Abstract or Keywords
Session Abstract: This session will focus on an alternative to exams that gives students ownership of course material, makes room for student creativity, and encourages academic integrity by addressing motivation for academic dishonesty and making it more difficult for students to find answers online. I will share my experience replacing Calculus tests with more open-ended, student-constructed review projects: students are asked to review the main topics, write and answer their own “exam” questions, and reflect on their learning. These projects give clear insight into student learning. At the same time, the format of the project removes some of the common motivations for academic dishonesty by reducing student anxiety, increasing student feelings of agency, outlining clear expectations, and giving students multiple ways to engage with the material. It also makes it more difficult for students to use unauthorized resources because the topics included in the assignment are highly course specific: they must know what topics were covered in class during this specific unit, and which topics the instructor emphasized and framed as most important. Moreover, since students are creating their own questions and writing their own reflections, they cannot simply copy answers from online resources. Many students report enjoying these review projects and mention in their reflections the feeling that they have learned more than they would have with a traditional exam. I have found this type of project to be successful in both remote and in-person settings.
Session Outcomes: During this session, participants will learn of a framework for an review project that can be used as an alternative to exams and is broadly applicable. More generally, we will discuss ways to write open-ended questions that showcase student learning and remove the temptation to copy someone else’s answer. We will also discuss motivations for academic dishonesty and how instructors can address them when designing assessments.