HILT 2017 Conference: Emerging approaches to evaluating learning | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Two-stage exams that integrate group work and collaboration can improve learning outcomes and provide a measure of collaborative efficiency.

Transcript

Welcome to Emerging Approaches to Evaluating Learning. My name is Evan Sanders. I am the associate director of curriculum services for teaching and learning technologies at Harvard Medical School. And with me is-- Josh Bookin. I'm the associate director-- assistant director-- I just gave myself a promotion. Yeah. The assistant director of instructi... Read More

Key Insights

• 👥 Traditional exams primarily assess individual knowledge, while two-stage exams incorporate group collaboration and promote active learning.
• 🧑‍🎓 Two-stage exams can improve learning outcomes by integrating collaborative problem-solving and providing opportunities for students to learn from each other.
• 👥 Collaborative efficiency is a measure of the extent to which a group is able to capitalize on collective knowledge, indicating the effectiveness of collaboration in generating knowledge.
• 🧘 Promoting collaborative skills, such as articulating positions, understanding others' perspectives, and effective communication, is essential in professional fields like policy-making.
• 🧑‍🎓 Evaluating collaborative skills alongside individual knowledge can provide a more comprehensive assessment of students' abilities and prepare them for real-world applications.
• ❓ Two-stage exams challenge traditional notions of assessment by focusing on learning promotion rather than evaluation.
• 💦 Active learning and group work should be recognized as valuable means to foster collaboration and develop essential skills in students.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are two-stage exams and how do they differ from traditional exams?

Two-stage exams divide the assessment into an individual stage and a group stage. In the group stage, students collaborate to redo challenging questions. This promotes active learning and engagement compared to traditional exams.

Q: What are the benefits of two-stage exams for learning?

Two-stage exams integrate active learning into the assessment process, promoting longer-term gains and skills in debate and collaboration. They also encourage students to engage with the material beyond the initial assessment.

Q: How did students perceive the impact of two-stage exams on their learning?

84% of students reported that two-stage exams were more helpful for their learning compared to traditional exams. This indicates that the collaborative component of the exams positively influenced their learning experience.

Q: What is collaborative efficiency?

Collaborative efficiency measures the extent to which a group is able to reclaim and utilize the collective knowledge of its members. It provides insights into the ability of students to collaborate and generate knowledge together.

Q: How does collaborative efficiency impact learning outcomes?

Higher collaborative efficiency suggests that effective collaboration among students leads to better learning outcomes. It indicates that students are able to leverage the collective knowledge of the group to enhance their understanding of the subject matter.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Evaluating learning is a critical part of the feedback loop in teaching and requires innovative approaches.

• Two-stage exams, where students collaborate in groups after an individual exam, can promote learning and improve outcomes.

• The performance of students in the group stage of the exam can indicate collaborative efficiency and the ability to generate knowledge together.