How do biology students in the UK compare to Malaysia? Momna Hejmadi and Yvonne Ong Dept. Biology & Biochemistry University of Bath.

How do biology students in the UK compare to Malaysia?

Momna Hejmadi and Yvonne OngDept. Biology & BiochemistryUniversity of Bath

Teaching and learning

For teachers, summative assessment marks the end of the teaching-learning period. However, students often view the assessment at the beginning. From a student's perspective, "assessment always defines the actual curriculum"

Cultural contexts

East? West?

If this is the case, then why…..….do Asian students outperform their Western peers?

Assessments

Teacherssummative assessment marks the end of the teaching-learning period.

Students often view the assessment at the beginning. From a student's perspective,

"assessment always defines the actual curriculum"

Ramsden 1992

Assessment and learning

Surface learning or deeper learning?

OR

Retention of key concepts in biology

Study aim

To provide a preliminary quantitative analysis on the longer-term retention of concepts in biology among 17 year olds in the UK and Malaysia.

MethodologyAS-level students in the two countries were tested on GCSE content one year later GCSE grade - baseline

GCSE content retention after 1 year

Basic concept questions from the exam paper(N=52-63 students /country)

GCSE 2012 Biology

SPM 2012 Biology

Assessment structureGCSE assessmentModular (2012)

SPM assessment Linear (2012)

B1, B2, B3

SPM Biology

No difference in the number of students in both countries who dropped a grade

Findings

-3 -2 -1 0 10

5

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40Malaysia UK

Grade difference

% o

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But Malaysian students maintained their grades better than UK students

Findings

-3 -2 -1 0 10

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40Malaysia UK

Grade difference

% o

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Fewer Malaysian students dropped more than 2 grades

Findings

-3 -2 -1 0 10

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40Malaysia UK

Grade difference

% o

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Malaysian students retained content better, with 70% of the students either maintaining or dropping one grade70% of UK students showed a decline by one or two grades, suggesting strategic learning

Overall findings

-3 -2 -1 0 10

5

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40Malaysia UK

Grade difference

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High achievers in Malaysia (A* and A students) maintained their grades better than their UK counterparts

Further analyses

-3 -2 -1 0 10

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50 MalaysiaUK

Grade difference

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Lower achievers in the UK (B and below) maintained their grades better than their Malaysian counterparts

Further analyses

-3 -2 -1 0 10

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60Malaysia UK

Grade difference

% o

f stu

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UK students achieved a mean post-test score of 72% in contrast to 49% obtained by Malaysian students

But overall grades were lower among Malaysian students

Grades Malaysia UK

Overall 49 72A*/A+ and A 61 73A*/A+ to B 57 72B and below 42 70

Mean scores of the post-test in Malaysia and UK, compared to their initial examination grades

Use identical exam question papers in both countries

Independent assessment of conceptual understanding

Next steps

Does bite-sized’, modular education encourage strategic learning?

Interesting questions raised

Should we have more linear, end-of-year or programme assessments?

Questions for us?

Thank you