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

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Test Questions

pre n-429 post n-346

Results of Pre and Post testGEN BIOL II

Global

87.41%85.08%

29.37%

35.20%

75.06%

30.07%

13.75%

72.49%

31.47%

79.72%

46.62%

75.52%

90.68%

48.48%

42.19%

26.81%

41.03%42.66%

50.12%

29.37%

43.12%

95.95% 97.11%

68.79%66.76%

86.13%

61.85%

84.97%

95.38%

53.18%

78.61%

68.79%

85.26%

92.20%

78.90%

61.85%

66.76%

74.86%

93.93%

78.32%

84.68%

78.32%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Test Questions

% s

tude

nts

with

cor

rect

ans

wer

pre n-429 post n-346

Faculty and Global Average

50.45%

47.74%

50.42%

55.83%

51.25%

77.29%

66.38%

82.11%

78.70%

85.29%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Faculty 1 Faculty 2 Faculty 3 Faculty 4 Global

Faculty

Te

st a

ver

ag

e

pre average

post average

Incorrect Answers in Pre

test

12.59

14.92

70.63

64.80

24.94

69.93

86.25

27.51

68.53

20.28

53.38

24.48

9.32

51.52

57.81

73.19

58.9757.34

49.88

70.63

56.88

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 *9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Test questions bold-misconceptions

% of students with incorrect answer

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 testGEN BIOL II

Global

87.41%85.08%

29.37%

35.20%

75.06%

30.07%

13.75%

72.49%

31.47%

79.72%

46.62%

75.52%

90.68%

48.48%

42.19%

26.81%

41.03%42.66%

50.12%

29.37%

43.12%

95.95% 97.11%

68.79%66.76%

86.13%

61.85%

84.97%

95.38%

53.18%

78.61%

68.79%

85.26%

92.20%

78.90%

61.85%

66.76%

74.86%

93.93%

78.32%

84.68%

78.32%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Test Questions

% s

tude

nts

with

cor

rect

ans

wer

pre n-429 post n-346

Incorrect Answers in Post Test

4.05%

2.89%

31.21%

33.24%

13.87%

38.15%

15.03%

4.62%

46.82%

21.39%

31.21%

14.74%

7.80%

21.10%

38.15%

33.24%

25.14%

6.07%

21.68%

15.32%

21.68%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Test questions bold-misconceptions

% s

tud

ents

wit

h i

nco

rrec

t an

swer

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 (answer incorrectly and same incorrect answer was chosen by more than 40% of those who failed it)

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 loopActions 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