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Posted on: #iteachmsu
DISCIPLINARY CONTENT
Tasks of Recruiters and How to Ease Them
The Covid-19 pandemic has created upheavals across industries and the year 2020 has seen unprecedented levels of unemployment. This means that hiring is becoming increasingly competitive due to the sheer volume of applicants, making the job of recruiters even more challenging. If at this time, your recruiters are busy doing their tasks manually, then most probably the goals that you would have laid out for your staffing firm this year are not going to be met or it would be challenging to meet them. Recruiters need to start thinking strategically for your firm to succeed in these times.
Technology is known for easing the challenges of any industry and staffing is no different. Irrespective of this global crisis, a strong technology stack can empower your recruiters and ensure that they face the challenges of the industry head on.
In this blog, we have listed some of the tedious tasks that recruiters have to do while hiring and how they can be eased with the use of technology.
Deal Sheets
Deal sheets, especially for healthcare staffing firms, require recruiters to perform the complex mathematical calculations and to determine rates and margins profitably. Deal sheets need to change on a client-by-client or job-by-job basis. This means changing burden types and rules for every single client or job.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Taxes need to be loaded in the calculation, orientation rates need to be set, overtime thresholds need to be set up, and more. Recruiters need to refer to the GSA database to populate lodging and per diem rates based on the location of the job.
If done manually this can be extremely complicated with a high risk of human error. An ATS that supports deal sheets configuration can be invaluable in such cases and can save a lot of time and improve productivity for recruiters.
How can TargetRecruit Help?
TargetRecruit’s Deal Sheets with Pay Packages feature helps recruiters dynamically confirm rates for both candidates and clients on the fly while adhering to contractual rates and maintaining margins. All the calculations are done on a deal sheets template, which can then be assigned to a client or a job. See this video and pdf to learn more.
To help close the loop, we offer the ability to send Pay Packages. Every time a job is created, including those from your VMS, and every time an applicant is created, including those from your website, you can automatically send formatted and personalized customized pay package emails to your candidates based on criteria you determine.
Emails
Most recruiters receive a huge volume of emails a day, from candidates or clients. In a scenario without the right technology in place, the recruiter will be moving back and forth between email and the ATS. So every time, a recruiter gets an email from a new contact or a candidate, he has to go to the ATS and create the profile manually. When a client sends a job order in an email, the job needs to be created in the ATS separately.
This may be manageable for smaller volumes but can easily tie up too much of a consultants time when the number of applicants increases, and can result in delays making candidates and jobs live, or result in only a selection of candidates making it into the ATS.
But, email is still the preferred communication channel for staffing firms, and it’s not going to change anytime soon. The solution is an ATS with a fully integrated email solution, allowing seamless blending of data between the email client and the ATS database. Candidate resumes and job briefs can be added in seconds and are immediately available for consultants to work on.
How can TargetRecruit Help?
With TargetRecruit Email Connector, TargetRecruit ATS can be integrated with Outlook or Gmail, you can view and access information about clients, candidates, and contacts directly from your inbox. Email integration will allow you to track all candidates and client emails automatically. You can quickly add a contact or a candidate from Outlook or Gmail, create job orders, parse resumes or add notes- all from your inbox. See this video and pdf to learn more.
Technology is known for easing the challenges of any industry and staffing is no different. Irrespective of this global crisis, a strong technology stack can empower your recruiters and ensure that they face the challenges of the industry head on.
In this blog, we have listed some of the tedious tasks that recruiters have to do while hiring and how they can be eased with the use of technology.
Deal Sheets
Deal sheets, especially for healthcare staffing firms, require recruiters to perform the complex mathematical calculations and to determine rates and margins profitably. Deal sheets need to change on a client-by-client or job-by-job basis. This means changing burden types and rules for every single client or job.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Taxes need to be loaded in the calculation, orientation rates need to be set, overtime thresholds need to be set up, and more. Recruiters need to refer to the GSA database to populate lodging and per diem rates based on the location of the job.
If done manually this can be extremely complicated with a high risk of human error. An ATS that supports deal sheets configuration can be invaluable in such cases and can save a lot of time and improve productivity for recruiters.
How can TargetRecruit Help?
TargetRecruit’s Deal Sheets with Pay Packages feature helps recruiters dynamically confirm rates for both candidates and clients on the fly while adhering to contractual rates and maintaining margins. All the calculations are done on a deal sheets template, which can then be assigned to a client or a job. See this video and pdf to learn more.
To help close the loop, we offer the ability to send Pay Packages. Every time a job is created, including those from your VMS, and every time an applicant is created, including those from your website, you can automatically send formatted and personalized customized pay package emails to your candidates based on criteria you determine.
Emails
Most recruiters receive a huge volume of emails a day, from candidates or clients. In a scenario without the right technology in place, the recruiter will be moving back and forth between email and the ATS. So every time, a recruiter gets an email from a new contact or a candidate, he has to go to the ATS and create the profile manually. When a client sends a job order in an email, the job needs to be created in the ATS separately.
