Impact on Learning: Feedback in On-line Assignments

1
Impact on Learning Feedback in On-line
Assignments

• Improving calculus-based introductory physics at
  Iowa State
• Phys 221 and 222, enrollment 400-650 Fall and
  Spring Semester
• Online assignments vs paper assignments
• Feedback in online assignments
• Impact on student learning

Craig Ogilvie, Department of Physics and Astronomy
2
Assignments/Problem Sets in Physics Courses

• Weekly, six to eight problems, each problem ½
  page algebra
• typically 10-15 of final grade
• Hand-written solutions handed in to TA
• usually before or after weekly recitation session
  with TA
• TA grades 50 problem sets per week, up to 400
  questions
• perfunctory, partial grading,
• little or no feedback to student a week later
• record-keeping error prone

3
Possible Benefits of Online Assignments

• Feedback to each student
• faster
• specific to mistakes that the student made
• studies on written feedback have shown both are
  important
• Reduction of grading load on TAs
• TA time can be used in more effective ways
• Long-term potential
• tailoring of assignments to student skill profile
  

4
Assignments

• Typical end-of-chapter problems
• students would print these out and work offline
• up to 10 multiple choice options
• Feedback given immediately student submitted work
• number questions right
• full solutions
• specific advice if they got a wrong answer
• Growing pool of questions
• students would randomly receive different
  problems

5
Impact of Timeliness of Feedback

• Randomly split students into two groups for one
  assignment
• group A received immediate feedback on problem
  set
• group B received feedback after due date of
  problem set
• typically one to two days later
• Any difference in learning the physics of this
  assignment ?
• scores on standard magnetism diagnostic
• I did not study
• online vs paper assignments
• others have found small difference, Mestre et al.
• feedback vs no feedback

6
Average Gains vs Timing of Feedback

• Group A received immediate feedback on assignment
• Group B received feedback delayed by 1-2 days
• Post-instruction diagnostic 10 days after
  assignment
• Gain measured for related questions

t-test, n 100, p0.12 likely difference in
ltpostgt students immediate feedback learned more,
5 higher gain
7
Next Steps

• Include help/advice/hints for each question
• links to textbook resources
• video clips of similar worked problems
• Figure out how to develop a skill profile
• for each question rank skills needed
• e.g. calculus, trig., problem set up
• use this to update students profile in these
  areas
• tool for students to assess where they need
  improvement