Readiness Assurance Activities (RAA): The team based learning community has developed a method to convert a typical summative exam into a far more formative process5. We have adopted that model and use the team based module in Learning Catalytics to accomplish it. We prepare a (very) difficult set of questions for the individual round that can all be machine graded. Our goal is to make it hard enough that we expect that the median will be between 50 and 60%. In-class, we deliver the individual round to the students such that they can see all of the questions and answer them in any order before submitting their answers. We give them between 30 and 45 minutes to finish the module. The answers are not revealed to the students in this step. The individual round is a closed book, closed notes, closed internet session without any talking.
Then, once the individual round is complete, we start the group round. Here we deliver the exact same questions except now the group submits a single collective answer for each question. Now the group is allowed to consult their notes, books, anything on the internet, and even ask the instructional team for help. If the team submits an incorrect answer, the software tells them that is was incorrect and they are given another chance, but with half of the point value of the question. If the second attempt is incorrect, then they are given a third chance but now at only a quarter of the original value. If that is incorrect, they are told what the answer is and they will not get any credit. This approach is from the IFAT methodology for team based learning[7].
Once the final round is complete, we compute the grade each student gets by averaging the individual round score with the group round score. This can be set to any value, but we have been using a 50-50 weighing to emphasize the value of the group work and student learning. This approach helps to make the exam a far more formative process that rewards learning.