Abstract:

This presentation will deliver the outcome of a study investigating how the level of preparation of pre-assigned seminar exercises impacts the final exam mark. By getting students to prepare in advance for seminars, meaning engaging/attempting to solve the seminar questions ahead of attending the seminar, the study shows that preparation have a substantial impact on final course exam and therefore overall course grade.

Similarities can be drawn with a “flipped-class room” strategy. However, this presentation will show how different levels of preparation will impact student performance on final assessment. The case study will show how the simple task of engagement, preparation, formative assessment, followed by immediate oral feedback, will enhance students learning and performance in final summative assessment.

In large group teaching, interaction is always a challenge. Polling in class is not new when creating interaction. Polling is also often used for formative assessments in the classroom. This presentation will explain to participants how a tool initially used for formative assessment was used to understand the student’s level of preparation.

A large first year undergraduate finance course was taught with 15 lectures as well as six seminars. The seminar groups contained about 60 students each. A set of 5-6 subject questions were provided in advance of each seminar. Students were asked to prepare and attempt all the questions provided ahead of attending the seminar.

The audience of this presentation will learn by using a simple interaction tool like an in class polling, the educator can further encourage preparation and eventually support the students in achieving a higher final exam mark.

At the start of each of the six seminars, students were asked to answer the simple question of ; To what degree have you prepared for today’s workshop?
The possible answers gave different degree of preparation, from; “not having even looked at the questions” to “having attempted all questions”.
The study will critically evaluate how different levels of engagement with the seminar material (preparation) impact final exam result.
The audience will be able to reflect on how seminars can be structured to encourage preparation and engagement.

In addition, the study will give the audience an analysis of how students with different demographics such as gender and geographical origin, engage with preparation for seminars. This will assist the educator on how to structure and arrange seminars to be able to tailor the learning to a diverse group of students and as such being able to support the individual students in a more effective manner.

The presentation will enrich the audience with tools and engagement activities to encourage preparation, to assist students in achieving higher final exam marks.

The key contributions from this study and considerations for students and instructors include:
1. Preparation of allocated seminar exercises before attending a workshop has a significant impact on final exam marks
2. The varied degree of preparation, effort and time spent by students on engaging with preparation also impacts final marks
3. Female students engage more in preparation than male students
4. As an educator, we need to consider how we can encourage and structure the learning process to make sure that students engage and prepare before a seminar

Keywords:

Assessment, preparation, engagement, feedback, polling.