Notes Evaluation of Student Attitude Toward Learning From Homework Assignments in a Nonprescription Drugs Course

An objective of this project was to assess student attitude about learning from homework assignments in lieu of course examinations. Another objective was to evaluate two learning tools that were implemented with the homework assignments. First, to encourage student learning from comments provided by the grader, students received their homework assignments back initially without a grade. They were instructed to read their returned assignment with the grader’s comments and then to predict the score they thought they earned. Secondly, an overall feedback sheet prepared by the graders was provided to the students for each assignment. Project results demonstrated that students viewed homework assignments as a good alternative to examinations for stimulating learning, as homework allowed gathering of information and application of knowledge and concepts toward problem resolution. Thirty-nine percent of students felt that having the grader's comments on the homework helped them effectively predict their score, and that their predictive capability increased with successive homework assignments. Thirty-three percent of the class viewed having to predict their score as being worthwhile in evaluating their homework submission, and that the grader's comments were useful in preparation for the next assignment. Twice as many students (i.e., 14 vs. 7 percent) overpredicted their homework scores as underpredicted them during the course. The feedback sheets were successful at helping students understand grader's comments and the rationale for their score