scholarly journals The Large Lecture Course Redesign Project: Pedagogical Goals And Assessment Results

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman D. Aitken
Keyword(s):  
Grade Point Averages ◽  
Sat Scores ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Traditional Course ◽  
Course Redesign ◽  
Large Lecture ◽  
University Of Massachusetts ◽  
The University ◽  
Pedagogical Goals ◽  
Total Enrollment

An analysis and assessment of the Course Redesign Project, which used technology to improve student learning and course satisfaction in large lecture courses at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Six disciplinary-diverse departments participated in the project. Technology was selected for the purpose of introducing active learning into lecture halls and providing frequent feedback to students on their individual learning progress. The assessment methodology compares traditionally taught sections with redesigned sections, holding constant (where possible) such potential confounding factors as student academic ability, professor, textbook, day and time of class and the number, type and difficulty of exams and other graded assignments. The assessment of the project produced strong and significant statistical results that indicate that students across the broad spectrum of redesigned courses learned more and achieved higher grades than students in traditional sections. This occurred despite the fact that students in traditional sections had either the same or higher high school-grade point averages and SAT scores compared to students in the redesigned sections. The project included 12 traditional course sections with a total enrollment of 2,456 and 13 redesigned courses sections with a total enrollment of 3,101. The project was supported by a grant from the Davis Educational Foundation.

scholarly journals Evaluating a Science Diversity Program at UC Berkeley: More Questions Than Answers

2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Matsui ◽  
Roger Liu ◽  
Caroline M. Kane
Keyword(s):  
Biological Sciences ◽  
African American ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Hispanic Students ◽  
Underrepresented Minorities ◽  
Sat Scores ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Diversity Programs ◽  
Majority Students ◽  
The University

For the past three decades, much attention has been focused on developing diversity programs designed to improve the academic success of underrepresented minorities, primarily in mathematics, science, and engineering. However, ethnic minorities remain underrepresented in science majors and careers. Over the last 10 years, the Biology Scholars Program (BSP), a diversity program at the University of California (UC), Berkeley, has worked to increase the participation and success of students majoring in the biological sciences. A quantitative comparison of students in and out of the program indicates that students in BSP graduate with a degree in biology at significantly higher rates than students not in BSP regardless of race/ethnicity. Furthermore, students who are in BSP have statistically lower high school grade point averages (GPAs) and Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) scores than students not in BSP. African-American and Hispanic students who join BSP graduate with significantly higher UC Berkeley biology GPAs than non-BSP African-American and Hispanic students, respectively. Majority (Asian and White) students in BSP graduate with statistically similar UC GPAs despite having lower SAT scores than non-BSP majority students. Although BSP students are more successful in completing a biology degree than non-program members, the results raise a series of questions about why the program works and for whom.

scholarly journals Enhancing Diversity in Science: Is Teaching Science Process Skills the Answer?

2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 218-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clarissa Dirks ◽  
Matthew Cunningham
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Grade Point Averages ◽  
Underrepresented Minorities ◽  
Process Skills ◽  
Introductory Biology ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Science Process Skills ◽  
Science Degree ◽  
The University ◽  
Beginning Students

The Biology Fellows Program at the University of Washington aims to enhance diversity in science by helping students succeed in the rigorous introductory biology classes and motivating them to engage in undergraduate research. The composite Scholastic Achievement Test scores and high school grade point averages of the Biology Fellows are comparable to those of students who are not in the program; however, they earn, on average, higher grades in introductory biology classes than non-Biology Fellows. Underrepresented minorities and disadvantaged students in the program also earn higher grades in the introductory biology classes than do their non-Biology Fellows counterparts. Analysis of the performance of Biology Fellows shows that the program assists students who are not proficient in certain science process skills and that students who lack these skills are at risk for failing introductory biology. This evaluation provides insight for designing programs that aim to enhance the performance of beginning students of biology, particularly for underrepresented minorities, who want to obtain a life science degree.

scholarly journals Enhancing Undergraduate Student Success in STEM Fields through Growth-Mindset and Grit

