Adventures in Assessment: Using clickers as tools for formative and summative assessment Ron Buckmire Occidental College Los Angeles, CA
Ron Buckmire"Teaching Undergraduates Mathematics" (MSRI, May 11-13, 2009) 2 Outline Goals of this talk Definitions Formative Assessment Summative Assessment Examples of using clickers for formative and summative assessment from my teaching Clicker demonstration Resources and Sources
Ron Buckmire"Teaching Undergraduates Mathematics" (MSRI, May 11-13, 2009) 3 Educational Objectives (of this talk) 1. To inform and demonstrate that personal response devices (clickers) can be used to increase student engagement 2. To inform and demonstrate that clickers can be used as tools for formative (and summative) assessment 3. To present different examples of assessments
Ron Buckmire"Teaching Undergraduates Mathematics" (MSRI, May 11-13, 2009) 4 Definitions Formative Assessment: Assessment of student learning during an interval of instruction in which student(s) and instructor(s) get feedback about student progress before instruction is completed in order to inform the teaching/learning process. “Assessment for learning” (Wikipedia) Summative Assessment Assessment of student learning after an interval of instruction that summarizes the amount and quality of student learning achieved during the interval, measured relative to articulated educational objectives. “Assessment of learning” (Wikipedia)
Ron Buckmire"Teaching Undergraduates Mathematics" (MSRI, May 11-13, 2009) 5 Using Clickers (Classroom Voting) Ask a (multiple choice) question Allow the students some time to think about their answers and vote on their responses Show the distribution of responses (Unless overwhelming agreement on correct answer) have students discuss their responses with nearest neighbor(s) Vote again
Ron Buckmire"Teaching Undergraduates Mathematics" (MSRI, May 11-13, 2009) 6 Example 0: Calculus 1 (Fall 2007) Class 11: Question 1 At some point in time, you were exactly three feet tall. A. True B. False
Ron Buckmire"Teaching Undergraduates Mathematics" (MSRI, May 11-13, 2009) 7 Example 1: Calculus 1 (Fall 2007) Class 19: Question 1
Ron Buckmire"Teaching Undergraduates Mathematics" (MSRI, May 11-13, 2009) 8 Example 2: Calculus 1 (Fall 2007) Quiz 1 Was… 1. Too Easy 2. Easy 3. Hard 4. Too Hard
Ron Buckmire"Teaching Undergraduates Mathematics" (MSRI, May 11-13, 2009) 9 Example 3: Calculus 1 (Fall 2007) Student Responses To Exam 2 Self- Assessment
Ron Buckmire"Teaching Undergraduates Mathematics" (MSRI, May 11-13, 2009) 10 Example 4: Linear Algebra (Spring 2008) Class 25: Question 5 1. TRUE. 2. FALSE. There are multiple bases for R 2 so there must be multiple orthogonal bases for R 2. All you need to do is pick two vectors that are not scalar multiples of each other, are orthogonal and then normalize them to produce multiple orthonormal bases in R 2. Here are some more
Ron Buckmire"Teaching Undergraduates Mathematics" (MSRI, May 11-13, 2009) 11 Clicker Demonstration: #1 A final exam is an example of A. Formative assessment B. Summative assessment C. Neither formative or summative assessment D. Both formative and summative assessment E. I’m still uncertain on the meanings of the terms.
Ron Buckmire"Teaching Undergraduates Mathematics" (MSRI, May 11-13, 2009) 12 Clicker Demonstration: #2 After this talk I think clickers can be used for A. Formative assessment B. Summative assessment C. Neither formative or summative assessment D. Both formative and summative assessment E. I’m still uncertain on the meanings of the terms or think clickers are useless
Ron Buckmire"Teaching Undergraduates Mathematics" (MSRI, May 11-13, 2009) 13 Sources and Resources Project MathQUEST (Math Questions to Engage Students) Derrick Bruff’s Teaching With Classroom Response Systems Cornell’s GoodQuestions Project html html Ron Buckmire’s Courses I Teach website
Ron Buckmire"Teaching Undergraduates Mathematics" (MSRI, May 11-13, 2009) 14 Thank You Don Goldberg, Dean of Mathematical Sciences, El Camino College William McCallum, University of Arizona Mathematical Science Research Institute Taxpayers Like You