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I think the most appalling to me was open book tests with page numbers! I've taken hard open book tests thanks to a combination of not knowing exactly where the

I think the most appalling to me was open book tests with page numbers! I've taken hard open book tests thanks to a combination of not knowing exactly where the information is and a serious time limit that doesn't allow you to spend much time thumbing through the book. But if the test gives you the page number (especially since teachers probably aren't encouraged to put too much time pressure on kids either), it's almost certain to be a joke

boredguy8 16y ago
If you're testing comprehension, then having a page number doesn't matter. If you're testing recall, then having a page number hurts. I mean heck, reading comprehension in standardize tests has the entire contents on the facing page! Get students used to the environment in which they'll be tested.
- David 16y ago
  Instead of the environment in which they'll be living?
  - boredguy8 16y ago
    Feynman famously bashes recall with his "map of a cat" story (web copied, emphasis added): The next paper selected for me was by Adrian and Bronk. They demonstrated that nerve impulses were sharp, single-pulse phenomena. They had done experiments with cats in which they had measured voltages on nerves. I began to read the paper. It kept talking about extensors and flexors, the gastrocnemius muscle, and so on. This and that muscle were named, but I hadn’t the foggiest idea of where they were located in relation to the nerves or to the cat. So I went to the librarian in the biology section and asked her if she could find me a map of the cat. “A map of the cat , sir?” she asked, horrified. “You mean a zoological chart !” From then on there were rumors about some dumb biology graduate student who was looking for a “map of the cat.” When it came time for me to give my talk on the subject, I started off by drawing an outline of the cat and began to name the various muscles. The other students in the class interrupt me: “We know all that!” “Oh,” I say, “you do ? Then no wonder I can catch up with you so fast after you’ve had four years of biology.” They had wasted all their time memorizing stuff like that, when it could be looked up in fifteen minutes.

boredguy8 16y ago

If you're testing comprehension, then having a page number doesn't matter. If you're testing recall, then having a page number hurts. I mean heck, reading comprehension in standardize tests has the entire contents on the facing page! Get students used to the environment in which they'll be tested.

David 16y ago
Instead of the environment in which they'll be living?
- boredguy8 16y ago
  Feynman famously bashes recall with his "map of a cat" story (web copied, emphasis added): The next paper selected for me was by Adrian and Bronk. They demonstrated that nerve impulses were sharp, single-pulse phenomena. They had done experiments with cats in which they had measured voltages on nerves. I began to read the paper. It kept talking about extensors and flexors, the gastrocnemius muscle, and so on. This and that muscle were named, but I hadn’t the foggiest idea of where they were located in relation to the nerves or to the cat. So I went to the librarian in the biology section and asked her if she could find me a map of the cat. “A map of the cat , sir?” she asked, horrified. “You mean a zoological chart !” From then on there were rumors about some dumb biology graduate student who was looking for a “map of the cat.” When it came time for me to give my talk on the subject, I started off by drawing an outline of the cat and began to name the various muscles. The other students in the class interrupt me: “We know all that!” “Oh,” I say, “you do ? Then no wonder I can catch up with you so fast after you’ve had four years of biology.” They had wasted all their time memorizing stuff like that, when it could be looked up in fifteen minutes.