Paired Online Laboratory Assessments: Formative Engagement and Summative Attainment

Abstract

Laboratory assessments are important parts of chemistry higher education, but students are not always given opportunities to formatively develop their understanding and skills before taking summative tasks in this area. This report describes the use of formative–summative paired chemistry laboratory assessments in gravimetric analysis and titration practicals and demonstrates an association between student engagement with formative online assessments and summative attainment. The laboratory assessments described here use Smart Worksheet technology, a customizable resource type which handles chained calculations, concept questions, and quality of data checks. The Smart Worksheets are autograded to support student learning without increasing staff marking burden and can provide immediate feedback and multiple attempts for each question to close the learning loop, plus a built-in timeline mode for reviewing student journeys through the resource. These resources were implemented in aligned formative–summative pairs to provide students with a low-stakes practice of both the technology format and chemistry calculation, getting them familiar and managing expectations before module-mark bearing summative assessment. Student assessment data from six consecutive foundation year groups were collected (total N = 818). Approximately half of the students chose to engage with each optional formative resource, permitting comparison of student attainment by those who engaged versus those who did not. For both gravimetric analysis and titration pairs, students who engaged with the formative assessment scored significantly higher in the corresponding summative assessment. Additionally, students who engaged with both formative assessments scored significantly higher in midmodule and end of module tests than students who did not.