Assessment of Learning in StudentCentered Courses

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Assessment of Learning in Student-Centered
Courses

• Deborah Allen, Biology
• Susan Groh, Chemistry Biochemistry
• Harry Shipman, Physics Astronomy

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Session Outline

• Introduction
• Assessment strategies, present and future what
  works well now? What else will you need?
• Specific examples of assessment techniques
• How do we evaluate/grade these?
• Revisit future needs/concerns

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Assessment Decisions

• "Learning drives everything."
• - Barbara Walvoord
• What do you want your students to learn?
• How will you tell that theyve learned it?

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What do you want your students to learn?

• Grading drives everything
• - Students
• Learning objectivesstate and assess !
• Content issues
• Process/skill issues
• Attitudes

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How will you tell that theyve learned it?

• Summative assessment
• Traditional grading for accountability
• Usually formal, comprehensive
• Judgmental
• Formative assessment
• Feedback for improvement/development
• Usually informal, narrow/specialized
• Suggestive

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What assignments/tests, etc. are you currently
using to assess student learning? Which ones do
you think are working well? Pick one and share it
with your group. Be prepared to report out on
one assessment strategy from your group.
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What concerns do you have as you think about
formulating assignments/tests for courses that
incorporate active learning?
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Geritol Solution
Stage 1 - Why might seeding the ocean with iron
be a cure for global warming? Stage 2 -
Interpretation of graphs of data from ice core
analysis. (Do the data provide support for the
hypothesis?) Stage 3 - Would you fund (a third)
iron-seeding experiment?
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• Course Objectives
• Acquire the ability to
• tie together information and concepts from a
  variety of sources, and across different
  disciplines and subdisciplines
• distinguish hierarchies of importance of related
  concepts

Assignment Construct a concept map
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How to Construct a Concept Map

• Identify words representing key concepts and
• write them on Post-It notes
• Arrange the Post-Its from top to bottom (or from
• inside to outside), with more important concepts
• towards the top (or center)
• Draw lines between related concepts and write
• a word or phrase above the line that establishes
• the link between the concepts (propositional
• linkages)
• Draw lines between related concepts within
• different map areas (crosslinks)

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Example of Use As Group Assignment
Midway through the Geritol Solution problem,
groups construct maps with one of these
titles The Flow of Energy Through the
Biosphere The Light Independent Reactions of
Photosynthesis The Light Dependent Reactions of
Photosynthesis The Global Carbon Cycle
Instructors Options Class presentations on
transparencies peer review instructor displays
map examples to provide feedback
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An Example from Introductory Biology
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Course Objective
To understand how the photosynthetic reactions
take place, and their relationship to/role in
global biogeochemical and energy cycles
Assignment Write a short essay (problem summary)
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Problem Summary Examples for Geritol Solution
John Martin has proposed that dumping iron into
the nutrient-rich waters off the Antarctic coast
would offer a potential solution to global
warming. What is the conceptual (theoretical)
basis for why he thinks this would work? Success
of the scheme depends upon stepping up
the Abiological pump._at_ What is this Apump_at_, and
why is its operation so integral to Martins
scheme?
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Summary Examples (cont.)
In photosynthesis the progress of the
light-independent reactions (Calvin-Benson cycle
or dark reactions) requires 2 major products of
the light dependent reactions. How are these
products made in the light-dependent reactions,
and what role do they play in the Calvin-Benson
cycle? Of what importance is this cycle to the
planet as a whole?
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Examples of Exam Questions
Tropical rain forests cover only about 3 of
Earth's surface, but they are estimated to be
responsible for more than 20 of global
photosynthesis. It seems reasonable to expect
that the lush growth of jungle foliage would
produce large amounts of oxygen and reduce
global warming by consuming carbon dioxide. But
in fact, many experts now believe that rain
forests make little or no net contribution to
global oxygen production or reduction of global
warming. Explain what the basis of this belief
might be.
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Examples of Exam Questions (cont.)

