REPO R T R E S U M

ED 011 240 SE 000 833 .

IDENTIFYING THE "SLOW LEARNER" IN BSCS HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY.BY- GROBMAN, HULCA

PUB DATE MAR 65

EDRS PRICE MF-$0.09 HC-$0.52 13P.:

DESCRIPTORS- *ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, *BIOLOGY, *PROGRAMEVALUATION, *SLOW LEARNERS, *SECONDARY SCHOOL SCIENCE,EVALUATION, GRADE 10, INSTRUCTION, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS,SCIENCE COURSE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, DSCS YELLOW VERSION, BSCSBIOLOGY SPECIAL MATERIALS, BSCS BLUE VERSION, BSCS GREENVERSION, BSCS YELLOW VERSION, BSC BIOLOGY SPECIAL MATERIALS

THE SUITABILITY OF THE BLUE, GREEN, AND YELLOW VERSIONBIOLOGICAL SCIENCES CURRICULUM STUDY (BSCS) FOR THE UPPER 75PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS TAKING TENTH GRADE BIOLOGY IN THEUNITED STATES IS EXAMINED AND PROCEDURES USED IN ASSIGNINGSLOW LEARNERS TO CLASSES USING BSCS SPECIAL MATERIALS ARESURVEYED. THE SUITABILITY STUDY INVOLVED 12,602 STUDENTS ANDTHE SPECIAL MATERIALS PHASE INCLUDED 38 CLASSES IN DESIGNATEDTEST SCHOOLS. STUDENTS IN THE SUITABILITY STUDY WEREPRETESTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR FOR ABILITY TO USE THEPROCESSES OF SCIENCE AND FOR NUMERICAL AND VERBAL REASONINGABILITY. THEY WERE POST-TESTED AT THE END OF THE YEAR FORUNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE CONCEPTS AND FOR THEIR ABILITY TOUSE BIOLOGICAL INFORMATION.' MULTIPLE CORRELATIONS WERE USEDTO .:'MALYZE FINDINGS. THE BLUE, YELLOW, AND GREEEN VERSIONS OFBSCS BIOLOGY APPEARED TO BE SUITABLE FOR USE WITH MOSTSTUDENTS AT OR ABOVE THE 50TH PERCENTILE AND A MAJORITY OFTHE STUDENTS IN THE 40TH TO THE 50TH PERCENTILE IN GENERALABILITY AS DETERMINED BY THE DIFFERENTIAL APTITUDE TEST. BSCSBIOLOGY SPECIAL MATERIALS WERE PREPARED FOR STUDENTS OF LOWERABILITY. DATA OBTAINED INDICATED AT LEAST 50 PER CENT OF THESCHOOLS WERE NOT SYSTEMATICALLY USING SCORES. FROM GENERALABILITY AND/OR READING ABILITY TESTS DETERMINING ASSIGNMENTOF STUDENTS TO SPECIAL MATERIALS CLASSES. THIS ARTICLE ISPUBLISHED IN THE "JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING,"VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1, 1965. (AG)

JOURNAL OF RESEARCHIN SCIENCE TEACHINGVolume 3 Issue 1 1965

CONTENTS

f.ifor, *** -Editor 11

tttt<siNing the "Slimy, Learner" in $SCS High School ttiologys Hukta embrace*. 4 3

$410.0.*r of Con**As.tearning on Solution of Talk-riented Science Problems* Mary Rudd now. 12

e. truellectual Fer.soAin MSC and Conventional High School Physics* Earl brakken 19

Ntos'Wgirdol firchiranimil in Mathematics and Science: M. Daniel Smith 26

Sciento Teaching. the Nature of Science; James T. Robinson .37

The Emerging Reumesh *oho of the Subject Matter Educator* Joseph M. Sccindura and Jack I, Holm 51

6lotogy Teachers osse /Weir Attitudes concerning EU:S Jacob W. Slankinship. 54

Porformonce y leAvductory College Physics and Previous Instruction In Physics, John A. Finger, Jr., John AJr , and trosdes.* Corbin 61

A Cemeorison of- *ill* Grad. Accelerated Students and a Group of Tenth Grade Students In Their Abilitl to66

A Model for the Kr nostation and Analysis of Concept Formation: J. D. Novak 72

A Look a Piro Gmclar's Understanding of Matter* Herbert 0. Thier $4

frame Problems to Science Educe:Hoax Milton 0. Pella 90

look Re; istw 0000 93

Cointoitcond 1111111400v. !kitty Berkey and William Asher !,

Published under the auspices of

NATIONAL. ASSOCIATION FOR RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING and

ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF TEACHERS IN SCIENCE by

John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York London Sydney

JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING

Editor

J. STANLEY MARSHALLDepartment of Science Education

The Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida

Editorial Advisory Board

J. DARRELL BARNARD

New York UniversityNew York, New York

WILLIAM COOLEY

Harvard UniversityCambridge, Massachusetts

PAUL doll. HURD

Stanford UniversityPalo Alto, California

JOSEPH F. JORDAN

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.New York, New York

EUGENE C. LEE

Emory UniversityAtlanta, Georgia

JOHN MASON

Michigan State UniversityEast Lancing, Michigan

SIDNEY ROSEN

University of Illinois...

Urbana, IllinoisIRWIN I.. SLESNICK

Western Washington State. CollegeBellingham, Washington

HERBERT A. SMITH

Colorado State UniversityFort Collins, Colorado

FRANK X. SUTMAN

Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

STEPHEN S. WINTER

University of BuffaloBuffalo, New York

ROBERT E. YAGER

University of IowaIowa City, Iowa

Published quarterly (March, Tune, September, December) by John Wiley St Sons, Inc.covering one volume annually. Copyright 1965 by National Association for Research

in Science Teaching. Publication Office at 20th and Northampton Streets, Easton,

Pennsylvania. Executive, Editorial, and Circulation Offices at 605 Third Avenue, New

York, New York 10016. Subscription price, S10.00 per volume. Single issue price, 113.00.

Foregn postage, $0.50 per volume. Manuscripts should be submitted. in duplicate toProf. J. Stanley Marshall, Department of Science Education, The Florida State University,

Tallahassee, Florida.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELFARE

OFFICE OF EDUCATION

THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE

PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT. POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS

STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDUCATION

POSITION OR POLICY.

"PERMISSIC TO REPRODUCE THIS

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JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING

The author discusses success in BSCS as a function of mental ability.Data indicating that many high and average ability students are beingimproperly assigned to classes using materials for slow learners are pre-sented and the possible consequences are explored.

VOL. 3, PP. 3-11 (1965)

Identifying the "Slow Learner" in BSCS High School Biology

HULDA GROBMAN

Biological Sciences Curriculum Study, Boulder, Colorado

Background

In preparing the Biological Sciences'Curriculum Study (BSCS) Biology Blue,Yellow, and Green Versions,' the statedpurpose of the authors was to preparecourses suitable for the upper two-thirds orthree-quarters of the students now takingbiology in American high schools. Thus, itwould be well to examine test data todetermine, in quantitative terms, whetherthe materials are suitable for use with theupper 65 to 75 per cent of students takingbiology today. This question is of par-ticular importance, because from the so-phisticated level of the presentations andthe novel approaches - used, an observermight conclude, without sufficient evidence,that the three versions were suitable onlyfor the college-bound student.

In selecting experimental schools for1962-63, the BSCS attempted to obtain areasonable cross-section of the Americanhigh school population. A description ofthe experimental schools is included inTable 1. The average ability level of. theBSCS group as measured by the DifferentialAptitude Tests Verbal Reasoning +Numerical Ability (DAT VR -I- NA)was at approximately the 65th percentile ascompared with the national population of alltenth grade students in school (Table 2);however, not all tenth grade students takebiology. Probably more high-ability thanlow-ability students elect biology, but nodata are available to describe the abilitylevels of the total tenth grade population

which now takes biology. And so it is notpossible to determine the representativenessof the BSCS sample. However, there areenough students in the various abilitygroups of the BSCS tenth grade experi-mental population to permit an examina-tion of their experience and to generalize asto the suitability of BSCS courses fortenth graders co/, various ability levels.

As is the case with all BSCS evaluationstudies, the present study was under theaegis of the BSCS Evaluation Committee;the author is Staff Consultant coordinatingBSCS evaluation activities. The BSCSobtained technical assistance from ThePsychological Corporation which also wasresponsible for st: tistical processing of thedata.

