Title: What evidence will we accept
1Assessing the Impact of Integrating Scientific
Research and Education
- What evidence will we accept?
Diane Ebert-May Michigan State University
2Bottom Left Corner
Please respond on a scale if 0-100 in increments
of 10
- How important is it to use multiple kinds of
data to assess student learning?
3How important is it to use multiple forms of data
to assess student learning?
Relative Importance
n127
4Bottom Right Corner
Please respond on a scale of 0 - 100 in
increments of 10
- How often do you use data to make instructional
decisions?
5How often do you use data to make instructional
decisions?
Frequency
n127
6True or False?
- Assessing student learning in science parallels
what scientists do as researchers.
7Parallel ask questions
- Description
- -What is happening?
- Cause
- -Does x (teaching strategy) affect y
(understanding)? - Process or mechanism
- -Why or how does x cause y?
8Parallel collect data
- We collect data to find out what our students
know. - Data helps us understand student thinking about
concepts and content. - We use data to guide decisions about
course/curriculum/innovative instruction
9Parallel analyze data
- Quantitative data - statistical analysis
- Qualitative data
- break into manageable units and define coding
categories - search for patterns, quantify
- interpret and synthesize
- Valid and repeatable measures
10Parallel peer review
- Ideas and results are peer reviewed - formally
and/or informally.
11Research Methods
12Data collection approaches
13Theoretical Framework Ausubel 1968 meaningful
learning Novak 1998 visual representations
King and Kitchner 1994 reflective judgment
National Research Council 1999 theoretical
frameworks for assessment
14Goal
- Students will demonstrate their understanding of
photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
15Problem
- Experimental setup
- Weighed out 3 batches of radish seeds each
weighing 1.5 g. - Experimental treatments
- 1. Seeds placed on moistened paper towels in
LIGHT - 2. Seeds placed on moistened paper towels in DARK
- 3. Seeds not moistened (left DRY) placed in light
16Problem (2)
- After 1 week, all plant material was dried in an
oven overnight (no water left) and plant biomass
was measured in grams. - Predict the biomass of the plant material in the
various treatments. - Water, light
- Water, dark
- No water, light
17Results Mass of Radish Seeds/Seedlings
Write an explanation about the results.
1.46 g 1.63 g
1.20 g
Explain the results. Write individually on
carbonless paper.
18Assessment
- Exchange papers with another member of your group
and evaluate their response. - Use the Quiz/Homework rubric.
- Discuss the problem and revise your explanation
if necessary.
19(No Transcript)
20What is assessment?
- Data collection with the purpose of answering
questions about - students understanding
- students attitudes
- students skills
- instructional design and implementation
- curricular reform (at multiple grainsizes)
21Why do assessment?
Improve student learning and development.
Provides students substantive feedback about
their understanding.
Challenge to use disciplinary research strategies
to assess learning.
22Pre-Posttest Analysis
Does active, inquiry-based instructional design
influence students understanding of evolution
and natural selection?
23Data collection approaches
24Alternative Conceptions Natural Selection
Changes in a population occur through a gradual
change in individual members of a population.
New traits in species are developed in response
to need. All members of a population are
genetically equivalent, variation and fitness are
not considered. Traits acquired during an
individuals lifetime will be inherited by
offspring.
25Explain the changes that occurred in the tree and
animal. Use your current understanding of
evolution by natural selection.
(AAAS 1999)
26Misconception individuals evolve new traits
n80
of Students
27Misconception evolution is driven by need
n80
of Students
28In guppy populations, what are the primary
changes that occur gradually over time?
- a. The traits of each individual guppy within a
population gradually change. b. The proportions
of guppies having different traits within a
population change. c. Successful behaviors
learned by certain guppies are passed on to
offspring. d. Mutations occur to meet the needs
of the guppies as the environment changes.
