Faculty Spotlight – Amanda Groff

In the Fall of 2018, as part of the Course Redesign Initiative, I collaborated with Jessica Tojo to incorporate adaptive learning into my online ANT 2511 Human Species course (which can have anywhere from 250-600 online students). Over the years, I have noticed a slump in exam averages in this particular class. As such, we decided to create adaptive learning exam reviews that every student is required to participate in prior to completing an exam. These Realizeit Reviews determine students’ knowledge and highlights the content areas where they need to contribute more study time.

Describe the impact PAL has had on your teaching and/or students’ learning

Every student learns and retains course content differently. What these Realizeit Reviews have provided is the opportunity to engage with each individual student (in a class of 250+ students) by helping tailor their study habits. Through these reviews, they learn their comprehension weaknesses, which allows them to use their study time more effectively by focusing on areas where they know they need to improve. For example, when compared to the Fall 2018 version of this course (n=490; before I implemented the reviews), the class average for Exam 3 in the Spring of 2020 (n=275), increased by 2-3%. I feel very strongly that this tool has enhanced student learning in my class material, while providing an outlet for students to determine how they learn best.