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)