Prediction Criteria for BSCS Biology

From the 1962-63 evaluation, there arecomplete beginning and end-of-year testdata available on 12,602 tenth grade stu-dents who used one of the versions of BSCSBiology and did not use one of the BSCSLaboratory Blocks.* The tests on whichscores are available include a beginning-of-the-year DAT Form A, VR -I- NA, thebeginning-of-year BSCS Impact Test, andan end-of-year BSCS Comprehensive Finalexamination. The BSCS 40-item Impact

* The present study is limited to nonblock stu-dents in order to reduce the sources of variance.Students in the study used the 1961-62 irevisedexperimental edition of SCS Biology. All experi-mental teachers had used a version of BSCS Biologyfor at least one year prior to 1962-63.

3

H. GROBMAN

TABLE .1Characteristics of Teachers from which BSCS 1962-63 BSCS Sample of 12,602 Nonblock Students Selected

Numberof

teacherss

Numberof

teachersa

Sex of Teachers Year of bachelor degree

Male 139 1920-1929 7

Female 40 1930-1939 34

Population of community 1940-1949 41

Less than 2,500 4 1950 or later 96,

2,500-25,000 52 Advanced degrees

25,000-500,000 88 Yes 126

Over 500,000 34 No 53

Region Type of advanced degree

Urban 90 M.A. 59

Suburban 59 M.Ed. 16

Rural 19 M.S. 46

Other 11 Ph.D. 1

Type of school Ed.D. 0

Public 164 Other 4

Private 2 Year of advanced degree

Denominational 10 1930-1939 11

University laboratory 2 1940-1949 20

Other 1 1950-1959 68

Size of 1962 graduating class 1960 or later 27

Less than 100 17 Years biology teaching experience

100-299 44 0-5 45

300-499 63 6-10 70

500-999 49 11-15 24

1,000 or more 6 16-20 18

Per cent of 1962 class in college 21 or more 22

Less than 10% 8 Number introductory biology classes

10-24% 7 1 5

25-49% 50 2 17

50-74% 83 3 46

75-89% 23 4 52

90% or more 7 5 55

6 or more 3

Test and 50-item Comprehensive Final aremultiple choice type tests prepared by theBSCS as part of its evaluation program.The Impact Test was designed to measurethe processes of science and is content-freein that it is not tied to the factual knowledgeof biology that would be unique to any onebiology course. Rather its intent is tomeasure the student's grasp of how scientificproblems are solved, how a scientist works,how data are gathered and evaluated.While the Comprehensive Final is spe-cifically directed to those learnings thatwould be common to students in any of theversions of BSCS Biology, it is not con-cerned with detail of biological fact but

(continued)

with the concepts on which the threeversions of BSCS Biology are built. It isintended primarily to measure ability toutilize biological information rather thandirect recall.* To give criteria for successin the BSCS course for purposes of this

* A description of the method of construction ofthe Impact Test and Comprehensive Final exam,sample items, and an indication of the skills andareas of biology covered are included in 13808Newsletter No. 19.2 While the Newsletter treatsthe 1961-62 editions of both tests, the compositionof the 1962-63 editions used in the present study issimilar. The name of the Impact Test has beenchanged to the Processes of Science Test for the1964 edition published by The PsychologicalCorporation.

MEW

IDENTIFYING THE SLOW LEARNER

TABLE 1 (continued)

5

Numberof

teachers

Numberof

teachers'

Annual per pupil expenditureLess than $300 31 Teaching advanced biology$3004499 91 Yes 50$500 -$699 44 No 129Over $700 10 BSCS laboratory checklist morel)

Other subjects taught 149 or less 50 117 150-199 241 40 200-249 502 17 250-299 42

2 300-349 124 1 350 or more 4

'Average number in biology classes Periods a week29 or less 95 3 or less 030 or more 84 4 2

Total number students 5 13574 or less 4 6 1275-99 21 7 21100-124 36 8 2125-149 61 9 or more 6150-174 41 Periods per week with access to laboratory175 or more 13 0 2

Class period minutes 1 2147 or less 46 2 5248-53 29 3 t54-59 88 4 3060 or more 16 5 5

6 or more 3Ability grouping

Yes 99No 80

a Discrepancies in section totals indicate failure of one or more teachers to respond to item.b The BSCS Laboratory Checklist is a measure of 0,, lequacy of laboratory facilities; maximum score is

388 points. The Checklist appears in Reference 4.

study, two different cut-off points were seton the 50-item final exam; for students whodid not achieve these scores, a study wasmade of beginning-of-year scores on theImpact Test and DAT. The cut-off, pointsfor success on the 50-item ComprehensiveFinal are arbitrary ones, set by the BSCSstaff in consultation with BSCS teachers.These were set at : below 18 correct, andbelow 20 correct.*

Beginning-of-year scores for these groupsare presented in Table 2. (For the ex-perimental group, correlation between theComprehensive Final and DAT is .66, and

* Mean score on the Comprehensive Final for theexperimental group is 25.75, with a standard devia-tion of 7.47.

with the Impact pre-test, .62. The partialcorrelation coefficient for the Impact pre-testand Comprehensive Final with DAT heldconstant is .29.) Both tests appear to bereasonably good predictors of success asmeasured by the end-of-year final.

