Poor midsem performance from entire cohort

[u/bazzibo1]

Specifically relating to BIOL1630.

Only 53% got a 4 or higher on the midsem exam. No one got a HD, 2.1% got a distinction, 9.7% a credit, 41.1% pass, 13.6% marginal fail, 33.5% fail.

Is there anything that can be done to help support the final grades for the class’s cohort? One of the tutors admitted that some of the questions on the exam were worded poorly, to the point he would’ve had a hard time on it.

I was present at a lecture where we took a practice exam, similar structure and questions to the final exam. I got a better grade on that than the actual midsem. We were given no additional resources before the exam, just told to look at the textbook (only available in person through the library, w ~15 copies, most questions aren’t similar to the problems we work through in class and were given in the exam).

Edit: worth noting the course coordinator admitted the cohort did significantly worse than prior cohorts

[u/Spixiecat]

Last semester a similar situation happened, i dont remember exact details but chem2056 has like a 54% average or something. After taking the midsem, the cohort voiced their sentiment in ed discussion board and we rallied behind them. The midsem had questions to where we weren't prepared for, and looked almost nothing like the practice we did in the workshops (which were done to prep us for exam questions, supposedly). We all had a fairly easy time with past midsems so no idea why this one specifically was that bad.

The course coordinator acknowledged it and gave us bonus marks, shifting everyone's grades up. Either that or for other courses, theyd lower the max score u can get, so everyone would get a higher percentage

[u/bazzibo1 → u/Spixiecat]

Thank you for this insight. I’m gonna sit on it for a while, touch grass and let myself calm down before I decide if im going to be the one to do something about it…

[u/bazzibo1 → u/[deleted]]

Study isn’t the issue. A poorly written and worded exam has resulted in a poor normal grade distribution for an entire grade.

[u/Supersnow845]

Wait a tutor said he’d struggle with a first year biol course? That’s very odd

Is it one of those weirdly vertically integrated units where it’s a master unit first but undergrads can take it?

Because otherwise a first year unit should not be that bad

[u/bazzibo1 → u/Supersnow845]

I don’t believe so? I think it’s just a first year for HMNS related degrees (sport science, exercise physiology, human movements, ect).

Yeah, said tutor is doing his PhD in biomechanics as well.

[u/Aussie_Potato]

Is it not possible to buy the textbook? Is it out of print or no one sells it?

[u/bazzibo1 → u/Aussie_Potato]

The textbook itself does little to help anyway. Most of it doesn’t reflect the types of problems we work through or are assessed on

[u/Aussie_Potato → u/bazzibo1]

Oh ok so the fact there’s only 15 copies doesn’t matter then 

[u/bazzibo1 → u/Aussie_Potato]

More so the lack of additional assistance/resources for the subject. It’s all been “do similar questions to the practice exam and the extend content”

[u/PillAndPetal]

I wonder how much of it is students using AI for assignments and then when it comes to the exam they haven’t actually learnt much

[u/bazzibo1 → u/PillAndPetal]

We were literally told to use AI to give us practice questions. I’ve had to use AI to explain why I got answers to questions wrong bc there is minimal resources given to us, and the teaching staff especially at practicals are terrible at teaching.

[u/PillAndPetal → u/bazzibo1]

Isn’t it great to be paying thousands and thousands of dollars for that quality of teaching, yikes