Unannounced Quizzes Research Articles

Six Realistic Workplace Classroom Interventions for Management Students

Six classroom interventions designed to continuously teach and acclimate our management students about their eventual realistic reward/punishment contingencies and managerial performance expectations can be established using the classroom’s grading system and the class syllabus. Interventions include (1) using points rather than grades for student evaluation; (2) using a rewards and penalty grading system; (3) rewarding strict, on-time attendance; (4) providing a competitive, points display of students; (5) including penalty procedures to handle social loafers in teamwork settings; and (6) using unannounced quizzes for class preparedness. Research propositions about realistic-based classrooms and students taking these classes are presented.

Does the timing of unannounced quizzes influence student behaviour in effort investment and learning output?

The main purpose of this research is to verify whether the timing of unannounced quizzes would influence students' behaviour in effort investment and learning output. Findings suggested that: (1) students' in-class effort was the same whether pop quizzes were held at the beginning or end of the class; while students studied harder outside the classroom in the beginning-of-class pop quiz system than in the end-of-class pop quiz system; (2) students' learning output was slightly better at the beginning of the system; (3) the mixed pop quiz system was better than the other two systems in improving students' efforts and learning outputs; and (4) daily lateness was lower in the beginning-of-class pop quiz system than in the end-of-class pop quiz system. However, early departures were lower in the end-of-class pop quiz system than in the beginning-of-class pop quiz system. A comparison of these three systems indicated that the mixed pop quiz system lowered late class arrivals and early departures.

Does the timing of unannounced quizzes influence student behaviour in effort investment and learning output?

The main purpose of this research is to verify whether the timing of unannounced quizzes would influence students' behaviour in effort investment and learning output. Findings suggested that: (1) students' in-class effort was the same whether pop quizzes were held at the beginning or end of the class; while students studied harder outside the classroom in the beginning-of-class pop quiz system than in the end-of-class pop quiz system; (2) students' learning output was slightly better at the beginning of the system; (3) the mixed pop quiz system was better than the other two systems in improving students' efforts and learning outputs; and (4) daily lateness was lower in the beginning-of-class pop quiz system than in the end-of-class pop quiz system. However, early departures were lower in the end-of-class pop quiz system than in the beginning-of-class pop quiz system. A comparison of these three systems indicated that the mixed pop quiz system lowered late class arrivals and early departures.

Flipping the Biostatistics Classroom, With a Twist

For ecology faculty members not directly involved in pedagogical research, it can be daunting to decide among the many new tools and approaches available to improve teaching and learning. Problem-based learning (Edens 2000), blended learning (Garrison and Kanuka 2004), case-based teaching (Herreid et al. 2011), active learning (Bean 2011), MOOCs (Daniel 2012), and flipping the classroom (Bergmann and Sams 2008, Bergmann and Sams 2012, Fulton 2012, Tucker 2012, Bishop and Verleger 2013, Herreid and Schiller 2013) are just a few of the new methods being evaluated and implemented in educational theory and practice. Flipping the classroom is the process of moving traditional lecture content teaching to videos watched by students outside the class, while simultaneously moving activities such as homework and group projects into the classroom (Bergmann and Sams 2008, 2012). At our university, replacement of traditional introductory biology lectures with recorded “talking head” videos in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s was an abysmal failure, one that damaged the reputation of our department long after the practice was abandoned. How does “flipping the classroom” differ from this? In what context might it make sense to move content delivery outside the classroom, while moving homework and group exercises into the traditional lecture period?

Unannounced Quizzes: A Teaching and Learning Initiative that Enhances Academic Performance and Lecture Attendance in Large Undergraduate Classes

Without a doubt, lecture non-attendance is a growing trend at tertiary institutions. Many academics confront this challenge by implementing different teaching initiatives that encourage lecture attendance. However, lecture attendance does not necessarily mean that learning is taking place. Therefore, the aim of this study was to establish whether the use of unannounced quizzes improves class attendance, the module pass rate and academic performance in a large undergraduate class at a university in South Africa. This is an exploratory study which adopted a mixed method research approach to collect data over a period of two semesters during the 2012 academic year. The three data sources used include observations, a questionnaire survey and the university student data base. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyse data. The findings reveal that the use of unannounced quizzes has merit; significant positive effects were seen in all three areas – class attendance, module pass rate and students’ academic performance. The study contributes to the field of teaching and learning in three ways, by: (1) exploring a teaching and learning initiative that encourages class attendance; (2) responding to a call for new thinking about how universities could increase their throughput ratio; and (3) possibly reviving future debate about how to effectively impact knowledge creation in a large class situation. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n20p1193

Pop Quiz Makeover: Rethinking How and When Unannounced Quizzes Occur to Maximize Their Effectiveness and Increase Student Engagement

Surprise quizzes are useful in higher education for motivating and assessing student preparation, but disliked by students. This session describes the use of random quizzing procedure whereby a chance event set in motion by a student from the class determines whether a quiz is administered. The session will explore why students may both prefer, and benefit more, from the enhanced quiz method, and examples of the technique's effectiveness in the classroom will be provided. Session participants will be shown alternate forms of the procedure that might work in a variety of higher education settings, and data will be presented with theoretical and practical discussions about the effectiveness of the technique.

