Two-Part Midterm Exam

• In Event: Reception with Effective Learning Strategies Posters

Abstract

For an introductory core course in an MBA program, the midterm exam is comprised of two parts.
Part 1 of the midterm is the traditional (individual) Midterm Exam on a timed basis.
Part 2 of the exam is the same exam repeated after Part 1 is complete, but before any feedback related to Part 1 is received. However, in this case the students are allowed 7 days to re-do the exam, where collaboration with other students is specifically encouraged.
An important component of the Part 2 exam is that students are given no feedback on their scores for Part 1 while the Part 2 exam is taking place. In this way students are encouraged to discuss the problems and, when different methodologies are employed by different students, a critical analysis of which methodology is most appropriate is encouraged.
Students are warned that similar questions/ issues will also be on the final exam so that solution methods should be emphasized over simply copying answers.
This method rewards collaboration (a key goal of the MBA program) and punishes "free riding" (through the risk of a low score on Part 1).
Levels of collaboration (as measured by exam part scores) will be presented and vary by semester and (presumably) by student group even though class-wide collaboration is encouraged.

Author

• Timothy Bell, Central Connecticut State University