This may be manageable for smaller volumes but can easily tie up too much of a consultants time when the number of applicants increases, and can result in delays making candidates and jobs live, or result in only a selection of candidates making it into the ATS.
But, email is still the preferred communication channel for staffing firms, and it’s not going to change anytime soon. The solution is an ATS with a fully integrated email solution, allowing seamless blending of data between the email client and the ATS database. Candidate resumes and job briefs can be added in seconds and are immediately available for consultants to work on.
How can TargetRecruit Help?
With TargetRecruit Email Connector, TargetRecruit ATS can be integrated with Outlook or Gmail, you can view and access information about clients, candidates, and contacts directly from your inbox. Email integration will allow you to track all candidates and client emails automatically. You can quickly add a contact or a candidate from Outlook or Gmail, create job orders, parse resumes or add notes- all from your inbox. See this video and pdf to learn more.
Posted by:
Kalon Locaz

Posted on: #iteachmsu

Tasks of Recruiters and How to Ease Them
The Covid-19 pandemic has created upheavals across industries and t...
Posted by:
DISCIPLINARY CONTENT
Wednesday, Dec 30, 2020
Posted on: #iteachmsu
PEDAGOGICAL DESIGN
Facilitating Independent Group Projects
The group project is a much-dreaded component of undergraduate courses, doubly so if students are expected to create their own project from scratch. However, instructors consistently return to the independent group project as an exercise that, if done properly, stimulates student inquiry and cooperation. In this post, I reflect on my experiences facilitating student-led group projects in a biology course and relate these experiences to the commonalities of independent group work across disciplines. I outline four common issues related to independent group projects, then provide the rationale for managing each issue to maximize learning outcomes.
Issue #1: Students Don’t See the Value of Independent Projects
With several classes, part-time jobs, extracurricular activities, and a social life to manage, we can imagine why undergraduates may prefer working on a prescribed project rather than one they design themselves. Independent projects require a lot of brainpower and effort, and we are all likely inclined to gravitate toward projects in which we can work on each step in a straightforward manner. Much of the work that students will encounter outside the classroom, however, requires flexibility and creativity. Using inquiry is essential to translate knowledge into new situations, and independent projects are a great opportunity to practice inquiry.
Tips
Emphasize the real-world skills that students gain. This can be particularly valuable for students who aren’t necessarily interested in the subject matter but can see the benefits they gain in other areas, such as problem solving and managing a team.
Explain how each component of the independent project emulates a real practice in the discipline. This communicates to your students that you are putting them through this experience to help them develop their competencies, not to waste their time.
Treat every pitfall as a lesson, not as an opportunity to point out deficiencies. If something goes wrong, help the students figure out a way to move forward. Then, ask the students what they learned from the experience (e.g., how to better communicate, the value of a contingency plan, time management) and how they might strategize differently if confronted with a similar situation.
Issue #2: Designing and Conducting Independent Projects is Overwhelming
Often, the end product of an independent project seems like an unattainable goal. The concept of an independent project can provide freedom, but the lack of structure can leave students feeling lost and unsure of their path. They key for instructors is to provide structure (e.g., schedules, formatting guidelines) without stifling opportunities for students to be creative and take charge of their own learning.
Tips
Break down the project into manageable goals. Create a guide for students that details out the specific steps that lead to the end product, which includes due dates for smaller components of the project. This will help students feel competent as they achieve each small task and to better manage their time.
Provide iterative feedback. If the only evaluation students receive on their work is their final project grade, they don’t have the opportunity to improve and learn along the way. Checking in with students as they reach each small goal allows both students and instructor to keep track of progress and to make adjustments if a group has gotten off-course.
Take time in class to praise students for their progress. Students may have trouble perceiving their accomplishments, so bringing them up will help to increase student confidence moving forward with the project.
Help groups work through challenges in a structured manner. Ask groups to bring up challenges they have encountered lately, and run a brainstorming session with the entire class to overcome these challenges. Often, other groups will have encountered similar challenges, so working through them together helps students feel more competent and build a sense of community among classmates.
Issue #3: Group Members do not Contribute Equally
A common issue in group projects is that some students don’t have the time or interest to fully participate. This puts an undue burden on the other group members, who must take on a larger role in the project than intended. Instructors can minimize the incentive to “slack off” and create strategies for teams to manage uncooperative group members.
Tips
Have students create a team contract. Provide students with a general template for a group contract with space to detail procedures for written communication among teammates, goals for the project, and consequences for group members who don’t pull their weight. All students should contribute to the creation of the contract and sign it. If an issue arises at any point during the project, the group has a clear path forward to correct the issue.
Build in opportunities for every member to contribute. The threat of being held individually accountable is often enough motivation for students to pull their weight. Take time in class to consult with each group individually or run brainstorming sessions with the entire class, asking individual students to share their experience or discuss project results.
Issue #4: Group Members Have Disparate Goals
Group projects can be frustrating if students clash with teammates due to differing interests or goals. While it’s impossible to remove all disagreement among group members, creating a positive collaborative atmosphere can help students discuss and pursue their goals in a supportive manner.
