Using Moodle QuizzesTo Improve Student Comprehension
The “Testing Effect”The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention.
Roediger HL 3rd, Butler AC, Trends In Cognitive Science 2011 Jan;15(1):20-7
Abstract
Learning is usually thought to occur during episodes of studying, whereas retrieval of information
on testing simply serves to assess what was learned. We review research that contradicts this
traditional view by demonstrating that retrieval practice is actually a powerful mnemonic
enhancer, often producing large gains in long-term retention relative to repeated studying.
Retrieval practice is often effective even without feedback (i.e. giving the correct answer), but
feedback enhances the benefits of testing. In addition, retrieval practice promotes the acquisition
of knowledge that can be flexibly retrieved and transferred to different contexts. The power of
retrieval practice in consolidating memories has important implications for both the study of
memory and its application to educational practice.
In my classes:
Moodle Quizzes replace note-taking homework and short answer homework assignments.
I use Moodle quizzes for quick, in-class vocabulary and basic comprehension assessments
Randomized Experiment in My Class
2009-2010
Students using Moodle quizzes instead of completing vocabulary notes performed just as well as their peers on the unit tests
*Lowest performing students did not do as well when just taking the quizzes in this experiment
QuizzesMy Favorite thing about Moodle!
Google Forms vs Moodle Quizzes
Google forms are great for getting feedback, or for quick surveys
Moodle quizzes are much better for assessing knowledge- the question formats and statistics are much richer
Moodle Quizzes AllowMultiple Question types
Randomized Questions- this is key!!
Tailored Feedback for each answer
Detailed statistics on student responses
How to Make the Moodle Quiz:
Add an activity or resource
main Updating Quiz page
Or use Deferred Feedback
This is the next screen
Then Preview the Quiz
I will explain how to enter feedback
Grading the QuizIt’s done for you!
Scores can also be downloaded to a spreadsheet
You can also view the Responses
Detailed Statistics are available for each question
The Questions
The Question Bank
- Editing Categories
On the Edit Categories Page you should make new Categories- Think about sections from which you may want to draw random questions
Note: Be Careful of Image Names!
The “image description” on an image will display if students hover over it on some computers.
Sometimes kids can drag the image to the desktop to find it as well.
The name of the question is hidden, however.
This question is called “sandstone” in my question bank, but I had to change the image name to not give away the answer.
FeedbackFeedback- You can give feedback for specific answers
General feedback- shows for all students, depending on Quiz Settings
General feedback is some text that gets shown to the student after they have attempted the question. Unlike
feedback, which depends on the question type and what response the student gave, the same general feedback
text is shown to all students.
You can control when general feedback is shown to students using the "Students may review:" check-boxes on the
quiz editing form.
You can use the general feedback to give students some background to what knowledge the question was testing.
Or to give them a link to more information they can use if they did not understand the questions.
True/ False
How the question looks on the quiz
How it looks after you answer and submit
Tips for TypesSome interesting types of questions
Answers for a Matching QuestionCan outnumber the “questions”
“Shuffle” rearranges the questions
Short Answer
Fill in the blank
You can use asterisks for flexibility, and give separate scores to different responses
Multiple Choice
Use Negative grades for wrong answers when allowing more than one answer
(e.g. Check all that apply)
Embedded Answer (Cloze)
These are excellent once you get to know them
Embedded Answer (Cloze)
The final result has multiple drop-down choices
You can also have Short Answer (fill in the blank)
Make sure to check the points
In the Edit Quiz menu, Cloze often have extra points
Calculated Questions
These are tricky, but valuable for certain classes.
They generate different numbers each time someone takes the quiz.
Have Fun!Start making your quiz!
Other StudiesScience. 2008 Feb 15;319(5865):966-8. doi: 10.1126/science.1152408.
The critical importance of retrieval for learning.
Karpicke JD, Roediger HL 3rd.
Psychol Sci. 2006 Mar;17(3):249-55.
Test-enhanced learning: taking memory tests improves long-term retention.
Roediger HL, Karpicke JD.