• The National Academy of Sciences requested that a
  panel of experts study some geoengineering
  schemes for combating global warming and make
  recommendations. These schemes included (in
  addition to the Geritol Solution) the
  following
• Use existing naval rifles to shoot dust or sulfur
  droplets into the stratosphere. It
• is estimated that this could offset (by blocking
  sunlight) the entire U.S. annual
• CO2 emission at a cost of 0.25-0.50 billion.
• Plant more trees. The US Forest Services
  estimated cost of reforestation
• sufficient to offset about 55 percent of annual
  CO2 emissions in the US is 20
• billion.
• Send 110 mirrors (each 100 km2 in size) into
  orbit to deflect sunlight from the
• earths surface. The estimated cost of offsetting
  the United States annual CO2
• emissions is 120 billion.
• What factors should the panel have considered in
  deciding whether or not to recommend these
  schemes?

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Learning Objectives

• Content understanding the effect of a solute on
  the properties of a solvent
• Process the development of higher-order thinking
  skills (application, analysis)

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Assessment Method written in-class exam
question

• traditional versions
• Calculate the vapor pressure of a saturated
  solution of NaCl. (Solubility of NaCl in water
  359 g/L)
• Explain why a solution of NaCl will have a lower
  vapor pressure than pure water.

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Assessment Method written in-class exam
question

• higher-order version
• " Rare artifacts, manuscripts, and the like are
  often protected by being kept under conditions of
  controlled temperature and humidity. The relative
  humidity (water content) of the atmosphere in an
  enclosed (but not airtight) display case can be
  maintained at a constant 75.3 by placing within
  it a saturated aqueous solution of NaCl in
  contact with excess NaCl. Use a molecular level
  argument to explain how this constant humidity is
  maintained, even when air saturated with water
  (100 humidity) enters the case.

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Features of Exam Question

• novel situation
• real-world context
• requires understanding of several concepts
  (saturation, dynamic equilibrium, vapor pressure
  lowering by solute and molecular level rationale)
• student must identify concepts and
  interconnections

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Evaluation

• Key features of argument to be included are
  listed and ranked in importance
• Partial credit awarded for features present

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CHEM 103-4H Overall Grading Scheme

• 3 hour exams 45
• Problem sets 15
• Lab reports 20
• Final exam 15
• Participation (class, group, attendance) 5

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Point Recapture

• Points lost on a specific topic may be regained
  through demonstrated mastery of a similar
  question on the final exam
• Incentive to learn from mistakes and remedy
  erroneous thinking, not ignore them
• Some relief of grade stress, especially with
  Honors students

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SCEN 102 1999 Grading ScaleParticipation

• W/o optional paper
• Group Evaln. 5
• Big Class Act. 5
• Discussion 5
• Lab 5

• With optional paper
• Group Evaln. 5
• Big Class Act. 5
• Discussion 5
• Lab 5

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SCEN 102 1999 Grading ScaleActivities

• W/o optional paper
• Proj. Final report 5
• Proj. Prog. report. 2
• Perf. Assessmnt 2
• Recycling
• NewsMedia 2
• Structd. Controv. 1
• Lunar Log 2

• With optional paper
• Proj. Final report 5
• Proj. Prog. report. 2
• Perf. Assessmnt 2
• Recycling
• NewsMedia 2
• Structd. Controv. 1
• Lunar Log 2

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SCEN 102 1999 Grading ScaleExaminations

• With optional paper
• 1st hour exam 15
• 2nd hour exam 15
• Lab final exam 11
• Final exam 25

• With optional paper
• 1st hour exam 15
• 2nd hour exam 15
• Lab final exam 10
• Final exam 22
• Optional paper 10

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Overall Grading Scheme for Intro. Bio.
Assignment/Activity Percentage of Final
Score Problem assignments 12 Web search or
e-mail 1 What's that organism?
2 Project 5 Evaluations of group
performance 10 2 hour exams 30 Final
exam 15 Laboratory 25 20-25
group 75-80 individual