Three Strategies to Improve Student Learning Bill Cerbin CATL Tools for Teaching Workshop June 9, 2011 Three Strategies to Improve Learning 1.  Retrieval PracCce—students try to recall what they learned 2.  Reducing Test Anxiety—students write about their test worries 3.  Worked Examples—students study worked out examples of problems What Goes On In People’s Minds When They Learn? Retrieval Prac@ce-­‐-­‐Taking a Test Can Improve Students’ Learning Guidelines for Implemen@ng •  Retrieval Prac1ce = recalling what you already learned—
not re-­‐studying what you learned and not studying tests. •  Effect is strongest with short answer tests, weaker with mulCple choice. And students get feedback. •  Might have to convince students to exert effort. They believe retrieval pracCce is not as effecCve as addiConal studying or other study methods. •  When to use? Overuse may dilute student effort; self tesCng; before class, end of class Reducing Test Anxiety High Anxiety Lower Test Scores Cogni@ve text anxiety group differences on course examina@ons. 60 55 50 45 40 Test 1 Test 2 Low Anxiety Average Anxiety Test 3 High Anxiety Source: Cassidy, J.C. & Johnson, R. E. (2002). CogniCve test anxiety and academic performance. Contemporary Educa1onal Psychology, 27, 270-­‐295, doi:10.1006/ceps.2001.1094. Wri@ng about their test worries just before an exam improves the scores of test anxious students. Fig. 1 Math accuracy in study 1. G Ramirez, S L Beilock Science 2011;331:211-­‐213 Published by AAAS WriCng Prompt Please take the next 10 minutes to write as openly as possible about your thoughts and feelings regarding the test you are about to take. In your wriCng, I want you to really let yourself go and explore your emoCons and thoughts as you are ge_ng ready to start the test. You might relate your current thoughts to the way you have felt during other similar situaCons at school or in other situaCons in your life. Please try to be as open as possible as you write about your thoughts at this Cme. Remember, there will be no idenCfying informaCon on your essay and your response will not be evaluated or graded. Please start wriCng. From: Ramirez, G. & Beilock, S. (2011). WriCng about tesCng worries boosts exam performance in the classroom. Science. Vol. 331, January 14, 2011, pp. 211-­‐213. See supporCng materials at www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/331/6014/211/DC1 ImplemenCng •  Do you want to know how many students are test anxious in your classes? Administer Cogni1ve Test Anxiety Scale •  Allot Cme before tests to use wriCng prompt—
anonymous, non-­‐graded •  Note that the wriCng exercise will help habitually test anxious students, but not low anxious students Worked Examples Guidelines for Worked Examples •  TransiCon from worked examples to full problems (fading) •  Expert-­‐reversal effect—worked examples are good in the iniCal stages of learning but may be detrimental ager students have learned the concepts and procedures •  Include self-­‐explanaCon quesCons with worked examples •  Supplement worked examples with effecCve explanaCons Findings •  Can lead to faster learning and beier transfer to new situaCons •  Elaborated explanaCons of steps beier than short explanaCons •  Good problem solvers explain the steps of the soluCon to themselves (self explanaCon) •  Fading •  Comparing examples References TEST-­‐ENHANCED LEARNING Karpicke, J. & Blunt, J. (2011). Retrieval pracCce produces more learning than elaboraCve studying with concept mapping. Science, 331, 772-­‐775. Roedinger, H., McDaniel, M., & McDermoi, K. (2006, March). Test-­‐enhanced learning. Associa1on for Psychological Science Observer, Volume 19, Number 3. Rohrer, D. & Paschler, H. (2010). Recent research on human learning challenges convenConal instrucConal strategies. Educa1onal Researcher, 39 (5), 406-­‐412. Belluck, P. (2011, January). To really learn, quit studying and take a test. New York Times, Retrieved June 1, 2011 from hip://www.nyCmes.com/2011/01/21/science/21memory.html. Wikipedia (2011). TesCng effect, Retrieved June 1, 2011 from hip://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TesCng_effect REDUCING TEST ANXIETY Beilock, S. (2010). Choke: What the secrets of the brain reveal about ge_ng it right when you have to. Free Press: NY. Beilock, S. (2011). An interview with Sian Beilock on how wriCng about tesCng-­‐worries boosts exam performance in the classroom, hip://www.sciencemag.org/content/331/6014/211/suppl/DC2 Cassady, J. C. & Johnson, R. E. (2002). CogniCve test anxiety and academic performance. Contemporary Educa1onal Psychology, 27, 270–295. doi:10.1006/ceps.2001.1094. Cassady, J. C. (2004). The influence of cogniCve test anxiety across the learning-­‐tesCng cycle. Learning and Instruc1on, 14, 6, 569-­‐592. Ramirez, G. & Beilock, S. (2011). WriCng about tesCng worries boosts exam performance in the classroom. Science. Vol. 331, January 14, 2011, pp. 211-­‐213. WORKED EXAMPLES Clark, R. & Mayer, R. (2007). Leveraging examples in e-­‐learning. In e-­‐Learning and the Science of Instruc1on (2nd ediCon). Pfeiffer, San Francisco. Sweller, J. (2006). The worked example effect and human cogniCon. Learning and Instruc1on, 16(2) 165–169. Wikipedia, (2011). Worked-­‐example effect. Retrieved June 1, 2011 from hip://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worked-­‐example_effect THE END Cerbin, B. (2011, June). Three strategies to improve student learning. Workshop, Center for Advancing Teaching & Learning, UW-­‐La Crosse.