{"title":"Does the Proportion of Marks for Wet Laboratories Affect the Overall Mark, Grade, and Failure Rates?","authors":"Sheila Doggrell","doi":"10.30722/ijisme.31.03.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30722/ijisme.31.03.002","url":null,"abstract":"Students have higher marks in programs with a higher proportion of marks allocated to ongoing assessment (tutorials, assignments) than exams. However, there has been little attention to how the allocation of marks to wet laboratories affects the academic performance of students in university courses. The aim of this study was to analyse how the allocation of marks to examination and wet-laboratory-related assessment affected the performance of students in a biochemistry course. The students were from four programs: pharmacy, biomedical science, medical laboratory science, and nutrition. The methods were (i) comparing the marks for the exam and laboratories, (ii) determining any association between these marks and academic outcomes by regression line analysis, and (iii) undertaking modelling to determine the effects of changing the allocation of marks on passing and failing rates. Overall, and for each cohort of students, the results were similar. Students who completed the course had much lower marks in the exam than in the laboratories. Regression line analysis of the marks in the exam versus laboratories showed (a) a poor line fit and (b) the correlation coefficient was moderate. A high percentage of students passed the course (90%). Modelling showed that increasing the marks for the exam decreased the number of students passing the course to as few as 51%. Thus, the allocation of marks to wet laboratories can have a major effect on the percentage of students who pass courses. The question of whether students who fails exams should pass courses/programs needs to be given further consideration.","PeriodicalId":39044,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education","volume":"42 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135830797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daniel Andrews, Emile Van Lieshout, Bhawana Bhatta Kaudal
{"title":"How, Where, And When Do Students Experience Meaningful Learning?","authors":"Daniel Andrews, Emile Van Lieshout, Bhawana Bhatta Kaudal","doi":"10.30722/ijisme.31.03.003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30722/ijisme.31.03.003","url":null,"abstract":"Meaningful learning occurs when learners actively connect new information to prior knowledge, leading to benefits in engagement and knowledge retention and transfer. Consequently, STEM courses increasingly seek to employ such practices in their programs. Currently, little is known about students’ beliefs regarding the value of meaningful learning and which formats promote it. However, insight into the student perspective is essential to effectively (re)design courses to support this type of learning. We surveyed a large cohort of biosciences students (N = 321) to determine which class formats (lectures, workshops, practicals) and delivery modes (online, face-to-face) they believe maximise opportunities for meaningful learning. Likert scale questions and inductive thematic analysis of open-ended questions showed students believe meaningful learning is most likely during in-person workshop or practical sessions, mainly through knowledge application, problem solving, and interaction with peers and educators. By contrast, students view inadequate opportunities to check understanding, lack of engagement or challenge, and difficulty interacting with peers and educators as barriers to meaningful learning. These findings provide a framework for educators to increase opportunities for students to engage in meaningful learning in their courses.","PeriodicalId":39044,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education","volume":"21 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135878193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Suresh Krishnasamy, Millicent R. Smith, Edward Naravan, Ammar Abdul Aziz, Eleanor W. Hoffman
{"title":"Developing Virtual Field Trips for Agriculture","authors":"Suresh Krishnasamy, Millicent R. Smith, Edward Naravan, Ammar Abdul Aziz, Eleanor W. Hoffman","doi":"10.30722/ijisme.31.03.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30722/ijisme.31.03.001","url":null,"abstract":"Field trips play an important role in teaching and learning, from stimulating students’ motivations to allowing students to connect in-class concepts and the real world. Including field trips within an agricultural curriculum is essential as concepts are highly interdisciplinary, and knowledge application to a range of production systems and environments is critical. Despite their importance, many factors, such as high enrolments, present challenges to its successful integration. Virtual field trips (VFT) allow universities to leverage the affordances of technology to mitigate some of the associated challenges while maintaining quality course delivery. In this pilot study, an experiential learning activity was designed around a VFT application, and the student experience and outcome were investigated. The student experience measures indicated satisfaction with multimedia elements, although it is noted that improvements to the user interface would enhance the experience. Students had positive reflections on the learning experience, including an increased interest in the field of study but did not see VFTs as replacing actual field trips. Paired t-tests showed students’ attainment of learning outcomes. This pilot implementation provides an activity design for other courses with similar challenges and highlights the value of VFTs to the curriculum for undergraduate agricultural courses.","PeriodicalId":39044,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education","volume":"29 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135878630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Construction and Validation of Self-Assessment Instrument for Students’ Mathematics Classroom Learning Behaviour","authors":"Rajendra Kunwar, Lekhnath Sharma, B. Acharya","doi":"10.30722/ijisme.31.02.