Abstract:

Nowadays, teaching can employ technological tools in order to improve the work of students and teachers. Among the possible applications of the new technologies is, specifically, the theory master class, since it usually is the most difficult for students. The students’ motivation in this kind of teaching is generally low, even in Higher Education. This experience is focused on improving the acquisition of the theory content of the subject by the students. Specifically, the subject is Industrial Chemical Process in the sixth semester of the Industrial Technology Engineering degree. The technological tools are two. The first one are Moodle tests. Moodle is a Learning Management System (LMS) frequently used by many universities. The second one are Socrative quizzes. Socrative is a tool very easy to employ for students and teachers. The main objectives of this work are to try to connect the effect of the technological tool in the academic results and to know the satisfaction of students and teachers in the learning process. In academic year 2018-2019, the tools were applied by rotating them at three cohorts at different theory parts of the subject [1]. The results showed that there was no statistically significant influence on the students’ grades when using both technologies or not. However, there was a limitation in the study: because of rotation, the students took only one Moodle quiz in only one of the three blocks of theory topics.

During academic year 2021-2022, Moodle tests were completed by the students dividing the subject in two parts covering the whole theory syllabus. In addition, in several past courses it was observed that alumni studied the last theory topics less intensively before the exam. For this reason, during the 2022-2023 academic year, Socrative was applied by performing quick tests at the end of the class, in the second half of term/topics. In total five tests with Socrative were carried out, covering almost all the contents of these topics. The tool was applied only to one of the three cohorts of the subject, with the aim to compare the average grade in the last topics questions to the two other cohorts. All these studies were designed with two complementary purposes: Moodle tests were used to facilitate the continuous study of the subject and preparing the final exam; Socrative quizzes were used in the class to try to catch the attention of the students and motivate for learning the subject.

The comparison of the results (average theory grade) between 2018-2019 and 2021-2022 showed there were no positive impact of extending Moodle quizzes to all over the theory topics on the marks. There was also no influence of using Socrative tests during the last part of the theory topics, as similar average grades were obtained in the cohorts within no Socrative test were carried out. The obtained results are complex and it is difficult to determine and explain the effect of the technological tool on the academic results. The surveys filled by the students and the teachers showed a positive impact of the technological tool in the satisfaction with the learning process. Students indicated that these activities help the comprehension and study of the subject, while teachers valued the fast correction of the tests.

References:
[1] E. Romero, L. García, J. Ceamanos. Moodle and Socrative quizzes as formative aids on theory teaching in a Chemical Engineering subject, Educ. Chem. Eng., 36, 54-64, 2021.

Keywords:

theory teaching, quizzes, Moodle, Socrative, grades, marks.