Using Rapid Feedback to Enhance Student Learning and Satisfaction

Our goal is to improve student learning in foundation engineering courses. Our hypothesis is that learning is improved by providing rapid feedback to students of their understanding of key concepts and skills. In the past two years, we conducted this study in two sections of a lower-level course, Statics. One author taught both sections and a crossover design of experiment was used. In a crossover study one section was randomly chosen to receive feedback with handheld computers (the 'treatment' group) while the other received the 'control,' which was either a feedback system using flashcards (in 2004) or no feedback (2005). After a certain period, the two sections swapped the treatment and control. Student performance on a quiz at the end of each treatment period provided the data for comparison using a general linear statistical model. Our findings from 2004 showed that there was no significant difference using either rapid-feedback method. In 2005 we found a significant and positive effect when students received feedback. This is a noteworthy finding that confirms the value of rapid feedback and the currently popular `clickers' that many professors are employing to promote classroom interaction