We have implemented a homework program designed to teach and enforce metacognitive awareness in exam preparation. For the treatment section, students took several practice tests to prepare for the upcoming midterm. Students were asked to predict their score on each practice test and were given credit based on the accuracy of their predictions. Questions on the practice tests were tagged by topic as well as what each question measures—conceptual understanding, problem solving ability, and/or calculation ability. Item response theory was used to generate student overall ability, conceptual understanding, and problem solving ability, as well as their ability on each overarching topic covered in the midterm. Students were also given their score by sub-topic covered on the practice test. Using this information, students were given credit for generating study plans, indicating areas they would focus on, as well as how to improve their ability in these areas in preparation for the next pre-test and the upcoming midterm. The control section received the same practice tests and feedback but were not required to predict their scores or create study plans. Initial results indicate a significant improvement for both sections in student exam ability compared to the previous year. Additionally, students in the treatment section demonstrated a rapid and stable improvement in ability to predict pretest score in all quartiles, and the students in the lowest quartile of the treatment section demonstrate better exam prediction ability than the control. Finally, results demonstrate an increase in midterm score in the treatment section when compared to the control. This increase in midterm score is most noticeable when comparing the lowest two quartiles of each section.

Creation of a homework program to improve test preparation metacognitive ability for low-performing students

251st National Meeting (2016)

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