A series of classes on quantitative methods is supported through student feedback using Mentimeter. While preparing for class, students can anonymously submit terms and concepts they find difficult to understand. These submissions reveal gaps in the students’ knowledge, and the teacher can use this information to tailor both the current and following teaching sessions to better suit the students’ understanding and needs.
To increase student engagement. Many students from Education Studies have previously actively avoided working with quantitative methods, since they feel unsure or even anxious about mathematics. This has led to low engagement and a passive approach in earlier iterations of this course.
To better understand student needs. Because this course includes students from different Bachelor’s degree programmes, the students have different competences and varying degrees of experience with quantitative methods. As a teacher, it can therefore be difficult to determine what kind of academic support students need.
The purpose of the activity:
THE PROCESS | |||
Before class | |||
Student preperation | Quantitative concepts and terms. The students study relevant teaching materials to understand the basic theory and concepts regarding quantitative methods. | ||
Teacher's preparation | Set up Mentimeter. I set up a Mentimeter survey for the specific class. It is important that the student responses are anonymous. | ||
In class | |||
In plenum | Feedback in Mentimeter (5 minutes). I begin the class with the following question: “Which concept was the hardest to understand while preparing for today’s class?”
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In plenum | Adapting the class. Based on the students’ responses I adapt the way I teach that class on the spot.
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From the very first class, the activity helped increase student engagement. Students were able to participate more actively in class and thereby shape the way it was taught.
The option to respond anonymously let the students share their challenges in a safe teaching environment without fear of being singled out or ridiculed.
The responses often led to follow-up discussions that were more detailed than the initial responses. The quality of these discussions gradually increased throughout the semester as the students became more comfortable with expressing their uncertainties.
Students who already had a good grasp of quantitative methods didn’t benefit as much from the activity
Not all student responses were equally relevant.
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