Learning Assessment Loop Closing Activity in the Biology Department

Vivian Navas

Biology Department Assessment Coordinator May 2006

Assess Student Learning in the General Biology II Course

Justification

 This course – required for all biology majors (enrolls about 400 students per year) – taken in their freshman year – Teaches fundamental scientific concepts needed in more advanced courses

Activity

 A pre-test on course content is offered on the first day of class and the same exam is offered as post-test at end of semester

Objectives

 Evaluate the teaching/learning effectiveness  Identify – misconceptions that students bring to course – and persisting misconceptions

Instrument

 21 multiple choice questions  Include fundamental concepts discussed in the course – Evolution – – – – Classification Kingdoms Plant tissues, growth, transport, reproduction Animal tissues and systems

Loop Closing

 Pre activity:

Pre test 3052

 Intervention:

Lectures, laboratory exercises, course activities

 Post activity:

Post test 3052

 Results and actions taken:

Results

Impacted Population

 Students – Pre test - 429 students – Post test – 346 students  Three different faculty members

Results of Pre and Post test GEN BIOL II Global

100% 95.95% 97.11% 95.38% 90% 87.41% 85.08% 80% 70% 86.13% 75.06% 68.79% 66.76% 61.85% 84.97% 72.49% 60% 53.18% 50% 46.62% 85.26% 75.52% 68.79% 78.90% 61.85% 66.76% 74.86% 48.48% 42.19% 93.93% 78.32% 84.68% 78.32% 41.03% 42.66% 50.12% 43.12% 40% 29.37% 35.20% 30.07% 31.47% 29.37% 30% 26.81% 20% 13.75% 10% 0% 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Test Questions

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

pre n-429 post n-346

90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 50.45% 85.29% Faculty 1 47.74% 77.29% Faculty 2

Faculty and Global Average

50.42% 66.38% Faculty 3

Faculty

55.83% 82.11% Faculty 4 51.25% 78.70% Global pre average post average

Incorrect Answers in Pre test % of students with incorrect answer

100 90 80 50 40 70 60 70.63

64.80

69.93

86.25

68.53

53.38

51.52

57.81

73.19

58.97

57.34

49.88

70.63

56.88

30 27.51

24.94

24.48

20.28

20 12.59

14.92

10 9.32

0 1 2 3 4 5

*6 7

8

* 9

10 11 12 13 14

Test questions bold-misconceptions 15 16

17 18 19 20 21

PRE TEST

 Most failed questions (by over

50%

of students)-

13/21

(3,4,6,7,9,11,14,15,16,17,18,20, 21) 

Misconceptions in pretest

(incorrect by more than 50% of students and same incorrect answer was chosen by more than 40%) – – – – 6-D smooth and striated muscle move arms and legs 7- E blood is not a connective tissue 9-C blood has no defense functions 16-C all chordates are vertebrates  Students could be guessing

Results of Pre and Post test GEN BIOL II Global

100% 95.95% 97.11% 95.38% 90% 87.41% 85.08% 80% 70% 86.13% 75.06% 68.79% 66.76% 61.85% 84.97% 72.49% 60% 53.18% 50% 46.62% 85.26% 75.52% 68.79% 78.90% 61.85% 66.76% 74.86% 48.48% 42.19% 93.93% 78.32% 84.68% 78.32% 41.03% 42.66% 50.12% 43.12% 40% 29.37% 35.20% 30.07% 31.47% 29.37% 30% 26.81% 20% 13.75% 10% 0% 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Test Questions

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

pre n-429 post n-346

Incorrect Answers in Post Test

50% 25% 20% 15% 45% 40% 35% 30% 31.21% 33.24% 13.87% 38.15% 15.03% 46.82% 21.39% 31.21% 14.74% 21.10% 38.15% 33.24% 25.14% 21.68% 15.32% 21.68% 10% 7.80% 6.07% 4.62% 5% 4.05% 2.89% 0% 1 2 3 4 5

6 7

8

9

10 11 12 13 14

15 Test questions bold-misconceptions 16

17 18 19 20 21 Series1

POST TEST

  Most failed questions in Post test (by more than

25%

of students)-

8/21

3, 4, 6, 9,11,15, 16, 17     

Misconceptions in post test

and same incorrect answer was chosen by more than 40% of those who failed it) (answer incorrectly 6-D 9-C 15-C animal and plant distinction 16C

Results

 Improvement in knowledge in all but one question (10)- immunology – Question 10 has misleading terminology  Misconceptions- most students clarified incoming misconceptions  In some students the misconceptions persisted thus: – traditional teaching was not sufficient to correct them

Closing the loop Actions taken according to results

Actions

 In some sections post test was offered

before semester ended

 Students took post test twice –

Individually

–

In groups of 4-6 students

 Review for final exam  Incorrect concepts were discussed again to the entire group

Group Post Test Discussion Activity

Participating students-

89

students  14/18 - perfect score  2/18 -1 incorrect (#9)   1/18 - 2 incorrect (#9 and #16) 1/18 – 3 incorrect (#3, 4, 6)

Actions

 Results presented to the faculty teaching the course before the semester ended  Faculty received – Their own results – Global results  Failed questions and misconceptions were analyzed  Strategies were discussed

Strategies

 Discuss missed concepts again before semester ends  Some will ask again in final  Do group discussion of posttest  Discuss these results – with the faculty that will teach course next semester – with teaching assistants of the course  Faculty compare their individual results throughout next semesters to evaluate their efforts in clarifying misconceptions

Actions

 Review course content  Modify the diagnostic test  Correct pretest at beginning of semester to see what students bring and misconceptions to develop strategies throughout semester  Conduct same study in the General Biology I course

Innovations

 The diagnostic test was used as teaching/ learning tools – to improve student understanding – Group test discussion  Post tests offered before semester ended allowed for immediate action

Future studies

 Diagnostic test in General Biology I  Ethics in science across the curriculum