Impact of Instructor Generated Guided Reading Questions for University Textbooks on Learning

ABSTRACT

Guided reading questions (GRQs) are a formative assessment activity to facilitate student learning. We conducted four experiments to test if GRQs improved student performance on evaluative assessments. Experiment 1 compared test scores between classes that received GRQs or not. Experiment 2 modeled the impact of multiple formative assessments, including GRQs, on evaluative assessments. Experiment 3 examined how optional GRQs impacted quiz scores. Experiment 4 compared test performance between mandatory or optional GRQs. The overall results found weak evidence for the benefits of GRQs, but significant associations between GRQ and evaluative assessment scores. GRQ scores may better indicate a student’s academic habits than provide a unique intervention. Graded GRQs may provide external motivation for textbook reading and access to weekly continuous assessment activity provides benefits for most students.

KEYWORDS:

• Academic performance
• college
• continuous assessment
• higher education
• pedagogy

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Eric Martin

Eric Martin is an Associate Professor in the Kinesiology Department at California State University Monterey Bay. Currently, his research interests are in early screening and identification of health risks among college students, focusing on racial health disparities; performance and injury prevention in rugby players; and information literacy scholarship.

Steven Kim

Steven Kim is an Associate Professor of Statistics in the Mathematics and Statistics Department at California State University Monterey Bay. He studies statistical methods in dose-response modeling and experimental designs and collaborates with researchers in diverse scientific areas including plant science, kinesiology, nursing, and HR (human resource) analytics.