- Review course material
- Discuss course material with an in‐class study group
- Anticipate possible exam questions as an aid to studying
- Answer anticipated exam questions
Materials: Class notes, paper and pencils/pens
Context within the Course: In preparation for a major exam, students need to review and study course content that have been introduced through readings, power point presentations, lectures, class activities and discussion. Many students are unpracticed in study techniques such as organizing and outlining notes, taking notes during reading, making flash cards, etc. But one other important step that students may be unfamiliar with is determining what material to work on reviewing, understanding and remembering. The exercise of anticipating test questions, whether for an objective or essay style exam, can help students begin to understand the clues to possible test questions that occur throughout a course. If students do not think about the exam itself, they are less likely to take the time to work on reviewing/learning material; and if they do take the time, their efforts may not be as successful. This exercise will also serve as a review of course material and give students an experience of working in a study group.
Procedure: Begin by asking the class if they can identify any clues they have been given as to what might be asked of them on the upcoming exam? The emphasis here should be on the clues themselves, rather than the content. For instance, what information has been repeated during the course. Repetition usually is a clue to the importance of the information. If information appears in a reading, is discussed in class and then written on the board or mentioned in the discussion summary or a subsequent class, it is usually information that is important to the course.
Next, divide the class into groups of at least three or four. Each group is given the task of writing ten possible exam questions for the upcoming test. Next each group exchanges their questions with those of another group and proceeds to answer together the questions of the other group. When the group finishes answering the questions, they return their answers to the group from which the questions originated which checks their answers for correctness and completeness.
Finally, after all groups have completed this exercise, ask the class if there were questions that both groups had in common. Ask why they think this question appeared on both lists; what had been the clues that this question might be asked on their exam. Also ask if they found this exercise beneficial and
why or why not. Suggest that this can be a great exercise for a study group to work through together. At study done at the University of California, Berkeley found that the use of study groups was key to college success among their undergraduates.
Next Steps: Discussion could follow as to how to make use of these anticipated questions. How might students continue to review and reinforce this information? Study techniques related to learning styles could be introduced or reintroduced at this point. Inform students that they will be asked to discuss what study techniques they used to prepare for the exam as a part of the test. A reminder that repetition and time on task are key to remembering information could be given. Using the knowledge that they are gaining is important to long term memory.
After the exam, have students share what techniques they used to help them prepare for the exam, especially any that they found helpful. For the next exam, help students to set up study groups that will meet before or after class to work together to anticipate exam questions for the upcoming test. Students could be given a class assignment to create possible exam questions with answers that each group member would sign. But the key here is that the groups meet outside of class time so that students can begin to experience that such a practice is possible, desirable, and helpful.
No comments:
Post a Comment