How do we know what we know, and, how do we know we know it?

There are many ways to measure if students understand material and to what extent they understand material. Multiple guess tests have got to be my least favorite ways to measure understanding. Students like them because that’s what they are familiar with from secondary school. Until they take one of my multiple guess tests, at which time they realize there’s a difference between tests that measure data points and tests that measure understanding such as cause and effect or historiography.

We like what we like and we do what we like and we have greater success when we work on something we like as opposed to work on what we are mandated to do.

I like writing assignments. History is centered on writing. We perform research then write it up.  I think students best learn about stuff and how to do that stuff through writing assignments and when students are allowed to select what they research and write.

I’ve tried various assignments from major research papers of 10-15 pages to weekly 250 word Discussion posts. But then I started writing an OER textbook (A Road Less Traveled: An Ancillary to Our Story). I assigned the book to my students. They told me they appreciated the money they saved by using OER, they informed me that the textbook is easier to read and understand than traditional textbooks and then I hit upon a new idea:

Have students create content for the OER textbook. 

Not everything every student writes makes it into the book however students are excited to see their work added to the textbook and they tell me how great it is to use a textbook that includes their peers!
They also get to write about what interests them. The result has been a noticeable increase in both student success and student retention. More of my Hist1301 students are enrolling in my Hist1302 classes because they saw how successful they were and how much they enjoyed researching and writing on subjects that most interest them. And, they tell me they appreciate the fact that my classes are 100% OER, the uniqueness of the textbook, and the fact that their work could find its way into the book.

Instead of being the old man yelling at those kids to get off my lawn, I’ve embraced the changes in students and the opportunity to try new ways of reaching my students. The rigor is the same as when I was an undergrad, but the methods for students to demonstrate understanding of the material has changed. I find the change exciting and challenging.

We like what we like and we excel when we are engaged in what we like. Students like to examine what most interests them in history and they definitely excel in this method. If it doesn’t advance student success, then why do it? Lecturing for 3 hours a week simply did not reach the students as much as this OER textbook project.

I am always looking for contributions. If interested, contact me at james.rossnazzal@hccs.edu