Transforming Learning in Undergraduate STEM Classrooms by Expanding the Collection of Real-Time Formative Assessment Using Low-Cost Pen-Enabled Mobile Technology

该项目正在跟进一项前景看好的笔式移动计算设备的试点研究。它扩展和研究了一种名为平板电脑模式的新兴形成性评估教学范式，在这种模式下，每个学生都通过使用数字墨水和免费的基于网络的软件来单独回答教师提出的开放格式的问题，从而“走向黑板”。教师即时接收各种数字资料(文本、图表、方程式、图表)，并在同一班会上使用这些材料来集中和澄清学生的思维，纠正误解，加强正确的理解，提高学生的元认知，并总体上更有效地利用课堂时间。即使在学生人数众多的教室里，这种方法也是可行的。从逻辑上讲，广泛采用平板电脑模式需要1)成本更低的实施途径；2)更广泛的、基于研究的证据，证明其在不同的课堂环境中的有效性；以及3)最佳实践指导。该项目为满足这些需求提供了更多的信息。这个项目衡量了在使用开放式问题和各种低成本的支持笔的移动计算设备进行实时形成性评估时所获得的学习收益。这些收益与使用更传统的教学模式所获得的收益进行了比较。它还在衡量情景因素对这些学习成果的不同影响：STEM纪律、课程内容、机构类型以及学生性别和种族。目前正在努力确定最佳做法，以协助采用者。物理、化学工程和生物学科的实验室课程和讲授课程都正在适应这种方法--在入门和高级本科教学水平上都是如此。这项工作正在一所工程大学和一所社区学院进行。

This project is following up on a promising pilot study of pen-enabled mobile computing devices. It expands and investigates an emerging teaching paradigm for formative assessment known as the Tablet Model, in which every student "goes to the blackboard" by using digital ink and free, web-based software to individually respond to open-format questions posed by the instructor. The instructor receives instantaneously a variety of materials digitally (text, diagrams, equations, graphs) and uses these in the same class meeting to focus and clarify student thinking, modify misconceptions, reinforce correct understandings, increase student metacognition, and generally use class time more effectively. This approach is workable even in classrooms with large enrollments. Widespread adoption of the Tablet Model logically requires 1) less expensive avenues of implementation; 2) broader, research-based evidence of its effectiveness in diverse classroom environments; and 3) guidance on best practices. This project is providing substantially more information to meet these needs. This project measures learning gains achieved when using open-format questions with a variety of low-cost pen-enabled mobile computing devices for real-time formative assessment. These gains are compared with gains achieved from using more traditional teaching paradigms. It is also measuring the variable impact on these learning gains of situational factors: STEM discipline, course content, institution type, and student gender and ethnicity. An effort is being made to identify best practices in order to assist adopters. Both laboratory and lecture-based courses are being adapted to this approach -- at both the introductory and advanced undergraduate levels of instruction -- in the disciplines of physics, chemical engineering, and biology. This work is being carried out in an engineering university and a community college.