Based on data in Table 3, it would appearthat BSCS Biology is suited to average andabove-average students. In the experi-mental group, 18 students in 20 at or abovethe 50th percentile on DAT obtain a score ofat least 20 items correct on the end-of-yearfinal; 13 students in 20 in the 40th-50thpercentiles score at least 20 correct on thefinal; and 9 students in .20 below the 40thpercentile score it le st 20 correct on thefin I.

fr H. GROBMAN

TABLE 2Beginning-of-Year DAT Raw Scores and Impact Test Scores for 1962-63 BSCS Nonblock Students by

Score on the End-of-Year BSCS Comprehensive Final

ComprehensiveFinal

DAT VR + NA Impact pre-test

No. Mean S.D. Mean S.D.

1-17 1,794 30.39 12.95 16.29 5.00'18-19 936 36.60 13.15 18.17 4.85

20 and over 9,872 52.04 15.05 23.48 5.55

Total groups 12,602 47.824 16.76 22.07 6.12

Approximately the 65th percentile on national norms for all tenth grade students.

TABLE 31962 Student Performance on Comprehensive Final by Beginning-of-Year Scores on DAT VR + NA

and Impact Test,

Pre-test score

DAT VR + NA Impact test

40 andover 34-39 0-33 Total

22 andover 16-21 0-15 Total

Number of studentswith Comprehen-sive Final score

20 and over 7,820 867 1,185 9,872 6,359 2,695 818 9,87218-19 376 173 387 936 228 441 267 936

0-17 436 293 1, q.,s 5 11,794 273 728 793 1,794Total 8,632 1,333 12,602 6,860 3,864 1,878 12,602

Per cent of studentswith Comprehen-sive Final score

20 and over 91 65 45 78 93 70 44 78

18-19 4 13 15 7 3 11 14 7

0-17 5 22 40 14 4 19 42 14

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

On national norms for all tenth grade students on the DAT VR + NA, the 50th percentile is at a rawscore of 40-42 for boys and 38-40 for girls; the 40th percentile is at a raw score of 34-36 for boys and 34-35for girls.

Certainly there are many reasons for lackof success on the BSCS test other thanability, but it might be concluded that acertain level of ability is a prerequisite.(In order to examine factors other thanability, a specific study of low-scoringbiology students with above-average abilitywould be desirable.) However, below the40th percentile, a majority of students donot master the materials in the minimumfashion indicated by the cut-off points.This does not mean that all students belowthe 40th percentile should automatically beassigned to a slow-learner class, but wouldindicate need for individual consideration of

such assignment. The data would alsolead one to question assignment of studentsover the 50th percentile, and even over the40th percentile, to classes designed for slowlearners.

Earlier studies of achievement on con-ventional biology tests,3 indicate that theverbal factor of DAT is a better predictor ofachievement of students in conventionalbiology courses than is the numerical factor.In the BSCS study, this was also true, insofaras average and below-average students wereconcerned (Table 4) ; no study vas made ofthe verbal and numerical factors individuallyfor above-average students.

IDENTIFYING THE SLOW LEARNER 7

TABLE 4Coefficients of Correlation among DAT Verbal, DAT Numerical, DAT VR + NA, and ComprehensiveFinal Tests for Tenth Grade Nonblock Students with DAT VR + NA Scores of 41% or Lessa (Males =

2054; Females = 2407)

DAT-verbal DAT-numerical DAT VR + NA

Test Males Females Males Females Males Females

prehensive Final testDAT-verbalDAT-numerical

.329 .302 .238.100

.226

.188.380.725.758

.340.750.791

a A raw score of 41 is at approximately the 50th percentile. Correlations are low because of two kinds ofrestriction on range. For VR and NA scofeR, approximately half the normal curve is represented; for theVR and Comprehensive Final, chance scores restrict the range.

