Background | Implementation | Student Performance | Reflections | Comments

Student Performance

So far I have been witnessing great results. About 98% of my students read all the assigned chapters and master on-line reading questions before they come to each class. EDU enables me to use class time more effectively and students are able to reach a higher level of learning. I’ve noticed that class discussions and exercises are of higher quality and more effective, due to the fact that students are better prepared than before I started using the on-line reading consideration questions through EDU.

Because my EDU assignments are open-book, I find that definitional questions which can be directly picked from textbooks are easier for students to answer than questions that ask for applications. Examples of questions on the EDU system and reports students receive are provided.  It is interesting to note that, because these questions are available on-line for multiple trials, many students use the on-line questions to prepare for exams. However, questions from the EDU system are not on the exams; questions are from class discussions that are more advanced than the reading consideration questions. Because of using EDU, I’ve been able to ask questions that require a higher level of understanding and require analyzing a situation and applying a concept to a case (see example exam questions). Students are able to answer these types of questions because we are now able to spend class time discussing and analyzing short cases rather than simply covering basic concepts.

Even though I asked more advanced questions and covered more advanced materials after EDU, exam grades stayed about the same. On average, on a 100-point exam, student grades actually improved slightly (about three or four points). Of course, there are many other factors (e.g., the redesign of other aspects of my class sections) other than the use of on-line questions that may have also contributed to student exam grades.

Finally, I find that students enjoy using the EDU system. In my anonymous mid-semester and end-of semester feedback forms, many students have commented, in particular, on the usefulness of the on-line reading questions in helping their learning outside of class.

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