Problems with the Exercise

• Preparation time. Initially devising the exercise took three days, and faking each set of data another two days. The exercise can, however, be re-used.

• Time Management. Despite repeated warnings, most groups left the detailed analysis of the observational results until the last moment, and then found that the assignment was more difficult than they had anticipated. An intermediate deadline, with students required to show evidence that they've started serious work on this exercise, might solve this problem.

• Group work. Most student groups did not communicate well out of class time. This problem was resolved by allowing time in lectures and tutorials to discuss the assignment.

• 14% of students commented that they would have liked more observations, and two students felt that the exercise was too difficult and baffling. I suspect that solving the time management problem will resolve this issue.