The Self-evaluation and Revision Method for Homework: A Homework Method for Metacognition Improves Post-secondary Engineering Students' Attitudes Toward Homework

Patrick Linford, James Bluman, Gregory Freisinger, John Rogers, Brian Novoselich
2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access Proceedings   unpublished
Traditional methods for grading and returning corrected homework to students do not require the student to determine how they erred, learn how to avoid repeat errors, or revise and improve their work. Educators know that multiple focused reviews of material are often required for learning analytically difficult material. Even when educators provide detailed feedback and corrections, many students look at the grade on a homework assignment without review and put it away until exam study time.
more » ... result is a missed opportunity for the student to more fully understand details they have yet to master, and the time the instructor spent making corrections is wasted. In the self-evaluation and revision method for student homework students complete their homework and submit an electronic copy. A solution is then given to students who mark and correct their work, give their original work a grade, and submit the self-evaluated and reviewed work. This system applies a direct principle for good undergraduate engineering practice: it provides prompt feedback and it also applies three indirect principles by developing cooperation among students, encouraging active learning, and communicating high expectations. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the self-evaluation and revision homework system on student learning and attitude for three mechanical engineering courses at the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, NY. A fourth-year course on vibration engineering across five semesters that has implemented the system over several years (n=49, 34, 37, 43, 16 students), a fourth-year course on control systems across a single year (n=34) and a third-year course on rigid body dynamics across one semester (n=38) are included in the study. The students in the courses were surveyed multiple times during the semester to determine if there had been any changes in their attitude toward the method within a semester and between courses.
doi:10.18260/1-2--35371 fatcat:plwp42kmvvfr5g2l42q7uqu4eq