Using low- and no-stakes quizzing for student self-evaluation of readiness for exams

Introductory level materials and methods courses in Construction Management programs require students to acquire an enormous new discipline-specific vocabulary in preparation for future courses. Students are often not prepared for the self-directed studying they must do to be successful in these types of courses, particularly in their first year of college. To assist students in more accurately gauging their readiness for an exam, online low- and no-stakes quizzes were implemented in a freshman course, giving students an opportunity to practice their new language with little or no grade-related consequences. This quizzing strategy provides students an opportunity to self-assess their current level of knowledge. The quizzes also provide feedback, helping students adjust their behavior to ensure that acquisition of the missing knowledge is successful. This research evaluated (1) whether quizzing helps students better prepare for medium and high-stakes exams; (2) whether quizzing increases mean exam scores compared to previous semesters with no quizzing; and (3) whether quizzing should be required to be effective, or whether it can be optional and still benefit students. It was found that quizzes helped students prepare for exams, increased mean exam scores for seven of twelve exams, and, based on student feedback, optional quizzes are recommended.