Susan E. Kowalski

Lessons learned when gathering real-time formative assessment in the university classroom using Tablet PCs

Worldwide, higher education instructors are exploring ways of enhancing classroom learning experiences with their Tablet PC-equipped students. To collect real-time formative assessment, instructors pose an open-format question to the class and the students utilize the digital ink of Tablet PCs to respond with answers in the form of handwriting, diagrams, graphs, equations, proofs, etc. Instructors receive the responses instantaneously. Built on principles well-grounded in educational research, this not only actively engages the students in their learning, but also increases student metacognition and provides valuable real-time formative assessment to guide the instructor. Several types of software are readily available both commercially and for free to facilitate this classroom exchange. This paper transcends the specifics of various types of software and discusses the experiences of instructors as they mesh their use of this technology-enabled feedback with the delivery of their undergraduate courses. The lessons presented here are drawn from our own experiences as well as input from instructors at other institutions on four continents, received by their voluntary completion of a written survey (n=19).

Innovations in Engineering Education using Tablet PCs - Panel Discussion with Four Institutions

This panel discussion will highlight emerging best practices in the use of Tablet PCs to transform learning and teaching in college and university engineering and computer science related courses. Faculty from four institutions will share their experience in redesigning a key course to improve student outcomes, and demonstrate how their innovative use of Tablet PCs has enabled new approaches to collaboration and real-time feedback, improving student achievement and engagement. Through this session, the audience will become participants and experience first-hand how classroom interactions are being redesigned and more learner-centric through the effective use of technology. Presenters will engage the audience by modeling the technology-enabled pedagogy being implemented in their classrooms

Using InkSurvey with Pen-Enabled Mobile Devices for Real-Time Formative Assessment II. Indications of Effectiveness in Diverse Educational Environments

InkSurvey is free, web-based software designed to facilitate the collection of real-time formative assessment. Using this tool, the instructor can embed formative assessment in the instruction process by posing an open-format question. Students equipped with pen-enabled mobile devices are then actively engaged in their learning as they use digital ink to draw, sketch, or graph their responses. When the instructor receives these responses instantaneously, it provides insights into student thinking and what the students do and do not know. Subsequent instruction can then repair and refine student understanding in a very timely manner.

The effect of student learning styles on the learning gains achieved when interactive simulations are coupled with real-time formative assessment via pen-enabled mobile technology

This paper describes results from a project in an undergraduate engineering physics course that coupled classroom use of interactive computer simulations with the collection of real-time formative assessment using pen-enabled mobile technology. Interactive simulations (free or textbook-based) are widely used across the undergraduate engineering curriculum to help actively engaged students increase their understanding of abstract concepts or phenomena which are not directly or easily observable. However, there are indications in the literature that we do not yet know the pedagogical best practices associated with their use to maximize learning. This project couples student use of interactive simulations with the gathering of real-time formative assessment via pen-enabled mobile technology (in this case, Tablet PCs). The research question addressed in this paper is: are learning gains achieved with this coupled model greater for certain types of learners in the undergraduate engineering classroom? To answer this, we correlate learning gains with various learning styles, as identified using the Index of Learning Styles (ILS) developed by Felder and Soloman. These insights will be useful for others who use interactive computer simulations in their instruction and other adopters of this pedagogical model; the insights may have broader implications about modification of instruction to address various learning styles.

Promoting and assessing creativity and innovation in physics undergraduates

Creative thought and the ability to innovate are critical skills in industrial and academic careers alike. There exist attempts to foster creative skills in the business world, but little such work has been documented in a physics context. In particular, there are few tools available for those who want to assess the creativity of their physics students, making it difficult to tell whether instruction is having any effect. In this paper, we outline a new elective course at the Colorado School of Mines in the physics department designed to develop creativity and innovation in physics majors. We present our efforts to assess this course formatively, using tablet PCs and InkSurvey software, and summatively using the discipline-independent Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. We also describe early work towards developing a physics-specific instrument for measuring creativity.

Using InkSurvey with Pen-Enabled Mobile Devices for Real-Time Formative Assessment: I Applications in Diverse Educational Environments

InkSurvey is a free, web-based software designed to facilitate the collection of real-time formative assessment. Using this tool, the instructor can embed formative assessment in the instruction process by posing an open-format question. Students equipped with pen-enabled mobile devices (tablet PCs, iPads, Android devices including some smartphones) are then actively engaged in their learning as they use digital ink to draw, sketch, or graph their responses. When the instructor receives these responses instantaneously, it provides insights into student thinking and what the students do and do not know. Subsequent instruction can then repair and refine student understanding in a very timely manner.

Helping tomorrow's engineers ask productive questions

Most engineers and scientists would readily agree that the ability to ask and pursue productive questions can lead to a more globally competitive workforce; students with this ability can also enrich the STEM classroom learning environment. Through demonstration, active learning, and small group activities, this special session explores how we can help tomorrows engineers ask productive questions and evaluate which questions may lead to creative solutions to research problems or innovative new products.

Embedded formative assessment in the undergraduate engineering classroom

This paper first provides an overview of the pedagogical role of formative assessment in the undergraduate engineering classroom. In the last decade, technology-facilitated implementation of the collection and analysis of student responses has reduced the clerical burden on educators, making the practice more widespread. We discuss some of the reasons why this practice may not have yet reached its full potential in undergraduate engineering classrooms, as well as some available solutions.

Work in progress - Using tablet PCs to strengthen problem-solving skills in an upper-level engineering physics course

We present a description and preliminary results of our use of Tablet PCs to strengthen problem-solving skills in an upper-level course. This design is a modification of well-established steps used to teach increased competency in problem-solving strategies in engineering courses. Novelly, however, these steps are facilitated by the use of Tablet PCs by the students, which allows the instructor to receive real-time formative assessment as the class works through the problem-solving strategy. Used in conjunction with InkSurvey (free, web-based software), students respond to open-format questions posed by the instructor; digital ink allows the responses to include handwriting, diagrams, graphs, equations, etc. The instructor receives the student responses instantaneously and both students and instructor are guided by understandings and misconceptions revealed in these responses. Preliminary results indicate that this method is effective; it could be applied to any advanced STEM course that seeks to improve the problem-solving abilities of the students.