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Commentary: Group Oral Exam Abstract Algebra
I learned about group oral exams in one of the books on assessment published by the Math Association of America. Many of my more advanced courses are small (6-10 students) and the format works well. The way I conduct these exams seriously blurs the distinction between instruction and assessment. I generally put new material and/or very challenging problems on the exams, and sometimes I help students a bit if they get stuck when they’re preparing for the group exam. Students have to work hard and work together. They inevitably get good grades and end up learning a lot. Although the oral exam format seems intimidating, it’s actually easier for most students than a written exam; they can prepare their own materials, and if they have ample opportunities to clarify their words if they don’t come out right the first time. This particular exam addresses some classic number theory functions, an important property in group theory, as well as some fun things about repeating decimals. I can’t find the instructions I gave to students describing the process of the exam, but they are very similar to the ones on this geometry exam.
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