Student Performance Improvement in a Circuit Analysis Course when Interactive Web-Native Textbook Activities are Assigned for Points

Abstract

Paper-based homework with manual grading has significant benefits: it allows a grader to uncover student misconceptions and (potentially) give individualized feedback that can’t be replicated by an autogradable system. And the student user experience is closer to that of a paper exam. This similarity of experience is important because student practice with the same test format has been demonstrated to result in higher exam scores. But there may be a significant time lag between when students work paper-based homework problems and when they receive feedback with manual grading. With autograded activities in an interactive web-native textbook (zyBook), students receive immediate feedback after submitting their answer, and can re-attempt the problem while they’re still in the learning moment. We analyzed the difference between student performance in an introductory circuit analysis course when a zyBook was required but not assigned for points, and when the same zyBook was required, and activities were assigned and tracked for points toward student grades. Data was available for 345 students across seven semesters at a large public land-grant research university. Over five semesters, the zyBook textbook was required, and the activities were recommended but were not assigned for points, while paper-based homework was assigned for points. Over two semesters, total points for homework was not changed, but was split between paper-based homework and completion of activities in the zyBook. Paper-based homework assignments were modified to eliminate problems that were similar to the zyBook problems or repetitive of other paper-based ones, to achieve a total workload that was very similar to when points were awarded only for paper-based homework. Most other course features were the same across semesters, including the instructor and final exam; differences are noted. By dividing homework points between paper-based and auto-graded homework, students are incentivized to participate in both types of activities, and benefit from both. Final exam grades were analyzed across the seven semesters. When the zyBook trackable activities were assigned as part of the homework grade the percentage of students who received As, Bs, and Cs on the final exam increased from 45% to 57%, and the percentage of students who received Ds and Fs decreased from 55% to 43%, compared to when only paper-based work was assigned for the homework grade.