Benefits and Limitations of Public Exams in an Introductory Physics Class

Public Exams are an assessment system designed in the context of Biology Education Research to increase student engagement in the exam design process. In this system, students are shown incomplete versions of test questions ahead of time, to help them tailor their study habits.  The format of the question is revealed but some details are withheld. In this study, we explored the effects of public exams on  N = 42 students in an introductory algebra-based physics course at New Mexico State University. Using anonymized, individualized data from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire survey, open-ended responses, and grades, we conducted a mixed-methods analysis to assess how public exams influenced student experiences and outcomes. From the analysis, we observed some evidence of public exams’ beneficial impact on students in physics. There was a weak, positive correlation (p = 0.17) between the rate of engagement with the public exam revision process and average exam grades.

Our findings indicate public exams reduced anxiety and improved study habits, though these may be imperfectly applied due to the emphasis on procedural knowledge in physics. We suggest modifications to better fit physics contexts.