Exploring formative assessment as a tool for learning: students’ experiences of different methods of formative assessment

Weurlander, Maria; Söderberg, Magnus; Scheja, Max; Hult, Håkan; Wernerson, Annika

doi:10.1080/02602938.2011.572153

Cited by 116 publications

(111 citation statements)

References 30 publications

(37 reference statements)

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“…These findings suggest that understanding the complexity of the human body in three dimensions is facilitated by visual and tactile experiences (Granger 2004). Social aspects, when students work together, solving problems or tasks that require elaboration and explanation, the discussion might also help them develop understanding (Weurlander et al 2009;Weurlander et al 2012b). …”

Section: Students' Experiences Of Understandingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Information about the research project was presented to the students at the beginning of the course, and written informed consent was obtained from all students prior to the data collection. Parts of the data have previously been analysed focusing on different aspects of the students' experiences, and reported elsewhere (Weurlander et al 2012a(Weurlander et al , 2012b.…”

Section: Study Design and Data Generationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…how cells and tissues are affected by stress or injury which in turn can cause reactions and diseases such as inflammation or tumors. This part of the course was lecture-based and ended with an individual, written formative assessment (for more details, see Weurlander et al 2012b). Thereafter, the course focused on organ-specific pathology, where diseases in different organs such as the liver, kidney, and heart, were presented by different physicians who were experts in their respective fields.…”

Section: Context Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, on this particular course several teaching and learning activities were used, e.g. lectures, formative assessments (Weurlander et al 2012b), case seminars using surgically removed human organs (Weurlander et al 2009), autopsies (Weurlander et al 2012a), and seminars during which students discussed the microscopic picture of tissues. For these reasons, the pathology course provided a suitable context for our investigation.…”

Section: Context Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These activities also provided students with visual and tactile experiences from real organs. One of the formative assessments, an oral group assessment, also gave students the possibility to engage in clinically related problem-solving (Weurlander et al 2012b). …”

Section: Context Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

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The struggle to understand: exploring medical students' experiences of learning and understanding during a basic science course

Weurlander

Scheja

Hult

et al. 2014

Studies in Higher Education

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PostprintThis is the accepted version of a paper published in Studies in Higher Education. This paper has been peer-reviewed but does not include the final publisher proof-corrections or journal pagination. Citation for the original published paper (version of record):Weurlander, M., Scheja, M., Hult, H., Wernerson, A. (2016) The struggle to understand: Exploring medical students' experiences of learning and understanding during a university course. Studies in Higher Education AbstractThe aim was to explore students' 'journey' towards conceptual understanding during an undergraduate course. The task that medical students face -to learn a substantial quantity of detailed knowledge and integrate into a coherent whole in a limited time frame -is demanding. Seven students were interviewed in a group, and seventeen students gave their reflections in writing. Data was gathered from both groups on five separate occasions. Our findings suggest that students seek different kinds of understandings as they get to grips with their studies. The forms of understanding were: understanding as 'knowing the language', 'knowing the map', 'knowing the catalogue' and as 'experiencing an integrated whole'. Students first appeared to focus on the first two forms, and later in the course, as they learned more, they focused on the 'catalogue' or the 'integrated whole'. Our findings point to potential pathways students might take towards gaining deeper understanding. Keywords: deep learning, course experience, forms of understanding, approach to learning, medical educationThe struggle to understand 3 Introduction Learning is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that has intrigued both researchers and educators for a long time. Since the 1970s, researchers have explored learning from the learner's perspective, which has revealed new insights into students' learning. Marton and colleagues found two main approaches that students adopted: the surface and the deep approaches to learning (Marton and Säljö 1976a, 1976b. The intention students have with their studies seems to have a major influence on their learning (Entwistle and Peterson 2004;Entwistle 2009). A surface approach has been associated with an intention to memorize and reproduce learning material in order to meet the assessment requirements. In contrast, students who approached their learning with an intention to understand, wanted to learn for their own sake, looked for the underlying meaning in the task or text, related new information with prior knowledge, and were also more likely to reach a deep understanding. However, the relationship between memorizing and understanding has been shown to be more complex, and students aiming for a deep understanding have also been found to use memorization as a learning strategy (Kember 1996;Entwistle and Entwistle 2003;Marton, Wen, and Wong 2005). Other researchers described student learning patterns more broadly, including aspects such as study strategies, conceptions and regulation of learning (Vermunt 2005, Vermunt andVermetten 2004;...

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Section: Students' Experiences Of Understandingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Design and Data Generationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Context Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Context Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Context Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

The struggle to understand: exploring medical students' experiences of learning and understanding during a basic science course

Weurlander

Scheja

Hult

et al. 2014

Studies in Higher Education

Self Cite

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Early practice makes histology masters: The use of a formative assessment quiz to prepare histology learners for a high‐stakes final examination

McTaggart,

Hortsch

2024

Anatomical Sciences Ed

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Assessment of learners in the anatomical sciences is a complex task as it not only tests students' fact knowledge, but also the analysis of visual information. Sometimes, novice histology learners must acquire image recognition skills of microscopic structures in a short time frame. This paper describes a strategy of offering first year dental students at the University of Michigan a short, non‐grade contributing, formative assessment quiz in order to better prepare them for a high‐stakes, final summative histology examination. Data collected over 7 years indicate that students, who made use of this formative assessment opportunity, performed significantly better in their summative examination than students, who did not. Especially early practice quiz users profited most. Students, who used the practice quiz until they achieved a perfect score, also had statistically higher final examination scores. Students, who did not use the practice quiz, had a significantly lower cumulative D1‐year Grade Point Average (D1‐GPA) than students, who did, indicating that academically weaker students often underuse supporting learning resources. In general, scores from the Dental Admission Test (DAT) were weak predictors of learning success in the DENT 510 histology course. In contrast, the D1‐GPA values had a medium strength positive correlation with final histology examination scores. The major problem that was encountered with this practice quiz strategy was that many students waited until close to the day of the final examination before taking advantage of this feedback opportunity, thereby reducing its potential benefit for improving their overall learning strategy for histology.

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The Power of Formative Assessment

Box

2018

Formative Assessment in United States Classrooms

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Exploring formative assessment as a tool for learning: students’ experiences of different methods of formative assessment

Abstract: This is the accepted version of a paper published in. This paper has been peer-reviewed but does not include the final publisher proof-corrections or journal pagination.

Cited by 116 publications

References 30 publications

The struggle to understand: exploring medical students' experiences of learning and understanding during a basic science course

The struggle to understand: exploring medical students' experiences of learning and understanding during a basic science course

Early practice makes histology masters: The use of a formative assessment quiz to prepare histology learners for a high‐stakes final examination

The Power of Formative Assessment

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