In-Class Versus At-Home Quizzes: Which is Better? A Flipped Learning Study in a Two-Site Synchronously Broadcast Organic Chemistry Course

• Published in: Journal of chemical education Vol. 94; no. 2; pp. 157 - 163
• Main Authors: Christiansen, Michael A, Lambert, Alyssia M, Nadelson, Louis S, Dupree, Kami M, Kingsford, Trish A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Easton American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc 14.02.2017; Division of Chemical Education, Inc and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society; American Chemical Society
• Subjects: Chemistry; Cognitive Processes; College Science; Cooperative Learning; Curriculum development; Educational Technology; Feedback; Flipped classroom; Homework; Learner Engagement; Learning; Memory; Organic Chemistry; Science education; Science Instruction; Scores; Statistical Analysis; Students; Teaching Methods; Technology Uses in Education; Tests; Undergraduate Study; Video Technology; Utah; Testing/Assessment; Student-Centered Learning; Second-Year Undergraduate; Distance Learning/Self Instruction; Internet/Web-Based Learning; Collaborative/Cooperative Learning; Computer-Based Learning; Constructivism
• ISSN: 0021-9584; 1938-1328
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.6b00370

We recently shared our design of a two-semester flipped organic chemistry course in which we gave students in-class quizzes to incentivize attendance and watching the lecture videos in advance. With a second iteration, we planned to make the video-watching experience more engaging. We accordingly hypothesized that if students completed short at-home quizzes while watching the videos, then attentiveness, engagement, and learning would increase. We tested this with a later section of the course, dividing the material into 13 units. For units 1–6, we gave in-class quizzes; for 7–13, quizzes were at home. Although units 1–6 and 7–13 covered different material, we were nonetheless surprised when students’ average quiz scores decreased for the take-home quizzes because they did not have a time limit and were open-book, unlike the in-class quizzes. Anonymous survey feedback showed a strong preference for quizzes in class and indications that take-home quizzes demotivated attendance and preclass watching of the videos. Thus, for analogous flipped-course designs in chemistry, we recommend an in-class quizzing strategy over take-home quizzes to positively affect engagement, learning, and attendance. Of note, this course was synchronously delivered to two groups of students at geographically distinct satellite locations.