assessment research and tools: when, why, how? diane ebert-may department of plant biology michigan...
TRANSCRIPT
Assessment Research and
Tools:when, why, how?
Diane Ebert-May
Department of Plant Biology Michigan State University
[email protected]://first2.org
The trouble with our times is that the future is not what it
used to be. -Paul Valery, The Art of Poetry
Q2. What is assessment?
Q1. What is scientific teaching ?
Please write responses on card
Active
is participation to learn (accomplish goals)
Assessment
is evidence
Diversity
is science for all...
Q1. What is scientific teaching?
Q2. What 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)
Q3. Why do assessment?
Improve student learning and development.
Provide students and facultysubstantive feedback about student understanding.
Challenge to use disciplinary research strategies to assess learning.
So what are the issues? Claim: Faculty need to change their teaching.Why: Data indicate students are not learning science/math.
Therefore: ... if faculty implement effective scientific teaching, ...data will show learning gains by all.
Faculty change?
Engage
True or False?
Assessing student learning in science parallels what scientists/do as researchers.
1.Description:
-What is happening?
2.Cause:
-Does ‘x’ (teaching strategy) affect ‘y’ (understanding)?
3.Process or mechanism:
-Why or how does ‘x’ cause ‘y’?
Parallel: ask questions
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
Parallel: collect 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
Parallel: analyze data
Ideas and results are peer reviewed - formally and/or informally.
Parallel: peer review
Explore
Guidelines for thinking about research...
What did students learn? (assessment data)
Why did students respond a particular way? (research) Significant question?
What are the working hypotheses? Relevant theory..
What has already been done? Literature says...
How and why select methods? Direct investigation...
How to analyze and interpret data?
What do the results mean? Coherent reasoning...
Are findings replicable and generalizable? Critique by peers...
Research Designs
Data collection
Assessment GradientAssessment Gradient
High
Ease of
Assessment
Low
Multiple Choice, T/F
Diagrams, Conceptmaps, Quantitative
response
Short answer
Essay, Researchpapers/ reports
Oral Interview
Low
Potential for
Assessment of
Learning
High
Explain/Elaborate
SystemModel
Final Assessment?
IRD Team at MSU
Janet Batzli - Plant Biology [U of Wisconsin]Doug Luckie - PhysiologyScott Harrison - Microbiology (grad student)Tammy Long - Plant BiologyDeb Linton - Plant Biology (postdoc)Rett Weber - Plant BiologyHeejun Lim - Chemistry EducationDuncan Sibley - GeologyRob Pennock - PhilosophyCharles Ofria - EngineeringRich Lenski - Microbiolgy*National Science Foundation