Test-Enhanced Learning

Collins, Dylan P.; Rasco, Danney; Benassi, Victor

doi:10.1177/0098628318779262

Cited by 8 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 12 publications

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“…Hence, online quizzes with closed questions should elicit retrieval-based learning of facts. In line with the processing-levels theory (Craik & Lockhart, 1972), a deeper information processing when studying with closed questions should improve learning outcomes in general (Collins et al., 2018). According to the retrieval effort hypothesis (Pyc & Rawson, 2009), successful but more difficult retrieval attempts, requiring more retrieval effort for learners, promote better long-term learning than less difficult retrieval attempts.…”

Section: Answering Questions As a Study Strategymentioning

confidence: 92%

Online Quizzes with Closed Questions in Formal Assessment: How Elaborate Feedback can Promote Learning

Enders

Gaschler

Kubik

2020

Psychology Learning & Teaching

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Online-quizzes are an economic and objective method for formative assessment in universities. However, closed questions have been criticized for promoting shallow learning and resulting often in poor learning outcomes. These disadvantages can be overcome by embedding closed questions in effective instructional designs involving feedback. In the present field study, a final sample of N = 496 students completed the same online quiz, consisting of 60 true–false statements on the biological bases of psychology in two sessions. In order to enhance the benefit of formative testing on students’ test achievement in Session 2, students received elaborate feedback (i.e., by providing explanations for the in-/correctness) for half of their answers in Session 1, and corrective feedback (i.e., just indicating the in-/correctness) for the other half. The results showed that students scored higher in Session 2 if elaborate feedback had been provided in Session 1, compared with when corrective feedback was provided. More specifically, students profited more from elaborate feedback on incorrect answers in Session 1 than from feedback on correct answers. As a practical recommendation, self-administered formative tests with closed-question format should at least provide explanations why students’ answers are incorrect.

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Section: Answering Questions As a Study Strategymentioning

confidence: 92%

Online Quizzes with Closed Questions in Formal Assessment: How Elaborate Feedback can Promote Learning

Enders

Gaschler

Kubik

2020

Psychology Learning & Teaching

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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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Voluntary E-Learning Exercises Support Students in Mastering Statistics

Schwerter,

Brahm

2024

Tech Know Learn

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University students often learn statistics in large classes, and in such learning environments, students face an exceptionally high risk of failure. One reason for this is students’ frequent statistics anxiety. This study shows how students can be supported using e-learning exercises with automated knowledge of correct response feedback, supplementing a face-to-face lecture. To this end, we surveyed 67 undergraduate social science students at a German university and observed their weekly e-learning exercises. We aggregated students’ exercise behavior throughout the semester to explain their exam performance. To control for participation bias, we included essential predictors of educational success, such as prior achievement, motivation, personality traits, time preferences, and goals. We applied a double selection procedure based on the machine learning method Elastic Net to include an optimal but sparse set of control variables. The e-learning exercises indirectly promoted the self-regulated learning techniques of retrieval practice and spacing and provided corrective feedback. Working on the e-learning exercises increased students’ performance on the final exam, even after controlling for the rich set of control variables. Two-thirds of students used our designed e-learning exercises; however, only a fraction of students spaced out the exercises, although students who completed the exercises during the semester and were not cramming at the end benefited additionally. Finally, we discuss how the results of our study inform the literature on retrieval practice, spacing, feedback, and e-learning in higher education.

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Test-Enhanced Learning

Cited by 8 publications

References 12 publications

Online Quizzes with Closed Questions in Formal Assessment: How Elaborate Feedback can Promote Learning

Online Quizzes with Closed Questions in Formal Assessment: How Elaborate Feedback can Promote Learning

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

Voluntary E-Learning Exercises Support Students in Mastering Statistics

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