Take home quizzes
I teach Math at a technical college. I used to give in-class quizzes that covered the material that we had learned that day. I found that many students struggled with this. I changed my format and started giving take-home quizzes to do over the weekend. I like the fact that they have PLENTY of time to do the quiz. My students like this a lot more but there are some problems;
1. I don't know if each student is doing their own work.
2. If someone doesn't do it then I'm not able to go over it in class.
I've thought about giving the quiz at the beginning of class when they come back from the weekend but again there is that issue of "time" that scare a lot of students, like if I give them 10 min to complete the quiz. Any suggestions?
Hi Chavelle-Thanks for your post to the forum. I agree with your response that take home quizzes can be useful, especially if the students understand that there will be a comprehensive in-class final. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Hi Carol- Thanks for your post to the forum. Your observations are the same as mine. The final in class is a big determinant of their final grade. I also emphasize throughout the course that they will be taking a comprehensive in-class final exam. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Hi Eli and Susan. I too, like the idea of take home quizzes for all the reasons you mentioned Eli. I fought the idea for a long time because I wasn't sure how much help they were getting. I teach HS English and decided that IF they got help they are still (hopefully) learning. I agree with Susan that a in class final or unit test offers each student an opportunity to put all of their learning together. I have come to like this practice even more because it puts the responsibilty back on the students. Yes, there are those that will get help and think they're getting something over on us, but for the most part the students realize that it's up to them. The only person they're hurting is themselves. I've checked the grading and really it flushes out that they get the grade they deserve. If they do get help....the exam grade pulls the grade down to represent what they've learned.
I understand what Dale John is saying about being worried students will just find the answers and just copy the book, but, the students still have to read or skim through things to find it, and I think that is just part of being a visual learner, they still HAVE TO FIND IT, READ IT, WRITE IT, etc. I think take home quizzes are great and the fact that their test or final is in class I think will make the student realize they really need to study.
Hi Dale - Thanks for your post to the forum. You made an excellent suggestions regarding using the takr home tests to assess higher oder thinking
(perhaps using essays), rather than just memorization of material. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I'm concerned that take home quiz or tests enable the student to find an answer and just copy the book. The style of the questions when taken at home would need to be that of contemplative. Multiple choice questions which require the student to know the correct answer should be done in school--then the correct answers should be covered in class and then the why's to what made the other choices incorrect. Retention then is backed with reasons.
Im all for students taking their quizzes and test on their own time, this can be done on the student portal for each school and time limit can be set as well. I find students like this better than the presure of taking them during class.
Hi Eli - Thanks for your post to the forum. The answer to question # 2 would be to have a different version of the test available for anyone that missed the first version. As for your first question, I would probably have the quizzes be take home but a mid-term and final be in class, making sure that the students understand that if they do not do their own work at home they will be unable to pass the in class tests which should have a much heavier point value.
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
