A new report by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario suggests that allowing students to choose how they want to be evaluated in the classroom can improve their academic performance.
The study followed 124 students enrolled in a third-year psychology course at the University of Ottawa (U of O) who were given the choice between traditional examinations and differentiated evaluation, according to the study.
DE allowed students to complete a variety of term-project options, including enrolling in a community service program or preparing a mini-class with a group of students, the study stated.
The study found students who chose DE and normally performed below the class average improved their marks more than those who opted for a traditional examination, despite the increased course workload involved in the term project.
Julie Gosselin, co-author of the report and assistant professor of clinical psychology at U of O, suggests that the individualized approach is the reason behind DE’s success.
“[DE] takes into consideration student differences, their life context and preferred mode of evaluation,” Gosselin said in an email.
Carleton University also allows students in some courses to choose how they want to be assessed.
Students can select from several different assignments and can choose whether they want to take a midterm and a final exam, or a final exam that is worth more of their grade, accordion to Andrew Barrett, assistant director of Carleton’s Educational Development Centre (EDC).
Some students aren’t so sure about the benefits of such options.
“Students might choose what’s easy for them,” said Oscar Vasquez, a PhD student in ecology at the University of Toronto (U of T). Vasquez said he feels the concept may leave students unchallenged.
Although he could not directly attribute higher grades to the implementation of DE-style approaches at Carleton, Barrett said he supports the concept.
“We do know from educational research that learning is positively impacted when students have multiple opportunities to engage in solving authentic, real-world problems,” Barrett said.
Overall, Gosselin said student feedback on DE has been positive, as many felt it gave them a greater opportunity to showcase what they had learned.
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