Embedding exam preparation in learning activities

Based on these scenarios: Embedding exam preparation in learning activities

Inspiration for these learning activity packages:

After each lecture, it is my students’ homework to create resources based on the topics discussed in class. I instruct the students on the types of resources that are most appropriate for each topic. These may include:

• exam questions (using an online questionnaire tool)
• crossword puzzles
• audio podcasts
• videos
• mind maps (Mindmeister, Bubbl.us, etc.)
• collaborative wiki notes (Wikispaces, Etherpad, etc.)
• and more

These resources are stored in online services that are most suitable, and linked to from our course home page. The resources are available to students from several classrooms in various cities. All students try and test resources made by others, give feedback in form of suggestions, and vote for the best resources (see activity 5). Resources are then further edited, either by the original author, or in collaboration with others.

I follow my students by tracking their audio updates (see activity 4). Most of the time, I let the students help each other, but instruct them on how to critically browse for and evaluate online information, and how to gather data online (see activity 3). During the course, we use post-it notes and list all topics of the course and all of our resources to see both relate to each other. This helps the students identify missing areas of the subject matter (see activity 6).

Students use the iTEC collaboration environment to let others know about their new project works and works in progress. There the students also negotiate about ad-hoc collaborative sessions with other students from around the country and internationally. These collaborative activities can address the curricula of many courses (history, foreign language, geography) simultaneously (see activity 2 and 7).

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