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Tell us what practices work in your classroom! Submit your own tips at teach-learn@montclair.edu

March 2013

Research shows that open-book tests result in increases in performance on an initial test compared to a closed-book test, but that the two types of tests result in similar long-term retention. Both types of exams also result in better long-term retention compared to simply studying the material and not being tested on it. Gharib, Phillips and Mathew (2012) report that alternatives to closed-book exams, such as open-book exams or cheat sheet exams, are preferred by students because they give them the illusory belief that they will perform better and they decrease test-taking anxiety levels.

To incorporate the alternatives to closed-book testing in your classroom, consider allowing open-book exams or the following cheat sheet strategies:

  • Allow or require cheat sheets or crib sheets. Some professors require them to be handwritten to ensure that the student personally prepared it.
  • Develop guidelines for grading and create a handout that includes directions, questions, and grading rubrics.
  • Consider creating a few sample crib cards showing a range of styles (outline, list of key topics or principles, graphic organizers with facts and data for support arguments, and so forth) that students can use as models.
  • Create cheat sheets with students in class as part of the review before the test. Collect the cheat sheets after the class and give them back attached to their test.
  • Collect cheat sheets after the test, discuss them during test review: some faculty grade the cheat sheets, some have students assess the value and usefulness of the information on the cheat sheet.

Barkley, E. (2010). Student engagement techniques. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Bean, J.C. (2011). Engaging Ideas: The professor's guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, p.218.

Gharib, A., Phillips W., & Mathew, N. (2012). Cheat sheet or open-book? A comparison of the effects of exam types on performance, retention, and anxiety. Psychology Research 2(8), 469-478.

Theory in Practice: Tips from Faculty

I have noticed that the reduction in anxiety will come about regardless of whether you allow a post-it note, and index card, a sheet of paper or a book.

In addition to hand written, I limit the amount that they can put on the sheet by making it one side and only one line of writing per line. I feel that by allowing them to put too much on there will actually become part of the problem as, if they exam has significant time pressure as mine do, allowing them virtually unlimited amount of small writing actually encourages them to spend more time looking and less time thinking, thus it becomes part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Because my tests require thinking that is not in the book, giving them the book also results in encouraging them to waste precious time flipping through pages instead of thinking. So the effectiveness here depends on the connection between the book material and test material.

My students frequently report that they hardly used the authorized teaching aid permitted and, after one midterm, the top performers do not bring it for subsequent exams or the final. The best scores come from those with relatively few well-thought-out and organized notes.

In my view, the score benefit comes from the anxiety reduction that you mention and, the actual task of putting a test causes the student to learn the material. By being forced to prioritize and ask themselves the question, "Is this really important enough to put on my one page?", that causes them to prioritize the importance of the material, which is an essential learning skill.

-Steve Markoff, Department of Accounting, Law, & Taxation, Montclair State University

February 2013

Students will engage deeply in classroom-based learning if they feel that they are welcomed, valuable, contributing members of a learning community, and are likely to engage less in a course in which they feel like their presence is neither noticed nor needed. One of the strategies for creating conditions that build a sense of community and reduce anonimity in the classroom is learning students names.

Here are some ideas on how to do it. Several have the added advantage of going beyond just learning names to learning more about each student's background, aspirations, and interests.

