University of Plymouth boosts student success and staff efficiency by implementing Smart Worksheets on their science foundation course
The University of Plymouth's science foundation year course faced challenges with keeping assessments sustainable and staff workload manageable. Implementing Smart Worksheets in a “formative first, summative second” structure allowed students to receive consistent, targeted feedback on formative work in a timely manner, facilitating the skill development and confidence needed for the summative tasks. This innovative approach enhanced both student learning and staff efficiency, marking 2000+ assessments over the course of six years and saving over 100 hours of marking time for staff each year.
The Challenge:
Creating effective, sustainable assessments that can handle any cohort size
The science foundation year course at the University of Plymouth feeds all of the BSc science degrees across the faculty, and therefore includes a diverse range of students. Mixed backgrounds mean that some students haven’t set foot in a lab for many years, whereas others have more experience. Within the first few weeks of Dr Lowry’s chemistry module, students are required to complete lab assessments, previously structured as lab booklets. Formative feedback is given to students verbally and informally across lab sessions, and staff mark the summative assessments across the Christmas break.
The issue arose when the cohort grew to nearly 200 students, making the demanding assessment and feedback process even more challenging. With the previous approach not working as effectively, Dr Lowry sought a solution that allowed for timely formative feedback and sustainable marking that didn’t overburden staff, while still remaining consistent for students. It was also important that the assessments measured understanding, and didn’t just test students’ ability to regurgitate information.
The Solution:
Scaffolded assessment, automated marking and personalised feedback
Dr Lowry was able to work with LearnSci to implement Smart Worksheets that would replace the traditional lab report for each practical, giving students immediate feedback and reducing the marking loads for staff.
Integrating Smart Worksheets
The flexible nature of Smart Worksheets meant they could be seamlessly introduced and used in the module’s already-implemented practicals, without the need for a curriculum redesign. The worksheets focused on gravimetric and titrimetric analysis, and allowed students to input their own data that they’d collected in the lab. Students then used this data within the Smart Worksheets to complete calculations, which provided feedback not only on the calculations themselves, but also on the accuracy of the collected data.
Formative first, summative second
The worksheets were used in a paired approach, to ensure students felt confident with the technology before being formally assessed. The first Smart Worksheet in each pair was formative, providing instant feedback and guidance throughout, with an indicative mark given at the end. This approach allowed students to become familiar with the structure and technology of the Smart Worksheet, while receiving personalised feedback based on their data and responses.
The second Smart Worksheet in each pair was summative, testing the same understanding but applying students’ knowledge to a new (but similar) experiment. For these worksheets, the feedback was turned off. This structure ensured students could practise calculations and build their understanding in a supported and safe environment, before attempting a summatively marked assessment.
The Results:
Student performance increased by 10%
Approximately half of Dr Lowry’s cohort engaged with both the formative and the summative Smart Worksheets, allowing for a comparison between those who completed the formative Worksheets and those who didn’t. Statistical analysis revealed that students who engaged with the formative Smart Worksheets went on to score significantly higher (an additional 10 percentage points) in the corresponding summative grade than those who did not.
2000+ assessments marked
Over 100 hours of marking saved each year
Statistical analysis of the cohort revealed a significant correlation between engagement with the formative Smart Worksheet and higher performance on the summative assessment, as well as higher marks in the module overall.
Students benefited from useful, personalised feedback and marks delivered immediately, instead of weeks after completing an assessment. This allowed them to learn from their mistakes, building confidence and knowledge of calculations before attempting the summative assessment.
The introduction of the Smart Worksheets not only improved student learning experiences, but significantly reduced the staff burden associated with the assessments. Autograding eliminated the need for manual marking, freeing up substantial time to support students. Staff could spend more time in lab sessions engaging with students, having more detailed, less mechanistic conversations and discussing deeper questions regarding the practical.
Dr Lowry’s work implementing this novel assessment solution has received widespread recognition. This year, the project won a LearnSci Teaching Innovation Award, acknowledging Dr Lowry’s contribution to excellence in teaching and learning innovation. You can read more on our Teaching Innovation Award winner page.
Beyond this, the project has since been presented and celebrated at numerous conferences, including the 2024 Horizons in STEM conference at the University of Bristol, where Dr Lowry presented during a LearnSci Teaching Innovation Awards parallel session. It has also been published in the Journal of Chemical Education.
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