Biology Department

Mission Statement:

The purpose of the Biology Department is to provide educational services in the areas of biology for the residents of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties and surrounding areas. The department takes a learner-centered approach and offers courses for both full and part-time students. The courses support vocational programs as well as transfer requirements for science and non-science students. Community interest courses and developmental and tutorial courses are also offered. The department is committed to quality education in the areas of biological science, incorporating application of the most current theory, biology-oriented technology, and educational methods.

Intended Learning Outcomes (competencies)
After taking any biology course at ACC, the student will:

1. Demonstrate mastery of specific course content at the appropriate level
2. Be able to analyze data and suggest answers or solutions to problems..
3. Use appropriate technology and lab equipment.
4. Demonstrate the approach, logic and application of the scientific method and be able to apply these principles to real-life problems.
5. Demonstrate the ability to read and write about science-related materials.

Outcomes assessed during AY'02

We choose BIO 201, all sections, and assessed outcome #1, #2, and the first part of #5.

Assessment method:

Each BIO 201 student took an assessment final examination. The test consisted of 45 multiple choice questions and one 5 point essay. The test was a joint effort with all instructors of BIO 201 lecture sections. The Biology Department Chair, Vickey Trammell, put it all together. A study guide was prepared and given to all students. The lecture instructors were encouraged to use some of the questions in their regular tests. The test was given during the student's lab time the last week of the semester. Each student had 1 hour to take the test. The students used a common scantron answer sheet. The grade counted in their final grade.

The theme of the test was the relationships among the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems. The activity of the test was to analyze the common exercise "jumping jacks". The 45 multiple choice questions included both content and analysis questions. The 5 point essay was the synthesis question.

With this test we hope to learn the following:

1. Did the students develop an understanding of the anatomy and physiology of each system?
2. Could the students analyze the movements?
3. Could the student write a paragraph with proper grammar and spelling?
4. Were their systems that we needed to work harder on?
5. How did the Internet students compare with the traditional-delivery students?
6. How did the different lecture sections compare?

Results

164 students took the test although 162 papers were used in the statistical analysis. This is because two students took the exam late and were not ruin through the scantron with the larger group. Using 90% = A, the grade range was 14 A, 45 B, 40 C, 31 D, and 34 F. (See Figure 1).

Figure 1

The scantron grader was used to grade the 45 multiple choice and this information as used for the following analysis:

1. Average correct answers for sections L1/L2 was 35.7/45 or 79.3%
2. Average correct answers for sections L3/L4 was 30.2 or 67%
3. Average correct answers for the night sections was 30.4/45 or 67%
4. Average correct answers for the online students was 27.6/45 or 61%

The essay question was graded by a rubric. The question was worth 5 points. 70 received the full 5 points. 43 received 4 points; 28 received 3 points; 14 received 2 points; 5 received 1 point; and, 6 received 0 points.

We attempted to determine which systems gave the students the most problems by determining the average number missed in each system: (See figure 2).

1. Skeletal system 44.37/162
2. Muscular system 45/162
3. Nervous system 63.2/162

Figure 2

The questions were categorized by type: content questions; analysis questions; and the essay, which was a synthesis question. The average number missed in each type of question is below:

1. Content questions about anatomy 48.6/162
2. Content questions about physiology 36.8/162
3. Analysis questions about anatomy 77.18/162
4. Analysis questions about physiology 38.6/162

Figure 3

Data sheets, example of the test, study guide and graphs are available upon request.

Discussion

The exam should be rewritten. Initially, one question was marked incorrectly on the answer key. These papers had to be corrected by hand, but the scantron analysis sheet was already done. At least two questions were unclear and many students missed them.

The online section did worse than the traditional sections even though all students received the study guide and had the same amount of time to prepare. There could be several reasons for this. The instructors spent a small amount of time reviewing but the online students did not have this opportunity. The online students most likely were not finished with the reading and assignments while the traditional classes were just about finished with all the material. The traditional classes have exams throughout the semester that are not open book/open notes so the students in traditional classes know how to prepare for and take an exam. The online students can use their notes and book and, although their tests are very difficult and times, had resources available and may not have learned the material at the same level as the others.

All students did worse on the nervous system than they did on the skeletal or muscular systems. The nervous system is much more difficult and needs more time. If the students were required to take a prerequisite before enrolling in BIO 201, we would not have to review basic chemistry and cells at the beginning of the semester. This would free up more time for the nervous system.

The results of the content questions vs. the analytical questions was not clear. The students had a harder time on anatomy-based analysis than anything else. This is most likely due to one question in this category that was missed by many. The best category was content questions related to physiology.

Conclusions

We were planning to create an exit exam for BIO 201 and so used this idea for assessment. We conclude that:

1. The test must be rewritten, taking out the ambiguous questions.
2. The scantron analysis sheet is not a good tool for analyzing the assessment.
3. The written part must be expanded.
4. All instructors need to be trained on preparing an final exam.
5. More time must be spent on the nervous system.

Suggestions

1. Use the practical exams as an assessment tool.
2. Test students' abilities in reading scientific literature by including quotes from journals and a series of questions about the articles.