Do Your Students Read the Textbook?

  When I started the semester, I made sure that students knew they didn't have to purchase a new textbook.  I told them they could rent a book, buy a used book, or purchase chapters from the publisher's website.  What I may not have made clear, however, is that they should read the book.  When I started discussing the first exam, I suggested to the students that they should be reading the chapters.  I warned them that what I talked about in class was just a part of the information they needed for the test.  For over a week, I asked them how their reading was coming along.  Perhaps you can guess the results.  Many students waited until a couple of days before the exam to read the book, and missed many details.  The resulting test scores were miserable.

I hate to see students do poorly on exams, so I took the opportunity to research a bit to see what I can do to help the students read their assignments.  My research took me to the Association for Psychological Science Teaching Tips.  In her article about using textbooks effectively, Denise  R. Boyd provides a number of ideas that I might use in my classes to promote the reading of the book.



Photo from http://collegexperience.net/

 Boyd says that in her classes, she explains that lectures will be more interesting if she doesn't have to provide a list of items that they could read themselves. 

Boyd also uses the text in class.  Instead of putting up a PowerPoint slide of a graph, she directs the students to open the book to the graph.  Some students may feel uncomfortable and feel like they are missing something, so they bring their texts to class.

Another idea of using the textbooks is from  Barbara Gross Davis, University of California, Berkeley.  Her article, Motivating Students, is reprinted here.  In the article, Davis provides an example from J.W.Daniel (please see article for full citation).  The professor that Daniel refers to gives an assignment for the next class.  At the start of that next class, he has students give him a notecard containing information from the reading, such as definitions, or key ideas.  The professor collects the cards and returns them to students a week before the exam.  At that point, students can add information, apparently during class, but then must turn in the card to the professor.  The professor returns the cards on exam day for students to use. According to Daniel, "this faculty member reports that the number of students completing the reading jumped from 10 percent to 90 percent and that students especially valued these...cards."

I have used something similar in my classes.  I let students bring a 4 x 6 "cheat sheet" for their exams.  They can write whatever they want on the cards. It's amazing how much they can fit on a card.  My rationale is twofold.  First, it forces the students to use the text to create their exam card.  Second, I think it lessens the urge to cheat.  My results have been mixed.  Unfortunately, the grades aren't very high, but they don't cheat!

What are your tips for encouraging students to read the text?  Post them in the "Comments" section, and let's see if we can get a discussion going.

The next post will be in two weeks and will focus on information learned from the Southwest Seminar.  See you then!