Student Learning Assessment in the Biology Department Vivian Navas Biology Department Assessment Coordinator August 2008
Apr 02, 2015
Student Learning Assessment in the Biology Department
Vivian Navas
Biology Department Assessment Coordinator
August 2008
Learning Objective
• Increase Student’s Awareness of Contemporary Scientific Issues
Department Learning outcomes:
• Awareness of contemporary scientific issues
• Awareness of ethical implications in science
• Also included in the Institutional, College of Arts and Sciences and General Education outcomes
Objectives:
• Increase students’ knowledge of biology
• Encourage students to use a critical and scientific point of view to address important contemporary issues
• Make students aware of the ethical implications regarding these issues.
• Motivate students to continue learning on these important issues
Contemporary Scientific Issueschosen by dept faculty
• Human Genome Project • Genomics• Genetic engineering • Cloning• Transgenic organisms• Stem cells • Bioremediation• Global warming• Coral bleaching• Invasive organisms• Ethics in science
Student Perception Instrument
• .
Knowledge of contemporary science issues - Biology DepartmentThe Biology Department would like to measure the effectiveness of our biology curriculum in making students aware of contemporary issues. Please return form to the department or to Dr. Navas. Thank you!!!! This form is intended only for students graduating in May 2007.
Science Issue
Hum Gen Proj
Genomics
Gen eng
Cloning
Transg orgs
How much do you know about this Issue?
1. Never heard about it2. Heard about it but do not
remember much about it.3. Have basic knowledge4. Have knowledge of
applications and ethical implications.
5. Have hands on experience
Where did you learn about this issue?1. Courses (please specify course
name)2. Research3. Other (newspaper, magazine, TV,
Internet, etc.)
Make a short statement that shows your knowledge on this topic.
Invasive organisms
Ethics in science (ethical implications of above issues)
Perception Results Senior Students
How much do you know about this Issue?– Average 3.05- Have basic knowledge
1. Never heard about it2. Heard about it but do not remember much about it.3. Have basic knowledge4. Have knowledge of applications and ethical implications.5. Have hands on experience
Where did you learn about this issue?1.Required courses (General Biology and Genetics)2.Other courses (Human genetics, Biochemistry, Microbial
physiology, microbiol, medical ethics, cell physiology, botany, inmunology, ecology)
3.Other sources (research, newspaper, magazine, TV, Internet, etc.)
Conclusions and actions
• These important issues should be included in the curriculum in required courses so all students are impacted
• Begin assessing the Global Warming Issue (Cycle 3)- Join Campus Initiative
• Choose the General Biology Course
Cycle 3
• Criteria to be assessed- Global Warming• Course: General Biology II• Population- Students 150~250 students• Pre activity –
– freshmen perception and a content pre-test
• Interventions– Course- lecture, movie, trailers, information on web ct
• Post activity- – Content Post-test
• Actions: Re-teach concepts – Second post-test
Freshmen Perception- How much do you
know about this Issue? 219 freshmen students
Knowledge on the topicN=219
2.1
1.5
2.1
2.9
1.8
2.3
1.6
3.4
1.9
1.6
2.5
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0A
vera
ge (
5 po
int s
cale
)
How much do you know about this Issue?Results
All 11 issues - Average 2.15 Global Warming- 3.4
1. Never heard about it2. Heard about it but do not remember much about it.3. Have basic knowledge4. Have knowledge of applications and ethical
implications.5. Have hands on experience
Comparacion clase y otros
5145
3221
44
56
3428
30
53
56
4249
5750
44
34
5236
53
41
24
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
HGP Genomics Gen. Engi. Cloning Trans. Org. Stems cells Bioremedia. Global warn. Coral bleach. Invasive org. Ethics
2
1
Where did you learn about this issue?
Where did you learn about this issue?