TABLE 5Multiple Correlation of Comprehensive Final withDAT VR + NA Scores for Tenth Grade Non-block Students with DAT VR + NA Scores of

40% or Less (Males = 2051, Females = 2407)

Males Females

R of Comprehensive Final vs.DAT VR + NA scores

Beta weight of DAT VRBeta weight of DAT NA

.388

.308.208

.347

.269

.175

Given the content of the BSCS course andthe relatively sophisticated reading level ofthe exam, one might expect VR to provide abetter prediction criterion than VR -I- NA.However, for students at or below the 50thpercentile on the total DAT score, the verbalplus numerical is a better predictor thanverbal alone. And in multiple correlation,the prediction of Comprehensive Finalscores from the optimum combination ofverbal and numerical was insignificantlybetter than that from the simple summing ofVR -I- NA scores (Table 5). Thus, itwould appear that the VR + NA scores arethe appropriately weighted combination ofthe two for prediction of the criteria forthis group. Examination of the test dataindicates that, for the below-average stu-dents who made satisfactory final examscores, only 13 per cent had an above-average verbal ability. Of the above-verage students with unsatisfactory final

exam scores, 68 per cent had an above-average verbal ability. Thus, it wouldappear that higher verbal ability was not areason for success of the average and below-

average students, nor was limitation onverbal ability generally the reason forfailure of above7average students.

School Identification of the Slow Learner

These BSCS findings concerning whichstudents are able to handle the regularmaterials for BSCS Biology apparently donot agree with the practice in the schools ofassigning students to regular and specialslow-learner sections for biology. Duringthe 1963-64 school year, the BSCS testedseveral experimental units of BSCS BiologySpecial (slow learner) Materials preparedfor students who do not have the academicability to handle the regular BSCS Biologyversions. The materials are not intendedfor all unsuccessful learners. They are notintended for the able "under-achiever,"but are for the low-ability student. Par-ticipating schools all 'expressed considerableconcern over the problems of the sloWlearner and volunteered to participate.Thus, one might expect at least an averageconcern with identification of this type ofstudent.

Each experimental school made classassignments to the Special Materials sec-tions based on its own criteria, as reportedin Table 6. Table 7 indicates the DATprofiles of the students selected. Twenty-five per cent of the students in the 1963-64Special Material's program for slow learnersare at or above the 50th percentile on theDAT; and 40 per cent are at or above the40th percentile. These students appearto be improperly assigned to the slow-

era

8 GROBMAN

TABLE 6Teacher Report on Criteria for Selection of Students for the 1963-64 BSCS Special Materials (Slow-Learner)

Classes

Teacheridentifica-

tionno.

1

2345

6789

10111213)14

1516171819202122232425262728

293031

32333435363738

General Teacherrecord reco I

Abilityand

intell.tests Comments

X

SA Test, Otis

75-90 IQ, below reading level, lowest 40% sch. apt.Lowest rank on DAT and previous gradesReading comprehensionwith retardation of 11/4 year or

moreX X

X X STEP reading and writing testsStudents not taking Sp., Latin, or new math or new biology

scheduled for this periodX IQ and performance

X XX

X

X

X

IQ, achievement testSelected by counselorRec. of general math instructor or in lowest 1/3 on DAT

numericalIQ and reading test11Q, taken from general math class last yearSelected at randomDAT, IQIQIQ and achievement tests

Low IQ, retarded in reading, student requestX Counselor's records

MAT, SCAT, IQReading level-SCAT-DAT 0-15 percentile

X IQ and reading abilityX Verbal scores on DATX Below 1.8 grade pt. average, below 40 percentile on scholastic

aptitude section of DATX 80-90 IQ, reading 2 yrs. below grade levelX

Lowest 25% on 9th grade achievement test (80% readingability, 20% numerical)

Tests in reading and natural scienceStudent requestIowa TestreadingSchool placement test

IQ and science achievement scores

learner sections. There are even studentshi the 90-99th percentiles on generalability assigned to slow-learner sections.In some special cases (such as those con-cerning students with high NA and low VR),assignment of an above-average student on

general ability to a slow-learner sectionmight be warranted; however, scanning theVR and NA scores for students in theSpecial Materials sections indicates fewsuch cases.

Thus, despite school reports to the

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.

