Pre-Released EXam Strategy Assessment Research (PRExSAR)

The project aims to serve the national interest by advancing knowledge about the development and construction of better assessments of student learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Recognizing that students' experience associated with taking examinations affects students' performance, both negatively and positively, this design research study will investigate the adoption of pre-released exam/assessment strategies in the development and construction of assessments in the context of undergraduate STEM teaching and learning at two-year institutions.

By investigating a gap in the literature at the nexus of (a) actionable methods for improving exam design and (b) research on the exam experience of students in two-year colleges and in postsecondary STEM classrooms, this research and development project has the potential to catalyze the creation of equitable, educative, and fair exams that can be integrated into existing course structures. As part of Track 1 – Focus on Academic Experiences of Two-Year College Students, this project will examine four research questions: (1) Do pre-released exam strategies impact undergraduates' learning of STEM content? (2) How do pre-released exam strategies change the student experience within STEM classes?

More generally, what best practices for exam design by faculty can be identified within this research on the exam experience? (3) How, and under what conditions, is faculty adoption of pre-released exam strategies best facilitated? And (4) How can faculty be best supported in improving their own assessment strategies through the use of pre-released exam strategies?

Findings will inform professional development that will foster best practices in the design of assessments by faculty in the local setting and across the nation.

The goal of this project is to develop a better understanding of the outcomes of pre-released exam strategies for students and faculty, with the longer-term goal of facilitating faculty adoption of exam strategies that deeply engage STEM students in their learning of STEM. The project team will conduct a mixed-methods design-based research study via a series of small, well-controlled experiments at two-year institutions.

Matched pairs of courses with different pre-released exam strategies will yield data in the form of student assessment outcomes (e.g., student success, levels of anxiety, retention). These findings will be linked to findings drawn from qualitative analyses of instructor-provided information and transcripts of interviews of students and instructors.

The NSF IUSE: Innovation in Two-Year College STEM Education (ITYC) program seeks to accelerate the impact of and advance knowledge about emerging and evidence-based practices in undergraduate STEM education at two-year colleges.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.