ERIC Number: EJ1161762
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0260-2938
EISSN: N/A
Students' Choices and Achievement in Large Undergraduate Classes Using a Novel Flexible Assessment Approach
Rideout, Candice A.
Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, v43 n1 p68-78 2018
A flexible approach to assessment may promote students' engagement and academic achievement by allowing them to personalise their learning experience, even in the context of large undergraduate classes. However, studies reporting flexible assessment strategies and their impact are limited. In this paper, I present a feasible and effective approach to flexible assessment, describe choices made by 2016 students in 12 sections of two different courses using this approach, and explore associations between students' choices and academic achievement. Students decided at the beginning of the term whether they would use the assessment scheme proposed by the instructor or modify it by selecting (from within ranges provided) which assessments they would complete and the value of each in calculating their final grade. Most students (62%) made some change, but many (38%) opted to use the suggested values. Students did not choose to minimise their workload by selecting the fewest assessments possible. Opting out of a large assignment was the most common change, but the majority (69%) completed the assignment and almost all (95%) included quizzes based on readings. Different choices were not associated with notable differences in achievement: midterm score was the most important predictor of performance on a cumulative final examination.
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Academic Achievement, Evaluation Methods, Grading, Student Satisfaction, Attendance, Assignments, Large Group Instruction, Tests, Scores, Student Evaluation, Student Surveys, Statistical Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A