2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Active student engagement is crucial for effective learning, yet many students hesitate to participate in class due to fear of embarrassment or appearing unintelligent. The Instructor Mistake Meter (IMM) was developed to address this challenge by rewarding students with bonus points for identifying instructor errors during lectures, aiming to increase engagement and foster psychological safety. This study examined the IMM's effects on student participation, confidence, and classroom comfort across two semesters of an undergraduate biomechanics course. The experimental group (Fall 2025, n=67) used the IMM, while the control group (Spring 2025, n=62) received equivalent bonus points through an alternative assignment. Data collection included question-tracking during lectures, anonymous surveys assessing academic confidence and classroom comfort, and qualitative reflections from experimental students.

Results showed that experimental students asked significantly more questions than control students, with a 139% increase in daily question rates (p=0.001). Thematic analysis of qualitative responses revealed six primary themes, with student engagement (54% of responses) and motivation (46%) most frequently cited. Students reported increased attentiveness, comfort asking questions, and improved learning through error identification. However, quantitative surveys showed no significant differences in self-reported confidence or comfort between groups. While most student feedback was positive, some noted concerns about trivial errors becoming distracting. These findings suggest the IMM effectively increases classroom participation and may enhance psychological safety, though its broader impacts on student confidence require further investigation across diverse educational contexts.