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 279
Author(s):  
Gokhan Hacisalihoglu ◽  
Desmond Stephens ◽  
Sonya Stephens ◽  
Lewis Johnson ◽  
Maurice Edington
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Student Success ◽  
Life Skills ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Growth Mindset ◽  
Grade Point Averages ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
The University

Concern about graduation rates in higher education has led universities to offer courses that help students develop success skills. Scientist Life Skills, a new course for freshman at Florida A&M University, focuses on helping students matriculate into majors via development of growth mindset, grit, and critical thinking. Here, we assessed the outcomes of this course and explored the associations between building life skills and student success. A series of mindset, grit, and critical-thinking assessment measures were used to collect data before and after the course. Our results showed that the new course achieved its intended goals of providing STEM students with a set of tools that help them seamlessly transition into the university and successfully matriculate through their majors. Specifically, the course design significantly moved students toward a growth-mindset, increased their critical thinking, and their second-semester grade point averages (GPAs). This model life skills course can be adopted in non-STEM areas as well.

The Effects of Affirmative Action Programs: Evidence From the University of California at San Diego

2005 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather Rose
Keyword(s):  
Affirmative Action ◽  
Graduation Rates ◽  
San Diego ◽  
Academic Preparation ◽  
Grade Point Averages ◽  
University Of California ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Percentage Points ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The University

Using administrative data from the University of California at San Diego, the author explicitly identifies and studies students admitted under affirmative action programs. On average, these students earned grade point averages (GPAs) 0.30 points lower than those of nonaffirmative students. The difference in graduation rates is larger, with 57% of affirmative action students graduating compared to 73% of their nonaffirmative action peers. When compared to students just above the regular admissions cutoff, the differences are smaller—the difference in graduation rates is only 8 percentage points, and the difference in GPAs is only 0.20 points. A student’s family, school, and neighborhood characteristics can explain a small part of these differences, but academic preparation explains most of the difference.

scholarly journals Performance of FCAE diploma holders at USP

2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 62 ◽  
Author(s):  
U J Dixit ◽  
V U Dixit ◽  
M V Reddy
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Grade Point Averages ◽  
First Year ◽  
The South ◽  
Similar Nature ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Advanced Education ◽  
Study Programme ◽  
The University

The University of the South Pacific (USP is currently attracting many students who have completed a Diploma at the Fiji College of Advanced Education (FCAE) into its study programmes. These students are not required to do certain courses, mostly those at the first year level, as they had done courses of a similar nature at FCAE and hence these are cross-credited towards their study programme as USP. In order to ensure that the granting of cross-credits for these FCAE courses is justified, USP needs to study the performance of these students. In this paper, we have carried out a statistical analysis using the Cumulative Grade Point Averages (CGPA) of all 67 such students. Results of the analysis indicate that the performance of these students justifies the granting of cross-credits.

scholarly journals Study of performance of first year USP students with respect to their form seven marks

2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 45
Author(s):  
U J Dixit ◽  
M V Reddy
Keyword(s):  
Grade Point Averages ◽  
First Year ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Entry Level ◽  
Type 1 Error ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Entry Requirements ◽  
Level Of Significance ◽  
The University

To see if there is a significant difference between the performance of the first year (100 level) students at the University of the South Pacific (USP) having different Form Seven marks, a statistical analysis is carried out using their Cumulative Grade Point Averages (CGPA). For this analysis, relevant data was obtained for the years 1997-2001 and the Form Seven marks (Total of English and best 3 subjects) were divided into the classes 250 – 259, 260 – 269, and ≥ 270. Results indicate that there is a significant difference between the CGPA of these three classes. A further analysis is then carried out by using the CGPA of only the first two classes 250 – 259 and 260 – 269 in order to determine if an increase in the entry requirements from 250 to 260 will be justified. Under its current admission regulations, USP accepts into its degree programmes all students who have passed the seventh form examination with an aggregate of at least 250 marks out of 400 with a minimum of 50% in English. The results of our analysis indicate that the minimum entry requirement could be increased to 260 if USP feels that the level of significance (Type 1 Error) is more than 3.17 percent. However, the minimum entry level should remain as 250 if the significance level is at most 3.17 percent.

