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Commentary: Fractions and Decimals Group Test
Students first took this test individually, and when they left, they got a blank copy to do with their study group. In their groups, they needed to work on all the problems in the last section; these problems are good activities, some of which are a lot to ask on a test, but part of the point of the group test is to facilitate learning new material. I find it hardest to get students to explain why algorithms work; they are so conditioned that the only point of an arithmetic problem is to get the right answer. This frustration was a big reason behind pushing to separate the prospective teachers and approach this material from a teaching context. This test is too long, but it has a lot of good things on it that could be used in other contexts. 8/05
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