“Here’s My Thinking” assignments – Peering deeper into our students’ understanding and problem-solving
Session Type
Presentation
Room
Physics and Astronomy, room 148
Start Date
17-7-2025 1:30 PM
End Date
17-7-2025 2:00 PM
Keywords
assessment, video, personalization
Primary Threads
Evaluation of Learning
Abstract
Many science courses involve developing and applying quantitative reasoning skills. In such courses, problem sets are often used to provide practice and to uncover each student’s grasp of the material. Ideally, a student’s solution allows the reader to see not only what they have done, but also why they have done it, and it includes insights prompted by the final result. However, there are two challenges. 1) Novice learners often struggle to present clear and complete solutions, being overly focused on the final answer and on writing the math. 2) Students may submit solutions of which they are not the sole or principal author. Both situations mask the individual student’s true state of understanding.
In this session, I will share an assessment format that allowed me to get a better sense of my students’ understanding of course material. It involves students submitting short videos in which they discuss solving an assigned problem or working through a derivation. During the exile year of the pandemic, this assessment had the added benefit of helping me feel more connected to the individuals in my course. I will share observations about this type of assignment, recommendations for implementation, and the rubric used to make assessment manageable and transparent.
Elements of Engagement
At the start of the session, participants will be asked to share the challenges that standard written problem sets pose for them. Throughout this session, they will be encouraged to reflect on how a Here’s My Thinking assignment could address these challenges and to consider how this assignment format could fit their teaching context. There will be polls and opportunities for discussion. At the end of the session, each participant will have chosen a specific “Here’s My Thinking” assignment that they could use during the 2025-26 academic year.
“Here’s My Thinking” assignments – Peering deeper into our students’ understanding and problem-solving
Physics and Astronomy, room 148
Many science courses involve developing and applying quantitative reasoning skills. In such courses, problem sets are often used to provide practice and to uncover each student’s grasp of the material. Ideally, a student’s solution allows the reader to see not only what they have done, but also why they have done it, and it includes insights prompted by the final result. However, there are two challenges. 1) Novice learners often struggle to present clear and complete solutions, being overly focused on the final answer and on writing the math. 2) Students may submit solutions of which they are not the sole or principal author. Both situations mask the individual student’s true state of understanding.
In this session, I will share an assessment format that allowed me to get a better sense of my students’ understanding of course material. It involves students submitting short videos in which they discuss solving an assigned problem or working through a derivation. During the exile year of the pandemic, this assessment had the added benefit of helping me feel more connected to the individuals in my course. I will share observations about this type of assignment, recommendations for implementation, and the rubric used to make assessment manageable and transparent.