (except weedends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif.: BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
Contributors | Associated Students of CSUF. |
Coverage | Vol.1 no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
Language | eng |
Description
Title | Pg. 2-3 |
Full-Text-Search | Dec. 2,1983 (OrpDQQ5(5)iB) * - fisr No one wins in the student testing game Well, it's almost time to play the game again. The testing game I mean. Some students and teachers treat tests with the same seriousness as the Bulldog Foundation treats basketball. Then there are those of us who recognize the true worth of tests. Tests, I feel, are unnecessary at the college level. I know, I know, they tried alternative grading systems at Santa Cruz or wherever it was, and it didnt work. But. hey. profs, I'm getting as tired as you i a of II ■tag: A few weeks ago the Collegian informally polled nine students in the Free Speech Area. All responded to the question: "What do you do special to prepare for a test?" The majority said they crammed the night before. Cramming doesnt work for everyone. Which means not everyone does better on a test because they cram although many people claim they do. But that isn't the point of the test. A test is supposed to measure your progress in a given subject, isn't it? Studies have shown — and most crammers will readily admit — that cramming produces no learning. There is no long term advantage to cramming. Many campus intructors don't like testing, either. My sophomore year 1 was insulted when a prof said, knowingly, to my class: "OK, I'm moving the test and paper due dates up two weeks because you guysll just do both of them the night before, anyways, and it takes me a long time to grade them." But he was right. I had vowed to get mine in early, but there 1 was, the night before, reading the assignment and trying to b.s. my way through four pages, and passed the test with knowledge gained from chapter summaries. In talking with a couple of my friends, the subject the other afternoon led, as things tend to this time of year, to finals. One friend. 111 call hsr Sue, said she had to get a B on her history final to pull a C in the class — her semester goal. The other, who well call Stan, said he'd be happy to pass his literature course with a D, and he should, since he'd bought three different brands of "Cliffs Notes" and has his girlfriend editing his term paper. ■ Stan said he was sorry he'd ever taken that course; he got to be so bored he didnt want to drag himself to class. Sue however, echoed my thoughts, saying that even though her grades were lousy, she felt she'd learned a lot. Most of my classes are that way. I have learned a lot in many of my classes. So much so in a couple of my G.E. courses that I would have liked to take some more similar ones, except I knew they would pull my GPA even lower. So now it's that time of year when the game players flourish. Those are the students who will make it through, cramming and bargaining with fellow students, and come out with high I'm not saying all "A" students are like this. My roommate made straight A's last semester. She really did study a lot and kept up on her reading. But, come test time, she began rereading just what she knew the teacher would be testing on. ^ A solution? Perhaps there is none. I certainly don't advocate state or federal money to researching an alternative to But I do feel that there should be more praise for those of us who dislike 'tests. For those of us who aren't good at eSee Gradea, Page 3 I Letters School for study? Editor, the Collegian: What is this institutuion of higher learning coming to when some administrative personnel seem to regard academic study as a sacrificial Iamb for the sake of commercial entertainment? This is in reference to a situation that occured this evening (Nov. 30) in the College Union when a number of students attempted, to study, on the East side (much less than half of the main floor) during a showing of the film "Rocky III" on the other side. That the film was one of the "Rocky" series felt appropriate, as the underdog. 25-or-so students went up against a reported 75 "paying customers "for control of the environment. If the struggle wasn't difficult enough, as we tried to concentrate amid blaring trumpet fanfares, insult was added to our injury when a member of the CU programming personnel tactlessly threatened us that if we didn't stop making "noise" that was bothering the movie audience, the r:an side would be closed down and the students would be kicked Our reactions were varied. Some students took the threats as empty, even |_ eS«e Lettera, Page 3 The Daily Collegian Founded in 1922 acs^yg Dec. 2,1983 •Letters Coatinacd (ran Pag« 2 though they were repeated, and remained indifferent. Others sat and complained among themselves about the inequity of the situation. But a small contingent took action by carrying a letter of protest to the Associated Students Senate at 8:30 p.m. Three Senate members, including President Andrea Hedgley, attempted to pursue the matter on our behalf. Understandably, they were not met receptively by the CU programmers; when confronted with questions about the students'need to study, the CU people responded with such solutions as moving downstairs in the CU or to the These alternatives were unsuitable. Downstairs in the CU is not an envir- o nment conducive Jo any kind of serious study, with the distractions of heavy student traffic, food machines, telephones, and the bowling alley. The^ library has already been cut back in its commitment to student needs, with short- ened hours, and stifles interaction among quick reapocam actions of the AS Senate members, and suggest that these issues bt investigated more closely. We choose the second floor of the CU because we were comfortable and accustomed to getting our work done there. The showdown round never came, as the Senate members' intervention apparently checked,tfve dictatorial tendencies of the CU p/ogrammers. Serious issues remain, however, as to priorities, needs and right-of-way for students. We, too, are "paying customers," as our constantly increasing fees remind us, and are entitled to a little of what our university was supposedly founded for (i.e. academics). There is a time and place for entertainment activities, which are beneficial to the school and community in general. A little more thoughtfulness could have been demonstrated, though, by not scheduling an event which impacts our efforts in the middle of the week, so close to end-of-«emester assignments and exams, at least posting visible notices around the entire College Union that such an event was taking place. 1 would like to commend those students who had ihe initiative to complain in the first place, and especially the Profeaakmattam needed Editor, the Collegian: This is in response to the article written by John Rich in the Nov. 29 edition. As he went on to write the statement made by AS President Andrea Hedgley: "I. for my, par\. refuse to be shaken, or even to quiver at the whining of a pack of selfish malcontents," he introduced found in poor taste. His statement that read "Hedgley said, reading from a prepared statement..."' to me, was another example of an attempt to discredit her by lightly implying Andrea had to read from a prepared statement to voice her views, as if to imply such words would not ordinarily have been in her vocabulary. What difference does it make if her statement was prepared or not? I fail to see why you as an editor — especially a supposed unbiased one — would include the fact that ihe read from a prepared statement. If anything. I feel that by reading from a prepared statement exhibited the professionalism that President Hedgley maintains about herself, *i do other formidable leaders. Unfortunately, this style of professionalism is often put on the back burner along with courtesy and respect by some members of the AS Senate. •Grades memorizing or playing Ihe game. It's a good thing newspaper employers don't really care about grades. They care about experience and skills. And that's what counts. So here's to all of us who will be shocked if we luck out with a grade higher than a "C". We know what we've learned and what we ha vent. We know about the game and we're happy to just be spectators. Go Dogs! 9 DAYS LEFT ASK US! KENNEL BOOKSTORE WATCH FOR OUR INVITATION! .-;-. COUPON WORTu 52 00 OFF S200 \Pt2ZAF*RlO«S^ '; p **-£# ,uV -^ vr "'Vnw.iiTnw-ML-ii S200 ;r |