What is it about?
This paper discusses ways that students in introductory courses benefit from and experience daily or frequent low-stakes exams as an alternative to high-stakes midterms or finals. I find that frequent low-stakes exams helped to reduce testing anxiety, increased class attendance, promoted more effective study habits, and allowed me to provide targeted and persistent feedback to students. Students also liked the rhythm and routine of frequent exams.
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Why is it important?
Research suggests that high-stakes exams are not as effective in generating deep learning. Also, many students in introductory courses are unprepared. Frequent testing encourages more effective study habits and in class engagement. It also provides students with more opportunities to identify mistakes and make corrections in their work.
Perspectives
My perspective is that offering frequent low-stakes exams in an introductory course is a highly effective way to identify and assist unprepared and underperforming students. Students also appreciate frequent exams once they learned how to adapt their study habits. I hope this publication promotes more research on useful and effective methods to incorporate frequent testing in the classroom.
Dr Zachary Schrank
Indiana University South Bend
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: An Assessment of Student Perceptions and Responses to Frequent Low-stakes Testing in Introductory Sociology Classes, Teaching Sociology, January 2016, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/0092055x15624745.
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