“TiLT”-ing a High-Enrollment STEM Course to Promote Accessibility, Equity, and Student Metacognition

Project Summary: The project seeks to enhance student learning and equity in high-enrollment STEM courses by implementing TiLT strategies and improving feedback mechanisms.

 

Transparency in Teaching and Learning (TiLT) is a pedagogical approach where the learning process is made explicit to students. Each assignment includes a clearly-worded purpose, description of the assigned task, and clear assessment criteria (https://tilthighered.com/ ), often with examples of excellent work. In the context of large lecture classes, one TiLT strategy is to debrief graded exams and assessments with students, helping them to identify patterns in their work and self-assess the effectiveness of their preparation strategies (Kennesaw State University, Digital Learning Innovations: https://dli.kennesaw.edu/ ). Providing students with feedback about their work and promoting metacognitive skills may lead to improved learning in STEM. This proposal has two strategies to improve feedback to students in a timely, efficient manner. The first strategy is to leverage the features that are already part of Canvas (the Learning Management System used at the University of Virginia). Reducing the number of sites required to participate in assignments, find course materials and obtain feedback has benefits for accessibility, equity, implementation and grading (for students and the instructor). The second strategy is to provide structured opportunities for students to review their work in more detail with a peer or instructor. Students will critically review their exam performance and provide information about their preparation for each exam. They are also prompted to reflect on how their approach could be improved. Exam scores, course grades and qualitative feedback from students will be used to determine the usefulness of these strategies