Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on New Trends in Teaching and Education
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Active Online Self-Assessment to Enhance the Learning Process for University Chemistry Students
Carolina Vargas, Andrés Garcés, Miguel Ángel González, María Belén Domínguez, Esther M. Sánchez-Carnerero and Luis F. Sánchez-Barba
ABSTRACT:
During the last decades, educational policies at Universities within the European High Education Area have included active methodologies to enhance the teaching-learning process, giving students a central role. Online self-assessments supported by Information and Communication Technology, provide students with continuous feedback, fostering their motivation and accountability. These practices cultivate essential skills like problem-solving and critical thinking, highly demanded in the global professional sphere. Furthermore, students not only evaluate their progress but also gain insight and reflect on their knowledge acquisition level, upgrading their overall learning experience. In this study, we investigate whether online self-assessment enhances student academic performance. To achieve this aim, instructors proposed students the resolution of different conveniently designed tests, covering the contents of a General Chemistry Course. Resolution of these questionnaires through the virtual platform Moodle contributed to final grades, encouraging student active participation. In the present study, we compare student results in these self-assessment tests and subject grades, obtaining a comprehensive analysis of learning outcomes. The sample comprised 193 first-year students enrolled in two different Chemistry courses within Biology (BIO) and Industrial Technology Engineering (ITE) degrees, who completed two 32 question multiple-choice exams. The results showed a high participation in this innovative methodology, with 79.7 % of ITE students demonstrating an improvement in their post-tests evaluation grades, taking into account students who passed the course. Additionally, the results achieved in the BIO degree showed a 64.5% improvement, confirming the positive impact of online self-assessment on student grades.
keywords: Evaluation, Tests, Feedback, Motivation, Problem-Solving Skills