The effectiveness of Quizzes

Quizzes designed by the students provide an excellent opportunity for students to learn the best way they can, by teaching others. Students have the ability to understand many minute and key ideas behind their favourite video games, so why can't class be the same? If students were able to demonstrate their knowledge or even show it off in a way to "beat" the other students, then they would be more inclined to learn content for themselves. While technology has been a large factor in this subject, it comes down to the idea that a teacher possesses that engages the student. Quizzes can provide a great opportunity for students to be re-engaged in content that they may have lost their motivation for because it provides a chance for students to trump the other students and prove that they know more than the others. This tactic can also be used in groups.

What is also very important for the successful implementation of this technique is that feedback is given. There are four important mechanisms and contexts for learning: the characteristic of the learner, the nature of the content, the role of the community, and ongoing feedback. Quizzes have been shown to work well with every student, with content being unrelated to the "game" the quizzes can become. When students work in groups on the production of these quizzes, and the teacher provides ongoing feedback about their progress, learning has taken place.

Prensky, M (Oct, 2001), Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, MCB University, http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

Gibson, D & Grasso, S (July, 2008), An enterprise simulation platform for education: Building a world game for pre-college students with Microsoft ESP, http://www.microsoft.com/education/highered/whitepapers/simulation/SimulationPlatform.aspx