Resumen de Using Text Messages To Encourage Meaningful Self-Assessment Outside of the Classroom
Deborah G. Herrington, Ryan D. Sweeder
Recent articles in this Journal have advocated for focusing instruction on core ideas of the discipline and moving assessment beyond content knowledge to also eliciting evidence about what students can do with their knowledge. Yet, the deep connected learning supported by this kind of instruction and assessment requires students to engage in meaningful learning activities both within and outside of the classroom. We can structure learning activities within our classes that require students to use and apply their knowledge, construct explanations and arguments, and engage in discussion with others; however, we have less control of what students do outside of the classroom. Further, meaningful engagement of students with these types of assessments outside the classroom requires a means for closing the assessment loop, using student responses to inform instruction and support learning and development of these skills. This paper describes a free and easy to use system, combining Remind and Google Forms, that allows instructors to engage students in the types of assessment questions called for in the literature by leveraging the method of communication students use most frequently, text messaging. Through this pilot study at two different institutions, we have identified key issues that instructors should consider in its implementation as a means for incorporating student self-assessment and instructor formative assessment into their classes. Overall student feedback to the use of the “Remind” system in the way we describe in this paper was positive. Students indicated that it helped them to assess their own understanding as well as prompted them to work on chemistry more frequently. Additionally, students indicated preferences for afternoon or early evening messages and a greater dislike for questions requiring them to draw and upload pictures.
