Keeping Conceptual Mastery Consistent: The Importance of Fidelity Between Course Elements

Our talk compares student responses to different implementations of the same conceptual mastery system in two undergraduate engineering physics classes. The Supported Mastery Assessment using Repeated Testing (SMART) system aims to incentivize conceptual learning by adding retake exams and removing partial-credit for correct equations/facts embedded within conceptually incorrect approaches. However, SMART does not dictate how other parts of the course, such as homework or the relative weighting of exams, should be approached, leaving individual instructors to make these choices. Using interview data, we argue that not all choices are equal because students preferred the class with high fidelity between course elements; that is, student satisfaction with SMART (and the course overall) was higher when students perceived exams, class time, homework, and class policies as all contributing towards conceptual mastery. We offer valuable contributions to both researchers and practitioners: for researchers, we present a novel view on how students react to alternative assessment systems and course structures; for instructors, we provide illustrative examples of creating cohesive courses that support conceptual mastery and improve student buy-in.

This work was funded by NSF Award DUE-2013268.