Connections—February 2008
The Hubbard Center has produced print copies of our newsletter Connections for almost ten years. The primary purpose of the newsletter is to facilitate networking and the sharing of information that promotes professional growth. We have now decided to stop distributing print copies of the newsletter, but instead electronically post articles on this website.
Articles in this issue:
- Technology Highlight: Elluminate Live!
- Do Crib Sheets Facilitate Learning?
- Student Self-Grading
- Checklist for Class Participation
Technology Highlight: Elluminate Live!
by Jenn Andrus
What is Elluminate Live?
Elluminate Live is a collaborative software/webcast system which offers real time virtual classroom and interaction opportunities. Within the program you can engage in voice chatting, instant messaging, interactive white boarding, polling, quizzing, application/desktop sharing, web touring, file sharing, video conferencing, and session archiving. Possibilities for on-site class and distance learning are endless.
Not only is this new and exciting technology at Appalachian, but it is a new and growing phenomenon in higher education. Due to the dearth of research associated with the application*, experimenting with Elluminate Live is an excellent opportunity to engage in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL).
What does it do?
- Live video and voice
- Synchronized web browsing
- Shareable and interactive whiteboards, drawing tools, images and PowerPoint
- Interactive, indexed recordings which allow for later retrieval and review
- Application sharing
- Breakout rooms
- Multimedia content delivery
- Polls
- Real-time quizzing
- Real-time surveys
- Student management tools (i.e. “hand raising”, “emoticons”, and control of student access to features and tools)
Why use it?
- Extend the boundaries of the traditional classroom.
- Add live discussion and dynamic interaction in synchronous distance learning.
- Engage students through the use of interactive real-time learning.
- Encourage collaboration among students and instructors.
- Allow participation from any computer including guest speakers and lecturers.
- Allow for one-on-one instruction or tutoring.
Possible academic applications:
- Hold virtual office hours or review sessions in a dynamic and flexible environment.
- Host workgroups or meetings.
- Host guest speakers from around the world.
- Co-teach with colleagues from other institutions.
- Provide real time coverage of your class when out of town.
- Provide recorded and archived lessons for students to review.
- Evaluate your own teaching by analyzing recorded sessions.
The good news is that that Appalachian has a subscription and 200 seats for Elluminate Live! For more information visit http://lts.appstate.edu/services/elluminate
* An extensive scholarly literature search only revealed 17 articles about Elluminate Live. Most applied to distance learning, and very few were actual studies.
Do Crib Sheets Facilitate Learning?
by Christina Tadlock
A crib sheet allows students to record notes and answers to potential test questions on a small sheet of paper. Research is contradictory in terms of whether or not crib sheets are are effective tools for testing.
Erbe (2007) experimented with many different types of exams in the classroom, from open book exams to take home exams. She experienced problems with plagiarism when she assigned students take home exams. Open book exams were not helpful to her students, because they rewrote what the author of the text stated. Erbe decided to allow students to create crib sheets to use with in-class examinations with several stipulations. To make the process fair, Erbe required that all students prepare their own sheets, keep their information limited to the crib sheet space, and refrain from making copies of textbook information. To make the crib sheet process worthwhile, Erbe rewards a candy bar to the student with the most creative crib sheet. Students used everything from different colors to layered pages in making their crib sheets. Erbe observed that students retained the information in creating the crib sheets and they relied on them less during the exam. She found that crib sheets work best with exams involving practical application.
Brown (2007), a statistics professor at University of Calgary, found that crib sheets used with in-class exams are more effective than open book tests. Brown felt that the sheets were more practical, in the sense that when students become employed, they will be able to look up formulas and information to perform their job tasks. He discovered that students assumed because a test was open book, it would be easy and require no studying. Brown’s class did not achieve the average that he desired on tests so he decided to try the crib sheet method with students. The class average increased by twenty percent as a result of crib sheets. Brown believed the class average increased because students were forced to study the information and put the most important information on their crib sheet. He observed that students who studied and learned the material for the exam, relied less on their crib sheet.
Dickson and Miller (2006) take a different stance on crib sheets in the classroom. Their research revealed that students perform better on an exam with a crib sheet prepared by a student research assistant as compared with a self-constructed crib sheet. They believe this can be attributed to factors such as a student’s motivation to study more for an exam that does not allow reference materials, and the fact that the student research assistant may do a better job than the student at preparing the crib sheet.
