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Research and Teaching: Redesigning the Preexam Review Session

Journal of College Science Teaching—November/December 2010

In a large enrollment, multiple-section course, review sessions enable efficient and consistent delivery of information to all students. A redesigned review session has been implemented to increase attendance and improve effectiveness. The new design involves a practice quiz consisting of about 20 multiple-choice questions that students answer during the review session. These answers are displayed using personal response devices, and the results determine how much time is spent reviewing the solution. The review session questions and answers are then posted to the course website. The attendance has increased from about 5% to over 30%. There is also evidence that the review sessions help improve student exam performance. Students who attended all review sessions were more likely to earn higher grades in the course. Comparison of placement exam scores as a function of the number of review sessions attended indicates that students of all levels attended the review sessions. Students who attended the review sessions and/or viewed the material online scored significantly higher on the corresponding exams than students who did not utilize these supplemental materials.
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