I found this article "Frequent Tests Can Enhance College Learning Study Finds by Benedict Carey, in the New York Times on 11/21/2013. Benedict states that grading college students on quizzes given at the beginning of every class, rather than just a midterm and final improve attendance and performance.
Taking a test or writing down all you can remember can deepen the memory of the material. The people doing this testing showed that frequent quizzes seem to help the students from lower economic homes. When a students only has a midterm and final to show they learn the material, it allows only one test to bomb and then a passing grade is just a dream. Frequents tests give feedback to the student on what to study and how well they are grasping the material. In most colleges this would mean more work for the professors. How many would really do this?
So daily quizzes can be done on a computer. They can only be seven questions long. It is also good to put in a question that the student missed previously so they keep learning what they missed. Daily quizzes improve attendance because their is a zero for that day if they are not there. It makes the student keep up daily on the reading or problems to solve. They can immediately tell what they don't understand and get additional help.
So if you want to rate a college class, check out the teacher syllabus. See how many tests are given and take the class where the professor seems to work hard to help his/her students succeed.
