student feedback and leadership - Office for Learning and Teaching

Student Feedback & Leadership
The course material is composed of 50% Mathematics and 50% Statistics.
At the beginning of the project; the mathematics component was assessed
only through a number of problem sheets handed out to students and they
would go through them with their tutors during practice classes in a much
smaller group. For the mathematics component they had 20% for assessments
and 80% for the final exam. The statistics component was assessed through
a 70% final exam (open book), and a 10% computer assignment (due on the
final week of the semester) that would require the students to answer a set of
questions that covered all topics in the course by using the statistical computer
package, MINITAB. For each question on the computer assignment, students
were asked to generate random data enabling each student to work with
a different data set to minimize plagiarism. They had one weblearn test
weighted10%, where students could do similar online practice quizzes
as many times that they wanted for practice, but could only attempt the test
once. The final 10% was allocated to being up-to-date with their designated
weekly problems from their text book. These problems were ticked off (but not
marked) in their working note book every other week. To achieve the maximum
10% students were required to have done the assigned problems every week.
Doing so would enable them to have extensive practice on topics that were
covered during that week.
MATH1277
This is a service course taught to 90 first year students in the second semester
on both the City and Bundoora campuses and is a core component of their
degree. It is a continuation of the first semester service course, Math1275.
Although the students in this course are from one discipline, there is a large
variation in their mathematical abilities, typically with the Bundoora-based
students having a poorer skill set than their City-based colleagues. This
course aims to equip these students with the statistical techniques required
to understand and undertake research in their chosen field. The course
is taught via face-to-face lectures and computer lab exercises. The teaching
materials for the course are posted on the Learning Hub via Blackboard.
The lectures in this course are presented more like an extended tutorial
than a traditional lecture owing to the smaller group sizes and facilities used.
At the beginning of the project, in this course the assessment comprised six
computer lab exercises totalling 10%, two 20% multiple choice topic tests
and a 50% multiple choice final exam. The students were required to use both
MINITAB and SPSS to complete their lab exercises which were ticked off once
completed. The first topic test (conducted mid-semester) assessed material
covered in the first 6 weeks of teaching and the first three computer lab
exercises. Students were permitted one A4 double-sided “cheat sheet”
which they were encouraged to construct on their own. The second topic
test (conducted week 11) assessed material covered following the first topic
test and the last three computer lab exercises, again with a single A4 doublesided
“cheat sheet”. The final exam, covering all topics and lab exercises,
allows for students to utilise their two “cheat sheets” to assist them.
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