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30722/ijisme.31.02.001","url":null,"abstract":"A self-assessment instrument helps mathematics teachers to identify students' learning behaviour and intervene with appropriate instructional design for engaged and meaningful learning in a mathematics class. This study, thus, aims to design, develop, and validate a self-assessment instrument in mathematics classroom learning behaviour for secondary-level students. This study comprises four systematic levels of instrument development and validation processes. Firstly, it begins with a review of different theories and related literature for formulating the relevant assessment domains of the instrument. Secondly, it continues with tool design and item development processes based on the pre-determined domains. The third level involves the draft reviewing process by experts and pre-testing of the draft with a sample of 540 secondary level students. The last stage includes testing and verification of the draft using different statistical tools. Thus, this study establishes a verified students' mathematics classroom learning behaviour self-assessment instrument by completing a systematic process of tool construction.","PeriodicalId":39044,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87191330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"What Types of Feedback do Undergraduate Chemistry Students Give Each Other? A Case Study from Singapore","authors":"Norman T-Lon Lim, Yew-Jin Lee, Peter Lee","doi":"10.30722/ijisme.31.02.003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30722/ijisme.31.02.003","url":null,"abstract":"This study was part of a larger project to improve learning of undergraduate chemistry in Singapore through the use of self-authored three-tier multiple-choice questions (3TMCQs) and the giving/receiving of peer feedback. Specifically, we examined the quality of written feedback based on the classification by Hattie and Timperley (2007) that year 2 to 4 learners (N=31) gave each other on responses in their 3TMCQs (N=466 administered). It was found that the most common type of voluntary feedback given by test-makers was task (& self), followed by process (& self), self alone, and lastly regulation (& self) levels over seven chemistry courses. In addition, question type (based on revised Bloom’s Taxonomy) had a marginal effect on the quality of feedback received; instead, items answered incorrectly garnered higher quality feedback and were four times more important than the cognitive level of questions. Feedback quality given by more experienced students was also no better than those given by less experienced ones. While there is growing evidence supporting the self-authoring of questions and giving/receiving peer feedback to enhance learning at undergraduate levels, further research is warranted into the types of peer feedback that learners may receive when attempting different question formats.","PeriodicalId":39044,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76085235","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. Cisonni, A. Lucey, R. Sarukkalige, Sulakshana Lal
{"title":"Impact of Online Preparation Modules on Students Engagement and Interactions in Face-to-Face Fluid Mechanics Laboratories","authors":"J. Cisonni, A. Lucey, R. Sarukkalige, Sulakshana Lal","doi":"10.30722/ijisme.31.02.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30722/ijisme.31.02.002","url":null,"abstract":"The transformation of laboratory activities to better embed the development of essential personal attributes and the attainment of specific learning outcomes in the engineering curriculum has been supported by the integration of online preparation modules. Beyond the widely demonstrated effectiveness of multimedia pre-laboratory activities in strengthening students’ engagement and preparedness for the execution of experimental tasks, this study also focuses on the effect of these online modules on student-student and student-instructor interactions in face-to-face fluid mechanics laboratories. Survey data show that students with a mid-level of academic performance were more likely to adopt the new resources but that most students perceived them as a valuable complement to, or replacement for, the traditional instruction sheet. While students’ self-assurance in conducting the laboratory tasks and appreciation of the instructor’s support appear unaffected by the completion of the modules, observations suggest these modules can strengthen students’ autonomy and engagement within their group during the conduct of the laboratory activities. Indeed, the introduction of the modules appears to facilitate a transition of the instructor’s role from directing the laboratory to guiding students in peer-learning.","PeriodicalId":39044,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76404976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tirtha Goradia, S. Blackley, Daniel C. Southam, R. Lareu
{"title":"The Effectiveness of Evidence-Based Teaching Practices in Biomedical Sciences on Students’ Learning Experience: A Systematic Literature Review","authors":"Tirtha Goradia, S. Blackley, Daniel C. Southam, R. Lareu","doi":"10.30722/ijisme.31.01.005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30722/ijisme.31.01.005","url":null,"abstract":"The traditional didactic approach to teaching in biomedical sciences falls short of providing students with the 21st century competencies necessary to meet the socioeconomic demands placed upon them. Tertiary biomedical science educators have sought empirical evidence to identify the best practices to meet these demands, each of which have an element of actively involving students in their learning, as opposed to passive and didactic instructional approaches. This review synthesises the literature on evidence-based teaching practices (EBTPs) implemented in biomedical science disciplines and investigates the impact of EBTPs on students’ learning experiences through a