2008 Woodie Awards
Students struggle with Core revisions
Candace Pontoni, Assistant News Editor
Issue date: 11/14/06
Last Updated: 12/26/07
The Core 150 program differs significantly from past versions of the class, with recent changes to the exam structure resulting in fewer high-end grades and an increase in study time for students.
Students enrolled in Core 150 during fall of last year scored, on average, a 78.7 percent on their first exam, while this year's students scored an average of 73.9 percent on the same test, associate professor of theology Keith Beebe said.
Beebe, the Core 150 team leader, said the changes to Core 150 program were made in an effort to push students to absorb class material instead of simply memorizing it.
"We want them to be studying generally," Beebe said. "This year students are required to take what they've learned, and thoughtfully explain it instead of just regurgitating."
The overhaul of the course included restructuring the exam format and eliminating the study guides that have been available to students in previous years.
"We've went from a format where we gave in advance all the possible terms we might ask," Beebe said.
Now, instead of study guides that list specific material, students are given exam instructions, which are general and meant to help students focus their studying in certain directions, he said.
"We've reduced the number of argumentative papers from seven to five," Beebe said. "And changed the point value of the exams, so that they're worth a little more because of the reduction of written assignments."
The increased value of exams, and the increased breadth of study instructions, have overwhelmed many Core 150 students.
"I really like the fact that they're trying to get us to have a deeper knowledge of the material, but at the same time I think they're going about it the wrong way," Kelly McCrillis, a sophomore enrolled in the course, said.
McCrillis believes that the teachers should tell students what areas to study, instead of requiring them to have detailed knowledge of everything covered in the course.
Students enrolled in Core 150 during fall of last year scored, on average, a 78.7 percent on their first exam, while this year's students scored an average of 73.9 percent on the same test, associate professor of theology Keith Beebe said.
Beebe, the Core 150 team leader, said the changes to Core 150 program were made in an effort to push students to absorb class material instead of simply memorizing it.
"We want them to be studying generally," Beebe said. "This year students are required to take what they've learned, and thoughtfully explain it instead of just regurgitating."
The overhaul of the course included restructuring the exam format and eliminating the study guides that have been available to students in previous years.
"We've went from a format where we gave in advance all the possible terms we might ask," Beebe said.
Now, instead of study guides that list specific material, students are given exam instructions, which are general and meant to help students focus their studying in certain directions, he said.
"We've reduced the number of argumentative papers from seven to five," Beebe said. "And changed the point value of the exams, so that they're worth a little more because of the reduction of written assignments."
The increased value of exams, and the increased breadth of study instructions, have overwhelmed many Core 150 students.
"I really like the fact that they're trying to get us to have a deeper knowledge of the material, but at the same time I think they're going about it the wrong way," Kelly McCrillis, a sophomore enrolled in the course, said.
McCrillis believes that the teachers should tell students what areas to study, instead of requiring them to have detailed knowledge of everything covered in the course.
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