Can Technology Improve Large Class Learning? The Case of an Upper-Division Business Core Class

Larger classes are often associated with lower student achievement. The author tested the hypothesis that the introduction of personal response systems significantly improves scores in a 250-seat classroom, through the channels of improved attendance and engagement. She focused on how continuous participation with the technology could change learning results. The author found that overall attendance rose when the response system was introduced. Regression results show student exam performance during the semester with technology was improved significantly by I-Clicker points per session rather than attendance, while the reverse holds true regarding unannounced quizzes.

The use of anonymous pop-quizzes (APQs) as a tool to reinforce learning

This paper reports on the use of anonymous pop quizzes (APQs) during stand-alone and multi-session library instruction sessions. APQs were used at the end of a class as a tool to test how well students have understood the material presented to them, to reinforce retention of important points, to increase student engagement through an interactive task, and to assist the instructor in planning and preparing future classes. Pop quizzes are frequently used in the classroom. They are popular with students as they often allow for bonus points [1, 2] and popular with teachers as they encourage student attendance and pre-class preparation [3]. Padilla-Walker has shown that students who performed well on daily extra-credit quizzes did better on final exams [2], while Nevid found that “mastery” quizzes—pop-quizzes given at the beginning and end of a class lecture to indicate key lecture concepts—led to a marked improvement by undergraduate psychology students in terms of retention of key concepts [4]. The research on announced versus unannounced quizzes is contradictory: Some studies indicate students performed better on unannounced quizzes (i.e., pop quizzes) as they encourage attendance in class and the review of materials prior to coming to class [5, 6], while other work found announced quizzes led to improved exam performance and final grades for undergraduate medical students [7]. The few examples of anonymous quizzes in the literature (called ConcepTests or interactive anonymous quizzes) were used in the late-1990s in physics and chemistry classes [8–,10]. However, these examples—which tended to be highly structured, focus on a single question, and involve a great deal of in-class discussion amongst students—are quite different in format from the APQs as used in this study at the University of Saskatchewan. While the literature is scarce on the use of APQs in instruction, overall, the use of pop quizzes in the classroom setting has been shown to identify problem areas that need additional reinforcement [6], encourage class attendance and pre-class preparation [11], and allow students to preview sample test questions [11, 12]. It was with these potential benefits in mind that the use of APQs was implemented in library instruction in a health sciences library.

The Effects Of Unannounced Quizzes On Student Performance: Further Evidence

This study explores the impact of unannounced quizzes on students performance on Quantitative Analysis examinations by comparing course sections with unannounced quizzes to sections with announced quizzes. The difference in academic performance between students with unannounced quizzes and students with announced quizzes was examined in this study. Test scores for the first and second semesters were compared between the students with unannounced quizzes and students with announced quizzes. A significant difference was found in academic performance between the group with unannounced quizzes and group with announced quizzes. The group with unannounced quizzes showed better performance than the control group with announced quizzes. Therefore, this study demonstrates that an unannounced quiz is more effective than announced quiz in Quantitative Analysis Performance.

A Delicate Balance: Integrating Active Learning into a Large Lecture Course

A lecture section of introductory biology that historically enrolled more than 500 students was split into two smaller sections of approximately 250 students each. A traditional lecture format was followed in the "traditional" section; lecture time in the "active" section was drastically reduced in favor of a variety of in-class student-centered activities. Students in both sections took unannounced quizzes and multiple-choice exams. Evaluation consisted of comparisons of student survey responses, scores on standardized teaching evaluation forms, section averages and attendance, and open-ended student comments on end-of-term surveys. Results demonstrate that students perform as well, if not better, in an active versus traditional environment. However, student concerns about instructor expectations indicate that a judicious balance of student-centered activities and presentation-style instruction may be the best approach.