Anderson et al 2002
29Posttest Student responses to mc
n171
of Students
30Animal/Tree Posttest Gain in student
understanding of fitness
n80
of Students
31- Quantitative Data
- Qualitative Data
Design Experiment
Bioscience 2003
32Question
How do assessment questions help us determine
students prior understanding and progressive
thinking about the carbon cycle.
33Instructional Design
- Two class meetings on carbon cycle (160 minutes)
- Active, inquiry-based learning
- Cooperative groups
- Questions, group processing, large lecture
sections, small discussion sections, multi-week
laboratory investigation - Homework problems including web-based modules
- Different faculty for each course
- One graduate/8-10 undergraduate TAs per course
34Experimental Design
- Two introductory courses for majors
- Bio 1 - organismal/population biology (faculty A)
- Bio 2 - cell and molecular biology (faculty B)
- Three cohorts
- Cohort 1 Bio 1 (n141)
- Cohort 2 Bio1/Bio2 (n63)
- Cohort 3 Other/Bio2 (n40)
-
35Assessment Design
- Multiple iterations/versions of the carbon cycle
problem - Pretest, midterm, final with additional formative
assessments during class - Administered during instruction
- Semester 1 - pretest, midterm, final exam
- Semester 2 - final exam
36Multiple choice question Pre-post
- The majority of actual weight (dry biomass)
gained by plants as they progress from seed to
adult plant comes from which one of the following
substances? - a. Particle substances in soil that are take up
by plant roots. (15). - b. Molecules in the air that enter through holes
in the plant leaves (4). - c. Substances dissolved in water taken up
directly by plant root (28). - d. Energy from the sun (29).
- N138
37Grandma Johnson Problem
- Hypothetical scenario Grandma Johnson had very
sentimental feelings toward Johnson Canyon, Utah,
where she and her late husband had honeymooned
long ago. Her feelings toward this spot were
such that upon her death she requested to be
buried under a creosote bush overlooking the
canyon. Trace the path of a carbon atom from
Grandma Johnsons remains to where it could
become part of a coyote. NOTE the coyote will
not dig up Grandma Johnson and consume any of her
remains.
38Analysis of Responses
- Used same scoring rubric (coding scheme) for all
three problems - calibrated by adding additional
criteria when necessary, rescoring - Examined two major concepts
- Concept 1 Decomposers respire CO2
- Concept 2 Plants uptake of CO2
- Explanations categorized into two groups
- Organisms (trophic levels)
- Processes (metabolic)
39Coding Scheme
40Cellular Respiration by Decomposers
Correct Student Responses ()
Bio1/Bio2
Other/Bio2
Freidmans, plt0.01
41Pathway of Carbon in Photosynthesis
Correct Student Responses ()
Bio1/Bio2
Other/Bio2
Freidmans, plt0.05
42Is Graduate Education Similar?
- Often excellent at preparing individuals to
design and carry out disciplinary research. - Often inadequate and haphazard in preparing
future faculty/professionals to take on the
increasingly complex demands of the
professoriate. - Teaching is not mentored, peer reviewed, or based
on accumulated knowledge.
43Instructional Research and Development teams
(IRDs)
- Who senior faculty, junior faculty, postdoctoral
and graduate students - intergenerational teams. - What scholarship of science teaching and
learning is fully integrated into the
professional culture along with discipline-based
activities. - Assessment is critical to both practices.
44IRD Team at MSU
- Janet Batzli - Plant Biology U of Wisconsin
- Doug Luckie - Physiology
- Scott Harrison - Microbiology (grad student)
- Tammy Long - Plant Biology
- Jim Smith - Zoology
- Deb Linton - Plant Biology (postdoc)
- Heejun Lim - Chemistry Education
- Duncan Sibley - Geology
- National Science Foundation-DUE
45What evidence will we accept?
- What is the question?
- What research and instructional design?
- What data collection methods?
- How to analyze and interpret data?
- Are findings generalizable?
- What are the next questions?
- Who?