Turning Homework on its Head – Deeper Learning by Putting Students in Charge Michael Bieber With help from Erick Sanchez, Ye Xiong, and many others… Information Systems Department College of Computing Sciences New Jersey Institute of Technology March 2014

Outline Motivation CLASS concept - collaborative learning through assessment Interesting issues How could this work in high schools? Looking for high school students to help Looking for collaboration with teachers

Motivation Deeper Learning & Interest in subjects Learning through active engagement –involve students as active participants How? –give students ownership of entire problem life cycle –online system to streamline management

Grade solutions Make up problems Solve problems Learning from doing the CLASS activities Dispute grade

Make up problems Solve problems Grade solutions 1 2 Learning from doing the CLASS activities Dispute grade Inquiry-based Learning Domain Learning Peer Assessment Self Assessment

Make up problems Read - other problems - other solutions - grade justifications - disputes Solve problems Learning from doing the CLASS activities Grade solutions 1 2 learning from reading everything peers write Dispute grade

Make up problems Students can read everything Solve problems Grade solution 1 2 Edit problems Dispute grade Resolve grade disagreement Resolve dispute Students perform Teachers or students perform

Make up problems Students can read everything Solve problems Grade solution 1 2 Edit problems Dispute grade Resolve grade disagreement Resolve dispute Students perform Teachers or students perform Problem Rubric Grading Rubric

Outline Motivation CLASS concept - collaborative learning through assessment Interesting issues How could this work in high schools? Looking for high school students to help Looking for collaboration with teachers

Experiment with Essay Exams Experimental results: –Students felt they learned more –Students enjoyed the exam more –Students recommend it for future classes What students liked best –Active involvement in the (exam) process –Flexibility to use any resources –Reduction in tension

Issues Issues for students –Timing: drawn-out (2.5 weeks) –Learning curve to create problems, grade and dispute –Learning to use rubrics –Anonymity within online system –Trusting peers (good faith effort; good job) Trade-offs for teachers –Fewer solutions to evaluate, but each is different –Fitting into school schedule

Extending Scope Which problem types? –so far: short and long essay questions –what about: multiple choice, short answer, computer programs, semester projects Which activities? –so far: exams, online discussion short essays –what about: quizzes, homeworks, larger projects, in-class projects, other types of exams Which subjects? Team involvement in each CLASS stage

Make up problems Students can read everything Solve problems Grade solution 1 2 Edit problems Dispute grade Resolve grade disagreement Resolve dispute Problem Rubric Grading Rubric CLASS in your school? What would it take?

Invitation Looking for high school students to help test CLASS this summer Looking for collaboration with teachers to try out CLASS and help refine it Michael Bieber web.njit.edu/~bieber