What is it? Kahoot! is a service which allows people to make online quizzes which learners can join from their mobile devices or computers. It’s quite popular in secondary education. You can play a demo game to learn about Kahoot. It could be used for an in-class pre-quiz or review activity. Students could also make […]
What is it? H5P allows instructors to embed interactive elements into their Moodle sites. Some examples include: A full list of all H5P objects can be found at H5P’s website. What are the benefits? H5P adds an interactive active learning element to what might otherwise be passive forms of learning: reading a book or watching […]
What is it? Traditional assessments, such as written exams, are often held up in opposition to authentic assessments, which align more closely with skills that graduates would be expected to demonstrate in the working world. A video assessment can take many forms: students could record and narrate their solution to a problem (Allain, 2017); record […]
What is it? Padlet is best thought of as a digital equivalent of an online bulletin board. It is a versatile tool for education. Not only can students make posts and comments, but they can also attach documents, images, and recordings (audio or video). In August 2023, Padlet added the ability to include a multiple […]
What is it? A backchannel exists in contrast to a frontchannel. The frontchannel is discussion managed by an instructor, while a backchannel comprises the unmanaged notes and whispers students may use in class. Digital backchannels are a compromise between these two modalities. They are supervised by the instructor, but may run in parallel with a […]
What is it? Exam wrappers are exam-adjacent activities that are intended to promote student reflection on their learning processes and improve their metacognition. Exam wrappers can be administered before and/or after a test. Typical questions on an exam wrapper might be: What strategies did you use to prepare for the test? How effective were those […]
What is it? Multiple-choice tests using CBM (confidence-based marking) require two inputs from students for each question: Their answer choice Their level of confidence in their answer choice A student earns maximum points for a correct answer they are fully confident in. They are penalized for wrong answers that they are strongly confident in. Acknowledged […]
What is it? Two-phase testing splits an exam into two parts. The first part is the typical individual exam, where students work on problems on their own. They then turn in these papers, and receive a second exam, which they work on in groups. The questions on the second exam test the same concepts as […]
What is it? Final exams in STEM subjects are often completely written. However, such assessments do not always align with learning outcomes that involve higher-order skills such as experimental design. An oral exam gives students a chance to demonstrate their mastery of the material and a simulation of professional practice. What are the benefits? When […]
What is it? The course presentation, or syllabus, is meant to encapsulate the information that a student needs to be successful in a course: what topics will be covered, how their learning will be assessed, how to get help… But students don’t always take the time to read the syllabus. Kenyon Wilson of the University […]