Tips
Form groups based on mutual interests. Ask students to sit in different sections of the classroom based on potential project topics, then organize the students into groups based on their “interest zone.” An added bonus to this approach is that student groups will automatically have something in common, which can help them form social bonds and increase the enjoyment of working together.
Make time at the start of the project for students to discuss goals. Talking about how the project might relate to their goals for the course, their undergraduate education, and/or their career helps students understand the motivations of their teammates. When group members understand each other’s motivations, they can adjust their expectations and support the achievement of a variety of goals.
While your students may not enjoy the long hours, issues with teammates, and frustrations that accompany the independent group project, they may come to appreciate the lessons learned from their experiences. An example of working through a road block on their project could become a scenario they describe in a job interview. Dealing with an uncooperative group member could inform their approach to team management in their career. Engaging in inquiry could become the foundation for a student’s decision to pursue graduate school. Keep these outcomes in mind, and make every effort to put a positive spin on student progress.
Further Reading
Guide: “What are Best Practices for Designing Group Projects?” from Carnegie Mellon University. https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/instructionalstrategies/groupprojects/design.html
Guide: “Group Work: Using Cooperative Learning Groups Effectively” from Vanderbilt University. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/setting-up-and-facilitating-group-work-using-cooperative-learning-groups-effectively/
Guide: “Successful Group Projects” from University of Leicester. https://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ld/resources/study/group-projects
Article: Creating Positive Group Project Experiences by Chapman and van Auken. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0273475301232005
Issue #1: Students Don’t See the Value of Independent Projects
With several classes, part-time jobs, extracurricular activities, and a social life to manage, we can imagine why undergraduates may prefer working on a prescribed project rather than one they design themselves. Independent projects require a lot of brainpower and effort, and we are all likely inclined to gravitate toward projects in which we can work on each step in a straightforward manner. Much of the work that students will encounter outside the classroom, however, requires flexibility and creativity. Using inquiry is essential to translate knowledge into new situations, and independent projects are a great opportunity to practice inquiry.
Tips
Emphasize the real-world skills that students gain. This can be particularly valuable for students who aren’t necessarily interested in the subject matter but can see the benefits they gain in other areas, such as problem solving and managing a team.
Explain how each component of the independent project emulates a real practice in the discipline. This communicates to your students that you are putting them through this experience to help them develop their competencies, not to waste their time.
Treat every pitfall as a lesson, not as an opportunity to point out deficiencies. If something goes wrong, help the students figure out a way to move forward. Then, ask the students what they learned from the experience (e.g., how to better communicate, the value of a contingency plan, time management) and how they might strategize differently if confronted with a similar situation.
Issue #2: Designing and Conducting Independent Projects is Overwhelming
Often, the end product of an independent project seems like an unattainable goal. The concept of an independent project can provide freedom, but the lack of structure can leave students feeling lost and unsure of their path. They key for instructors is to provide structure (e.g., schedules, formatting guidelines) without stifling opportunities for students to be creative and take charge of their own learning.
Tips
Break down the project into manageable goals. Create a guide for students that details out the specific steps that lead to the end product, which includes due dates for smaller components of the project. This will help students feel competent as they achieve each small task and to better manage their time.
Provide iterative feedback. If the only evaluation students receive on their work is their final project grade, they don’t have the opportunity to improve and learn along the way. Checking in with students as they reach each small goal allows both students and instructor to keep track of progress and to make adjustments if a group has gotten off-course.
Take time in class to praise students for their progress. Students may have trouble perceiving their accomplishments, so bringing them up will help to increase student confidence moving forward with the project.
Help groups work through challenges in a structured manner. Ask groups to bring up challenges they have encountered lately, and run a brainstorming session with the entire class to overcome these challenges. Often, other groups will have encountered similar challenges, so working through them together helps students feel more competent and build a sense of community among classmates.
Issue #3: Group Members do not Contribute Equally
A common issue in group projects is that some students don’t have the time or interest to fully participate. This puts an undue burden on the other group members, who must take on a larger role in the project than intended. Instructors can minimize the incentive to “slack off” and create strategies for teams to manage uncooperative group members.
Tips
Have students create a team contract. Provide students with a general template for a group contract with space to detail procedures for written communication among teammates, goals for the project, and consequences for group members who don’t pull their weight. All students should contribute to the creation of the contract and sign it. If an issue arises at any point during the project, the group has a clear path forward to correct the issue.
Build in opportunities for every member to contribute. The threat of being held individually accountable is often enough motivation for students to pull their weight. Take time in class to consult with each group individually or run brainstorming sessions with the entire class, asking individual students to share their experience or discuss project results.
Issue #4: Group Members Have Disparate Goals
Group projects can be frustrating if students clash with teammates due to differing interests or goals. While it’s impossible to remove all disagreement among group members, creating a positive collaborative atmosphere can help students discuss and pursue their goals in a supportive manner.
Tips
Form groups based on mutual interests. Ask students to sit in different sections of the classroom based on potential project topics, then organize the students into groups based on their “interest zone.” An added bonus to this approach is that student groups will automatically have something in common, which can help them form social bonds and increase the enjoyment of working together.
