Formative assessment as learning: engaging learners Socrative style

Eric Mazur introduced classroom response systems (CRS) in a reaction to his observation about the traditional lecture that “It doesn’t make any difference what we do in front of the students, they learn next to nothing.”... [ view full abstract ]

Eric Mazur introduced classroom response systems (CRS) in a reaction to his observation about the traditional lecture that “It doesn’t make any difference what we do in front of the students, they learn next to nothing.” Mazur’s peer instruction approach to teaching focuses use of valuable class time on prompting student discussion and exploring possible misconceptions. CRS enable quick fun interventions that engage students in active learning.

In the last two academic years, I have used a CRS, namely Socrative, as a means of formative assessment with Human Resource Management students in an Irish Higher Education institution. Using this approach has been beneficial when teaching a diverse group of students, specifically how it has impacted on the student engagement in lectures as well preparing them for a mini-exam. The use of Socrative allowed a student-paced learning approach, which is necessary when teaching a diverse group students within the same class, while encouraging student engagement with the contents of the lecture on their own personal device (i.e. phone, tablet and laptop). It also provided instant feedback to both the learners and the teacher on the basic understanding of the topics covered in the lecture. Students’ reactions have been generally enthusiastic, enjoying the participation and interactions.

In the presentation, I will discuss my experiences of using Socrative, how to effectively use CRS in class and the design of engaging multiple-choice questions, as well as presenting student feedback.