PURPOSE

To encourage self-regulated learning in students by developing metacognitive awareness via post-test feedback. 

DESCRIPTION

“Exam wrappers,” a form of post-test analysis, consist of a structured debriefing questionnaire that students can use to 1) better understand their exam performance and 2) develop strategies for improvement. 

UNDERLYING EDUCATIONAL THEORIES

metacognitive awareness, self-regulation 

PEDAGOGICAL BENEFITS 

• Exam wrappers have been shown to increase metacognitive abilities and/or course performance. Students can track their exam study approach and make changes as needed. 
• Students can see how their effort and strategy contributed to their results, which may boost motivation. 
• The instructor-student adversarial relationship may be reduced due to received feedback on both ends. 

STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION 

1. Post-test analysis can be in a form of exam wrappers that encourage students to consider three key aspects of learning: exam preparation (study skills), types of exam mistakes, and changes for future learning (e.g., modifications to study habits to better prepare for the next exam). 
2. Exam wrappers may be designed to prompt students to predict their exam results so that they can understand how well their performance aligns with their effort. In the literature, this comparison is called calibration of performance. 

Achacoso, M.V. (2004). Post-Test Analysis: A Tool for Developing Students’ Metacognitive Awareness and Self-Regulation. In M.V. Acacoso, M.D. Svinincki (eds.), Alternative strategies for evaluating student learning, 115 – 119, Jossey Bass. 

Soicher, Raechel N., and Regan AR Gurung. “Do exam wrappers increase metacognition and performance? A single course intervention.” Psychology Learning & Teaching 16.1 (2017): 64-73.