Research on JiTT

Initial Publication Date: January 7, 2011

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The National Science Foundation (NSF) has supported JiTT research in a series of grants across disciplines: physics (DUE 9752365) , chemistry, biology, and mathematics (DUE 9981111) , economics (DUE 0088303) engineering (DUE 0737146) , and the development of the JiTT Digital Library (DUE 0333646) .



Classroom research has regularly illustrated JiTT's positive impact on students' preparation for class, engagement in the learning process, motivation for learning, and academic achievement, across a variety of disciplines.
  • Physics - Research by Watkins and Mazur (2010) shows that JiTT improves student learning outcomes, especially when combined with Peer Instruction. A decade earlier, Gavrin and Novak (1999) illustrated the benefits of JiTT in significantly reducing D-F-W rates.
  • Economics - Simkins and Maier (2004) conclude that JiTT has a positive, statistically-significant impact on student learning in an introductory economics course, even after controlling for a variety of academic and demographic variables. In addition, their results suggest that JiTT exercises provide an efficient way of helping students improve their learning.
  • Biology - Marrs (2010) shows that in a variety of biology courses, "JiTT helps students better prepare for class, improve their study skills, persist in the course, and learn more compared to traditional lecture-only courses." Similar results were reported in an earlier study by Marrs and Chism (2005).
  • History - Pace and Middendorf (2010) attribute substantial gains in students' "ability to identify appropriate evidence" over the course of a semester to use of JiTT exercises targeting this skill.
For full reference citations, see the References and Resources page.