Eberly Center

Embedding Just-in-Time Low-Stakes Assessments to a Flipped Software Engineering Course

Erdogmus, H., Peraire, C., & S. Gadgil

In this Teaching-as-Research project, we implemented a new intervention in a flipped software engineering course. The short-term objective of the intervention was to improve students’ preparedness for live sessions. The long-term objective was to improve their knowledge retention evaluated in time-separated high-stakes assessments. The intervention involved adding weekly low-stakes just-in-time assessments to course modules to motivate students to review assigned instructional materials in a timely manner. The assessments consisted of, per course module, two preparatory quizzes embedded within off-class instructional materials, followed by an in-class quiz. Embedded assessments were deployed to two subgroups of students in an alternating manner. In-class assessments were deployed to all students. Embedded assessments improved students’ preparedness for live sessions, but did not affect long-term knowledge retention assessed on the final exam. Based on the results of this study, the instructors have decided to include embedded assessments in all modules going forward.

Hakan Erdogmus, Electrical & Computer Engineering CIT

Cecile Peraire, Electrical & Computer Engineering CIT

Soniya Gadgil, Eberly Center Provost’s Office