It pays to prepare: The value of low-stakes tutorial preparation exercises to student performance

Author: Christopher Pearce
University of Technology Sydney

Edition: Volume 58, Number 2, July 2018

Introduction: Engaging students in university classes is becoming an increasingly difficult challenge. One tool that can be utilised to enhance participation and engagement are low-stakes, low value, tutorial pre-preparation exercises. This exercise was trialled in the University of Technology Sydney Faculty of Law subject, Real Property over the course of 2017. This paper examines the results of the introduction of the task, in particular focussing upon the Expectancy Value Theory, and the relationship between a student’s expectancy for success on the preparation task and the value attributed to that task. I found a strong correlation between student performance in that exercise and their subsequent performance on higher stakes assessments. Feedback demonstrates that this exercise increased engagement and performance in a course that had been perceived by the student body as challenging.

Keywords: low-stakes assessment, high-stakes assessment, motivation, student performance, preparation, engagement

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This article is part of AJAL, Volume 58:2. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.