Using CPS with 2500 students: An analysis of question type and student response

CHED 1559

Marcy Towns, William R. Robinson, wrrobin@purdue.edu, Gabriela C. Weaver, gweaver@purdue.edu, Paul G. Wenthold, and Beatriz Cisneros, cisneros@purdue.edu. Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2084
Purdue's General Chemistry course underwent a major revision in curriculum and pedagogy during the summer of 2006. We implemented this curriculum and pedagogical approach during the fall of 2006 with 2500 students. As part of our efforts to engage students in large lecture classes, we used an electronic classroom response system known CPS marketed by eInstruction. We analyzed the types of CPS questions with four classification systems—Bloom's Taxonomy, Recall/Algorithmic/Conceptual, Solo/Buddy, and the system proposed by Smith, Nakhleh, and Bretz. This analysis allowed us to identify specific types of pedagogical approaches that produced significant differences in student performance. The results were used as a basis for reflecting on our classroom practices and drove the modification of questions and how CPS was implemented in the fall of 2007.