Challenge
We are challenging the STEM department to create more courses with an exam structure that has students take an individual exam followed by a collaborative exam and to obtain the final score one would average the two scores. We believe that individual exams used in tandem with group exams are more beneficial than solely utilizing individual exams for STEM majors. STEM majors will encounter group work and will be able to utilize their co-workers when working on project so why can't class be the same.
Why is the Challenge Important?
Once students leave the school environment and step into the real, working world they are no longer tested without the help of outside resources. People work together to complete tasks and address information, and this should also be implemented into learning because individuals can learn better and from each other when able to work with others. This also creates the opportunity for ideas to be shares, knowledge gaps to be closed, and students to get accustomed to group work. We also believe that the students have the knowledge to complete exams. It is just that individual exam environment creates a lot of pressure for the students which can cause them to preform poorly.
What research supports the importance of solving this challenge?
A poll given to Penn State University students showed how the general population felt about this issue. When asked if they thought group exams would be beneficial, 76% of students said yes. As a follow up question, we asked these students which classes they would like to have group exams in and almost 65% of the students answered with a STEM class (Chemistry, Calculus, Physics, etc.). After this poll had concluded, we had the opportunity to ask students why they answered the way they did. When a Sophomore Chemistry major was asked why she had answered "yes" to group exams, her response was, "I feel as though working in a group is a real-life strategy, and we should be taught in the way we are going to live and work in the real world." This research provided further evidence into our claim that group exams should be implemented into Penn State University's way of teaching.
How might the challenge be solved?
This challenge might be solved by having a trial STEM course using group exams. The same class could also be taught concurrently, giving students in that class individual exams. After the course is over, a standardized test could be administered to the two groups, seeing if those in the class with group exams scored higher than those in the class with individual exams.
Who would be impacted? In what ways would they be impacted?
Those in the science, engineering, technology, or mathematics related majors would be affected. By incorporating group exams into STEM classes, those in these majors would learn more while decreasing their stress levels that comes with the difficulty of the classes. Those in STEM majors would gain more knowledge and a better understanding of these subjects.
difficulties one Could encounter when solving the challenge?
The difficult part about the challenge is trying to sway multiple departments from doing what they usually have been doing for years and to change to a different method of testing. Teachers wouldn't be as optimistic to be that one class who acts as a trial because if everything crumbles, then that is on them and their reputation. What is more, teachers might think that group exams just mean that people won't study as much, but this is not the case if the student would also have to take an individual exam prior. The combined scores would make up the actual score for the student. For the student's benefit, if the group exam brings down the student's grade, then it won't be counted. This new way of testing will only help students and not hinder them.
What RESOURCES are available to someone who wants to try solving the challenge of establishing group exams?
Resources that are made available to us are all of the professors on campus. With this pitch we can contact our professor, Dr. Robert or any other teacher we have or had, and convince them to hop on the group exam bandwagon. As LAs we can even try to sell the pitch to the rest of the LA team and the professor. Having a staff member support your plan and want to carry it through adds legitimacy. Another great resource would be the professors who already cary out a group exam policy such as Organic chemistry 212, Chemistry 110B, and a section of geoscience. Without staff support, the problem would not be able to be solved since they are the ones in charge of their own syllabus.
Most importantly we would need students to want to join this bandwagon. The school in some way implements this policy with classes such as Chemistry 110B and a class of geoscience. Students from those classes have been reporting that their grades are higher and love the way it is taught. One of my current LA students, Cait, who took chemistry 110 B even said, "after we took the individual exam, we got into groups for 20 minutes and filled out a scantron. That way we could earn points back and I really appreciated that". On top of this, even Master's section of Chemistry 212 runs group questions the day before the exam, which counts as part of your grade. It is teachers like such that we can go to if we want to sell the pitch.
Credits:
Created with images by F1Digitals - "omr sheet fill" • rawpixel - "untitled image" • rawpixel - "action african american agreement" • Hope House Press - Leather Diary Studio - "notebooks-cambridge" • congerdesign - "magic cube patience tricky hobby skill play"