Comprehensive Assessment Tracking System

Using scaffolding to improve review

Contributors: 
levxq41621's picture
Levi Torrison
Wednesday, January 16, 2019 to Friday, January 31, 2020
What is the Need/Assessment?: 

CHM152 students routinely perform poorly on the review questions at the start of the semester.

Describe the necessity for this change: 

An informal assessment of student knowledge on the start of semester shows that over half the students don't have the ability to answer some more complex review questions.

Describe what will be (or was) implemented to affect change: 

Adding improved scaffolding to the questions,  guided them through the initial thought processes.  Students routinely tried to write a balanced equation for a question where no reaction occurs, so we added the requirement of particle diagrams and a series of leading questions that guided the students to this understanding  

Interpret, compare and describe the results of the change: 

The initial addition of questions, which did not include particle diagrams, did a great job of revealing exactly where the problems in conceptual understand lay, however they did little improve the success of the students as many remained confused. The questions were revised to include the diagrams and plus the wording of two other questions changed and the ability of the class to complete the problems improved to over  80% success.  

After analyzing the information, what are the next steps?: 

   The addition of scaffolding questions worked so well for this particular activity that I will be working on adding or improving them in many of my other exercises throughout the semester.  

Division/Department: 
Completed Full Cycle: 
Yes
Course Number: 
CHM152
Assessment of the Month: 
January, 2020

Comments

REBZS76641's picture
up
1 user has voted.

This is fantastic.  This is exactly why I have so many editions of my workbooks - I added scaffolding questions which has helped tremendously.  I am really glad that worked so well for you and your chemistry colleagues.  Thanks for taking time to document this through CATS.  

CAT2041552's picture
up
0 users have voted.

Excellent job Fiona!  You are covering different learning style approaches by implementing the diagrams.  I'm glad to hear this was a success!