Unannounced quizzes improve performance on Neuroanatomy course

Unannounced quizzes improve performance on Neuroanatomy course

Promoting Learning in a Health Care Systems Course by Multiple Teaching Methods Including Internet-Based Quizzes

Objectives. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of WebCT internet-based quizzes and other teaching methods on learning in a health systems course for first-professional year pharmacy students. Design. The course used formal lectures with class note handouts, guest speakers, videotape presentations from the American Medical Association, unannounced quizzes, a patient visit, and practice quizzes using WebCT. Content analysis was used to assess student comments to questions about the course. Assessment. The number of WebCT quizzes completed positively correlated with examination scores. Students' comments indicated the guest speakers and the WebCT quizzes were the most positive aspects of the course. Conclusion. Interactive-learning techniques, such as WebCT quizzes, can improve student performance in a health care systems course.

Unannounced Quizzes Raise Test Scores Selectively for Mid-Range Students

To test the idea that unannounced quizzes improved performance on later hour exams, I collected test scores from 4 classes over 2 semesters. I compared course segments with quizzes to segments without quizzes in a counterbalanced design. Test scores following quizzes averaged half a letter grade higher than scores from segments without quizzes. Mid-range students benefitted the most, with C students gaining 84% of a letter grade. Attitude surveys revealed a high level of student acceptance for the quizzes.

Nitrogen Cycle Ninja, A Teaching Exercise

Long-term student retention and understanding of information is the goal of virtually all teachers/instructors/professors. One exercise was evaluated for its effectiveness to improve student retention of the nitrogen (N) cycle. This was conducted within a 3-h course entitled Soil–Plant Relationships that had a mix of M.S. and Ph.D. students. The N cycle was thoroughly discussed in class and students had prior knowledge that this information could be requested on unannounced quizzes. One week after this was discussed, an unannounced quiz was given and students were asked to provide a complete graphic N cycle. Prior to handing out the quiz, they were informed that proper completion of this material would qualify them as a Nitrogen Cycle Ninja (def: 1: individual with constant awareness and understanding of N dynamics, 2: warrior, perpetually ready for battle, and pursuing truth of all concepts as they relate to N in soil–plant systems) and they would receive a card that authenticated that achievement. Also, once this information was adequately learned, they could use their card (which had a miniature N cycle and list of all components) on all subsequent exams. Non Ninja card holders would not benefit from this privilege. Ninja status could only be achieved on unannounced quizzes, a sign of constant awareness and understanding of N dynamics. On the first quiz, only two students received their Ninja card. By the second pop quiz on the N cycle (given 14 d later), 16 of 17 students were certified Nitrogen Cycle Ninjas. An anonymous postclass student survey found that most students were pleased with the exercise. Three months after the final exam, 11 students were given impromptu visits and asked to provide the complete graphic N cycle, in addition to all components discussed in class. Six of the 11 students that were retested would have retained their Ninja cards. Students commented that similar approaches could be used for other subject materials. Also, most students noted that the exercise was fun, which increased their motivation to learn.

A Course in Modern German Civilization: from 1871 to the Present

In the fall of 1976, I introduced a one-semester course on modern civilization at St. Bonaventure University. The course was given in response to a need expressed by our majors, including those who planned to enter a non-teaching career. I decided to give the course totally in English, in order to attract also students interested in fulfilling their general education requirements. The course meets twice a week for seventy-five minutes per session. Both lecture and discussion, as well as slides, pre-recorded cassettes, films, phonograph recordings and photographs are used to present the content of the course. Course requirements consist of textbook and fairly extensive outside readings, at least four unannounced quizzes on the material covered in the previous class, and mid-term and final examinations. An optional research paper for extra credit is also permitted. In the case of the mid-term and final exams, I distribute a list of essayand identification-type questions well in advance of the test date. This practice has proved extremely beneficial in motivating the students to study, as they are explicitly told that all the exam material will be drawn from these questions. Distributing the study questions offers the further advantage of helping the student to focus on the key issues of the course instead of becoming bogged down in insignificant details. From the outset, I have attempted to make the course interdisciplinary in nature, dealing not only with political, social, and economic issues, but also with such topics as life-styles, literary and other artistic achievements, and a contrastive analysis of and American cultural values. I was encouraged in this approach after reading Eberhard Reichmann's thoughtful article entitled German Culture Studies: Pedagogical Considerations. Briefly, Reichmann states that culture studies should include the following three subject areas: 1) the private sphere of the individual and its groups and affinities, 2) the public sphere of society and nation, and 3) the intellectual and aesthetic spheres.1 I begin the course by asking the students about their images of Germany and of Germans. We discuss the popular sources of this information and I follow up their remarks with comments about stereo-