UPTLC 2024

TALK 1: Not everything goes according to plan, and occasionally students find themselves with a low grade near the end of a semester. Sometimes this is due to situations outside of their control (illness, family emergency), sometimes it is because they were not able to learn effectively (time on task, anxiety). Regardless of the reason, low grades are often associated with feelings of frustration, anger, anxiety, or depression. These feelings can further impair students’ ability to perform well (O’Donnell, 2016), this is especially true with testing.

The idea of retesting came from a distraught student. After taking the last exam of the semester, with only the final exam to go, the student realized that it was not mathematically possible to pass the course. “Why can’t I retake the test?” This question challenged my status quo and provided me with an opportunity to rethink my testing strategy (Tobin & Behling, 2018). I now offer a retest in my course. With the hope of improving their grades, students have reason to remain engaged in learning.

This presentation will describe the logistics and benefits of offering a retest.

References
O’Donnell, P. S. (2016). Executive functioning profiles and test anxiety in college students. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 35(5), 447-459. http://doi.org/10.1177/0734282916641554
Tobin, T. J. & Behling, K. T. (2018). Reach everyone, teach everyone. West Virginia University Press.


TALK 2: As part of our switch from general education to essential education at Michigan Technological University, we are investigating several different educational tools to engage students in their learning experience. One of these tools is the use of ePortfolios. ePortfolios are a recognized High Impact Practice by the American Association of Colleges and Universities as they “enable students to electronically collect their work over time, reflect upon their personal and academic growth, and then share selected items with others.” (AAC&U) These ePortfolios will be incorporated through students' entire educational experience at Michigan Tech.

In the past academic year, instructors in the first-year engineering program have tested the use of ePortfolios as a way to document their design project experience. In their first semester course, the ePortfolio was used to document their work on three mini-projects. In their second semester design project, the ePortfolios were used to document each major deliverable in the semester design project. This presentation will focus on the outcomes of using the ePortfolio platform for documenting design project work of first-year engineering students.

American Association of Colleges and Universities, “High-Impact Practices“ https://www.aacu.org/trending-topics/high-impact