TA TALK
Web-based newsletter of TA/AI issues for
The University of Texas at Austin

TA TALK: FINAL EXAM ISSUE

Tick, tock, tick. It's countdown to test time for both students and instructors. While students may be feeling their own anxieties about preparing for multiple finals, you're facing your own. Well, take a deep breath and read. This issue of TA TALK contains suggestions on how to organize test reviews, and also on how to reduce your own stress at this potentially hectic time of the year.

Negotiating the Bumpy Waters of the Test Review

Some TAs contend that the two main functions of test reviews are to help students think that they're preparing, and to help them relieve some of their anxiety. Most TAs would like to do more than this, thus the challenge of implementing an effective test review. So, what are the implications of this?

First: If time allows, invite their input on formulating the objectives. This will help them feel that their concerns are being heard. Second, think through your objectives carefully and then plan to justify them to the students. Any of the activities discussed in this article are only useful if they achieve the goal (both in fact and in students' perception) of improving student preparation, learning and subsequent performance on the test. Our undergrads are wary consumers...I call them the "show me the money" generation.

Most test review sessions, at least in theory, should be designed to do one or more of the following: a) provide a topical or conceptual overview of the major concepts and their relationship to one another, b) provide models and practice with applying the thinking skills needed for success on the exam, c) within that context, provide clarification for problematic points or procedures or d) provide students with practice and feedback on their current level of preparation and guidance for subsequent preparation outside of the session. Decide which of these various objectives to pursue depending on student performance on previous exams, and your knowledge of the expectations of the final. Given that, utilize some of the following suggestions to help establish your own game plan.

• Prior to the review, ask students to submit the muddiest point. (their most burning two or three questions) so that you can get a sense of where the problems are. Incorporate this information into what you perceive to be the most important content issues.
• The beginning of a review is a good time to answer procedural questions about the test. You can go over the types of items that will appear on the test, weighting of each type of question, and the total number of points for example.
• Early in the session is also a good time to go over affective reminders such as deep breathing and positive self-talk to counter anxiety and methods to develop a plan to manage the time and tasks of preparing for the test.

Now for the most substantial part of the session - the content:

• This is the time to share your plan with students. Let them know how you decided on this plan and sketch it out, along with your expectations for their involvement.
• Provide a cognitive road map for the students by outlining or organizing the material ahead of time. If you've collected their questions previously, that will help you. Overview this right away before the session moves into specifics.
• You will certainly allow time for Q and A, but attempt to focus the questions within a more meaningful context - the outline, the matrix, the major topics.
• As you plan your activities, remember that active participation in learning helps students to remember the material better than if they just sit and listen to instructor reiterate the material. So try to make at least part of the session "hands-on".

Here are some examples of some "hands-on" techniques that TAs have used. As you're considering what activities to use, remember your students and their previous level of participation. If you have a group where there's been little participation all semester, you might provide individual or pair practice instead of structuring interactive groups. Students will resist changes that are dramatic, and you're likely to feel uncomfortable as well.

• Generate an incomplete study matrix or concept map and put it on the board. Have students fill it in on their own or in groups, and use it as a review format.
• Consider administering a brief practice test with time for discussion. Include time to discuss how representative the questions are of the actual test.
• Talk about and model how to predict test questions. Generate a few and get students to tell you if they look like good questions.
• If you have a well-prepared group, get students to submit practice test items. By this time in the semester, students should have a good idea of how they are tested in your particular course. Divide them into groups and ask them to write a few questions over specific material. You can use the input from each of the groups to assemble a practice test to put on overheads or to send out electronically later in the week.
• Play jeopardy: Extract key ideas and examples from the semester and categorize them. Have students chose from different categories and assign points to each question. Split the room in half and have students compete to name the concept.
• Use giant post - it notes, divide up into groups, and have students outline or summarize key concepts that the rest of the class can view.

For essay tests:

• Discuss what elements make for a "good" essay. Also discuss common problems students have in writing good essays.
• Have students outline essay answers at the board or on overheads
• Write out sample answers to questions in advance and have students critique them using pre-established criteria.
• Anticipate essay questions. Go through the material with your students and have them suggest possible essay questions.

For multiple choice tests:

• Practice eliminating options. Have students explain why they eliminate an option. What seems obvious to one student might not be obvious to another.
• Organize study material into easily confused terms or concepts. Make the review session compare and contrast and apply the terms.
• Provide an outline of the material, but get students to generate test questions from the outlines.
• Organize a matrix that gets students to enter their own examples.

