REPORT FROM THE 2010 APWH READING

REPORT FROM DAY 7

We're done, yeah! I've updated the other rubrics below.

I'm including reports from the moderator of the APWH list serve:

Last night was "Meet the Question Leaders" where we get the chance to talk about the questions we did not score.

The DBQ

• Mean score 3.56
• The students generally used all the docs.
• The photos were often misunderstood (were posed, not natural)
• The students for the most part did not understand the term dissertation. (But as someone said, "Who does?")
• POV is still not great but it is much better (like the statistics or the Buddhist)
• Many students did comparison through out the essay.
• Good outside information.

Problems

• Thesis. (Gee, where have I heard that before?)
• POV.

The CCOT

• Mean 2.97
• The thesis for many but many students did change but not continuity.
• The analysis piece was tough, as it always is.
• World historical context and analysis had to separate pieces. No double-dipping.

The C&C

• Mean 2.86
• There was a high bar for thesis. But to me, the question was not that tough to write a thesis for.
• The highest bar was for analysis
• They had to discuss TWO empires with a similarity and a difference for the addresses point and the Direct Comparison had to be more in depth to get that point.
• As stated earlier, many of the essays did not answer the question

AP Consultants were recently advised of an update made to next year's Course Descriptions. This notice was sent to consultants in advance so that teachers participating in professional development activities over the summer would be aware of a change to next year's exams. All teachers will be notified of this information in August.

This is the information that was shared:

Beginning with the May 2011 AP Exam administration, total scores on the multiple-choice section will be based on the number of questions answered correctly. Points will no longer be deducted for incorrect answers and, as always, no points will be awarded for unanswered questions. AP Course Descriptions that reflect this change are available now from AP Central so that teachers have the correct information during the summer. Updates to the website and a formal announcement about this change will take place in August.

This is for ALL the AP subjects.

REPORT FROM DAY 3

Have gotten used to the altitude and have read more essays than I care to remember.

Rubric for the comparative:

• Thesis needs to be correct for the time period (big problem for many) and address an accurate similarity and difference of methods of political control of two of the three Classical Empires.
• Addresses all parts - 1 similarity and 1 difference (accurate) of methods of political control of two of the three Classical Empires
• Direct Comparison - only one necessary
• Analysis - 1 analysis of the reason for a similarity or difference

Rubric for the CCOT

• Thesis needs to include 1 change and 1 continuity and the dates.
• Addresses all parts - 1 change and 1 continuity
• Evidence 5 (at least one supporting continuity and one for change) for 2 points; 4 pieces of evidence for either for 1 point.
• 1 World Historical Context that explains continuity or change (cannot overlap with analysis, but can with evidence)
• 1 Analysis of the process of change or continuity over time (can overlap with evidence) - hardest point to get.

Big problems are the thesis and analysis. Addressing all parts is a low bar (both had emperors).

Rubric for the DBQ

• Thesis - had to include at least one similarity and one difference (many students omitted difference)
• Understand the basic meaning of documents - all 10 - can demonstrate understanding by grouping, but not by quoting.
• Support thesis with evidence from all documents (or 9) for 2 points, or 8 for 1 point
• Analyzes point of view in 2 documents (more students tried to do this this year)
• Analyzes documents by grouping them in three ways
• Identifies and explains the need for one type of additional document or source (again most tried this - Indian worker was the most common)

I'm including reports from the moderator of the APWH list serve:

Day 1.

The Leadership team has been here for a few days working on the rubrics and the sample packets and to day we start reading. There will be a general meeting and then a meeting of the readers for each questions and then meetings for each table. A table is usually 7-8 Readers with a Table Leader. Each table is a mix of new and old Readers from both secondary schools and colleges and universities.

The tables will look at the rubrics, read and score samples and begin to get "on standard." This process may take the better part of a day with the goal being a simple one. Every students essays should get the score it deserves regardless of who reads it and when.

For those of you interested, we have abut 160,000 student booklets this year and about 850 Readers. A goodly bit of progress from 2002 when 89 of us read 22,000 booklets.

Day 2 starts. Day 1 was spent going over the rubrics, reading and scoring sample essays, working out the fine points, and just settling in. The C&C ( methods of political control in Han China, Mauryan/Gupta India and Imperial Rome) is going to go well. The rubric is clear and the students are writing very well at the middle and high essays. Still have problems with students not responding to the question. A fair number of them are telling us about the FALL of the empires, which is not part of the question. And a fair number are confused about the timeline. We are hearing about the Muslims in India and the Mongols in China, both of which are out of the time frame. We are also getting a number of students discussing the Roman republic and not Imperial Rome.

The major problem continues. I saw two folders today of 25 booklets each with not one student getting for a THESIS!!!! To me, this continues to be the prime assignment when your are teaching them to write.

Day 3

First the DBQ-

1) THESIS! THESIS! THESIS! (A problem that we continue to encounter on the C&C.)

2) The missing document and the POV is not plausibly linked to the prompt.

3) The documents are described but not analyzed.

4) The students are using all the documents!

5) They are doing POV!

The CCOT.

1) The thesis structure has improved but still continues to present problems.

2) They must mention the dates.

3) They are showing change but NOT continuity.

4) It is reading very well. The teachers are doing a good job.

5) Many feel this is the best CCOT since 2002.

2009 READING - reportfromtheapwhreadingincolorado