February 2026 Protocol of the Month: Three Pens Group Quiz

This month's protocol was designed by a college professor for college students, but I think it is easily adapted for all levels of education.  How can you adapt this for your level of students?
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THREE PENS GROUP QUIZ (Collaboration, Feedback, Discussion, Writing)

Description: Presented by Dr. Mary Ellen Weimer of Faculty Focus, Three Pens Group Quiz transforms a mundane quiz format into a novel approach of collaboration and feedback for students by using color pens to denote progress while learning.  It also forces students to revisit incorrect items on a quiz in order to seek understanding. 

Application: Provide occasional opportunities like Three Pens Group Quiz when seeking to pique student interest in a topic. 

Process: Based on presented topic, announce quiz for the next class meeting and urge students to prepare. On class day, hand-out black, green, and blue pens to each student. Part one: Administer quiz making sure students write answers in black ink. Monitor. Part two: Once finished, quickly form groups of four.  Direct students within each group to discuss questions they could not answer or were not sure if correct and after discussion, each student makes edits to their individual quiz in green. Part three: Allow students within groups to take out notes, textbook, and other resources and amend answers using blue pen. At the conclusion of the activity, allow time for students to measure the level of their knowledge (black) against the knowledge of others in their group (green) and the content contained in course materials (blue). Direct students to hand-in quiz.  Comment according to the levels of different colors and consider participation points versus grading based on original answers.  

For reference or for more information: 
Weimer, ME. (2012) Students as Formative Assessment Partners https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/educational-assessment/students-as-formative-assessment-partners/