For problem solving tests:

• Have students work in groups to solve problems that are similar to the final exam questions. Have each group explain what kind of knowledge of the material was necessary for them to answer the question correctly. Also have each group explain the steps they took to solve the problem.

Helping students study for comprehensive finals:

• Comprehensive finals are definitely part of the college landscape. Studying for a comprehensive final can seem daunting and overwhelming, however time management is one of the keys to succeeding and meeting course goals.
• Encourage students to break the material down into more manageable units. This could be done by chapters or other logical groups of information. Show them how you would break it down.
• Ask students to assess their own comfort level with each of the units. This might help students gain some insight into which area he/she should focus on or which area to start with first.
• Encourage students to study in chunks and not try to tackle the course in one night.
• Encourage group study. One successful technique (for responsible students) is to subdivide course material, distill your section and then bring your outline to the group. Preparing for group study helps students stay focused.

General advice:

• Discuss how to study for the test - or hear from students who've done well previously. You can generate this feedback anonymously by having students write down their study strategies that work on an index card, collect and scramble them, then read them aloud.
• Encourage your students to avoid all-nighters. All Nighters can prove costly to your health and they might not help you achieve your goal. Check out the following link to find out about the effects of an All Nighter on the body provided by the Learning Skills Center: Anatomy of an All Nighter.
• Encourage students to get some sleep, eat well, exercise, and use stress-reduction techniques like scheduling some time for R and R. The body needs some basic things to function properly. This goes for the mind as well!
• Spend a couple of minutes at the end discussing students "game plans" so that they leave with a sense of direction regarding their preparation. At this time of the semester, part of your role is to "coach" your students into utilizing success strategies.

Here are some other helpful links from the Learning Skills Center you might want to consider visiting:

Are you test anxious? http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/handouts/1305a.html
How to keep calm on tests http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/handouts/1305.html
Surviving exam week http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/handouts/1427.html
Final exams are here http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/handouts/1461.html
Problem solving tests http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/handouts/1443.html

Finally, good luck! Once your students submit those exams, you're probably the one who has to grade them!

Stress Management

As a TA or AI, you undoubtedly have a certain amount of stress in your life that is associated with your job. Now that we are approaching final exams and the holidays, this stress may be compounded by additional stressors related to your own school, work or personal life. Although these short-term sources of stress may go away come January, there are some things you can do to help manage your stress during these busy times until you can finally relax during the holiday vacation. Here are some suggestions:

Massage and Diet: Did you know that you can get a massage at Gregory Gym? A 30-minute table massage is only $24, while a 10-minute chair massage costs $8. Massage is a great way to ease muscle tension and helps you to remove yourself mentally from life stressors. Making small changes in your diet may seem like an easy strategy, but being stressed out for some means eating high-calorie foods to cope. Try to stay away from foods that are high in fat, sugar, and salt (this will keep your weight and blood pressure down) and drink plenty of water. Some people choose natural supplements such as Kava to promote a sense of calm, Melatonin to help you sleep, and St. John's Wort to ward off symptoms of depression. (Be sure to check with your doctor if you would like to try these or other natural supplements.)

Exercise: Although many people think that this is the time to put off exercise, it is actually the best time to exercise! It has been shown that physical activity is one of the best ways of reducing daily life stressors. If you work out regularly, try to stick with your regular routine as closely as possible - getting out of a routine will make it harder to get back into after the holidays. If you are not a regular exerciser, now's a good time to start if you want to keep your stress level down. Take a brisk walk or try riding your bike to work.

Take a Break: Even if it's just for a few minutes, your body needs time to recuperate from stressful activities. There are lots of relaxing things to do in Austin that will help you take a mental break from whatever is stressing you out. Walking around Town Lake or in another park can be very soothing. Treat yourself to a cup of joe at your favorite coffee house. Run errands that you find relaxing (some find shopping relaxing, others don't). Take in a movie.

Lighten your load: If you find that the above suggestions are not relieving your stress level, you may have to reduce the amount of work you have taken on. If you feel like your TA responsibilities are the biggest source of stress, talk with your supervising professor about your stress and try to come up with a new solution for getting your tasks done. If you cannot make these arrangements, let your friends and family know that you may have to reduce the number of social activities you engage in this season (but make sure you have their support, which is very helpful for reducing stress!).