Make time at the start of the project for students to discuss goals. Talking about how the project might relate to their goals for the course, their undergraduate education, and/or their career helps students understand the motivations of their teammates. When group members understand each other’s motivations, they can adjust their expectations and support the achievement of a variety of goals.
While your students may not enjoy the long hours, issues with teammates, and frustrations that accompany the independent group project, they may come to appreciate the lessons learned from their experiences. An example of working through a road block on their project could become a scenario they describe in a job interview. Dealing with an uncooperative group member could inform their approach to team management in their career. Engaging in inquiry could become the foundation for a student’s decision to pursue graduate school. Keep these outcomes in mind, and make every effort to put a positive spin on student progress.
Further Reading
Guide: “What are Best Practices for Designing Group Projects?” from Carnegie Mellon University. https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/instructionalstrategies/groupprojects/design.html
Guide: “Group Work: Using Cooperative Learning Groups Effectively” from Vanderbilt University. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/setting-up-and-facilitating-group-work-using-cooperative-learning-groups-effectively/
Guide: “Successful Group Projects” from University of Leicester. https://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ld/resources/study/group-projects
Article: Creating Positive Group Project Experiences by Chapman and van Auken. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0273475301232005
Posted by:
Chathuri Super admin..
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Facilitating Independent Group Projects
The group project is a much-dreaded component of undergraduate cour...
Posted by:
PEDAGOGICAL DESIGN
Monday, Aug 6, 2018
Posted on: #iteachmsu
NAVIGATING CONTEXT
A Case for More Testing: The Benefits of Frequent, Low-Stakes Assessments
What if I told you about this magical teaching practice that, done even once, produces large improvements in student final exam scores[1], helps narrow the grade gap between poorly prepped and highly prepped first year college students[2], and might even result in more positive course reviews[3],[4]? What if I also told you this magical teaching practice is something you already know how to do? What if I told you, the secret to increasing your students’ success and overall satisfaction is……more TESTS!?
Okay…well to be fair, it’s a little more nuanced than that. While adding just one test to a class does indeed improve final exam scores, it turns out that more frequent, graded exercises in general improve learning outcomes for students [2],[5]. Even better – if these exercises are low stakes, they can improve learning outcomes without increasing student anxiety [4],[6].
We often view testing as an unpleasant but necessary way to assess student performance. It may be time for us to instead view testing as a useful teaching tool and to implement an assessment system that maximizes the potential learning benefits. In this post I will discuss the important known benefits of frequent, low stakes assessments as well as some practical tips for how to maximize these benefits without adding undue stress to your life or the lives of your students.
Benefit #1: “Thinking about thinking”
Testing can improve a student’s metacognition, or their ability to “think about thinking.” A good metacognitive thinker understands how their thought processes work and can pay attention to and change these processes [7]. A student with strong metacognitive skills can therefore more successfully monitor, evaluate, and improve their learning compared to students lacking these skills. Unfortunately, many students struggle with metacognition and must contend with “illusions of mastery” (or thinking they understand a subject better than they actually do). Self-testing is a good way to prevent illusions of mastery, but many students do not incorporate self-testing into their studying, instead electing more passive modes of exam preparation such as rereading texts[8]. Incorporating more testing into the curriculum forces students into the position of making mistakes and receiving feedback, allowing them to frequently measure their learning in relation to expectations and adjust accordingly. Again, note that providing feedback is an essential part of this process.
Benefit #2: Practice Remembering
Testing can improve a student’s long term memory of information presented in class by forcing students to recall what they’ve learned through a cognitive process called active retrieval. Active retrieval strengthens neural pathways important for retrieving memories, allowing these memories to be more easily accessed in the future.
While any sort of retrieval practice is useful, it is most beneficial when it is effortful, spaced, and interleaved. An example of effortful retrieval practice includes testing which forces students to provide the answers (i.e. Short answer and fill in the blank questions as opposed to multiple choice). More effortful retrieval also occurs with spaced and interleaved practice.
Spaced practice is testing that occurs after enough time has elapsed for some (but not complete) forgetting to occur (i.e. Present the information and then wait a couple months, days, or even just until the end of class to test students on it). Interleaved practice incorporates different but related topics and problem types, as opposed to having students practice and master one type at a time (e.g. cumulative testing where you mix problems from different units together). Interleaved practice can help students learn to focus on the underlying principles of problems and to discriminate between problem types, leading to more complex mental models and a deeper understanding of the relationships between ideas[6].
How to Implement More Assessments (Without Losing Your Mind)
So, all you have to do now is come up with a ton of quiz and test questions and free up a bunch of class time for assessments! Don’t forget you also need to grade all of these! After all, feedback is an important part of the process, and frequent (even low stakes) grading has the added benefits of enhancing student motivation, attentiveness, and attendance.I know what you busy teachers (ie. all of you) out there are thinking….“Your ”magical” teaching practice is starting to sound like a hugely effective pain in my butt.”
