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Computer-based and computer-assisted tests to assess procedural and conceptual knowledge

Computer-based and computer-assisted tests to assess procedural and conceptual knowledge. Richard C. Rayne and Glenn Baggott School of Biological and Chemical Sciences Birkbeck College, University of London, WC1E 7HX, UK r.rayne@bbk.ac.uk. Pedagogical Problem….

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Computer-based and computer-assisted tests to assess procedural and conceptual knowledge

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  1. Computer-based and computer-assisted tests to assess procedural and conceptual knowledge Richard C. Rayne and Glenn Baggott School of Biological and Chemical Sciences Birkbeck College, University of London, WC1E 7HX, UK r.rayne@bbk.ac.uk

  2. Pedagogical Problem… • Biosciences are essentially practical and experimental subjects • Biosciences undergraduates therefore must develop abilities to: • acquire and apply procedural knowledge • demonstrate understanding of concepts that underpin procedures • use procedural knowledge in appropriate contexts; i.e. to develop strategic knowledge within the domain

  3. Knowledge framework c.f. Shavelson et al. (2002) EARLI/Northumbria Conference keynote address

  4. Declarative knowledge… • “Knowing that…” • a fact-base, or knowledge store

  5. Procedural knowledge… • “Knowing how to do something” • Consists of… • if/then rules • sequence of steps • Calls upon… • declarative knowledge

  6. Schematic knowledge… • Having a scientifically justifiable conception, i.e. “knowing why” • May be used to… • interpret problems • troubleshoot • explain an outcome • predict an outcome • Depends on… • having an understanding of principles • “conceptual knowledge” = combination of declarative and procedural knowledge

  7. Strategic knowledge… • Knowing when, where and how to use certain types of knowledge in a new situation • conditional knowledge, strategies • what strategic knowledge is applicable here? • essential for solving new problems

  8. “Conceptual knowledge”…* • a subset of schematic knowledge • taken to equate to “understanding the basis for a particular procedure” * as I have used in the abstract

  9. Knowledge framework c.f. Shavelson et al. (2002) EARLI/Northumbria Conference keynote address

  10. A key aim… • Exploit the strengths of CBA to promote development of procedural and conceptual knowledge in biosciences students • Context… • first-year module: Molecular Cell Biology • using “case-based” approaches in different forms

  11. Two Approaches • TRIADS CBA focusing on a “classic experiment” • Meselson-Stahl experiment: outcome simple, but to appreciate its power requires understanding of several sophisticated principles • CaseIT! simulation software • to teach and assess procedural and conceptual knowledge of key molecular biology techniques • http://www.uwrf.edu/caseit/caseit.html

  12. CaseIT! • Virtual molecular biology lab • “apparatus” for performing separation of DNA fragments and for identification of specific DNA sequences • apply molecular biology techniques in the context of a case study of human genetic disease • must perform a Southern blot…

  13. Southern Blot Procedure • Component tasks • obtain DNA sample and select enzyme • perform reaction to digest the DNA • load sample onto electrophoresis gel • run gel; stain and destain • transfer DNA from gel to a membrane • select radioactive hybridisation probe and apply to membrane • reveal specific DNA sequences by exposing membrane to X-ray film

  14. Movie • CaseIT in action

  15. Computer-Assisted Test • t0 = Introduction to techniques and to CaseIT! (demonstrated in lecture) • t+1 = Classroom session, hands-on (3 h) • students work on cases involving Southern blotting as the key technique • t+5= Test session • paper-based test with unseen case • must use CaseIT to obtain results • test items (short answer responses) depend on correctly performing Southern blot

  16. Why did we do it? • History • In 2002, only 4 of 40 students correctly answered an item on a TRIADS exam which required understanding of the Southern blot procedure • For 2003, we devised and used the CaseIT test; it was used again in 2004 • CaseIT! Test Results • 2003 & 2004: extremely poor on the whole • 2004 mean = 42% • 30 of 66 got <35%! • but 61 of 66 (in 2004) were able to perform the Southern blot procedure correctly • TRIADS Item, 2004 • 18 of 57 scored 100%

  17. Southern blot TRIADS item

  18. Summary • CaseIT! provides a reasonably realistic analogue of “real” lab techniques • helps build understanding of rationale/ approach in “fail-safe” environment • The CaseIT! test “forced” students to learn blot procedure! • have to learn a logical sequence of procedures that mimics the learning required in the “real” situation • CAA/CBA need not be a “test given on a computer”

  19. Acknowledgements • Funding: • Birkbeck College Development Fund • Higher Education Funding Council of England (HEFCE) through FDTL4 • People at Birkbeck: • Authorware Programmers: Dijana Maric, Ellen McCarthy, Caroline Pellet-Many • People elsewhere: • Don Mackenzie and his team at the Centre for Interactive Assessment Development, University of Derby • Mark Bergland, author of CaseIT!, University of Wisconsin-River Falls

  20. References Bergland M., et al. (2004) DNA Electrophoresis Module for CaseIT!, version 4.0.2. http://www.uwrf.edu/caseit/caseit.html Shavelson, R.J., Li, M., and Ruiz-Primo, M.A. (2002) Evaluating new approaches to assessing learning. Keynote address to the Joint Northumbria/EARLI Assessment Conference, Newcastle, UK. August 2002.http://www.stanford.edu/dept/SUSE/SEAL/Presentation/Presentation.htm

  21. Contact • Dr Richard Rayne • Lecturer in Biology and Director of the OLAAF ProjectSchool of Biological & Chemical SciencesBirkbeck CollegeUniversity of LondonMalet StreetLondon WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom+44 (0)20 7631-6253r.rayne@bbk.ac.uk • OLAAF web site: • http://www.bbk.ac.uk/olaaf/

  22. Meselson-Stahl Experiment • Outcome: • DNA replication is semi-conservative in bacteria • Component knowledge/understanding required to understand the experiment: • what is an isotope? • what is density? • how does a centrifuge work? • how to separate molecules based on their density? (density gradient centrifugation)

  23. TRIADS CBA • 2004: text and supplementary written materials provided • 5 items on TRIADS exam; 1 comprehension + 2 application + 2 problem solving • 2005: TRIADS tutorial to replace (or supplement) the paper materials • uses animations to demonstrate concepts visually • will test basic understanding at “component level” (i.e. concept-by-concept) • Recall Qs precede Comprehension Qs • Achievement: must answer lower level to proceed • same items as in 2004 to be used on exam to probe conceptual understanding

  24. M-S 1.1

  25. M-S 1.2

  26. M-S 1.3

  27. M-S 2.1

  28. M-S 2.2

  29. M-S 2.3

  30. M-S 3.1

  31. M-S 3.2

  32. M-S 3.3

  33. M-S 4.1

  34. M-S 4.2

  35. M-S 4.3

  36. M-S 5.1

  37. M-S 5.2

  38. M-S 5.3

  39. Assessment Development Model

  40. Cognitive type inventory • ReCAP* • Recall • Comprehension • Application • Problem solving (= analysis + synthesis + evaluation) * Imrie (1995) Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 20 (2): 175-189.

  41. Southern blot item 2

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