assessing a biology-math- english first-year learning ... · english 101 english 101 biology 111...
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Assessing a Biology-Math-English First-Year Learning
Community:Statistical Comparisons Between Learning Community and Regular
First-Year Students
Deborah Bidwell
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Acknowledgements:
Caroline HuntSofia Agrest
Susan KattwinkelAllan Strand
Jaap HilleniusKay Smith
Mindy MileyPage Keller
Steve GibsonGorka Sancho
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Charleston, South Carolina
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Make the most ofyour first year at the
College, enroll in afirst-year seminar or a
learning community.
Through these courses you will:•Meet students with similar interests•Develop academic success skills•Work closely with faculty•Discover the campus and the city•Form strong peer support systems•Utilize campus resources
FYE benefits
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learning community
A Learning Community links two or more courses.
Faculty teaching the courses work together to
set the curriculum, schedule joint class
activities and explore the ways in which the subjects
are interrelated.
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Math & Science Freshman Learning Community
This learning community emphasizes the inherent connections between biology, mathematics, and
composition, and puts these disciplines firmly in place as cornerstones of a scientific education.
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Learning Community, year 1
Math 111:
English 101English 101
Biology 111
Pre Calculus Math 120:Calculus
Supplemental Instruction in
Math & Biology
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Learning Community, year 2
Math 111:
English 101
English 101
Biology 111
Pre Calculus
Peer Synthesis Seminar
Supplemental Instruction in
Math & Biology
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Peer Facilitation
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Perspective…
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Assessment
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Concern:
• Self selection of students.– Stronger students choose the learning
community- creating a bias in the data?
• Statistical analyses of incoming regular and learning community student PGI show no significant differences between the groups in 2007 and 2008.
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Statistical assessment:
• Comparing LC versus Regular CofC students 2007 and 2008:– End semester GPA
– End freshman year GPA
– GPA versus PGI
– Retention after freshman year
– Exam scores in biology
– Written assignment grades in biology
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Statistical assessment:
• Also considered:– In state versus out of state students– Regular CofC students who chose to attend
SI versus those that did not.
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**
p<0.05
Significant difference
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*
p = 0.0114
Significant difference
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No significant difference
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No significant difference
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Other Results:
• No significant differences in:– Retention! – Writing grades in biology
– Instate versus out of state students
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Why did the LC students outperform the regular students?
What may have made the LC successful?–SI attendance?–Friendships/bonding?–Other possibilities?
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No significant difference
2007
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*
p = 0.0375
Significant difference
2007
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*
p = 0.0013
Significant difference
2007
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*
p = 0.0047
Significant difference
2007
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Who went to SI?
• SI attendance >3 times for regular students was 26%, slightly above average.
• SI attendance >3 times for LC students was 97%.
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Summary 2007
• LC students outperformed regular students in several areas
• Regular students that regularly attended SI performed as well as LC students
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Year two, 2008.
• Repeated the LC in 2008
• Added Peer facilitation for LC students
• Hoped for clarification of 2007 trends through assessment with 2 years of data
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No significant difference
2008
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No significant difference
2008
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2008 Cutting to the chase:
• No statistical differences between LC and regular students in any areas in 2008.
• Things got muddier instead of clearer.
Why?
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Who went to SI?
• SI attendance >3 times for regular students was 30%, above average.
• SI attendance >3 times for LC students was only 55%.
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Discussion…• People are less predictable than fish.• Competition for students with other LC’s?
– New in 2008 “Pre Med” LC between biology and chemistry was very popular.
• Attitude and enthusiasm? A bum crop?– Some LC students were unaware they had signed up for the LC!– Many 2008 LC students refused to go to SI and skipped peer
facilitation seminars.– Four LC members withdrew from the LC by mid semester for
academic reasons (failing Math, English, or Biology).• Adding PF in addition to SI overkill?• Regular students benefited from more SI, small group
discussions, active teaching style and critical thinking pedagogy and made gains?
• Other possibilities?
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Overall Results 2007-2008
• LC students outperformed Regular students in several areas in 2007, but in no areas during 2008.
• SI is an effective tool for engaging freshman in active learning & may be an important component of our LC’s success.
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Conclusions:
• Assessing learning is challenging!• Statistics are somewhat inconclusive regarding
the success of the learning community.• There may be significant interaction between
involvement with a learning community and SI attendance.
• The hunch is that this particular learning community has been successful on many levels that are difficult to evaluate statistically.– Student feedback suggests improvement in critical
thinking skills, emotional intelligence, communication, bonding, friendships…
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Future Plans:
• Year three… fall 2009 will offer the same learning community
• More data
• Hoping for more clarity and less mud
• More formal qualitative assessment may also be useful
• No cohorts this year – separate sections
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Thank You!