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Using Mobile Devices in Teaching Large University Classes: How Does It Affect Exam Success?

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to examine the role of mobile-based student response systems in teaching to improve university students' academic outcomes. Mobile devices can be useful tools for conveying content to large classes, with a potential impact on academic outcomes. This study involved a total of 294 undergraduates taking a psychology course. The course involved lessons in the classroom, which included answering quizzes (quiz activities) and activities such as preparing reports and laboratory experiences (out-of-class activities). Quizzes were administered using a mobile technology system. Data were collected on the motivational beliefs (theory of intelligence) and self-regulated learning strategies of students who voluntarily completed the online questionnaires. The results of the linear models showed that using the quizzes positively affected the performance in the final exams (involving closed and open questions). The same was true for the out-of-class activities. The motivation and strategy scores correlated moderately with out-of-class activities, but not with quiz activities. These results offer insight on the use of technology during lessons and other course-related activities to promote academic achievement.

SUBMITTER: Feraco T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7338752 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Using Mobile Devices in Teaching Large University Classes: How Does It Affect Exam Success?

Feraco Tommaso T Casali Nicole N Tortora Carla C Dal Bon Cecilia C Accarrino Donatella D Meneghetti Chiara C

Frontiers in psychology 20200630

The aim of this study was to examine the role of mobile-based student response systems in teaching to improve university students' academic outcomes. Mobile devices can be useful tools for conveying content to large classes, with a potential impact on academic outcomes. This study involved a total of 294 undergraduates taking a psychology course. The course involved lessons in the classroom, which included answering quizzes (quiz activities) and activities such as preparing reports and laborator ...[more]

PMID: 32695048

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Project description:BACKGROUND:The massification of higher education is often associated with poor student engagement, poor development of their critical thinking, inadequate feedback and poor student throughput. These factors necessitate the need to devise novel, innovative methods to teach, assess and provide feedback to learners to counter the restrictions imposed due to the large class learning environments. This study was conducted to ascertain the perceptions of 1st year medical students and staff at the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine regarding the value of poster presentations as a strategy to enhance learning, assessment and feedback. METHODS:This was an exploratory observational, descriptive cross-sectional, case study. Data was collected through separate student and staff questionnaires that required participant responses on a five-point Likert scale. The data was extracted into Excel spreadsheets for quantitative analysis. RESULTS:Two-hundred- and-thirty (92%) student questionnaires were returned (N = 250). Most students indicated that the design and presentation of the poster had helped them to select important material (92%), understand and describe disadvantage (86%) and to make a difference in the community (92%). The students agreed that the poster assessment was an efficient (81%) and fair method (75%) that provided opportunities for meaningful feedback. Ten staff members responded to the questionnaire. Most staff members (90%) indicated that the poster presentation had allowed students to demonstrate their engagement in a meaningful and appropriate way around issues of disadvantage and HIV and agreed that the poster presentations allowed for immediate and effective feedback. CONCLUSION:Students' interactions in the tasks promoted active engagement with others and course material; the development of higher order thinking and skills which added to students' accounts of transformative learning experiences. They could describe and illustrate the difference that they had made in their chosen community. The poster presentations allowed for quick and efficient marking, immediate feedback and an opportunity to validate the students' participation. Poster presentations offered an innovative way to encourage deep meaningful engagement and learning amongst peers and facilitators. Poster presentations should be more widely considered as an innovative way of encouraging deeper engagement and learning in a large class setting.

Project description:Evidence-based teaching practices are associated with improved student academic performance. However, these practices encompass a wide range of activities and determining which type, intensity or duration of activity is effective at improving student exam performance has been elusive. To address this shortcoming, we used a previously validated classroom observation tool, Practical Observation Rubric to Assess Active Learning (PORTAAL) to measure the presence, intensity, and duration of evidence-based teaching practices in a retrospective study of upper and lower division biology courses. We determined the cognitive challenge of exams by categorizing all exam questions obtained from the courses using Bloom's Taxonomy of Cognitive Domains. We used structural equation modeling to correlate the PORTAAL practices with exam performance while controlling for cognitive challenge of exams, students' GPA at start of the term, and students' demographic factors. Small group activities, randomly calling on students or groups to answer questions, explaining alternative answers, and total time students were thinking, working with others or answering questions had positive correlations with exam performance. On exams at higher Bloom's levels, students explaining the reasoning underlying their answers, students working alone, and receiving positive feedback from the instructor also correlated with increased exam performance. Our study is the first to demonstrate a correlation between the intensity or duration of evidence-based PORTAAL practices and student exam performance while controlling for Bloom's level of exams, as well as looking more specifically at which practices correlate with performance on exams at low and high Bloom's levels. This level of detail will provide valuable insights for faculty as they prioritize changes to their teaching. As we found that multiple PORTAAL practices had a positive association with exam performance, it may be encouraging for instructors to realize that there are many ways to benefit students' learning by incorporating these evidence-based teaching practices.

Project description:BackgroundOptimising breastfeeding rates is a public health priority. Studies have shown that all forms of extra breastfeeding support increase breastfeeding rates, including support provided by trained health professionals. International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) are trained healthcare professionals in the clinical management of breastfeeding and human lactation. The IBCLC certification is a sought-after credential and can only be obtained after passing the exam administered by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE). In Slovenia and Croatia, the IBLCE exam has been offered since 2006 and 2009, respectively. In this study, our aim was to 1) determine which candidate characteristics are associated with a passing grade on the IBLCE exam; and 2) analyse differences between candidates from Slovenia and Croatia, given Slovenians' higher achievements in the past.MethodsIn February, 2017, a 4-page, 36-question survey was sent via Survey Monkey to the available email addresses of all past IBLCE exam candidates in Croatia and Slovenia. Questions covered sociodemographic data, breastfeeding education, exam preparation, motivation and experience taking the IBLCE exam.ResultsNinety-two participants completed the online survey: 36 from Croatia and 55 from Slovenia, giving a response of 47 and 52%, respectively. No significant difference was found in pass rates between the two countries, despite Slovenians being younger and spending more time observing normal breastfeeding dyads. Variables found to be significantly more common among respondents who passed the IBLCE exam included: attending breastfeeding conferences/symposiums, using a breastfeeding atlas and studying with others. Statistical predictors of IBLCE exam success were: number of hours of bedside teaching, perceived clarity of photographs and breastfeeding conference/symposium attendance. Respondents who reported that they had attended a breastfeeding conference/symposium, had less hours of bedside teaching and perceived exam photographs as completely clear, were 7.49 (95% CI 2.26, 24.84), 0.48 (95% CI 0.28, 0.82), and 3.49 (95% CI 1.17, 10.41) times more likely to pass the exam, respectively.ConclusionBreastfeeding conference attendance, less bedside teaching and perceived clarity of exam photographs may be predictors of IBLCE exam success. Further studies on larger samples of exam candidates are required to confirm our findings and determine other factors associated with passing the IBLCE exam.

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Using Mobile Devices in Teaching Large University Classes: How Does It Affect Exam Success?

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Using Mobile Devices in Teaching Large University Classes: How Does It Affect Exam Success?

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