Facilitation of Student-centered Formative Assessment using Reflective Quiz Self-corrections in a Calculus Physics Course

Abstract

Calculus Physics I is a calculus based general physics course covering fundamental principles of mechanics. The overwhelming majority of students in this course are prepared for admission with advanced standing to a Bachelor of Science engineering program. Often found in the classroom are that many students have difficulty in solving problems, skills that are crucial for students to be successful in this rigorous curriculum. In spite of using active engagement learning approach, showing plenty of examples, asking students to practice problems during the class time and having students do their homework every week, we still found quite a few students cannot solve similar problems in the tests so that they choose to withdraw from the class. Is there anything we can do to encourage students to remain in the class and help them learn better? Weekly student-centered formative assessment using reflective quiz self-corrections is a powerful solution to this problem. Pedagogy researches have been focused on studentcentered learning inside classrooms, little attention has been paid to how formative assessments outside classrooms can support student learning, improve outcomes and actualize the drive for lifelong learning in engineering programs. In this grant-funded research project, once-a-week quiz was given in class to ask students to solve one problem. Quizzes were graded with no details. Without given solutions, students were then asked to conduct reflective self-corrections on each quiz that they did not receive full credits. It was possible to increase their quiz scores up to full points if students successfully completed the required tasks. The following data were collected for analysis: two rounds of a perception survey related to the learning of physics and a survey particularly designed for reflective quiz self-correction activity; a pre-and a post-Page 24.591.2 mechanics baseline test at the beginning and the end of the semester plus two tests and one final exam; quiz mistake categorization reports. Feedback from students was overwhelmingly great.This practice not only promotes students self-regulated learning but also helps them study consistently. Students learn much better from finding their own mistakes and score higher in exams. Therefore, they become more confident and are more motivated to remain in the program.

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