Don’t give up on me now though! There are some fairly simple ways to add more assessments to your curriculum. Furthermore, you should be able to do this sans student rebellion because these assessments are low-stakes. Frequent, low-stake assessments as opposed to infrequent, high-stakes assessments actually decrease student anxiety overall because no single test is a make it or break it event. In fact, several teachers have reported a large increase in positive student evaluations after restructuring their classes in this way[3],[4],[6]!
Below I lay out some tips for getting the most out of shifting your assessment practices while maintaining both your own and your students’ sanity:
1) Know that “effortful” testing is not always necessary
While effortful testing is best for retrieval practice, even basic, easily graded recognition tests such multiple choice questions still offer benefits, such as helping students remember basic (but important!) information[6],[9].
2) Create different assessment questions
You can also make assessments more effortful by creating questions that engage higher cognitive processes. Now you can sit back, relax, and indulge in one of my personal favorite pastimes (watching student brains explode) without the stressful grading!
3) Make use of educational technologies to ease your grading
For instance, clicker tests are a quick way to test students and allow you to provide feedback for the class all at once.
4) Make assessments into games
If your students need a morale boost, make a quiz into a trivia game and give winning groups candy. Some good old competition and Pavlovian conditioning may make students reassess their view of testing.
5) Assess participation
Doing something as simple as a participation grade will still provide students with incentive without overburdening them or yourself. For instance, this type of grading would work in conjunction with #3.
6) Keep graded assessments predictable
Making assessments predictable as opposed to utilizing pop quizzes helps students feel at ease.6 Furthermore, if they students KNOW an assessment is coming, they are more likely to study and pay attention.
7) Find ways to revisit old material in your assessments
Making assessments cumulative is an effective way to space out your review of material and has the added benefit of making problems interleaved and effortful, all of which maximize retrieval practice[6].
8) Have students reflect on mistakes
You can help students develop metacognitive skills by giving them opportunities to reflect upon and correct their mistakes on assessments. For instance, have students take a quiz and then discuss their answers/thinking with their classmates before receiving feedback. You can also give students opportunities to create keys to short answer questions and grade their own and several (anonymous) classmates’ answers. This will allow them to think through what makes an answer complete and effective.
9) Break large assessments into small ones
Instead of creating new assessments, break up large ones into multiple, lower-stakes assessments. For example, consider replacing big tests with several quizzes. Consider scaffolding large projects such as independent research projects and term papers. Ask for outlines, lists of references, graphs, etc. along the course of the semester before the final project is due. This might cause more work for you in the short term but can help prevent complete disasters at the end of the semester, which can be time consuming.
10) Utilize short daily or weekly quizzes
If you don’t want to adjust a big project/test or lose class time by adding time-consuming assessments, consider adding short daily or weekly quizzes. These grades can add up to equal one test grade. One could consider dropping the lowest score(s) but allowing no make ups to reduce logistical issues.
These are only a few of the many strategies one can use to transition to a frequent, low-stakes assessment system. What are your experiences with low stakes assessments? Have you made use of any which seem particularly effective in enhancing student learning?
Related Reading:
Much of the information about the benefits of testing is from:
Brown, P.C., Roediger III, H.L., McDaniel, M.A. (2014). Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Okay…well to be fair, it’s a little more nuanced than that. While adding just one test to a class does indeed improve final exam scores, it turns out that more frequent, graded exercises in general improve learning outcomes for students [2],[5]. Even better – if these exercises are low stakes, they can improve learning outcomes without increasing student anxiety [4],[6].
We often view testing as an unpleasant but necessary way to assess student performance. It may be time for us to instead view testing as a useful teaching tool and to implement an assessment system that maximizes the potential learning benefits. In this post I will discuss the important known benefits of frequent, low stakes assessments as well as some practical tips for how to maximize these benefits without adding undue stress to your life or the lives of your students.
Benefit #1: “Thinking about thinking”
Testing can improve a student’s metacognition, or their ability to “think about thinking.” A good metacognitive thinker understands how their thought processes work and can pay attention to and change these processes [7]. A student with strong metacognitive skills can therefore more successfully monitor, evaluate, and improve their learning compared to students lacking these skills. Unfortunately, many students struggle with metacognition and must contend with “illusions of mastery” (or thinking they understand a subject better than they actually do). Self-testing is a good way to prevent illusions of mastery, but many students do not incorporate self-testing into their studying, instead electing more passive modes of exam preparation such as rereading texts[8]. Incorporating more testing into the curriculum forces students into the position of making mistakes and receiving feedback, allowing them to frequently measure their learning in relation to expectations and adjust accordingly. Again, note that providing feedback is an essential part of this process.
Benefit #2: Practice Remembering
Testing can improve a student’s long term memory of information presented in class by forcing students to recall what they’ve learned through a cognitive process called active retrieval. Active retrieval strengthens neural pathways important for retrieving memories, allowing these memories to be more easily accessed in the future.
While any sort of retrieval practice is useful, it is most beneficial when it is effortful, spaced, and interleaved. An example of effortful retrieval practice includes testing which forces students to provide the answers (i.e. Short answer and fill in the blank questions as opposed to multiple choice). More effortful retrieval also occurs with spaced and interleaved practice.
