A Comprehensive Final Exam
I often give a comprehensive final exam in any course I teach whether it be online or in person. It provides student's a path through the last few weeks of learning that 'put it all together'. It makes the pieceiness of the course come together in one cohesive unit. It's important to have this sort of final review in order to let the student understand what they have learned and where it can possibly be applied. It's not just about having a comprehensuve exam, but about gearing it towards the totality of the degree and the path which they are going to use the course they just taught.
I agree Lara. Comprehensives assess what the student learned throughout the course. I believe that essay questions are the best method of assessment because students have to think and put information together.
Lara,
It is important for the students to know they have obtained the knowledge and that they will use it in their career.
Shelly Crider
Barbara's point about essay questions is also important in the online setting to ensure students put more thought into a concept rather than searching for key terms in the material to find an easy answer.
I like giving comprehensive final examinations and on ground courses, particularly macroeconomics and microeconomics. I tend to grade these examinations on occur because no one can never know everything there is to know about macroeconomics and microeconomics. I usually give 150 question multiple-choice finals. I want the students to actually strive to do well knowing that they can never achieve perfection. Only once did I have someone get a perfect score. Even so, it's good experience even if it's difficult. This is the way life is.
Donald,
Th is a difficult task but if students are prepared they will do well and be proud of themselves.
Shelly Crider
Honestly, I have always had mixed feeling about comprehensive exams. Currently my courses do have comprehensive finals and most of the students do well with this. The program in which I teach requires this because of the certification test they all must take and pass to work as a PTA. Not only do they receive a comprehensive final after A&P I but in A&P II we revisit the information from A&P I (quizzes given) to keep it fresh in their minds so that when they are ready to take the test, after A&P II, it hasn't been 4 months since the last time they saw and/or applied the material.
Dawn Huber
Dawn ,
There are times when you need to know "fact and nothing but the facts"! This would call for a comprehensive final. Other times a project will work well.
Shelly Crider
