Collaborative preparation for exams
Why?
Working collaboratively lets students support and challenge each other’s thinking, which can promote better overall learning.
Incorporating in-class group work encourages attendance.
Observing students work together in class lets you see where students are struggling and address areas of difficulty immediately.
Collaborative testing works best for developing problem-solving and critical thinking skills, not factual recall.
Examples
Organize a two-part activity, comprised of small groups of two to four students, followed by a larger group discussion:
Small groups work on a practice test collaboratively. Then, the larger group assesses various answers/strategies.[1]
Small groups review questions from previous exams and practice grading sample answers, and compare these to the grade the instructor would have given. Then, the larger group discusses components needed to improve answers.[2]
Small groups use model answers to identify key features of expected responses to exam questions. Then, the larger group develops rubrics for answering each type of question.[3]
Small groups create crib sheets that focus on building blocks that lead students to a deeper understanding of content, ultimately permitting them to apply that understanding to more complex problems/questions. Then, the larger group has a post-exam discussion of how useful these crib sheets were, and why.[2][4]
Have students take quizzes collaboratively in small groups (for a small % of their grade). This may help mitigate student anxiety, which has been linked to lower overall test scores.[5] Collaborative quizzes can be implemented in a variety of formats:
Students take the quiz individually and then discuss their responses with teammates before turning in a copy completed as a group. 50% of each student’s score relies on the group score.[5]
Students take the quiz individually and then in groups; if the group score is higher, the difference is added to the individual grades, or a group bonus may be given for a perfect score in the group exam.[6]
A group works on questions together; then, students are given individual answer sheets.
If everyone in a given group scores a certain minimum grade, all members receive a bonus number of points.[5]
Groups are composed of the same number of members as there are quizzes taken over the semester. All members of the group prepare for each quiz together. A different member of the group takes each quiz, and the whole group gets their score.[5]
Allow 10-15 minutes at the end of an exam for discussion and revision, prior to submission.[6]
Suggestions for implementation[5]
Create groups of students with varying strengths and backgrounds.
Use group reports to ensure all students are contributing equally.
If feasible given class size, debrief the activity with the whole class.
Walk around among groups to answer questions and to get a sense of how students are working with the material.
References
[1]Nieder, G. L., Parmelee, D. X., Stolfi, A., & Hudes, P. D. (2005). Team‐based learning in a medical gross anatomy and embryology course. Clinical Anatomy: The Official Journal of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists and the British Association of Clinical Anatomists, 18(1), 56-63.
[2] 1 2 Weimer, M. (2008). Teaching strategies: Frequent exams = better results for students. Faculty Focus.
[3]University of Technology, Sydney. (2013). Assessment futures.
[4]Weimer, M. (2013a). Crib sheets help students prioritize and organize course content. The Teaching Professor.
[5] 1 2 3 4 5 Gokhale, A. (1995). Collaborative learning enhances critical thinking. Journal of Technology Education, 7(1).
[6] 1 2 Weimer, M. (2017). Group exams and quizzes: Design options to consider. The Teaching Professor.
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