Abstract
Small group learning exercises have been established as an efficient method to inspire students to learn, but a defined format for assessment of small group learning has not been established. We compared two collaborative quiz assessment strategies for small group learning - in the first one we assigned fixed participants (FP) to small groups of ~4 students at the beginning of the term, and in the second, we assigned variable group participants (VP) every time. In both formats, students were given a multiple-choice quiz and instructed to collaboratively find solutions to the 30 quiz questions within their small group. The mean scores of 4 collaborative quizzes were calculated and compared using t t-test assuming unequal variance for two cohorts of 90 students for the FP and VP small groups respectively. The mean scores obtained in the FP small groups were unrealistically high (96%+/- 0.1%) and statistically different (p<0.01) compared to the scores in the VP small groups (92%+/-0.3%). The FP format quiz assessment also shows an unrealistically narrow spread of only 6% difference between the highest and the lowest scores (93%-99%). In contrast, the scores range spread in the VP format was 17% (lowest score 82%, highest-99 %), values and a range spread similar to the traditionally observed in this course in the past. Adding a collaborative quiz assessment to small group learning exercises is an effective format of assessment if randomization of participants is performed immediately before the exercises.
Presenters
Denise HileetoAssociate Professor, School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Small group learning, Assessment, Evaluation