Although Dickson and Miller (2007) offer a plausible rationale, one must argue whether the purpose of the crib sheet method is defeated. Students miss out on the process of identifying and organizing the information that is most important to them for the exam. Anxiety levels may also be higher since students have no idea what the student research assistant will put on the crib sheet.
Overall, it seems like professors who have adopted crib sheets in the classroom make a stronger case for their use compared to the opposing side. Do you currently allow students to use crib sheets in the classroom? Tell us (hubbardctr@appstate.edu) whether or not you find this method successful in your classroom.
Sources:
Brown, Allan. A Mathematics Teaching Event That Changed My Belief. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from http://www.people.ex.ac.uk/PErnest/pome12/article14.htm.
Dickson, K.L., and Miller, M.D. (2007). Evidence against using crib cards. The Teaching Professor, 21(5), 6.
Erbe, B. Reducing test anxiety while increasing learning. College Teaching. 55(3), 96-97.
Student Self-Grading
by Jenn Andrus
Marking and grading assignments may be one the least favorite activities among faculty members. Not only is it time consuming, but it is often seen as futile to provide feedback and directives to students who often do not read—let alone use—feedback on assignments to improve their work. However, student self-grading may provide a solution. Student self-grading not only decreases instructor time spent grading, but also allows for quality and timely feedback for students.
In an examination of self-grading in a social statistic course, Edwards (2007) found that students’ responses were favorable; they reported learning more from reviewing their own errors. At the beginning of the semester and in the course syllabus, Edwards instructed students on how to grade their own work and provided strict guidelines regarding cheating and academic integrity. During the semester she assigned homework weekly and provided answer keys at the beginning of the class each assignment was due. She allotted 10 to 20 minutes at the beginning of each class, which she found was sufficient for the students to grade their work and ask questions. Students graded each question on a scale of 0-4: 0 for no attempt; 1-3 for an answer “in between”; 4 for perfect. After the grading period, she collected the assignments simply to note grades, and carried on with the day’s lesson.
An alternative to students’ self-grading written assignments is the Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique (IFAT). IFAT is a commercially available answer form for multiple choice testing which allows students to scratch off responses and receive immediate reinforcement for their response. It also allows partial credit, as the students can answer until they obtain a correct response. Pedagogically, IFAT has two advantages over machine readable individual response forms: 1) it provides immediate and corrective feedback, which allows students to learn during a test situation and immediately know their overall performance; and 2) students are rewarded for their proximate knowledge of the correct answer due to their ability to attempt alternative responses. A study by DiBattista et al. (2004) found that students’ response to IFAT was positive. Students felt the use of the form contributed to their learning, and they indicated a desire to have future tests across disciplines administered in the same manner.
Many high schools and universities across Canada and the United States have used IFAT, including the University of North Carolina and Duke University. Standard and custom forms can be ordered on line from Epstein Education.
Sources:
DiBattista, D., Mitterer, J., & Gosse, L. (2004). Acceptance by undergraduates of the immediate feedback assessment technique for multiple choice testing. Teaching in Higher Education, 9, 17-28.
Edwards, N. M. (2007). Student self-grading in social statistics. College Teaching, 55, 72-75.
http://www.epsteineducation.com
Checklist for Class Participation
by Jenn Andrus
Motivating students to participate in class is often a challenge for faculty. Quality of their participation is another issue. Kathryn Kirkpatrick of the Department of English designed a checklist because she wanted to both motivate and acquaint students with the qualities of a good discussion. Student use the checklist to self-monitor their participation throughout the semester. After each class, students must note which of the listed actions they performed. At the end of the semester students turn in the checklist along with a page summarizing the student's role in class discussions and what percentage of their grade should be awarded for their participation (from 10-20% depending on the class).
Dr. Kirkpatrick notes that students need to be reminded to complete the sheet early in the semester. Having them complete it regularly is a good way to build consciousness regarding what they can contribute to class. The sheet also provides guidance and structure for that nebulous category "class participation."
Kathryn Kirkpatrick’s Checklist
Record the date for each class you did the following:
- Listened attentively
- Contributed ideas to class
- Found a relevant passage in text for class to discuss
- Helped make connections between points
- Elaborated on someone else’s idea
- Asked a classmate a follow-up question
- Provided a summary of points made in class
- Took thorough notes on points made in discussion
- Treated others with courtesy
- Disagreed with respect
- Refrained from dominating discussion
The Hubbard Center electronically publishes our newsletter, Connections, three times each semester. Please contact Kathy Isaacs, editor, with any comments or questions.
