While grading papers or exams, have you ever wondered whether your detailed comments are read and absorbed by students? Have you worked with students who seem unable to assess their own knowledge level and study strategies? Research on metacognition repeatedly shows that students who perform in the bottom quartile overestimate their knowledge and performance level. As teachers, we face the challenge of not only helping students learn specific material, but also helping them learn how to learn in general.
The Committee on Teaching Development (CTD) found two resources—exam/paper wrappers and knowledge surveys—that might bolster your work with students (and get them to read those detailed comments!). Please let the CTD know if you have questions and/or would like more information about these or other resources.
Exam & Paper Wrappers
The idea of a "wrapper" is to engage students more actively with their graded exam, assignment, or paper. Exam and assignment wrappers are nicely summarized at the Carnegie Mellon website:
http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/teach/examwrappers/index.html
An example of a paper wrapper (by Karl Wirth, Macalester):
Paper Wrapper Wirth (Word)
An example of a paper pre-wrapper (by Julie Haurykiewicz, Lawrence):
Pre-Wrapper Haurykiewicz (Word)
Knowledge Surveys
Knowledge surveys ask students not to answer specific questions but rather to express the level of their ability to answer a question. For example, 1) I definitely know the answer; 2) I could find the answer in a few minutes; 3) I have no idea where to begin.
Knowledge surveys allow students to answer many questions in a short time and can help teachers gauge initial student knowledge. They can also provide a means for students to monitor their own learning. Knowledge surveys can be easily administered in Moodle via its "Feedback" activity (watch for a Moodle workshop announcement during winter break).
More on knowledge surveys can be found at the Carleton website:
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/assess/knowledgesurvey/index.html
Sincerely,
The Committee on Teaching Development
Joy Jordan, Chairperson
David Berk
Dominica Chang
Julie Haurykiewicz
Terry Gottfried
Tony Padilla
Nancy Wall
