Impact of Performance Level and Group Composition on Student Learning during Collaborative Exams

Collaborative exams have shown promise for improving student learning in computing. Prior studies have focused on benefits for all students, whereas this study seeks to refine our understanding of which students benefit and how group composition impacts that benefit. Using a crossover experimental design, the study first investigates whether students from differing performance levels (low, medium, or high) benefit from the collaborative exam. We find that students in the middle of the class (neither high nor low performers) tend to benefit strongly from the collaborative exam. Second, we explore whether group composition based on performance levels impacts the performance of members of the group. The results suggest more homogeneous groups (i.e., students in the group are at similar performance levels) are beneficial whereas students in groups with high heterogeneity do not experience significant performance differences between the pre-test and post-test.

[1]  Bridgette Clarkston,et al.  Collaborative Testing: Evidence of Learning in a Controlled In-Class Study of Undergraduate Students , 2013 .

[2]  David Boud,et al.  Reframing assessment as if learning were important , 2007 .

[3]  B. Nijstad,et al.  Creativity and group innovation , 2002 .

[4]  Beth Simon,et al.  Peer instruction: do students really learn from peer discussion in computing? , 2011, ICER.

[5]  D. Boud,et al.  Rethinking assessment in higher education : learning for the longer term , 2007 .

[6]  Arthur I. Gates,et al.  Recitation As a Factor in Memorizing , 1917 .

[7]  R. Davis,et al.  Two-Stage Exams Improve Student Learning in an Introductory Geology Course: Logistics, Attendance, and Grades , 2015 .

[8]  Narasimhaiah Gorla,et al.  Who should work with whom?: building effective software project teams , 2004, CACM.

[9]  Mason A. Carpenter,et al.  The Implications of Strategy and Social Context for the Relationship Between Top , 2002 .

[10]  Murray R. Barrick,et al.  Relating member ability and personality to work-team processes and team effectiveness. , 1998 .

[11]  Benjamin Yu,et al.  Turning exams into a learning experience , 2010, SIGCSE.

[12]  M. McDaniel,et al.  Test-enhanced learning in the classroom: long-term improvements from quizzing. , 2011, Journal of experimental psychology. Applied.

[13]  J. Zipp,et al.  Learning by Exams: The Impact of Two-Stage Cooperative Tests , 2007 .

[14]  L. Sproull,et al.  Coordinating Expertise in Software Development Teams , 2000 .

[15]  Hayley Leight,et al.  Collaborative Testing Improves Performance but Not Content Retention in a Large-Enrollment Introductory Biology Class , 2012, CBE life sciences education.

[16]  Peter M. Ostafichuk,et al.  SUCCESSES WITH TWO-STAGE EXAMS IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING , 2015 .

[17]  G. Brosvic,et al.  Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique Promotes Learning and Corrects Inaccurate first Responses , 2002 .

[18]  M. West.  Sparkling Fountains or Stagnant Ponds: An Integrative Model of Creativity and Innovation Implementation in Work Groups , 2002 .

[19]  Matthew W. Ohland,et al.  Design and Validation of a Web-Based System for Assigning Members to Teams Using Instructor-Specified Criteria , 2010 .

[20]  Laurie A. Williams,et al.  On understanding compatibility of student pair programmers , 2004, SIGCSE '04.

[21]  Young-Jin Lee,et al.  Group-Examination Improves Learning for Low-Achieving Students , 2011 .

[22]  R. Yuretich,et al.  Active-Learning Methods to Improve Student Performance and Scientific Interest in a Large Introductory Oceanography Course , 2001 .

[23]  S. DiCarlo,et al.  Student retention of course content is improved by collaborative-group testing. , 2003, Advances in physiology education.

[24]  Georg W. Rieger,et al.  Examinations That Support Collaborative Learning: The Students' Perspective , 2014 .

[25]  Örjan Dahlström.  Learning during a collaborative final exam , 2012 .

[26]  Jeffrey D. Karpicke,et al.  The Power of Testing Memory Basic Research and Implications for Educational Practice , 2006 .

[27]  J. Biggs.  Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment , 1996 .

[28]  S. Stearns.  Collaborative Exams as Learning Tools , 1996 .

[29]  Yingjun Cao,et al.  Evaluating Student Learning from Collaborative Group Tests in Introductory Computing , 2017, SIGCSE.