Crystal Marks

(don’t forget the r)

227-7281 cell

GIFTS Workshop

Spring ‘10

Mind Dumps

Rationale: As instructors, we encourage our students to read and study/retain the course information each week, instead of waiting till the LAST minute before the exam to cram information or information bulimia (bingeing and purging information). Mind dumps reward the students who follow along on the planned reading and allow them to retain/memorize a smaller quantity of information. Mind dumps allow the instructor to give more challenging exams, which may focus on more breadth or depth of the information.

Materials:

  • Students provide binder paper/scratch paper and a writing utensil
  • Instructor may use a folder to store the mind dumps until exam day

Description: Instructors explain the process of mind dumps to the students and give the class dates on which they will occur; or some instructors may have mind dumps every class meeting. They typically take place at the very beginning of the period. Students get out a blank piece of paper(s) and clear everything else away. You may ask students to hold up the paper and show you both sides or pass the paper “x” times to the left. These measures proactively discourage cheating. Next, the instructor allows the students 10 or so minutes to “dump” whatever they can on the paper. Prompts may be given, for example, “Read chapter four by Wednesday and we will be doing a mind dump, so study the main concepts of chapter four.” Or you may suggest specific material/lecture items, etc. that may be on the exam to dump.

Students should put their name on the papers, which are collected at the end of the allotted time. Keeping a folder for storing only the mind dumps helps with organization. When the exam is given the students are given all the their pervious mind dumps as notes to use on the exam. The mind dumps are the ONLY notes allowed.

Processing/debrief: Some students will have pages of notes and concepts learned throughout the weeks prior to the exam. Other students will only have blank pieces of paper (maybe with a doodle). To break the cycle of cramming the night before the exam, mind dumps give the students added incentive to develop new study habits.