  • Photo roster/seating chart: Create a seating chart (using Table option in Microsoft Word with columns) based on where students sit; cut and past each student's picture into the appropriate cell in the table.
  • Name tents: Cut 8 1/2 x 11 inch card stock paper in half, distribute the paper and markers and ask students to form a tent and print their first name on one side and last name on the other side. Students place their name tent at the front of their desk. Collect the tents and have them available for pick up each class section, or tell students they must be responsible for bringing their name tent to each class.
  • Group photographs: Particularly effective if students have already been formed into teams. Gather students in groups of 4-6 for a photograph, make prints, and circulate the photograph with a marker so that students can write their names underneath their picture.
  • Video introductions: Have students fill out basic information on an index card, then line up, submit their card, and introduce themselves while being videotaped. This has the added value of being visually memorable and allowing you to hear the correct pronunciation of their name.
  • Student info cards: Ask students to attach a passport size photo to an index card and add identification information (e-mail, telephone number, major, career goals, hobbies).
  • Name game: Students and professor form a circle, introduce themselves and repeat names of those who have already introduced themselves. In the end, consider the entire group saying all names together. For larger classes, form more circles.
  • Online self-introductions: Ask students to write a brief paragraph introducing themselves to the rest of the class and post this on a designated forum thread. If possible, ask students to post a photo of themselves or to select and appropriate avatar. To ensure that students read all the introductions, create a quiz or point-generating assignments based on details you have gleaned from the students' introductions.
  • Interviews and introductions: Students will be paired up and interview one another by asking questions (for example, What is your major? Why are you taking this course?). Pairs will then introduce their partner to the whole class.
  • Academic "speed dating": Students will go through several short face-to-face conversations with their peers, each conversation anchored by a prompt provided by the teacher and posted on a presentation slide. A buzzer is set for 2-3 minutes, and when it goes off, students must quickly find another partner with whom to participate in a brief conversation. To use this activity on the first day, create prompts that focus on the syllabus such as "What is the purpose of the assignment on page 8?", as well as lighthearted prompts such as "Describe the most unusual or fun job you've ever held."

Barkley, E. (2010). Student engagement techniques. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Theory in Practice: Tips from Faculty

"I usually do a hybrid of your tips that gets conversation going based on the class topic. For instance, in my leadership class I have students journal privately online about the first time they noticed their leadership ability. Then in class, I have them pair up to share their entry and also discuss their leadership style. Afterwards, we go around the room sharing reflections on the experience of journaling, working in pairs and the leadership journey. This way we learn fun facts about each other and we quickly have unique information to remember about everyone. Students love this! I do it in an OB course as well."

-Angela Durham, Department of Management, Montclair State University

January 2013

Smith (2008) reports that when students learn about learning, or when they acknowledge the linkage between their goals and the implemented learning methods, they have a new appreciation for why learner-centered instructors do what they do. Furthermore, these learners come to value these teaching methods, such as encouraging and providing opportunities for active learning, so long as they are used effectively and they can measure their own learning.

    Students learn best (Davis, 1993) when they take an active role:
    • When they discuss what they are learning,
    • When they practice what they are learning,
    • When they apply practices and ideas.

To start the discussion about importance of active learning with your students, try asking them the following questions on the first day of class:

    Thinking of what you want to get out of your college education and this course, which of the following is most important to you?
    1. Acquiring information (facts, principles, concepts)
    2. Learning how to use information and knowledge in new situations
    3. Developing lifelong learning skills.

Then ask them to think about the best approach in accomplishing each one of the goals: is it studying alone, or learning with peer and instructor influence. This discussion can explain active learning methods they may find in the class syllabus.

    Some methods to include in your syllabus that promote learning:
    • Administer weekly online assignments to serve as a guide to both you and the students, to encourage reading the content and for students to come to class prepared
    • Allow for in-class peer work for students to apply what they read
    • Limit lecturing; focus presentations on topics students struggle with.

Smith, G. (2008). First-day Questions for the learner-centered classroom. The National Teaching and Learning Forum 17(5), 1-4.

December 2012

As we are nearing the end of the semester and final exams are in sight, provide opportunities for guided practice and rehearsal to your students to reinforce learning and increase retention. Two major factors affect the quality of the rehearsal: the amount of time and the type of rehearsal activity.

  1. Rote rehearsal is for remembering and storing information in the same form that it entered working memory. This method is used for memorizing lists, facts, definitions. Strategies to teach students:
    1. mnemonic devices
    2. number memory techniques
  2. Elaborative rehearsal helps students process the information so that it’s more meaningful. It takes more time but it results in deep learning. Elaboration strategies include:
    1. forming associations
    2. organizing information into categories
    3. outlining
    4. clustering concepts into taxonomic categories with shared characteristics
    5. paraphrasing
    6. summarizing
    7. creating analogies
    8. self-quizzing

Barkley, E. (2010). Student Engagement Techniques. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

November 2012

As the Montclair State campus community continues to get back on track after experiencing a disruptive week caused by Hurricane Sandy, we would like to offer some tips on how to be supportive to students in the classroom who are still recovering from home, work, or transportation issues. First, please follow all guidelines communicated by Montclair State administration, especially if you or your students require additional or specialized support services. Second, consider some of the steps outlined below to help address the stress of meeting educational goals and your student needs after a traumatic disaster. Third, review the list of technology resources (training and tools) sent by the Office of Information Technology (OIT; added below for your convenience) for ideas of how to provide access to resources and teaching materials to students who are still unable to make it to campus.