1. Courses 2. Others (Research, newspaper,
magazine, TV, Internet, etc.1 and 2 ,1 and 3,2 and 3,1, 2,3)
Pre and Post test- True or false• 1.El calentamiento global afecta mayormente a
ciudades tecnológicamente avanzadas. F• 2. Los gases de invernadero, como el vapor de
agua, CO2 y metano, causan calentamiento global y, por lo tanto, deben ser eliminados por completo.F
• 3. Los bosques alivian el calentamiento global porque liberan grandes cantidades de CO2 a la atmósfera.F
• 4. La sobrepoblación contribuye al calentamiento global.C
• 5. Las plantas de carbón son una buena alternativa ante la crisis de combustible fósil F
• 6. Los Estados Unidos han sido pioneros implementando soluciones para frenar el calentamiento global. F
• 7.Todo proceso que utiliza petróleo (o sus derivados, incluyendo la gasolina) contribuye al calentamiento global. C
• 8.El calentamiento global causa tanto inundaciones como sequías. C
• 9. La deforestación es una de las causas del calentamiento global C
• 10.La solución al calentamiento global está principalmente en manos de los grandes empresarios que operan industrias altamente contaminantes. F
Global Warming Interventions
• National initiative- In class discussion
• Movie assignment: An inconvenient truth
• WEBCT MODULE in General Biology II- created by Dr. Carlos Munoz – Movie trailers– Information on recycling initiatives at RUM– What we can do to help?– Other related information– Pretest and Posttest
Results
Question # Pre test N=296
1 72%
2 80%
3 74%
4 89%
5 64%
6 70%
7 94%
8 93%
9 95%
10 54%
Results Pre-test
• Many students had much knowledge:– on things that cause global warming such as
overpopulation, deforestation, petroleum companies.
• Most failed questions: They incorrectly thought:– that coil based energy production was good for the
environment, – that big industries are mostly responsible for solving
the problem– that the US is way ahead in global warming
prevention.
Pre test 296
Post test 324
Average 72.4% 60.2%
• Did not take seriously
• Did not see movie
• Did not understand movie
Actions
• Retaught global warming main concepts
• Offer a second post-test
• Shared missed questions and misconceptions with faculty for them to be aware and further discuss with students
• Some Included questions in final exam
• Look into implementing a different intervention
Post test New Questions• En realidad, la cantidad de bióxido de carbono en la atmósfera de la
Tierra exhibe fluctuaciones anuales cíclicas; cada año la concentración sube durante nuestro invierno y en verano vuelve a bajar.
• De acuerdo al documental "An Inconvenient Truth", se estima que el aumento en temperatura en los polos será mayor que en el ecuador del planeta.
• De acuerdo al documental "An Inconvenient Truth", la protección del medioambiente inevitablemente implica sacrificios económicos.
• De acuerdo al documental "An Inconvenient Truth", casi el 90% de los artículos sobre calentamiento global publicados en revistas arbitradas ("peer reviewed") coincide en que este problema es resultado de las actividades humanas y que es un problema serio.
• De acuerdo al documental "An Inconvenient Truth", más de la mitad de los artículos acerca de calentamiento global en la prensa popular (periódicos, revistas populares, etc.) expresa incertidumbre en cuanto a si el calentamiento global está ocurriendo o no.
Pre test N=296
Post test N=324
Post-Post N=169Faculty 1
Post-PostN=142Faculty 2
Average 72.4% 60.2% 87.4% 82.8%
InnovationsWebct module
• Site contains:– contemporary issues information
Advantages• Allow for easy assessment of student knowledge
through pre and posttest• Allow for easy grading of instruments• Allow for students to share the information with their
families and friends• Allow for implementation in other courses and
throughout other semesters• Allow for adding other contemporary issues
information
• http://webct.uprm.edu:8900/SCRIPT/BIOL0000_Munoz/scripts/serve_home
Global Warming initiatives in other courses
• Faculty: – Kolterman (botany), – Alfaro – Massol (seminar),– Fernando Bird (evolution) – Ana Velez (gen biol), – Carlos Rios (microb physiol), – Williams (parasit)
• Interventions : trailers, lectures, movie• Post- exam question, reflections
Future Assessment StudiesCycle 4
• Continue to discuss other contemporary issues– Pre and post and interventions in webct
• Assessment of skills and knowledge gained through undergraduate research on up-to-date scientific fields (HHMI)