Talking About The Test: Most Missed Questions Protocol
Deanna Warkins & Sara Cahill - Science Division
For a while, after all of our lessons, our team assessed and then we simply handed back the test. We would briefly look at the test and move on to the next unit. We stated, “Look at what you did poorly and let me know if you have any questions.” Students would say, “Are we done with this unit?” We would say “no”, but through my actions, we were really saying “yes.”
When we sat down to think about it, we had taken some of the most teachable moments and tossed them aside. This meant that we were not talking about common misconceptions, or even helping the students relate where the question may have come from in their notes. But possibly most importantly, we were not allowing another student to explain these concepts to their peers. As a class we had done all the leg work, we now had new experts, and we were not even utilizing them!
As we lamented one day a colleague showed us how they implemented an assignment called most missed questions. We immediately loved the idea and modified it to fit our course. A process was developed that got the students talking about the test and best of all teaching and re-teaching concepts to their peers to gain better understanding of our learning targets!
How it works is that after an assessment, we first do some data analysis. As the activity is named, we look for the most missed questions on the test. We rank any question that had a class average of less than 70% on that question as a most missed question.
We will then put a post-test sheet together, or what we call a Most Missed Question (MMQ) assignment. Depending on where we thought students went wrong on this question, we might give them the full question from the test or the question with answers eliminated. Accompanying the question is generally space for them to explain why they chose this answer, draw a picture to help explain the answer choice, or solve the question showing work. Most importantly, there is also a separate space for evidence that this concept was engaged with during the unit. The piece of evidence for this could be a page number in the packet, a lab assignment, a warm-up or any other artifact that they completed in class that could verify their choice as the correct answer.
The most important part of this process is that the MMQ assignment is handed out before students receive feedback about their own test! Without yet knowing how they did on their test, all the students in the class will have an MMQ in front of them and they will begin working through the questions. What we hear from students: “Oh, I had no idea on this question.” “I remember this one.” “I think I picked this, but I really wanted to check my notes.” “What is this question saying.”
As teachers, we can walk around and hear their thought process, double check groups to make sure they are getting it, or even pause class and instruct on something that they may still be missing.
Most of the time, the groups give the accurate feedback before we do! They are really curious to see if their answers are correct, but are forced to satisfy that curiosity by discussing concepts with other students! A student that might not understand the concept is now getting a mini-lesson from a peer, or they are revisiting key points and solidifying their current understanding. Formative assessment at its best!
As they finish up the assignment we only now hand out the feedback from their test and they get to see what they initially answered. Some students are proud to find they beat the odds while others are glad that they finally learned a concept. They continue conversing with their group members about other questions on the test that they may not have understood. Even the student that tests well will find that they have a MMQ and will often learn from a student that may not test so well.
What we find most rewarding about this method is that shows us that students are exceptionally collaborative. By dedicating time to this type of post-assessment discussion our students are more invested in learning from a test than they ever have been.
When we sat down to think about it, we had taken some of the most teachable moments and tossed them aside. This meant that we were not talking about common misconceptions, or even helping the students relate where the question may have come from in their notes. But possibly most importantly, we were not allowing another student to explain these concepts to their peers. As a class we had done all the leg work, we now had new experts, and we were not even utilizing them!
As we lamented one day a colleague showed us how they implemented an assignment called most missed questions. We immediately loved the idea and modified it to fit our course. A process was developed that got the students talking about the test and best of all teaching and re-teaching concepts to their peers to gain better understanding of our learning targets!
How it works is that after an assessment, we first do some data analysis. As the activity is named, we look for the most missed questions on the test. We rank any question that had a class average of less than 70% on that question as a most missed question.
We will then put a post-test sheet together, or what we call a Most Missed Question (MMQ) assignment. Depending on where we thought students went wrong on this question, we might give them the full question from the test or the question with answers eliminated. Accompanying the question is generally space for them to explain why they chose this answer, draw a picture to help explain the answer choice, or solve the question showing work. Most importantly, there is also a separate space for evidence that this concept was engaged with during the unit. The piece of evidence for this could be a page number in the packet, a lab assignment, a warm-up or any other artifact that they completed in class that could verify their choice as the correct answer.
The most important part of this process is that the MMQ assignment is handed out before students receive feedback about their own test! Without yet knowing how they did on their test, all the students in the class will have an MMQ in front of them and they will begin working through the questions. What we hear from students: “Oh, I had no idea on this question.” “I remember this one.” “I think I picked this, but I really wanted to check my notes.” “What is this question saying.”
As teachers, we can walk around and hear their thought process, double check groups to make sure they are getting it, or even pause class and instruct on something that they may still be missing.
Most of the time, the groups give the accurate feedback before we do! They are really curious to see if their answers are correct, but are forced to satisfy that curiosity by discussing concepts with other students! A student that might not understand the concept is now getting a mini-lesson from a peer, or they are revisiting key points and solidifying their current understanding. Formative assessment at its best!
As they finish up the assignment we only now hand out the feedback from their test and they get to see what they initially answered. Some students are proud to find they beat the odds while others are glad that they finally learned a concept. They continue conversing with their group members about other questions on the test that they may not have understood. Even the student that tests well will find that they have a MMQ and will often learn from a student that may not test so well.
What we find most rewarding about this method is that shows us that students are exceptionally collaborative. By dedicating time to this type of post-assessment discussion our students are more invested in learning from a test than they ever have been.