scholarly journals Learn before Lecture: A Strategy That Improves Learning Outcomes in a Large Introductory Biology Class

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 473-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marin Moravec ◽  
Adrienne Williams ◽  
Nancy Aguilar-Roca ◽  
Diane K. O'Dowd
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Learning Gains ◽  
Introductory Biology ◽  
Class Time ◽  
Biology Class ◽  
Lecture Material ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Introductory Biology Course ◽  
Interactive Exercises

Actively engaging students in lecture has been shown to increase learning gains. To create time for active learning without displacing content we used two strategies for introducing material before class in a large introductory biology course. Four to five slides from 2007/8 were removed from each of three lectures in 2009 and the information introduced in preclass worksheets or narrated PowerPoint videos. In class, time created by shifting lecture material to learn before lecture (LBL) assignments was used to engage students in application of their new knowledge. Learning was evaluated by comparing student performance in 2009 versus 2007/8 on LBL-related question pairs, matched by level and format. The percentage of students who correctly answered five of six LBL-related exam questions was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in 2009 versus 2007/8. The mean increase in performance was 21% across the six LBL-related questions compared with <3% on all non-LBL exam questions. The worksheet and video LBL formats were equally effective based on a cross-over experimental design. These results demonstrate that LBLs combined with interactive exercises can be implemented incrementally and result in significant increases in learning gains in large introductory biology classes.

A Mixed Exam Format Closes the Gap for Students with a Conflict between Their Religious Belief & the Theory of Evolution

2014 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathrin F. Stanger-Hall ◽  
Julianne A. Wenner
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Religious Belief ◽  
Religious Conflict ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Introductory Biology ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Constructed Response ◽  
Theory Of Evolution ◽  
Acceptance Of Evolution ◽  
Introductory Biology Course

We assessed the performance of students with a self-reported conflict between their religious belief and the theory of evolution in two sections of a large introductory biology course (N = 373 students). Student performance was measured through pretest and posttest evolution essays and multiple-choice (MC) questions (evolution-related and non-evolution-related questions) on the final exam and posttest. The two class sections differed only in exam format: MC with or without constructed-response (CR) questions. Although students with a reported conflict scored significantly lower on the final exam in the MC-only section, they scored equally well in the MC+CR section, and all students in the MC+CR section performed significantly better overall. As a result, (1) a religious conflict with evolution can be negatively associated with student achievement in introductory biology, but (2) assessment with constructed response was associated with a closed performance gap between students with and without a conflict. We suggest that differences in exam format and focus on student acceptance of evolution (either evidence-based or opinion), rather than reported conflict, may contribute to the inconsistencies in student learning of evolution across research studies, and that CR questions may help students overcome other obstacles to learning evolution.

scholarly journals Differences in Metacognitive Regulation in Introductory Biology Students: When Prompts Are Not Enough

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. ar15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Dangremond Stanton ◽  
Xyanthe N. Neider ◽  
Isaura J. Gallegos ◽  
Nicole C. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Metacognitive Knowledge ◽  
Introductory Biology ◽  
Undergraduate Biology ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
Metacognitive Development ◽  
Metacognitive Regulation ◽  
Introductory Biology Course

Strong metacognition skills are associated with learning outcomes and student performance. Metacognition includes metacognitive knowledge—our awareness of our thinking—and metacognitive regulation—how we control our thinking to facilitate learning. In this study, we targeted metacognitive regulation by guiding students through self-evaluation assignments following the first and second exams in a large introductory biology course (n = 245). We coded these assignments for evidence of three key metacognitive-regulation skills: monitoring, evaluating, and planning. We found that nearly all students were willing to take a different approach to studying but showed varying abilities to monitor, evaluate, and plan their learning strategies. Although many students were able to outline a study plan for the second exam that could effectively address issues they identified in preparing for the first exam, only half reported that they followed their plans. Our data suggest that prompting students to use metacognitive-regulation skills is effective for some students, but others need help with metacognitive knowledge to execute the learning strategies they select. Using these results, we propose a continuum of metacognitive regulation in introductory biology students. By refining this model through further study, we aim to more effectively target metacognitive development in undergraduate biology students.

scholarly journals Replacing Lecture with Peer-led Workshops Improves Student Learning

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 182-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph W. Preszler
Keyword(s):  
Student Learning ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Cooperative Groups ◽  
Underrepresented Minority ◽  
Introductory Biology ◽  
Higher Level Thinking ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Introductory Biology Course ◽  
Improving Student Performance

Peer-facilitated workshops enhanced interactivity in our introductory biology course, which led to increased student engagement and learning. A majority of students preferred attending two lectures and a workshop each week over attending three weekly lectures. In the workshops, students worked in small cooperative groups as they solved challenging problems, evaluated case studies, and participated in activities designed to improve their general learning skills. Students in the workshop version of the course scored higher on exam questions recycled from preworkshop semesters. Grades were higher over three workshop semesters in comparison with the seven preworkshop semesters. Although males and females benefited from workshops, there was a larger improvement of grades and increased retention by female students; although underrepresented minority (URM) and non-URM students benefited from workshops, there was a larger improvement of grades by URM students. As well as improving student performance and retention, the addition of interactive workshops also improved the quality of student learning: Student scores on exam questions that required higher-level thinking increased from preworkshop to workshop semesters.

scholarly journals How Accurate Is Peer Grading?

