Abstract

This dissertation follows a three-article format presentation. The topic addresses improving student success in a large enrollment introductory accounting course. The first article is a literature review of pre-class activities within a flipped classroom setting in higher education. The review of 34 articles identified as relevant to the literature review explored what the literature tells us about pre-class learning activities and synthesized what instructors can do to design pre-class activities that encourage students' preparation for class. The review showed the importance of pre-class learning in a flipped classroom and that more research is needed to better understand students' behaviors and interactions with assigned pre-class content. The second article explores the effectiveness of post-exam feedback in an online environment. While empirical studies have shown that in-person post-exam reviews can significantly and positively impact student performance, little is known about post-exam feedback in a remote learning environment. In a remote environment, instructors may choose not to hold post-exam reviews due to the risk of exposing the contents of an exam. This study explores the effectiveness of an intervention that provides remote students post-exam feedback and support without compromising the integrity of the exam. Data comparing student achievement in two remote consecutive semesters of a large-enrollment introductory accounting course shows that the revised post-exam review had a positive effect on test scores and the overall average GPA. The final article presents the results from a quasi-experimental study examining the benefits of allowing second chance exams. The control group for this study was not offered the opportunity to retake exams. The treatment group was allowed to retake exams with a maximum score of 80% on a retake. This study demonstrates that a second-chance exam policy (SCEP) seemed to reduce students' perceived stress levels in a high-stakes environment by providing an opportunity for students to learn from their mistakes, improve mastery of the topic, and increase exam scores. Additionally, there was a gender interaction: females experienced an increase in course percentage points and GPA in the semester with the SCEP compared to males, thus reducing an existing gender gap.

Degree

PhD

College and Department

David O. McKay School of Education; Instructional Psychology and Technology

Rights

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