Test-wrappers
Faculty discussed test questions beforehand, and reviewed answers afterwards.
About
Tests are one of the most traditional educational tools, but with the ongoing concerns about test anxiety, authentic assessment, universal design, fairness, and strategic vs deep learning, anything that can be done to improve them is worthy of consideration. Faculty who use them believe that Test Wrappers allow the test to be converted from a high-stakes assessment to a more formative learning process, and that this deepens the learning in measurable ways. The process of preview-review can be modified considerably, including students co-creating a study guide, submitting their own questions, as well as a variety of ways students can find their mistakes and gain points back post-test. For faculty who feel that tests do not draw out students' best work, but are central to their discipline, Test Wrappers merit serious consideration.
The original study's data and analysis for "Test-wrappers" can be found on this link.
What Faculty Have To Say
Strengths (6)
- Makes the test more of a learning opportunity than a grade opportunity
- Students can learn from the mistakes they made
- Lets students know exactly what they will be tested on
- Good for differently abled students
- Helps guide further teaching/discussion
- Better scores
Weaknesses (3)
- Drives greater focus on tests
- Takes away class learning time
- May encourage students to not study on their own
Pedagogy Usage
Bucknell faculty was asked their best estimate for how often in the semester they used Test-wrappers and the average class time it took.
Average Duration: 31 min (mode=20)
Remote Suggestions
This pre and post-test pedagogical practice can be done in a large class dicussion online, in smaller groups, or asyncronously through a Google Doc with students commenting on the side, but should be relatively easy to replicate.
Resources for Additional Learning
Articles & Books
- Test Review Sessions: A Better Design by Maryellen Weimer: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/test-review-sessions-a-better-design/
- Cognitive Wrappers: Using Metacognition and Reflection to Improve Learning: http://teachingnaked.com/cognitive-wrappers-using-metacognition-and-reflection-to-improve-learning/
Websites
- Carnegie Mellon University's Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation
- Stanford Teaching Commons