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 482-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Freeman ◽  
John W. Parks
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Lower Order ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Low Risk ◽  
Risk Assessments ◽  
Introductory Biology ◽  
Practice Opportunities ◽  
Peer Grading ◽  
Introductory Biology Course ◽  
Answering Questions

Previously we showed that weekly, written, timed, and peer-graded practice exams help increase student performance on written exams and decrease failure rates in an introductory biology course. Here we analyze the accuracy of peer grading, based on a comparison of student scores to those assigned by a professional grader. When students graded practice exams by themselves, they were significantly easier graders than a professional; overall, students awarded ≈25% more points than the professional did. This difference represented ≈1.33 points on a 10-point exercise, or 0.27 points on each of the five 2-point questions posed. When students graded practice exams as a group of four, the same student-expert difference occurred. The student-professional gap was wider for questions that demanded higher-order versus lower-order cognitive skills. Thus, students not only have a harder time answering questions on the upper levels of Bloom's taxonomy, they have a harder time grading them. Our results suggest that peer grading may be accurate enough for low-risk assessments in introductory biology. Peer grading can help relieve the burden on instructional staff posed by grading written answers—making it possible to add practice opportunities that increase student performance on actual exams.

Teacher Performance-Based Incentives and Learning Inequality

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deon Filmer ◽  
James Habyarimana ◽  
Shwetlena Sabarwal
Keyword(s):  
Student Achievement ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Teacher Performance ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Learning Gains ◽  
Intervention Period ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Cost Performance ◽  
Baseline Levels

This study evaluates the impacts of low-cost, performance-based incentives in Tanzanian secondary schools. Results from a two-phase randomized trial show that incentives for teachers led to modest average improvements in student achievement across different subjects. Further, withdrawing incentives did not lead to a “discouragement effect” (once incentives were withdrawn, student performance did not fall below pre-baseline levels). Rather, impacts on learning were sustained beyond the intervention period. However, these incentives may have exacerbated learning inequality within and across schools. Increases in learning were concentrated among initially better-performing schools and students. At the same time, learning outcomes may have decreased for schools and students that were lower performing at baseline. Finally, the study finds that incentivizing students without simultaneously incentivizing teachers did not produce observable learning gains.

scholarly journals Increased Learning Observed in Redesigned Introductory Biology Course that Employed Web-enhanced, Interactive Pedagogy

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl N. McDaniel ◽  
Bradford C. Lister ◽  
Michael H. Hanna ◽  
Harry Roy
Keyword(s):  
Biological Knowledge ◽  
Learning Gains ◽  
Introductory Biology ◽  
Learning Gain ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Traditional Course ◽  
Introductory Biology Course ◽  
Student Composition ◽  
Made In

Our Introduction to Biology course (BIOL 1010) changed in 2004 from a standard instructor-centered, lecture-homework-exam format to a student-centered format that used Web-enhanced, interactive pedagogy. To measure and compare conceptual learning gains in the traditional course in fall 2003 with a section of the interactive course in fall 2004, we created concept inventories for both evolution and ecology. Both classes were taught by the same instructor who had taught BIOL 1010 since 1976, and each had a similar student composition with comparable biological knowledge. A significant increase in learning gain was observed with the Web-enhanced, interactive pedagogy in evolution (traditional, 0.10; interactive, 0.19; p = 0.024) and ecology (traditional, −0.05; interactive, 0.14; p = 0.000009) when assessment was made unannounced and for no credit in the last week of classes. These results strengthen the case for augmenting or replacing instructor-centered teaching with Web-enhanced, interactive, student-centered teaching. When assessment was made using the final exam in the interactive course, for credit and after studying, significantly greater learning gains were made in evolution (95%, 0.37, p = 0.0001) and ecology (143%, 0.34, p = 0.000003) when compared with learning gains measured without credit or study in the last week of classes.

scholarly journals A comparison study of human examples vs. non-human examples in an evolution lesson leads to differential impacts on student learning experiences in an introductory biology course

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Z. Grunspan ◽  
Ryan D. P. Dunk ◽  
M. Elizabeth Barnes ◽  
Jason R. Wiles ◽  
Sara E. Brownell
Keyword(s):  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Learning Gains ◽  
Introductory Biology ◽  
Teaching Evolution ◽  
Student Background ◽  
Content Relevance ◽  
Diverse Student ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Perceived Relevance ◽  
Introductory Biology Course