Spaced practice is testing that occurs after enough time has elapsed for some (but not complete) forgetting to occur (i.e. Present the information and then wait a couple months, days, or even just until the end of class to test students on it). Interleaved practice incorporates different but related topics and problem types, as opposed to having students practice and master one type at a time (e.g. cumulative testing where you mix problems from different units together). Interleaved practice can help students learn to focus on the underlying principles of problems and to discriminate between problem types, leading to more complex mental models and a deeper understanding of the relationships between ideas[6].
How to Implement More Assessments (Without Losing Your Mind)
So, all you have to do now is come up with a ton of quiz and test questions and free up a bunch of class time for assessments! Don’t forget you also need to grade all of these! After all, feedback is an important part of the process, and frequent (even low stakes) grading has the added benefits of enhancing student motivation, attentiveness, and attendance.I know what you busy teachers (ie. all of you) out there are thinking….“Your ”magical” teaching practice is starting to sound like a hugely effective pain in my butt.”
Don’t give up on me now though! There are some fairly simple ways to add more assessments to your curriculum. Furthermore, you should be able to do this sans student rebellion because these assessments are low-stakes. Frequent, low-stake assessments as opposed to infrequent, high-stakes assessments actually decrease student anxiety overall because no single test is a make it or break it event. In fact, several teachers have reported a large increase in positive student evaluations after restructuring their classes in this way[3],[4],[6]!
Below I lay out some tips for getting the most out of shifting your assessment practices while maintaining both your own and your students’ sanity:
1) Know that “effortful” testing is not always necessary
While effortful testing is best for retrieval practice, even basic, easily graded recognition tests such multiple choice questions still offer benefits, such as helping students remember basic (but important!) information[6],[9].
2) Create different assessment questions
You can also make assessments more effortful by creating questions that engage higher cognitive processes. Now you can sit back, relax, and indulge in one of my personal favorite pastimes (watching student brains explode) without the stressful grading!
3) Make use of educational technologies to ease your grading
For instance, clicker tests are a quick way to test students and allow you to provide feedback for the class all at once.
4) Make assessments into games
If your students need a morale boost, make a quiz into a trivia game and give winning groups candy. Some good old competition and Pavlovian conditioning may make students reassess their view of testing.
5) Assess participation
Doing something as simple as a participation grade will still provide students with incentive without overburdening them or yourself. For instance, this type of grading would work in conjunction with #3.
6) Keep graded assessments predictable
Making assessments predictable as opposed to utilizing pop quizzes helps students feel at ease.6 Furthermore, if they students KNOW an assessment is coming, they are more likely to study and pay attention.
7) Find ways to revisit old material in your assessments
Making assessments cumulative is an effective way to space out your review of material and has the added benefit of making problems interleaved and effortful, all of which maximize retrieval practice[6].
8) Have students reflect on mistakes
You can help students develop metacognitive skills by giving them opportunities to reflect upon and correct their mistakes on assessments. For instance, have students take a quiz and then discuss their answers/thinking with their classmates before receiving feedback. You can also give students opportunities to create keys to short answer questions and grade their own and several (anonymous) classmates’ answers. This will allow them to think through what makes an answer complete and effective.
9) Break large assessments into small ones
Instead of creating new assessments, break up large ones into multiple, lower-stakes assessments. For example, consider replacing big tests with several quizzes. Consider scaffolding large projects such as independent research projects and term papers. Ask for outlines, lists of references, graphs, etc. along the course of the semester before the final project is due. This might cause more work for you in the short term but can help prevent complete disasters at the end of the semester, which can be time consuming.
10) Utilize short daily or weekly quizzes
If you don’t want to adjust a big project/test or lose class time by adding time-consuming assessments, consider adding short daily or weekly quizzes. These grades can add up to equal one test grade. One could consider dropping the lowest score(s) but allowing no make ups to reduce logistical issues.
These are only a few of the many strategies one can use to transition to a frequent, low-stakes assessment system. What are your experiences with low stakes assessments? Have you made use of any which seem particularly effective in enhancing student learning?
Related Reading:
Much of the information about the benefits of testing is from:
Brown, P.C., Roediger III, H.L., McDaniel, M.A. (2014). Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Posted by:
Chathuri Super admin..
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A Case for More Testing: The Benefits of Frequent, Low-Stakes Assessments
What if I told you about this magical teaching practice that, done ...
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NAVIGATING CONTEXT
Monday, Aug 6, 2018
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Visual and Environmental Prompts:
Use behavioral and environmental prompts to increase desired classroom behaviors. For example, pictorial prompts of students attending in class serve as a reminder of the teacher’s expectations for learning and behavior. Electronic visual aids such as interactive whiteboards and document cameras are helpful for capturing the attention of students with ADHD (Piffner, 2011).
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/principles-of-management/the-evolution-of-management-thought/behavioral-management-theory
Additionally, the use of tablets and computers may engage students more fully in learning activities.
Priming Procedure: Prime the student before an assignment or lesson byreviewing a list of student-identified privileges or reinforcements that can beearned following a specified work period.
