Evaluation of Electronic Flashcards as a Tool to Improve

Exam Readiness

Dr. Susan MurrayEMSE Department

How Do Students Study?Study Method Typical Class This Specific Class

Read textbook 12 (52%) 12 (52%)

Make sample questions 1 (4%) 1 (4%)

Make your own notes/flashcards 12 (52%) 9 (39%)

Review homework assignments 21 (91%) 17 (74%)

Review PPT slides or class notes 23 (100%) 21 (91%)

Study with classmates 12 (52%) 7 (30%)

Other (old exams) 3 (13%) 0 (0%)

Survey of 23 undergraduate students in a Fall 2013 Operations Management class at Missouri S&T

Electronic Flashcards

• Students were given the option of developing flashcards for extra credit

• They were available for the students to study for the comprehensive final exam

• 21 of 23 chosen to create a set of cards for a book chapter

• For a prior class an Ed Tech student work who was a class member created a set

Flashcards• The cards were made in Quizlet.com

Sample Card

Viewing the Flashcards

• Quizlet website• Blackboard• iphone or Android

Student Feedback

Response Making the Cards Reviewing the Cards

1 – Not at all 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

2 – Somewhat helpful

1 (5%) 2 (9%)

3 – Neutral 2 (10%) 2 (9%)

4 – Helpful 13 (62%) 14 (61%)

5 – Very helpful 5 (24%) 5 (22%)

How Easy Was It to Access and Use The Flashcards?

• 17 said “easy”• 4 said “somewhat easy”• 1 said “somewhat difficult”

– “hard to change sets, would like if they were compiled into one set”

How Did You View the Flashcards?

• 35% on Blackboard• 74% on Quizlet website• 26% on iPhone• Several students used more than one method

Technical Problems

NONE

How Many Times Did You Review the Flashcard Sets?

1 Time 2 Times 3 Times 4 Times 5 Times

2 7 8 2 3

Would this change how they study in the future?

How often do you use paper flashcards to study for an exam?

Never Rarely Depend on Class

Often Almost Always

6 8 5 2 1How likely are you to make electronic flashcards

for another class?Will Not Not Likely Don’t Know Somewhat

LikelyVery Likely

0 3 2 11 6

Why Don’t You Make Flashcards?

• A common response as to why the student did not make traditional flashcards was “takes time to make them”.

• “I can’t find the paper cards to make them.”

Open Ended Comments

• “I found it very helpful as a review tool for the exam and wish I knew about it sooner; much easier than handwriting flashcards.”

• There was one student who preferred the traditional paper format, “I like to use paper instead of reading off a screen.”

Conclusions• The set prepared by a single student with the

instructor were better, more consistent cards.• There were some concepts selected by the

student that the instructor deemed not significant enough to warrant inclusion and a few overlooked by the student.

Conclusions

• The cards created by an entire class, varied in quality and format.

• Some students put an excessive amount of wording on the cards.

• The instructor had to review and edit them.• Even with shortcomings, the electronic

flashcards were well received by the students.

There is a better use for technology than…