Blogging from The Tenth Southern Hemisphere Conference on the Teaching and Learning of Undergraduate Mathematics and Statistics

Rachel Passmore – University of Auckland (photo taken from https://www.math.auckland.ac.nz/people/rpas014)

Live blogging: Note that these are notes I’ve taken live, but will edit this today into a more readable format. I want to put this up straight away though to see if I have any obvious misunderstanding. Equations will also be put into more readable format ASAP.

“A face to face explanation of the solution to a mathematics problem demonstrates understanding far more than a written report” David Holgate, Delta 2013

Traditional form of assessment not suitable for ‘second-chance’ students.

From the NCTM website: suggestions for alternative forms of assessment.

• Promoting student discussion: already using
• Observe students engaging in maths: already using
• Presentations: not doing yet
• Interview students or personalise feedback: Already using journaling

Try: Video assessment

Challenges for the lecturer:

• What topic?
• assessment rubric
• time limit
• max file size
• how video should be submitted
• evaluation of learning benefits
• other technical issues

Challenges for the students:

• Having to work as a group
• Learn how to make a video: Editing, sound tracks, captions, credits, uploading
• Camera shy
• ESL students
• Time management for the group

In the end:

• Chose simultaneous equations
• Rubric loosely based on David Holgate’s
• Used youtube
• No technical issues

The students:

• Group work outside of class a challenge but all but a couple submitted a video
• Sense of achievement at finished product
• Camera shy used puppets
• ESL – get non ESL presenter

Rubric:

• Is the mathematics correct?
• Is the presentation clear?
• Does the video play correctly

Generally looks like the students really enjoyed the project.

But: Is there any point in doing this? Evaluation of learning benefits:

• Enjoyable experience
• Students proud of learning a new skill
• Examination results
• Students who did well did well in simultaneous equation questions too
• But students who did not do well in other areas achieved at a significantly higher level in the simultaneous equations questions.
• A few exceptions

It looks like the process of making the video significantly  improved understanding and presentation in the specific question:

Comparing overall results, to how well the students to did on the simultaneous equations question.