Proximity Control: Teacher proximity is highly effective for helping studentswith ADHD maintain attention. For example, the teacher may move closer to thestudent when giving directions and monitoring seatwork.
Timers: Set a timer to indicate how much time remains in the lesson or workperiod. The timer should be clearly visible so students can check remaining timeand monitor their progress.
Wristwatch or Smartphone: Teach the student to use a wristwatch orsmartphone to manage time when completing assigned work. Many watches andsmartphones have built-in timers that can be programmed to beep at set intervals.
Music: Play different levels and tempos of music to help students understand theactivity level appropriate for particular lessons. For example, using quiet classicalmusic for individual learning activities helps block distractions and creates a calmclassroom environment (U.S. Department of Education, 2006).
Children with ADHD require specific and frequent feedback and/or reinforcementimmediately following the demonstration of desired behaviors. When students arelearning new behaviors, it is generally important to reinforce close approximations firstas a way to shape behavior. Once a behavior is established, the frequency ofreinforcement can be gradually decreased. Students with ADHD tend to quickly loseinterest with repetition, so a variety of easy-to-implement reinforcers should beconsidered.Praise, Praise, Praise: Attentiveness and appropriate classroom behavior areprerequisites for learning; therefore, interventions that promote these behaviorsshould be an integral part of the teaching process for all students. When teachersare attentive to positive behavior and specifically praise students for thesebehaviors, they can engage students before their attention drifts while highlightingdesired behavior (U.S. Department of Education, 2006).
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/principles-of-management/the-evolution-of-management-thought/behavioral-management-theory
Additionally, the use of tablets and computers may engage students more fully in learning activities.
Priming Procedure: Prime the student before an assignment or lesson byreviewing a list of student-identified privileges or reinforcements that can beearned following a specified work period.
Proximity Control: Teacher proximity is highly effective for helping studentswith ADHD maintain attention. For example, the teacher may move closer to thestudent when giving directions and monitoring seatwork.
Timers: Set a timer to indicate how much time remains in the lesson or workperiod. The timer should be clearly visible so students can check remaining timeand monitor their progress.
Wristwatch or Smartphone: Teach the student to use a wristwatch orsmartphone to manage time when completing assigned work. Many watches andsmartphones have built-in timers that can be programmed to beep at set intervals.
Music: Play different levels and tempos of music to help students understand theactivity level appropriate for particular lessons. For example, using quiet classicalmusic for individual learning activities helps block distractions and creates a calmclassroom environment (U.S. Department of Education, 2006).
Children with ADHD require specific and frequent feedback and/or reinforcementimmediately following the demonstration of desired behaviors. When students arelearning new behaviors, it is generally important to reinforce close approximations firstas a way to shape behavior. Once a behavior is established, the frequency ofreinforcement can be gradually decreased. Students with ADHD tend to quickly loseinterest with repetition, so a variety of easy-to-implement reinforcers should beconsidered.Praise, Praise, Praise: Attentiveness and appropriate classroom behavior areprerequisites for learning; therefore, interventions that promote these behaviorsshould be an integral part of the teaching process for all students. When teachersare attentive to positive behavior and specifically praise students for thesebehaviors, they can engage students before their attention drifts while highlightingdesired behavior (U.S. Department of Education, 2006).
Authored by:
Piffner, 2011
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Visual and Environmental Prompts:
Use behavioral and environmental prompts to increase desired classr...
Authored by:
Tuesday, Oct 13, 2020
Posted on: #iteachmsu
DISCIPLINARY CONTENT
A student exchange program may involve international travel, but does not necessarily require the st
Checking Your Course Materials & Resources
In anticipation of starting a new semester it is always a good idea to check the materials you plan on using for your course. Here are a couple of pitfalls that could happen, and how you might protect yourself.
1) Where did that go?
Sometimes we link to library resources such as journal articles, books, or media and we expect that the link will be ‘good’ in perpetuity. However, over time things shift and change. It is a good idea to use stable links to ensure that your resources will be available to students when they select the link you have provided. Here is the library resource on using stable links in your course - https://libguides.lib.msu.edu/stablelinks
2) It’s not the limits we set…
Some resources have a limit to the number of individuals who can access the resource at one time. It’s kind of like the olden days when there were only a few copies of a book in the library for hundreds of students. The same occurs in some digital resources. It is a good idea to ensure that your resources don’t have any restrictions, and if they do, that you are aware of these prior to adding these to your final syllabus or course reading list. Here is a library article to help with these situations - https://libguides.lib.msu.edu/c.php?g=917727&p=6913084
3) Deadlines and other support help
If you are experiencing an issue with access or availability to course resources from the library, you should contact them as soon as possible in the planning process. MSU librarians are very skilled and knowledgeable about the availability of resources and suggestions for alternatives when necessary. Here is a link to help with course materials - https://libguides.lib.msu.edu/c.php?g=917727&p=6913084
The aforementioned points are related to resources and materials available through the MSU library. It is always a good idea to check your links and access to third-party resources and materials that you have ‘used in the past’. Over time open and free resources can become fee-for-access (e.g., you will receive a 401 Unauthorized error), as well as being removed from the web entirely (e.g., the dreaded 404 ‘Not Found’ error). Checking these resources early can help you avoid last minute panic and scramble to find alternatives for your course.
