More exercises, higher score: A case study by using online teaching assistant system

Abstract

In this paper, a web-based education platform, named Online Teaching Assistant System (OTAS) [1], for Signals and Systems course is presented and experimented. Besides delivering courseware on webpage, this system provides students with numerous online quizzes for enhancing their memory, understanding, and reaction about basic concepts in the mentioned course. We then designed an experiment and tested OTAS in the Spring semester of 2015 by a class of a hundred undergraduate students in the Department of Electronic Engineering at Tsinghua University. In this experiment, one third of the class composed the test group and the others the control group. The students in test group utilized OTAS for doing quizzes, while in the same period they were enrolled in the “offline” course delivered by the teacher in the classroom, and did homework and project in traditional way, which was exactly the same as those in the control group. After half semester a formal test was set to evaluate the level of knowledge that students learned from this course. Statistical analysis on the test output indicated that introducing online practicing for elementary concepts in Signals and Systems resulted in better academic performance and more positive attitudes toward the subject. Delivery of materials and exercises via OTAS, including from both computers and mobile devices, provides greater access and flexibility for students to practice what they have learnt. Based on this experiment, we claim that the developed OTAS significantly improves the quality of education offered to the students.