Course

Tools

Realization

In the summer semester 2018 around 300 student teachers developed test questions within the framework of the bachelor's module "German as a second language / language education" in small groups of approx. five students. The questions were on the respective last session of the lecture and the questions that their peers answered in the in-depth consolidation seminar was done so with the help of the tool ARSnova.

Through this scenario, especially the following goals were supposed to be reached:

• Recognizing and collaboratively discussing content-related questions having to do with the lecture
• Continuous analysis of the lecture contents and exam-typical question formats
• Recognizing typical pitfalls when answering supposed simple closed questions  

With regard to the target group of the student teachers, the didactic added value of the scenario is practicing precise formulations of closed questions and the application of a tool that can later on be used in one's own teaching. 

The realization of the tests is achieved with the web-based audience response system ARSnova with which, amongst other things, MC, SC and true/false questions can be created and immediately assessed on an automatic basis. For the creation of the questions one only needs a computer with an internet connection. Answering the questions in the seminar takes place using BYOD mobile devices such as smartphones or laptops. After completing the tests the students received feedback from both the seminar group and the lecturer regarding their questions. The best questions (partially optimized by the lecturer) were made available to the entire group (approx. 800 students) before the exam.  

Illustration 1: Audience response system "ARSnova": landing page

Illustration 2: Audience response system "ARSnova": question types

Experiences made by the lecturer

In the final evaluation a large proportion of the students assessed the scenario with regard to the didactics as being positive, whereby especially the productive-receptive application of the question formats that are exam-typical and the opportunity to go through these in self-study should be highlighted. Except for a few exceptions, those questioned usually had a mobile device with them that they could use.  

Further information

• Exam preparation via a quiz app – continuity, collaboration and individualization in the mass course German as a second language / language education. Poster presentation at the 14th Workshop for German as a second language, migration and multilingualism on 23./24.11.2018. Universität Hildesheim. ( )

• Audience response system ARSnova for ad hoc voting: At the Freie Universität Berlin the web-based voting and feedback system "ARSnova" is currently being implemented in a test phase.

Support offered by CeDiS

• Consulting services for the implementation of digital solutions in teaching: The Center for Digital Systems (CeDiS) has extensive experience of many years when it comes to the implementation of digital media and systems within the fields of teaching, learning and research. We offer a wide variety of consulting services on the implementation of these tools and systems within the entire academic scope and especially at Freie Universität Berlin. 
• Training courses and workshops: For lecturers at Freie Universität Berlin (professors, employees, tutors) as well as lecturers of other universities CeDiS offers training courses and workshops on the topic of teaching and learning with digital media. These course enable participants to implement online elements within their own sphere of teaching.
• The Executive Board of the Freie Universität supports e-learning initiatives: With the e-learning funding program financial resources are provided to lecturers that enrich and improve their courses quality-wise by implementing technological and media-related support. All of the academic staff teaching, the lecturers or even the institutions of the Freie Universität - without the Charité-Universitätsmedizin - can be supported within this program. 

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