In anticipation of starting a new semester it is always a good idea to check the materials you plan on using for your course. Here are a couple of pitfalls that could happen, and how you might protect yourself.
1) Where did that go?
Sometimes we link to library resources such as journal articles, books, or media and we expect that the link will be ‘good’ in perpetuity. However, over time things shift and change. It is a good idea to use stable links to ensure that your resources will be available to students when they select the link you have provided. Here is the library resource on using stable links in your course - https://libguides.lib.msu.edu/stablelinks
2) It’s not the limits we set…
Some resources have a limit to the number of individuals who can access the resource at one time. It’s kind of like the olden days when there were only a few copies of a book in the library for hundreds of students. The same occurs in some digital resources. It is a good idea to ensure that your resources don’t have any restrictions, and if they do, that you are aware of these prior to adding these to your final syllabus or course reading list. Here is a library article to help with these situations - https://libguides.lib.msu.edu/c.php?g=917727&p=6913084
3) Deadlines and other support help
If you are experiencing an issue with access or availability to course resources from the library, you should contact them as soon as possible in the planning process. MSU librarians are very skilled and knowledgeable about the availability of resources and suggestions for alternatives when necessary. Here is a link to help with course materials - https://libguides.lib.msu.edu/c.php?g=917727&p=6913084
The aforementioned points are related to resources and materials available through the MSU library. It is always a good idea to check your links and access to third-party resources and materials that you have ‘used in the past’. Over time open and free resources can become fee-for-access (e.g., you will receive a 401 Unauthorized error), as well as being removed from the web entirely (e.g., the dreaded 404 ‘Not Found’ error). Checking these resources early can help you avoid last minute panic and scramble to find alternatives for your course.
Authored by:
Shweta patil
Posted on: #iteachmsu
A student exchange program may involve international travel, but does not necessarily require the st
Checking Your Course Materials & Resources
In anticipation of s...
In anticipation of s...
Authored by:
DISCIPLINARY CONTENT
Tuesday, Jan 23, 2024
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Why do we use it?
What is Lorem Ipsum?
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.
Why do we use it?
It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using 'Content here, content here', making it look like readable English. Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for 'lorem ipsum' will uncover many web sites still in their infancy. Various versions have evolved over the years, sometimes by accident, sometimes on purpose (injected humour and the like).
Task
assignee
Time
Test 1
Tets 2
Video : URL: https://www.lipsum.com/
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.
Why do we use it?
It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using 'Content here, content here', making it look like readable English. Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for 'lorem ipsum' will uncover many web sites still in their infancy. Various versions have evolved over the years, sometimes by accident, sometimes on purpose (injected humour and the like).
Task
assignee
Time
Test 1
Tets 2
Video : URL: https://www.lipsum.com/
Authored by:
Article 7

Posted on: #iteachmsu

Why do we use it?
What is Lorem Ipsum?
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the p...
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the p...
Authored by:
Thursday, Nov 23, 2023
Posted on: #iteachmsu
What is Lorem Ipsum?
What is Lorem Ipsum?
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.
Why do we use it?
It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using 'Content here, content here', making it look like readable English. Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for 'lorem ipsum' will uncover many web sites still in their infancy. Various versions have evolved over the years, sometimes by accident, sometimes on purpose (injected humour and the like).
chat
assignee
time
test 1
Vedio :
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.
Why do we use it?
It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using 'Content here, content here', making it look like readable English. Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for 'lorem ipsum' will uncover many web sites still in their infancy. Various versions have evolved over the years, sometimes by accident, sometimes on purpose (injected humour and the like).
chat
assignee
time
test 1
Vedio :
Authored by:
Article 6

Posted on: #iteachmsu

What is Lorem Ipsum?
What is Lorem Ipsum?
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the p...
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the p...
Authored by:
Thursday, Nov 23, 2023
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Evaluations
Identify a student with a disability in your classroom. Specifically, identify a student that has difficulty accessing information or instructions or demonstrating knowledge within the same timeframe as other students. For example, the student might have difficulty staying focused on classwork and, therefore, does not complete work on time. To protect the privacy of your student, please use a first name only, or else use an alias.
Describe the student you selected, making sure to include:
Basic details about the student, including age, gender, first language, etc.
A description of the student's disability category and the barrier that interferes with the student’s ability to access or demonstrate learning
At least three of the student’s strengths
What the student is having difficulty with (e.g., completing a task on time)
Describe the student you selected, making sure to include:
Basic details about the student, including age, gender, first language, etc.
A description of the student's disability category and the barrier that interferes with the student’s ability to access or demonstrate learning
At least three of the student’s strengths
What the student is having difficulty with (e.g., completing a task on time)
Authored by:
Shawn Chittle

Posted on: #iteachmsu

Evaluations
Identify a student with a disability in your classroom. Specificall...
Authored by:
Friday, Sep 11, 2020