Editing User:Benjamin Mako Hill/Assessment (section)

=== Cold calling in cases ===

Cases rely roughly on the [[:wikipedia:Socratic method|Socratic method]] where instructors teaching cases cold call on students—i.e., instructors call on people ''without'' asking for volunteers first. I will be doing this in each class.

Because I understand that cold calling can be terrifying for some students, I will circulate a list of questions similar to those I will ask alongside the weekly announcements (i.e., at least six days in advance). Although it is a good idea to write out answers to these questions in advance, I will not be collecting these answers. You are welcome to work with other students to brainstorm possible answers. Although I may also ask questions that I do not distribute beforehand, they will typically be in the same vein as these questions.

I have written a computer program that will generate a random list of students each day. I will use this list to '''randomly''' cold call students in the class. To maintain balance in discussions, the program will try to ensure that everybody is cold-called a similar number of times during the quarter by ''weighting'' in favor of people who have been called upon fewer times in the past. Although there is always some chance that you will called upon next, you will become less likely to be called upon relative to your classmates each time you are called upon.