Using an Active-Learning Quiz Series in an Introductory Meteorology College Course

A unique active-learning quiz series has been developed and incorporated into an introductory meteorology course. This in-class activity has been used by the lead author when teaching both a large enrollment course at the University of Illinois and a smaller enrollment course at Hobart & William Smith Colleges, a small undergraduate liberal-arts institution. Typically 10 – 12 unannounced quizzes are completed during each semester to provide the students and instructor with a fun, interactive opportunity to assess and reinforce student understanding on a variety of weather topics from class discussion, in-class exercises, and assigned reading.

Each quiz is patterned after the popular television game show, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” and contains 6 multiple-choice questions which become increasingly more difficult and worth more points with higher numbered questions. Questions need to be answered in order; however a student can choose to stop answering questions at any point during a quiz based on their understanding of the material. Different from most quizzes, the results are not directly factored into the student's course grade. A cumulative score which includes the results of each quiz is kept during the semester and bonus awards are earned by top-performing students at the completion of the course.

The active-learning quiz methodology, an examination of the relationship of course to quiz performance throughout each semester, differences between large and small enrollment courses, and variations associated with student populations at the differing institution types will be discussed during our presentation.