Increased Course Structure Improves Performance in Introductory Biology

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dc.contributor.authorFreeman, Scotten
dc.contributor.authorHaak, David C.en
dc.contributor.authorWenderoth, Mary Paten
dc.contributor.departmentFralin Life Sciences Instituteen
dc.contributor.departmentSchool of Plant and Environmental Sciencesen
dc.date.accessioned2018-01-05T12:23:20Zen
dc.date.available2018-01-05T12:23:20Zen
dc.date.issued2011-06-01en
dc.description.abstractWe tested the hypothesis that highly structured course designs, which implement reading quizzes and/or extensive in-class active-learning activities and weekly practice exams, can lower failure rates in an introductory biology course for majors, compared with low-structure course designs that are based on lecturing and a few high-risk assessments. We controlled for 1) instructor effects by analyzing data from quarters when the same instructor taught the course, 2) exam equivalence with new assessments called the Weighted Bloom’s Index and Predicted Exam Score, and 3) student equivalence using a regression-based Predicted Grade. We also tested the hypothesis that points from reading quizzes, clicker questions, and other “practice” assessments in highly structured courses inflate grades and confound comparisons with low-structure course designs. We found no evidence that points from active-learning exercises inflate grades or reduce the impact of exams on final grades. When we controlled for variation in student ability, failure rates were lower in a moderately structured course design and were dramatically lower in a highly structured course design. This result supports the hypothesis that active-learning exercises can make students more skilled learners and help bridge the gap between poorly prepared students and their better-prepared peers.en
dc.description.versionPublished versionen
dc.format.extent175 - 186 (12) page(s)en
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.10-08-0105en
dc.identifier.issn1931-7913en
dc.identifier.issue2en
dc.identifier.orcidHaak, D [0000-0002-3692-3152]en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/81541en
dc.identifier.volume10en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherAmerican Society for Cell Biologyen
dc.relation.urihttp://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000291152400008&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=930d57c9ac61a043676db62af60056c1en
dc.rightsCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unporteden
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/en
dc.subjectEducation, Scientific Disciplinesen
dc.subjectEducation & Educational Researchen
dc.subjectBLOOMS TAXONOMYen
dc.subjectPEER INSTRUCTIONen
dc.subjectCHEMISTRYen
dc.subjectSCIENCEen
dc.titleIncreased Course Structure Improves Performance in Introductory Biologyen
dc.title.serialCBE-Life Sciences Educationen
dc.typeArticle - Refereeden
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Techen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/Agriculture & Life Sciencesen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/Agriculture & Life Sciences/CALS T&R Facultyen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/Agriculture & Life Sciences/Plant Pathology, Physiology, & Weed Scienceen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/All T&R Facultyen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/University Research Institutesen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/University Research Institutes/Fralin Life Sciencesen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/University Research Institutes/Fralin Life Sciences/Fralin Affiliated Facultyen

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