Today my students were presented the two choices to complete their Midterm exam: Midterm paper or Midterm technology.
The paper should be a 10 page essay on two given topics.
The technology is a personal blog with six postings on specified topics.
Both forms imply the same amount of work, and the same professionalism. Students are supposed to write short presentations of the topics they choose, and continue with a reflection and examples of how they would apply the theory in practice.
In the beginning I asked them that the paper format be of 15 pages, but they complained so much I reduced to 10 pages. Perhaps it is not the most fortunate way of setting up an exam by bargaining. I just tried to put myself in their position and think which format of completing this midterm I would choose? Definitely I would choose the blog. I feel it is more fun, more active, more dinamic. I can make easily links to an article I found on Google Scholar (like this: teaching with technology) . I don't feel constrained by a format (APA style), but I know it is important what and how I write. I will see by next Monday how many choose the Blog vs. Paper.
I really love my students (even though I was kind of dissapointed that they complained about a 15 page midterm exam; arguing that they never had to write such a long paper in their entire student life). They try their best, I have a couple very bright and smart, making very deep comments and thinking bejond the text. In the end this is the purpose of education, to make then THINK not only memorize information.
My colleagues assured me that they had the same trouble "customizing" their courses to the student body at SIUE. The key to success is to not take it personally when something does not wrok as I would like it. And to not forget that there are many choices, and the decision is mine. I can choose to complain forever, and to be upset that my students don't want to be the best in the country. Or I can choose to push them a little bit, as much as they don't scream or yell, and that they try harder but they don't learn helplessness because they never succeed. I can choose to be upset and mizerable, or I can choose to be happy for what I have and make the most of it.
Now, if I am wise enough it is obvious what I will choose.
We always have choices.