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Explore the use of error detection tasks and peer feedback to engage physics students in their learning. This study leverages the myDALITE platform to provide students with opportunities to identify and correct errors in peer solutions, fostering self-regulatory learning and promoting active learning. Results show improved feedback skills and engagement among students.
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Error-detection tasks and peer feedback for engaging physics students Rhys Adams Department of Physics, CEGEP Vanier College adamsr@vanier.college eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Who is Rhys? • Former CEGEP student • McGill B.Eng. (1998-2002) & M.Eng. (2002-2005) • Electrical Engineering; PSG • Vanier College Physics (summer 2006 +) • Mostly pre-U • Honours Science • Photonics research with McGill PSG • Pedagogical research with SALTISE eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
What is SALTISE? • Supporting Active Learning & Technological Innovation in Studies of Education • Community of Practice • https://www.saltise.ca/ eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Acknowledgements • Phoebe Jackson, John Abbot College • Kevin Lenton, Vanier College • Michael Dugdale, John Abbot College • Chris Whittaker, Dawson College • Nathaniel Lasry, John Abbot College • Elizabeth S. Charles, Dawson College • Chao Zhang, McGill University • And many others around the table! eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Genesis • Study feedback! • Receiving • Essential to students’ development of self-regulatory learning • Providing • High-level task: • Judge the quality of a peer’s work • Find areas for improvement • Summarize, communicate, helpful, concise • Are YOU learning when YOU give feedback? • How do we study this? What can we leverage? eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Error Detection Tasks • Students are presented with the solution to a physics problem written by a peer. • Solution contains 1(+) errors which can be algebraic, procedural, or conceptual, depending on the learning objectives. • Students identify and explain how to correct the error(s), as though they were explaining it to peer. eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Pat !! • Welcome PAT, our new fictional in-class peer! eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
myDALITE • myDALITE.org • Web-based learning platform that provides students with an asynchronous peer instruction experience. • Students can explain their reasoning – i.e., give feedback – and evaluate feedback from other students. • Questions can be completed in- and out-of-class. • $0.00 eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Multiple purposes, little cost • Many birds with the same stone: • Quiz/test like examples; detailed solutions. • Testing “difficult” concepts. • Providing feedback (explaining the errors and how to fix/correct them). • Analytics, discuss in class, reflect. • Interesting pedagogical research & practice! • Leveraging myDALITE; most of the student time investment is done out of class! eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Looks like what? Your best friend Pat has completed a quiz on XYZ and has a copy for you to review. The solution may have an error(s) in it. If there is an error, help Pat by stating where the error is found (parts A, B, C or D). If there are many errors, then state which is the most important error and explain why. Explain to Pat how the solution can be improved, or the error resolved. Provide your response as if you are speaking to Pat. If there are no errors, then choose E. Remember that you want to be a good peer so provide constructive feedback. eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Good candidate for in-class ranking tasks! eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Providing feedback to Pat • At first: No guidance to students. • Then: Providing Useful Peer Feedback worksheet and activity. • After: Students provided better feedback. • Where the error was • What the error was • How to resolve the error correctly • Affective: more personalized and supportive eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Providing feedback to Pat • In part A, Pat states that down is positive. However, in part B, he puts that the initial upward speed is positive, but it should be negative. • Hey Pat, since you're my good friend, I will help you find your mistake. Great job with part A, static friction is present! Watch out with your FDB for part B though. Since the car is on an incline and in circular motion, the normal force is the force that needs to be separated into x and y components, not the weight. The weight is already in its y component. The rest of your work is solved properly, assuming your equations were correct. GREAT JOB BUDDY! • Hey best friend Pat, great job on your quiz. You made no mistakes. The only advice I can give you is to maybe not make a reference frame that gives you negative potential energy because it could mess you up while calculating. Nonetheless, what you did was perfectly fine. Good job! eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Results • Two sections; Control (N = 30) & Treatment (N = 32) groups. • Similar entry FCI scores; similar course sequence. • Treatment group did 4 EDTs; Control none. • Both groups given an EDT based quiz. eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Results • Student survey (N = 28): Did giving "feedback" and explaining to Pat help you learn physics? Yes, it did. It not only helped me with the structure of good solution, but it helped me be more aware of errors I could possibly make. It wasn't a big challenge so it didn't make me use all I was taught. Each problem had one or two mistake that were easy to detect. No, it only helps me to screw up my grades, and it makes me become very frustrated whenever I am asked to give feedbacks to Pat. eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Results • Student survey (N = 28): Have you learned to provide better feedback as a result of EDT questions in myDALITE and in your classroom activities? eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Results • Student survey (N = 28): Do you feel you made a connection with Pat? Nooooo! … this idiot making so many mistakes. But I think it’s the best way of giving feedback if he wants to learn from his mistakes. Yes, I have made a connection with Pat, whenever I hear his name, I get stressed out because I do not do well on his quizzes generally. No, and I don't think that providing feedback is very relevant as a type of quiz. I think that correcting his errors and understand them would be enough. Yes, Pat feels like a friend who you study with, trying to help him out. By helping Pat out, it improves my understanding of the topic, just like studying with someone. I unfriended Pat a while ago. He is dead to me. eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Results • Compare final exams for Control and Treatment groups (and a few more sections) • Treatment group writes more when they must “explain.” • Class average for common questions are roughly the same. eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Conclusions • Recall my “multiple purposes, little cost.” • Students appreciate EDTs and giving feedback. • (And it cost me nothing to implement) • Students improve at giving feedback. • Students write more when they must “explain.” • Students learn physics / get better grades? eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
Thank you / Merci ! Rhys Adams Department of Physics, CEGEP Vanier College adamsr@vanier.college eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019) eLATE @ McGill (April 12, 2019)
