reflective learning: how getting students education to

Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC 2019)18 Nov 2019

REFLECTIVE LEARNING: HOW GETTING STUDENTS TO SPOT MISTAKES ENHANCES LEARNING

DARREN CHIAN SIAU CHENDEPT OF CIVIL AND ENV ENGINEERING

FACULT Y OF ENGINEERING

Conventional education systems focus on teaching rather than learning.

Amount of materials taught does not equate toamount of learning acquired by students.

Memorising of course materials mistaken for learning.

Assessment of students often through rigid, standardised and closed-ended questions.

Leads to students focusing on the methodology of solving questions, rather than understanding.

BACKGROUND

GRADED ASSIGNMENT –CONVENTIONAL APPROACH

Description: Question given, student told to solve it

Limitations: Boring, no innovation in learning/assessment

Student resort to finding similar tutorial questions and refer to the answers for clue

Student graded based on complete is the student’s attempt

Student cannot learn from common mistakes until assignment has been marked; too late

GRADED ASSIGNMENT –CONVENTIONAL APPROACH

Suggestion: Student can identify and learn to avoid common mistakes

Interesting and innovative learning approach

Style of question has to be unique and distinct from tutorial questions

Lecturer able to grade students also based on their understanding of concepts

GRADED ASSIGNMENT –CONVENTIONAL APPROACH

“People are quick to judge others faults but never quick to point out their own.” Anonymous

GRADED ASSIGNMENT –ALTERNATIVE APPROACH

Considerations (what to take note): Question and hidden mistakes must test concept of

subject matter

Lecturer to select appropriate examples

A reference point/basis for comparison 1 alternative, 1 conventional

How to read students’ thoughts on the alternative style assignment Anonymous survey form (students not required to

indicate name/id)

SETTING UP THE ALTERNATIVE GRADED ASSIGNMENT

Measureable (how to measure): Students understanding of concept can be quantified Marking scheme (higher makes for more serious mistakes)

Pitfalls (what could have gone wrong): Students unclear about requirements of assignment Convey in lecture, invite students to ask questions, indicate

what is expected

Cultural shock To be assessed

Students learn mistakes assuming they are correct To be assessed

SETTING UP THE ALTERNATIVE GRADED ASSIGNMENT

CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS –CONVENTIONAL ASSIGNMENT

CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS –ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENT

CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS –ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENT

CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS –ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENT

CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS –ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENT

Marking scheme

CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS –ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENT

Marking scheme

CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS –ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENT

Marking scheme

CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS –SURVEY FORM

(Alternative style) (Conventional style)

CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS –SURVEY FORM

(Alternative style) (Conventional style)

CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS –SURVEY FORM

CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS –SURVEY FORM

Degree of Liking

SURVEY RESPONSES

AlternativeStyle

V Positive

Positive

Neutral

Negative V Negative

V Positive

PositiveNeutral

Negative

V Negative

ConventionalStyle

SURVEY RESPONSES

69%

31%

61%

39%

53%47%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Alternative Assignment Conventional Assignment

Which style interest you more?

Which style enhances your learning better?

Which style enhances your thinking ability better?

Learning Experience (Group X)

SURVEY RESPONSES

110 Responses

24%

48%

23%

2% 3%

Much More A Litte More Neutral A Little Less Much Less

Much More

A Little More

Neutral

A Little Less

Much Less

Confidence doing better than the provided workings?

SURVEY RESPONSES

I t g ives a head star t to so lve the quest ion; some kind of reference Prov ide a f ramework for organis ing answers Given answer can act l ike a h int or reminder Safe ass ignment ; no need to th ink too much Helps to quest ion me concepts and equat ions I can get an idea of what to do Ver y creat ive ; a l ternat ive way of th inking; Innovat ive way of doing homework; New

and interest ing sty le of ass ignment ; Di f ferent approach as compared to other ass ignments

Picking up others ’ er rors is fun Help avoid the same mistakes Easy Ident i fy ing and solv ing f rom a d i f ferent perspect ive Learning about common mistakes and correct ing them Spott ing mistakes is an ef fect ive way to learn We can feel l ike a teacher, interest ing sty le Helps me understand some pr inc ip les better by correct ing mistakes Al low us to th ink f rom marker ’s point of v iew I can have more conf ident to do the ass ignment when there is a suggested working

prov ided I t tests on the fundamental concept , instead of how much you know about your notes

What do you like best about the alternative assignment?

SURVEY RESPONSES

Quite d i f f icu l t May be unable to spot the mistakes, re inforce wrong concepts The working g iven are mis leading, make me doubt whether my understanding is

wrong Unnecessar y t ime is spent on spott ing the mistakes I don’ t know how to comment on other people ’s work Not sure where to refer to lecture notes Didn’ t g ive me a chance to do anything Sometimes cannot understand the g iven answer Didn’ t get through the th inking of the work prev iously done The inst ruct ion could be c learer More work Unsure i f our marking is correct Not fami l iar wi th th is s ty le I t can be too easy i f the sample answer is not craf ted carefu l ly Can be qui te confus ing i f the concept is not so l id enough You don’ t have to th ink as much I don’ t know i f I managed to detect ever y mistakes in the student ’s working Some mistakes are qui te s i l l y but I s t i l l have to correct them Solut ion is sor t of exposed, so approach has cer ta in r ig id i ty Concepts must be st rong

What do you dislike most about the alternative assignment?

SURVEY RESPONSES

109 Responses32%

55%

9%

3% 1%

A B C D E

C

A

B

DE

Expected Grade

GRADES OBTAINED

Students fare better in Assignment BMore accustomed style?

Students misunderstood question?

5%

76%

25%

7%

28%

8%

23%

1%

9%3%

10%5%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Alternative Assignment Conventional Assignment

A B C D E F

AlternativeAssignment

ConventionalAssignment

29%34%

23%

4% 5% 5%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Grade (Actual)

A B C D E F

Expected A ≈ Actual A

Expected B ≈ Actual B + C

Students overestimating their grade performance

SURVEY VS ACTUAL GRADES

ACTUALGRADES

32%

55%

9%3% 1% 0%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Grade (Expected)

A B C D E F

EXPECTED GRADES(SURVEY)

Findings:Students prefer Alternative Assignment style

Interests them more, enhances learning and thinking

More V Positive and Positive responses for liking

Majority of students feel they can do better than their seniors

Higher confidence

Many students overestimated their grade performance

FINDINGS

Objectives met??? Impart knowledge, create interest New learning approach

Graduating students should be confident in subject area and looking forward to apply their knowledge in their career Confidence in identifying mistakes of peers

LINKING BACK TO TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Teaching aimed to ensure students understand and follow the contents covered Lecturer would be able to assess students’ understanding

of concept in another perspective

Incorporate ways to enhance subject retention and deep impression of what has been taught Learning from other people’s mistakes

Connect to students and pinpoint key pitfalls of learning Common errors of past students identified

LINKING BACK TO TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

THANK YOU

SC.CHIAN@NUS.EDU.SG