A Smartphone-Centered Assessment Platform for Rapid Feedback
Abstract
Studies show that rapid feedback used in classroom environments have the potential to accelerate student learning and engagement. Despite the proven positive impacts, the engineering discipline has struggled to embrace rapid feedback strategies during assessments. One of the challenges is likely due to the lack of tools to ask complex technical questions for rapid feedback. Current methods of assessments such as quizzes, tests, and exams, fail to provide meaningful feedback due to long evaluation time. To utilize rapid feedback within engineering assessments while taking advantage of the ubiquitous smartphone devices, a new cloud-based feedback platform, called Quipid was developed. Quipid empowers instructors to generate, manipulate, manage, and analyze assessment questions within the already familiar environment of Google Sheets. Google Sheets allows mathematically complex solutions to be used to generate question stems and dynamically link them to the alternatives. Therefore, the multiple-choice questions within Google Sheets can be manipulated simply by changing the solution parameters, yielding an updated question stem and the alternatives. To administer the assessment, Quipid auto-generates a multiple choice-based Google Form that is compatible on both mobile and desktop devices. The students use their personal smartphones to respond to the questions. Features such as Quiz Mode within Google Forms enables auto-grading and instantaneously supplies feedback for student responses. Quipid was developed using Google App Script and HTML and therefore can be easily disseminated. A pilot study of Quipid’s functionality and utility was conducted by administering quizzes within a core mechanical engineering course for two semesters. Apart from the obvious benefits to the instructor, Quipid enabled students to evaluate their responses in just-in-time fashion and provided question-level statistics for assessments. The combined effect of these outcomes can empower targeted learning and instructional opportunities.