scholarly journals Exposure to school and classroom racial segregation in Charlotte-Mecklenburg high schools and students’ college achievement

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Giersch ◽  
Martha Cecilia Bottia ◽  
Roslyn Arlin Mickelson ◽  
Elizabeth Stearns
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
White Students ◽  
Students Of Color ◽  
High School Graduates ◽  
Racial Segregation ◽  
Grade Point Averages ◽  
First Year ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
College Achievement ◽  
The University

In this study we investigate Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) high school graduates’ academic performance in the first year of college and test whether their exposure to racial segregation in high school at both the school and classroom levels affected their college freshman grade point averages. Utilizing administrative data from the Roots of STEM Success Project, we track the CMS class of 2004 from middle school through its first year of education in the University of North Carolina (UNC) system. Our findings show that segregation among schools and among classes within schools compromises college achievement for students of color while offering no significant benefits to white students’ college achievement.

scholarly journals Comparing Student Performance in Online and Face-to-face Delivery Modalities

2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey L Helms
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Grade Point Averages ◽  
Lower Grade ◽  
Online Students ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
Course Variables ◽  
The University

The purpose of the research was to compare student performance in an online or face-to-face (F2F) required Psychology course on three distinct sets of variables (i.e., pre-course, course, and post-course variables). Analyses revealed mixed significant and nonsignificant results. Students did not differ in terms of such variables as hours transferred to the university from prior schools, total hours earned toward their degrees, and number of hours currently attempted. However, online students had significantly lower grade point averages, missed significantly more grade opportunities, and were significantly more likely to fail the course compared to their F2F counterparts. These and other results are discussed in relation to potentially developing a different lens through which to view student performance in online courses.

scholarly journals Significance of writing skills and other competency variables in predicting student success in online MBA courses

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
James Kenneth Cook
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Grade Point Averages ◽  
Student Writing ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Mba Program ◽  
The University ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Criterion Variables

The purpose of this study is to (a) explore the relationship of student cognitive skill indicators (predictor variables) to student performance in online and face-to-face MBA courses (criterion variables) at a Midwestern United States University (University) conferring undergraduate and graduate degrees in a variety of academic fields; (b) determine if there is a statistically significant correlation between the predictor and criterion variables; and, (c) determine if there is any statistically significant difference between any statistically significant correlations of predictor and criterion variables. A sample of 322 students were studied using seven-years of pre-existing data (Fall 2006 - Fall 2013) from the Center for Scholarship Teaching and Learning (CSTL) online course database, the student module of Ellusian database used by the University Registrar's office, and the Institutional Research department at the University. Statistical correlation and regression procedures were used to analyze the data. Contrary to existing online education research, this study did not conclusively indicate that students' ability to write effectively had any significant relationship to students' performance in online versus face-to-face courses in the MBA program at the University. This finding, combined with the foundational learning theory research, suggests that online course design, pedagogy, and assessment may be mitigating the affect differences in student writing skills and learning has on student performance in online versus face-to-face courses. This study also found significant differences in the relationship of student GMAT-Verbal score, GMAT-Analytical Writing score and GMAT-Total score, and student performance in online versus face-to-face MBA courses. Student GMAT-Verbal score and GMAT-Total score significantly correlated with student performance in face-to-face MBA courses, but did not significantly correlate with online MBA courses. Student GMAT-Analytical Writing score significantly correlated with student performance in face-to-face MBA courses, but had a weaker correlation with student performance in online MBA courses. These findings suggest that the use of GMAT scores in making MBA program admission decisions may not be appropriate. This study indicated that GMAT scores were not valid predictors of student performance in online MBA courses at the University. Finally, this study indicated that students with undergraduate grade point averages less than 3.0, and students with combined undergraduate grade point averages and GMAT scores outside the threshold of the requirements for regular MBA program admittance, performed successfully. Comparing this finding with the findings that student Writing Proficiency Exam scores and EN140 Grades of students were also valid predictors of student success in Online MBA program courses; and, the finding that GMAT scores were not valid predictors of student performance in Online MBA program courses; suggest that the use of Undergraduate Grade Point Average and GMAT scores for MBA program admission requirements should be reviewed and possibly revised.

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