    Some helpful hints for stabilizing the emotions and behaviors of your students in your classes and returning to an improved mental and emotional state after a crisis to continue to promote an optimal learning environment are:
    1. Listen – provide opportunity to share experiences.
    2. Protect – inform students about events and what is being done in the community to keep everyone safe.
    3. Connect – help reestablish connections and a feeling of normalcy.
    4. Model calm and optimistic behavior.
    5. Teach – help students understand the range of normal stress reactions, invite counselors and professionals if needed.

Adapted by Professor Lori Ungemah, English, New Community College at CUNY: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lori-ungemah/schools-hurricane-sandy-nyc-_b_2064542.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

Schreiber, M., Gurwitch, R., & Wong, M. (2006). Listen, Protect, Connect – Model & Teach: Psychological First Aid (PFA) for Students and Teachers. Accessed November 7, 2012 at http://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/documents/files/HH_Vol3Issue3.pdf

Technology Resources (Training and Tools):

  • Designing Accessible Online Course Materials - How accessible is your online or hybrid course to all students? Federal and state regulations have impressed upon us the increasing importance of accessible course design. This workshop will help you better understand what is meant by course accessibility and offer some tips on how you can begin to make your courses more accessible.
  • Ustream and Youtube - Ustream allows you to create channels to broadcast live via a webcam. An educational channel may then be used to broadcast live presentations to your students over the web to enhance teaching and learning in your online/hybrid courses. You may also publish Ustream footages on YouTube, and then share the videos with students.
  • Google Docs - Google Docs is a suite of products that allows you to create different types of documents, collaborate in real time with others and store them on the web for free. All you need is an internet connection and a Google account.
  • Using Google Sites to Create an ePortfolio - ePortfolio is a valuable learning assessment instrument which can be integrated into student learning to showcase their accomplishments and reflect on their educational or professional experiences. Google Sites can be utilized to create ePortfolios, which can not only assist you to assess student learning, but also help your students organize and reflect on their learning process.

For additional resources, please visit OIT's website at http://www.montclair.edu/oit/

October 2012

Critical reading, writing, and speaking prompts can be designed to cultivate specific critical thinking skills. They can be used to develop supporting material that can be used in and out of class, alone or in combination, to help students expand, clarify, or modify ideas.

    The following six types of prompts can be used by educators to create reading guides (as reading questions or to focus class discussions) for students in their pre-class reading assignments:
    1. Identifying the problem or issue helps students create a “need to know” viewpoint.
    2. Making connections helps students think about course topics within the realm of their own experience.
    3. Interpreting the evidence can help students in reading case studies, viewing video clips, or reviewing information.
    4. Challenging assumptions helps students identify and critique seldom-tested assumptions, determine their source, and evaluate their validity based on information.
    5. Making applications helps students use what they have learned in practical ways.
    6. Taking a different point-of-view helps students consider diverse ideas.

Tomasek, T. (2009). Critical reading: Using reading prompts to promote active engagement with text. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 21(1), 127-132.

September 2012

    Legg and Wilson (2009) report that sending a welcoming email before the first class:
    1. Increases positive attitudes towards the instructor.
    2. Enhances positive perception of the class.
    3. Increases student motivation in class.
    4. Affects retention (students are less likely to withdraw from the class).

Legg, A.M. & Wilson, J.H. (2009). E-mail from professor enhances student motivation and attitudes, Teaching of Psychology, 36:3, 205-211.

This is a communication strategy to use to establish a connection with your students before class begins. To read more, visit: http://teachingandlearningatmsu.wordpress.com/

These are just some strategies to encourage students to think critically. For more literature on teaching and learning please consult the Research Academy's library or contact our office.

Tell us what practices work in your classroom! Submit your own tips at teach-learn@montclair.edu