Semester-long Engagement in Science Inquiry Improves Students' Understanding of Experimental Design

Document Type

Article

Journal Title

Teaching Issues and Experiments in Ecology (TIEE)

Publication Date

2007

Abstract

For a teacher, pedagogical assessment can be an important tool to improve teaching methods and teaching materials. In 2004 and 2005, I assessed change in student understanding of experimental design in ecology during a semester-long inquiry-based laboratory. Students in my plant ecology laboratory learned about and designed experiments to address four hypotheses about invasive species. Students were given similar pre- and post- tests in both years. Student knowledge self assessment questions were added in 2005. Also in 2005, students analyzed an experimental design on an interim assessment. In 2004, 4 of the 8 questions showed a significant shift to more correct answers on the post-test. In 2005, 2 of the 10 questions showed a significant shift to more correct answers. In both 2004 and 2005, the percent correct answers per student on experimental design questions increased between the pre- and post-test. The majority of students correctly described 8 of 9 components of an experiment on the interim assessment. These results suggest that participation in this science inquiry laboratory improves student understanding of experimental design. Teaching assessment should be an integral part of teaching improvement because, like disciplinary research, it is an objective approach that can focus change on strengths and weaknesses in knowledge or concepts.

Comments

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Publisher Statement

Teaching Issues and Experiments in Ecology (TIEE) iis a peer-reviewed web-based collection of ecological educational materials. TIEE is a resource for busy ecology faculty who are looking for new ways to reach their students, or who perhaps want to learn more about teaching and learning.

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