Students often express apprehension about exams and the single chance to demonstrate what they learned through one test. Lisa Komoroske, Associate Professor of Environmental Conservation, uses two-stage exams to encourage students’ accountability to prepare for the test, expand their knowledge of course concepts, and provide an opportunity to teach each other what they know.
What are two-stage exams?
A two-stage exam is a type of assessment where students first take a written exam independently, and then form small groups and take the same exam together. Their final grade on the exam is a combined percentage of both types of exams but can only be improved through the peer exam. This provides an opportunity for students to prepare independently for an exam, and then deepen their comprehension of the material through peer-peer learning and discussion. I have used this approach in my 300-level Evolution and Conservation course for several years for mid-term exams, where it has been a great fit for the learning goals that include both technical content, and synthesis of concepts to applied conservation scenarios. The midterms include some multiple choice and short ‘application’ answer essays where students have to apply the concepts to hypothetical conservation-based situations.
How did you explain what they are to your students?
To explain it to my students, I described this approach and the rationale behind it first on my syllabus, then verbally in class before the exam. In both cases, I connected the structure of the two-stage exam to the course learning goals. Since this format is new to many students, I made sure to provide time in class for any questions to avoid unnecessary stress around uncertainty of how they work or expectations. I teach a lecture + lab course, so I implemented the individual session in one of the lecture sessions, and then had the group exam in the lab period that followed.
What motivated you to use two-stage exams?
I had learned about this approach from colleagues teaching team-based learning courses and realized that although my course is a different format, it really emphasizes balancing independent and group learning through a variety of activities, and I thought it would be a good fit. I tried it out several years ago with great success - most students’ grades improve compared to individual exams, and I noticed deeper comprehension and ability to apply the course material in their final group projects. I paused using it during COVID as I found it a bit difficult to implement in a fully remote format, though I’m sure there are ways to overcome these challenges. I’ve now re-implemented the last year and am really pleased with the learning outcomes it has facilitated for my students!
How did your students respond to this type of assessment?
Initially some students were a bit hesitant, I think because it was new to them, and they wanted clarification on how it would work and connected to their performance in the course. So, I think spending time to walk through the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of the activity in class was really helpful for them and allowed me to understand where my initial explanations were unclear to improve in future years. After the first midterm using the approach, students saw the positive impact on their learning (and their grades) and were in favor of them. I got a lot of great feedback on using them in CTL MAP and end-of-course assessments, including multiple students commenting on how they really valued the opportunity to discuss their responses and learn from their peers. I also saw how it sets students up for success in their final group projects in terms of their ability to synthesize and apply complex concepts and work as part of a team.
What considerations or tips do you have for other instructors who are interested in two-stage exams?
As I described, talking to students so they are clear on expectations is really key. Not only does this alleviate their stress from uncertainty, but I think directly contributed to their learning because they could fully engage in the individual and group portions of the exams. I think it’s also important to consider and communicate the percentage of student’s grades that come from each part - typically I’ve done something like 60-70% from the individual portion and 30-40% from the group portion. This helps the students to know that they need to individually come prepared, and that their classmates will as well (alleviating common concerns of group work where students can feel like they are doing the work for others). I also implemented a rule where students’ grades can only improve from the group portion because while students almost always improve in their group exam, occasionally there can be situations where it could decrease (if there is a persuasive but incorrect group member). I think all of these implementation practices really help the students focus on their learning and enjoy the opportunity to learn from one another!
