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Science and Mathematics Education Commons™
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Full-Text Articles in Science and Mathematics Education
Using Pre-Tests And Post-Tests To Measure Student Learning, Rebecca Teed
Using Pre-Tests And Post-Tests To Measure Student Learning, Rebecca Teed
Rebecca Teed
How much are students actually learning in our classes? The best predictor of a student’s final exam grade is how much content knowledge they had coming in. This prior knowledge can be assessed with a pre-test, allowing instructors to adjust the course based on what students already know or don’t know. The instructor can use the pre-test scores to create student groups that are either heterogeneous (for cooperative learning) or homogeneous (for differentiated instruction) with respect to content background at the start of term. A curriculum designer wishing to compare learning gains for different teaching tools such as cooperative learning …
Motivation For Achievement And Attitudes Toward Mathematics Instruction In A Required Calculus Course At The Norwegian University Of Science And Technology, Donna Sundre, Carol Barry, Vidar Gynnild, Erin Tangen Ostgard
Motivation For Achievement And Attitudes Toward Mathematics Instruction In A Required Calculus Course At The Norwegian University Of Science And Technology, Donna Sundre, Carol Barry, Vidar Gynnild, Erin Tangen Ostgard
Donna L. Sundre
This study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) examines students’ learning goals and attitudes toward mathematics in a first-year calculus course in undergraduate engineering education. Achievement motivation research using the Achievement Goal Questionnaire (AGQ) is advanced from current literature with two additions: (1) a course specific context using introductory college calculus students, and (2) participation of Norwegian students. Pre- and posttest measures of attitudes indicate that students do change learning goals over time, unfortunately opposite to the instructors’ aspirations. A significant increase in “Mastery Avoidance” and “Work Avoidance” was accompanied with a drop in “Mastery Approach” and …
Educational Outcomes From The Openorbiter Small Spacecraft Development Program, Jeremy Straub
Educational Outcomes From The Openorbiter Small Spacecraft Development Program, Jeremy Straub
Jeremy Straub
The OpenOrbiter program [1] is developing a low-cost framework for the creation of space-craft by researchers and educators worldwide [8]. In addition to the technical objectives, ed-ucational assessment [2, 3] has also been a key focus. Students working on development of the spacecraft [4] were asked what types of benefits they sought from their participation [5]. The assessment of the attainment of these benefits is ongoing, in conjunction with continued development in pursuit of the crea-tion of a set of designs that can be used to build a spacecraft with a cost of under $5,000 [13] .
Communicating Quantitative Literacy: An Examination Of Open-Ended Assessment Items In Timss, Nals, Ials, And Pisa, Karl Kosko, Jesse Wilkins
Communicating Quantitative Literacy: An Examination Of Open-Ended Assessment Items In Timss, Nals, Ials, And Pisa, Karl Kosko, Jesse Wilkins
Karl W Kosko
Quantitative Literacy (QL) has been described as the skill set an individual uses when interacting with the world in a quantitative manner. A necessary component of this interaction is communication. To this end, assessments of QL have included open-ended items as a means of including communicative aspects of QL. The present study sought to examine whether such open-ended items typically measured aspects of quantitative communication, as compared to mathematical communication, or mathematical skills. We focused on public-released items and rubrics from four of the most widely referenced assessments: the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS-95): the National Adult Literacy …
Students’ Quality Of Mathematical Discussion And Their Self-Determination In Mathematics., Karl Kosko, Jesse Wilkins
Students’ Quality Of Mathematical Discussion And Their Self-Determination In Mathematics., Karl Kosko, Jesse Wilkins
Karl W Kosko
Mathematical discussion allows for students to reflect upon math concepts and understand such concepts at a deeper level. This process of reflection requires a certain amount of internalization on the part of the student. This internalization is facilitated by meeting the needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness as advocated by Self-Determination Theory. The current study provides evidence of a relationship between fulfillment of these psychological needs and the quality of mathematical discussion students report they engage in. Correlational analyses and structural equation modeling of data from 176 high school Geometry students were conducted to examine this relationship. Results support the …
Alternative Assessment: Effects On Students’ Perception And Achievement, Kristen Kopf, Andrew Parker
Alternative Assessment: Effects On Students’ Perception And Achievement, Kristen Kopf, Andrew Parker
Leah A. Nillas
This research investigates the effect of alternative assessment on students’ perception and achievement in six, 9th grade biology classrooms. Students’ perception was determined through the use of a Likert scale questionnaire which compared confidence levels and preference for traditional verses alternative assessment. Achievement was measured according to academic grades from both types of assessment. Our findings indicate a significant student preference for multiple-choice exams as well as greater achievement in traditional assessment methods. The results suggest a further investigation of assessment practices is needed in order to more accurately describe the relationship between assessment strategies, student perception and student achievement.
A Sense Of Direction In Criterion-Referenced Assessment, Geoff Masters, John Evans
A Sense Of Direction In Criterion-Referenced Assessment, Geoff Masters, John Evans
Prof Geoff Masters AO
This paper describes some experimental work undertaken by the authors with teachers in a number of Australian schools to provide criterion-referenced assessments of student achievement. In these investigations we work closely with individual teachers using assessment materials developed within each school. We analyze students' performances on these materials, provide teachers with computergenerated reports, and assist teachers to use these reports to monitor the progress of their students and to diagnose individual strengths and weaknesses.