Sometimes what we know is good for us, we don’t want to do. For example, eating your vegetables — we all know the green leafy stuff is the best thing we can eat to be healthy, but aren’t french fries and ice cream so much better tasting?
This semester I started using low stakes quizzes in LA245. I put these quizzes in the “Eat Your Vegetables” category. Most of my students will (begrudgingly or not) agree that they are good for us, but sometimes you just want to sleep in/take a night off from reading/daze off in class. But research now supports my theory that these quizzes can be important for learning. As this article reports, studies have shown that frequent tests help you learn more, and evens the playing field among students.
I started doing these quizzes for several reasons. First, my students were constantly clamoring for more “practice” for exam questions. Second, I wanted to assess how much students knew when they walked into the classroom. Third, and perhaps most importantly, I wanted to motivate students to come to class prepared so we could spend our time doing fun experiential learning. My anecdotal evidence shows that the quizzes are accomplishing all of my goals, although some more than others. Although I know many students prefer to cram before an exam, you learn SO much more if you read before class, not after. If the looming threat of a quiz motivates more students to do that, more students will be engaged in class.
In academic circles, “flipping the classroom” is all the rage (yes we all need to get out more, because more exciting things should be the rage). In case you don’t know, flipping the classroom is the idea that students learn the fundamentals outside of class, and do the practicing (that used to be for homework) in the classroom. It all sounds great, except that it puts a much greater burden on students, who can no longer count on their professors to be content-delivery machines. Doing frequent quizzes in class is a way to incentivize students to do their part. I can judge when I need to do more lecture, or can free up time for projects, by results on quizzes.
The informal feedback I have received on our quizzes has been positive. I wonder what you think? Are you learning more (or better)?
3 Comments
Brandon posted on November 22, 2013 at 12:43 pm
Although these quizzes can be helpful, I think that working as a team to answer the questions would be more beneficial. Although some students may rely on their teammates to answer the questions, I find that discussing questions and answers can help. By talking out loud and reasoning through the question, it helps in realizing which answers are completely wrong and which may be correct. Also, discussing questions tends to help in learning and remembering what the question asked. If you look at a question longer than just a couple minutes and actually digest what it is asking, I feel as though it stays with you longer.
Prof Chang posted on November 22, 2013 at 1:04 pm
I am allowed to comment? It doesn’t really matter because here I go…Brandon, great point. Studies have shown that group studying reinforces theories and ideas for students by making them take the role of “teacher” in their study group. Group quiz taking is entirely different and I wonder whether it would defeat much of the positive gains Prof. Spooner, and more importantly, Prof. Spooner’s students, have realized from the quizzes. The learning objectives for both (quizzes and study groups) are much different. Try a study group for your next exam and see how you like it.
Nicole posted on December 2, 2013 at 3:59 pm
For certain classes I think quizzes that will either cover things we will go over that class or a review from past material work very well. I have taken many classes where the teachers will do this and as much as the pop quizzes put pressure on you, it was only bad if I was not prepared for them (which is what you are trying to fix). However, some classes I do not think pop quizzes would be very helpful such as a finance or any course that requires you to master a set of skills. I also do not think a pop quiz would be helpful for our law and ethics class because it is very discussion based and a lot of what we read leads into class discussions. For a class like LA 245 where it is very definition based and heavy with case law, I think it is very effective.