systematic review. Seventy-eight studies were analysed, providing a comprehensive review of teaching practices that supported active learning in biomedical science disciplines. The findings revealed that EBTPs had significant impact on students’ academic performance and learning experiences to enhance higher-order thinking skills and self-directed learning, despite the variation in educational setting. A range of instructional strategies and technologies that supported active learning experiences were identified in this review, and the findings provide an evidence base to inform pedagogical decisions regarding the implementation of EBTPs and may serve as an impetus for instructors to implement active learning strategies based on this empirical evidence.","PeriodicalId":39044,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education","volume":"12 6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82885858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Analysis of Chemical Representations in the Physical Sciences Textbooks for Grade 12 Learners in South Africa","authors":"J. E. Upahi, U. Ramnarain","doi":"10.30722/ijisme.31.01.004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30722/ijisme.31.01.004","url":null,"abstract":"Textbooks play a prominent role in the teaching and learning of chemistry. It is the major organiser and the intended curriculum teachers adapt for their instructional practices. Although chemistry is abstract in nature, the use of visuals or images in textbooks to depict chemical phenomena at different levels remains a meaningful approach to help facilitate students’ understanding of chemistry. Therefore, this study analysed chemical representations in the chemistry components of the Physical Sciences textbooks for grade 12 learners in South Africa. Three textbooks were selected and analysed using the five criteria developed by Gkitzia, Salta and Tzougraki (2011). The findings revealed that the chemical representations in the textbooks were largely at the macroscopic and hybrid levels, with surface features that are ambiguous or explicit and representations that are unlinked to text. In addition, there were few sub-microscopic, multiple, and mixed representations in the textbooks. An interesting result is that a majority of the chemical representations had appropriate captions. The implications of these findings for textbook authors or publishers were discussed.","PeriodicalId":39044,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education","volume":"117 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87089303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rosanne Quinnell, A. Motion, S. Illingworth, Cobi Calyx, H. Bray, Ann Borda
{"title":"Citizen Science in Australian Higher Education: Emerging Learning and Research Communities","authors":"Rosanne Quinnell, A. Motion, S. Illingworth, Cobi Calyx, H. Bray, Ann Borda","doi":"10.30722/ijisme.31.01.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30722/ijisme.31.01.001","url":null,"abstract":"Citizen science, though well established in Australia has not yet found wide use in tertiary science education. We offer case studies to illustrate that Citizen Science approaches are slowly being adopted and we highlight the spectrum of experiences in higher education from undergraduate to alumni. Courses that integrate citizen science methods tend to focus on the involvement of students in scientific research. More recently, however, citizen science theories and practice have been explicitly taught, empowering students to bring a critical lens to citizen science approaches in addition to contributing to scientific research. Integrative citizen science approaches can draw together research and teaching in higher education. When combined, these authentic learning experiences provide opportunities for students to practice contemporary science as part of new and emerging research frameworks. This article draws together citizen science initiatives from Australian universities. We discuss the benefits of immersive citizen science projects for learning, the potential of citizen science to connect campuses with community, and the importance of critical approaches to citizen science in a pedagogical setting. We consider ways to shape citizen science in higher education settings to broaden inclusion in science both on and beyond campuses.","PeriodicalId":39044,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84154905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vanessa Ortega-Quevedo, Cristina Gil Puente, Cristina Vallés Rapp
{"title":"Social Construction of Technology: An Experience for Development of Critical-thinking and Nature of Science and Technology","authors":"Vanessa Ortega-Quevedo, Cristina Gil Puente, Cristina Vallés Rapp","doi":"10.30722/ijisme.31.01.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30722/ijisme.31.01.002","url":null,"abstract":"This research aims to contribute to the development of critical thinking skills and concepts of the nature of science and technology through joint work based on primary school curriculum content (energy). It has a mixed design in methodological terms, applying a variety of techniques such as surveys, interviews, participant observation and documentary analysis. The total sample of participants is 130 students aged 11-12 from five different schools. The results of the study show improvements in the concepts of the nature of science and technology (dependence on the use of new technologies and control of technological development by individuals), as well as in critical thinking skills (thinking as hypothesis testing and argument analysis), among participants. For example, there is a perceived increase of 0.34 (2-point scale) in the mean between the initial and final assessment of dependence on the use of new technologies This leads us to conclude that the teaching design implemented is effective for improvement in both areas.","PeriodicalId":39044,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89780853","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}