10 H.. GROBMAN

contrary, schools - are obviously not as-signing students to slow-learner classesbased ,on student ability as measured byreading or general ability tests, but ratheron other criteria. Feedback from someschools indicates assignment to slow-learnerclasses for many other reasons not statedon official reports. These include: lateregistration of student and therefore assign-ment to the smallest section of biology,which happens to be the slow-learnersection; availability of only one biologySection at that hour; previous teacherreports that the student is a troublemaker(This may be a creative, questioning in-dividual or a very bright student who isbored.); lack of student motivation; unac-ceptable social or economic background ofthe student, which means that he does not"fit in" to regular sections; previous gradesin other related or unrelated subjects.

Such improper assignment of academicallyable students to slow-learner classes hasseveral unfortunate results. It may maskthe real problem of the student, such as theunder-achiever. It may create an un-favorable or false image of biology in theminds of the brighter students who arebored with the slow-learner materials. Andthe presence of the brighter student in theslow-learner classroom defeats the majorpurposes of homogeneous grouping forability in BSCS Biology-SM Materials,that is, to permit the academically less ablestudelt to go at his own pace, to discovernew ideas and relationships through discus-sion that is slow enough for him to keep upand participate in actively, and to competeat his own level.

Conclusions

Based on testing of the experimentaleditions, the DAT VR + NA and Im-pact Test are good predictors of success in

SCS Biology. The Blue, Yellow, andGreen Versions of BSCS Biology appearto be suited for use with most students at orabove the 50th percentile on general abilityas measured by the DAT VR + NA.

4

A majority of students in the 40th to 50thpercentiles are also able to handle thematerials in a satisfactory manner, asmeasured by the Comprehensive Final.However, the materials appear to be toodifficult for . a majority of students belowthe 40th percentile in general ability.

It was the intent of the BSCS to preparematerials suitable for use by the upper two-thirds to three-quarters of the students whonow take biology. While most tenth grad-ers elect biology, no data are available onthe characteristics of students 7.7.7 ho do nottake biology; although some brighter stu-dents take biology in ninth-grade, it seemslikely that for the most part the studentsnot taking biology in tenth-grade are theslower students who either take a tenth-grade special general science course forslow learners or satisfy the high schoolscience requirement with their ninth-gradescience course. Thus, if BSCS Biologycan be used successfully with students at orabove the 40th percentile of all tenth grad-ers, it would appear that the BSCS hasachieved its original aim, that is, the ver-sions are suitable for use by two-thirds tothree-quarters of the tenth graders who nowtake biology.

Although schools in the BSCS slow-learnerstudy report using tests of general abilityand/or reading ability, at least.. half of theschools participating in the BSCS SpecialMaterials program in 1963-64 have notactually done this systematically in sec-tioning students for slow-learner classes.In view of the BSCS experience with . itsslow-learner program, it might be well forothers to investigate the extent of improperassignments to slow-learner sections inother disciplines. Also, other investigatorsstudying slow learners should be wary ofaccepting a school's designation of thatpopulation. .

Several Phases of this study are beingreplicated with data collected in 1963-64for students in regular BSCS Biology classesand 1964-65 d to on students in BSCSSpecial Materials classes.

IDENTIFYING THE SLOW LEARNER

Synopsis

BSCS Biology was written for the upper65-45 per cent, of the high school studentsnow taking biology. To determine whetherthe materials are suitable kir use by thesestudents, performance on the BSCS Com-prehensive Final for 1962-63 students wasexamined in terms of beginning-of-yearscores on a general ability measure (DATVR -1- NA) and the BSCS Impact Test.Data indicate that both tests were goodpredictors of student performance, and amajority of students at or above the 40thpercentile obtained a minimum acceptablescore on the Compreher.sive Final. BSCSBiology Special Materials have been pre-pared for the low-ability students not ableto use the regular BSCS Biology. How-ever, data from test schools in 1963-64

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indicate that many schools are improperlyassigning students to slow-learner sectionsbased on subjective criteria rather than onstudent ability.

References and .Note1. The 1963 editions are: Biological Science:

Molecules to Man, Houghton Mifflin, Boston;Biological Science: An Inquiry Into Life, Harcourt,

race and World, New York; and High SchoolBiology, BSCS Green Version, Rand McNally,Chicago.

2. BSCS Newsletter No. 19, Biological SciencesCurriculum Study, Boulder, Colorado, September1963.

3. Bennett, George K., Harold G. Seashore, andAlexander G. Wesman, Manual for the DifferentialAptitude Tests, Third Edition, The PsychologicalCorporation, New York, 1959.

4. BSCS Newsletter No. 9, Biological SciencesCurriculum Study, Boulder, Colorado, September1961.