If you find that you are still suffering from stress after trying every "quick-fix" you can think of, you may have problems related to long-term stress, or burnout. If you've already suffered burnout, then you know it's a horrible experience. Burnout typically occurs when you find it difficult to say 'no' to additional commitments or responsibilities, you have been under intense and sustained pressure for some time, your high standards make it difficult to delegate to others or to ask for help, and you have been trying to achieve too much for too long: Graduate school is the perfect place to breed burnout! People who suffer from burnout over several months are more prone to long-term fatigue, feelings of failure, and sometimes even physical or mental ill-health, such as exhaustion and depression. In order to avoid burnout, one must first recognize the warning signs. Look at this checklist to see if you have any of the following select symptoms:

Do you frequently feel...

• A lack of control over commitments?
• An incorrect belief that you are accomplishing less?
• A growing tendency to think negatively?
• Loss of a sense of purpose and energy?
• Increasing detachment from relationships?

These feelings may cause further conflict and stress, adding to the problem. If you believe you have any or all of these symptoms of stress, you may be on your way to having burnout. There are several preventative measures that you can take to avoiding burnout before it hits: itÕs much easier to deal with before it happens than after. Here are some preventative measures suggested on http://www.psychwww.com/mtsite/smburnt.html

• Re-evaluate your goals and prioritize them.
• Evaluate the demands placed on you and see how they fit in with your goals.
• Identify your ability to comfortably meet these demands.
• If you are over-involved, reduce the commitments that are excessive.
• Learn stress management skills.
• Ensure that you are following a healthy lifestyle:
  • Get adequate sleep and rest to maintain your energy levels.
  • Ensure that you are eating a healthy, balanced diet - bad diet can make you ill or feel bad.
  • Get adequate regular aerobic exercise.
• Limit your caffeine and alcohol intake.
• Perhaps develop alternative activities such as a relaxing hobby to take your mind off problems.

If you feel like you are currently facing burnout (feeling deeply unmotivated and disenchanted with your job or life) and you find that these preventative measures are not helpful, perhaps you need to take a break from your greatest source of stress. Use the holidays as a time to re-evaluate your priorities and come up with a plan for better managing your stress next semester. Some students decide to take a semester off to regain perspective and reevaluate their original goals for choosing to go to graduate school. While talking to friends and family can be helpful, also consider consulting someone at UT's Counseling and Mental Health Center. You can contact someone by phone at 471-CALL (go to http://www.utexas.edu/student/cmhc/teleph.html for more information) or set up an appointment by calling 471-3515.

Good luck with your remaining responsibilities and have a wonderful and restorative holiday.

The TA Program Staff of the Center for Teaching Effectiveness (Mickey Achacoso, Joanne Holladay and Jessica Summers)

Services for TAs at the Center for Teaching Effectiveness

Conferences: On September 15, the Center for Teaching Effectiveness and the UT Learning Center co-sponsored a conference for new TAs: Good Beginnings. Approximately eighty TAs participated in the activities.

In January, we will again sponsor a seminar for experienced TAs to help them hone and develop their skills as instructors. This seminar will be held prior to the beginning of classes. This newsletter will provide you with updates and registration information, so stay tuned ! And for you experienced TAs, let me know if you'd like to help organize the seminar or give a presentation.

Departmental Consultations: Would you like to see changes in the TA experience in your department? Would you like more feedback on your own teaching? Contact Joanne Holladay, TA Program Coordinator at the CTE. (jholladay@mail.utexas.edu) She would be happy to reply to your e-mail questions or concerns, or to meet with you or a group of TAs to brainstorm ways to enhance your teaching or to improve student learning.

Do you want additional ideas on teaching and learning? Check out the CTE website at http://www.utexas.edu/academic/cte/ . Here you'll find suggestions on everything from how to encourage student participation to methods for assigning grades.

Finally, do something for yourself. Check out the self-help opportunities through the Counseling Center's Food for Thought groups: http://www.utexas.edu/student/cmhc/outreach/ffttops.html

Subscription Information

If this is the first edition of TA TALK that you've received and you'd like to receive future editions, subscribe to receive three electronic copies of TA TALK each semester.

How to Subscribe:

Send an e-mail message to: listproc@lists.cc.utexas.edu
Leave the subject line blank.
In the message, type: SUB TATALK firstname lastname
Separate these three items by at least one space.

On the other hand, if you are no longer a TA and would like to cancel your subscription: Send an e-mail message to: listproc@lists.cc.utexas.edu And type UNSUBSCRIBE TA TALK

Back to TA TALK home page...