It’s not a new finding — in general, more exams lead to better grades—but it’s always nice when research confirms some of our best practices in teaching.
Read more ›CURRENT ARTICLE • December 03
OTHER RECENT ARTICLES
Educational assessment is one of the most talked about topics in higher education today. Despite the admirable goal of improving student learning, the trend toward greater accountability through increased academic testing carries with it a diverse range of educational assessment tools, methodologies, perspectives, and stakeholders.
Read More ›I am often amazed by the amount of pedagogical research a seemingly simple straightforward instructional strategy can generate. Take crib sheets, for example—you know, when faculty allow students to prepare a card or sheet of notes that they can then use during an exam.
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There’s a new study published in a recent issue of Teaching of Psychology which lists seven other studies, and I know of several others not referenced there as well as a number of anecdotal accounts we’ve published in The Teaching Professor. Findings as to the benefits of this particular approach are definitely mixed. This recent Teaching of Psychology study found that when students expected to use their crib sheets but then were not allowed to, they performed significantly less well than when they used crib sheets. This finding caused these two researchers to conclude that “constructing crib sheets did not enhance learning.” (p.117)
August 31
Developing an Alternate Assessment Exercise for an Introductory Chemistry Course
By: Ricky Cox
At the recent Teaching Professor Conference in Nashville, a session titled "163 Alternate Assessment Ideas" caught my eye. It was presented by Eileen Buckley from Western Michigan University. To be honest, the use of alternate assessment techniques is not something I completely embraced before attending this workshop. Although I have used group work and peer-led activities, they were for the purpose of helping students prepare for quizzes and exams. A theme in the workshop was that alternate assessment activities should be graded and used along with traditional testing methods to evaluate student learning in a course.
Read More ›In the mid-1990s I worked in a small education studies department that used a wonderfully simple, three-part conceptual framework for responding to student work -- whether oral presentations, written papers, or even student teaching. First, we modeled active listening by succinctly summarizing what we understood to be the students' theses or main points in their presentation, paper, or lesson. Next, we detailed their clearest strengths. Lastly, we recommended some next steps.
Read More ›As interest in scholarly work on teaching and learning continues to grow and more faculty are trying their hands at work in this arena, materials are needed that summarize the available methods and approaches used in systematic analyses of classroom practices and learning outcomes. Just such a resource appeared last year in the Journal of Engineering Education.
Read More ›Many faculty incorporate a peer-assessment component in team projects. Because faculty aren’t present when the groups interact and therefore don’t know who’s doing what in the group, they let students provide feedback on the contributions of their group-mates. In addition to giving the teacher accurate information on which to base individual grades, the process gives students the opportunity to learn the value of constructive peer feedback. It’s a skill applicable in many professional contexts.
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