Quizzes in mathematics courses at university to increase pass rate

Background

It is well-known that students' attitudes towards university studies and their different study strategies affect their success in mathematics courses. A focus on memorizing and imitating solutions to tasks in, for example, mathematics textbooks has a negative impact on students' success, while a focus on understanding has a positive effect. Furthermore, it has been observed that regular learning positively influences exam results, in contrast to simply "cramming for the exam." In particular, regular learning through the use of assignments and quizzes has been shown to improve mathematical achievements. Studies have also shown that quizzes, in some cases, have a greater impact than assignments on students' final results in mathematics courses. The results also showed that students perceived quizzes as beneficial for learning.  

In summary, to increase students' chances of success in mathematics courses and thereby improve pass rates, it seems important to establish a habit among students to continuously work with the mathematical content throughout the course, as well as to encourage them not to focus solely on imitating ready-made solutions, but also on understanding the mathematics. How to help students develop this habit and engage in continuous learning, ideally with a focus on understanding, is not straightforward.

Study Design  

Based on previous research, it is desirable to test ways of incorporating activities into mathematics courses that encourage students to engage in continuous learning during the course. One way to do this is to offer regular study activities, such as weekly quizzes. According to the research mentioned above, some form of incentive, such as bonus points for the final exam, is needed to motivate students to participate in the quizzes.  

The outcome of this initiative will be examined by comparing the results between those who complete the quizzes and those who do not. Any differences in knowledge levels between the groups will need to be accounted for, which will be done using data from a previous mandatory mathematics course. Additionally, a comparison will be made with last year's course results. It is also important to capture students' perceptions and attitudes towards the quizzes and their role in learning. Furthermore, the teachers' experiences with the tested initiatives are crucial to understand their sustainability, i.e., what is required to make these initiatives practically feasible from a long-term perspective.