Abstract Background Instructors can teach evolution using any number of species contexts. However, not all species contexts are equal, and taxa choice can alter both cognitive and affective elements of learning. This is particularly true when teaching evolution using human examples, a promising method for evolution instruction that nevertheless comes with unique challenges. In this study, we tested how an evolution lesson focused on a human example may impact students’ engagement, perceived content relevance, learning gains, and level of discomfort, when compared to the same lesson using a non-human mammal example. We use this isomorphic lesson and a pre-post study design administered in a split-section introductory biology classroom to isolate the importance of the species context. Results For two of the four measurements of interest, the effect of using human examples could not be understood without accounting for student background. For learning gains, students with greater pre-class content knowledge benefited more from the human examples, while those with low levels of knowledge benefited from the non-human example. For perceived relevance, students who were more accepting of human evolution indicated greater content relevance from the human example. Regardless of condition, students with lower evolution acceptance reported greater levels of discomfort with the lesson. Conclusions Our results illustrate the complexities of using human examples to teach evolution. While these examples were beneficial for many students, they resulted in worse outcomes for students that were less accepting of evolution and those who entered the course with less content knowledge. These findings demonstrate the need to consider diverse student backgrounds when establishing best practices for using human examples to teach evolution.

scholarly journals Foundation Skills for Scientists: An Evolving Program

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Dawson ◽  
Sarah Fedko ◽  
Nancy Johnston ◽  
Elaine Khoo ◽  
Sarah King ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Just In Time ◽  
First Year ◽  
Collaborative Approach ◽  
Introductory Biology ◽  
Large Lecture ◽  
Introductory Biology Course

We have undertaken an integrated and collaborative approach to developing foundational skills of students in a first year, Introductory Biology course. The course is a large lecture and laboratory course with enrollments ranging from 800-1000 per year. Teaching and Learning experts were brought into the course as weekly ‘Foundation Skills for Scientists’ sessions were created. The initial challenges were to have effective knowledge exchange between collaborators and create an integrated course syllabus. Once effective sessions were created, the next challenge was to improve student valuation of them. High value was only achieved when the skill sessions were tightly linked to course assignments and activities and was delivered ‘just in time’. Even then, the challenge has been to motivate students to realize that the sessions are directly relevant to them. Overall, student performance has improved since the program was initiated as measured by rate of retention in the course, overall course marks and quality of writing. Nous avons utilisé une approche intégrée et collaborative pour approfondir les compétences de base des étudiants de première année qui suivent un cours d’introduction à la biologie. Il s’agit d’un cours magistral et en laboratoire, auquel s’inscrivent entre 800 et 1000 étudiants par an. Ce cours a bénéficié de l’apport d’experts en enseignement et en apprentissage afin d’appuyer le développement de séances hebdomadaires portant sur les compétences de base en sciences. Les difficultés initiales étaient de susciter un échange de connaissances efficace entre les collaborateurs et de créer un plan de cours intégré. Une fois les séances organisées, la difficulté suivante a été de faire en sorte que les étudiants les apprécient davantage. Ces derniers les ont jugées très utiles uniquement lorsqu’elles étaient étroitement liées aux tâches et aux activités et lorsqu’elles étaient offertes au moment opportun. Même alors, le défi a consisté à motiver les étudiants afin qu’ils se rendent compte que les séances leur sont directement pertinentes. Dans l’ensemble, la performance des étudiants s’est améliorée depuis le début du programme comme l’indiquent les mesures du taux de persévérance dans le cours, les notes générales et la qualité de la rédaction.

scholarly journals Upaya Peningkatan Motivasi dan Hasil Belajar Kognitif Mahasiswa Program Studi Biologi STKIP Pembangunan Indonesia Melalui Model Pembelajaran Grup Investigasi dan Model Pembelajaran Inkuiri Pada Matakuliah Anatomi dan Fisiologi Manusia

Biota ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-138
Author(s):  
Muh. Rilzadi Trias Jaya Putra Nurdin
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Inquiry Learning ◽  
Cognitive Learning ◽  
Learning Model ◽  
Learning Motivation ◽  
The Third ◽  
Biology Class ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Cognitive Learning Outcomes

This study was a quasy experiment that aims to investigate and compare students' cognitive learning outcomes using two different learning model i.e. investigation learning and inquiry learning. The third year students of biology class VIg and VIh were involved in experimental groups, class VIg experienced investigation learning model and class VIh was implementing inquiry learning model. Both classes were taught Anatomy and Human Physiology courses. Data were collected by administrating questionnaire sheets for learning motivation and pretest-postest for cognitive learning result. This result showed that the inquiry learning model improved the motivation and cognitive learning outcomes in one experimental group (Class VIh). It was shown by the mean score was 61.40 for inquiry learning model and 48.40 to the investigation learning model. To summarize this study, inquiry learning model had significant impact in students’ cognitive learning outcomes.  

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