Week 5: Formative assessment in the Biology classroom – examples of good practice

Assessments and their importance

Assessment is the process of gathering information about the students’ learning and conceptual understanding. From a constructivist point of view, students construct knowledge based on prior knowledge. Gaining and understanding into their existing knowledge will inform teachers on the extent of their knowledge and also any misconceptions that they might possess. This implications of this are that it would inform the teacher on the direction of teaching and also improve the quality of teaching since teaching, learning and assessments are all interrelated.

Formative assessments

There are four common types of assessments: Evaluative, diagnostic, formative and summative assessments. Formative assessment gathers and uses information about students’ knowledge and performance to close the gap between students’ current learning level and the desired level via pedagogical actions. Formative assessments provide feedback to teachers and students so that the teaching and learning can be improved.

In my opinion, formative assessment is one of the most important types of assessments because:

· It benefits both the teacher and the student by its focus on improving teaching quality and as a result students’ learning. In addition, research has shown that formative assessment is one of the most effective strategies for improving learning.

· It gathers information about what the students’ have and have not learned; as a result, the teacher can modify the lesson plan, strategies and activities based on the students’ learning.

·  It makes the students aware of their own learning

According to William, there are five conditions that are to be met for an assessment to be formative.

1.    A mechanism to determine students’ current level of achievement.

2.    A desired level of achievement that is above the current level is identified.

3.    The gap between the current level of achievement and desired level of achievement is identified by comparing the two levels of achievement.

4.    The teacher informs students about how to close the gap by providing scaffolds or prompts and supporting the students.

5.    The learner uses this information to close the gap.

Module 9.3 Blueprint of Life

Dot point:  describe outcomes of monohybrid crosses involving simple dominance using Mendel’s explanations

                 distinguish between homozygous and heterozygous genotypes in monohybrid crosses

Formative assessment strategy: Index Card Summaries/Questions

To check if students understand the meaning of the terms such as monohybrid crosses, homozygous, first generation, dominant factor, heterozygous, genotypes etc.

-Periodically, distribute index cards and ask students to write on both sides, with these instructions:

(Side 1) Based on our study of (unit topic), list a big idea that you understand and word it as a summary statement.

(Side 2) Identify something about (unit topic) that you do not yet fully understand and word it as a statement or question.

Formative assessment strategy: Idea Spinner

The teacher creates a spinner marked into 4 quadrants labelled “Predict, Explain, Summarize, Evaluate.”  After new material is presented, the teacher spins the spinner and asks students to answer a question based on the location of the spinner. 

For example, if the spinner lands in the “Summarize” quadrant, the teacher might say, “List two key concepts just presented.”

Expected student answers:

A monohybrid cross involves the inheritance of one characteristic.

Factors that are the same are termed homozygous, e.g. TT and tt.

Factors that are different are termed heterozygous, e.g. Tt.

Dot point:         identify how the following current reproductive techniques may alter the genetic composition of a population:

–          artificial insemination

–          artificial pollination

–          cloning

Formative assessment strategy: The Frayer Model

This four-square model prompts students to think about and describe the meaning of a word or concept by:

-Defining the term,

-Describing its key characteristics,

-Providing examples

-Providing non-examples

1.    Explain the Frayer model graphical organizer to the class.

2.    Use a common word to demonstrate the various components of the form. Model the type and quality of desired answers when giving this example.

3.    Select a list of key concepts such as allele, heterozygous, gene. Write this list on the whiteboard and review it with the class before students read the selection.

4.    Divide the class into student pairs. Assign each pair one of the key concepts and have them keep their textbooks or reading material that contain the concepts to define this concept. Have these groups complete the four-square organizer for this concept. This can also be done for individual students.

5.    Ask the student pairs to share their conclusions with the entire class. Use these presentations to review the entire list of key concepts.

Getting accustomed to these terms is important in the start of this module for a better understanding of concepts ahead.

Dot point:         analyse information from secondary sources to identify examples of the use of transgenic species and use available evidence to debate the ethical issues arising from the development and use of transgenic species

Formative assessment strategy: As I See It

As I See It is a formative assessment technique that focuses students’ thinking on their own knowledge or opinions. After the conceptual explanation, give students a sheet of paper that contains the following:

Pigs are often chosen as transgenic animals because their physiology and organ size are so similar to humans. The hope is that pig organs can be used for organ transplantation, known as xenotransplantation, alleviating the shortage of human hearts and kidneys, which are in scarce supply. Researchers are also exploring the use of cell transplantation therapy for patients with spinal cord injury or Parkinson’s disease.

This is followed by sentence stems:

I understand that a transgene ..........................

In my opinion, the use of transgenic species is beneficial to society because.............................

In my opinion, the use of transgenic species is detrimental to society because...........................

Ask students to express their knowledge or opinions using the stems.

Discuss what students have discovered about their own opinions or levels of knowledge. In addition, this can be included as a values activity.

References:

Dawson, V., Venville, G. (2004). The art of teaching science. Crows Nest, Australia: Allen and Unwin.

Formative Assessment Strategies. (2008). Tools for Formative Assessment and Techniques to Check for Understanding. Retrieved from  http://weblink.scsd.us/~henninger/PDF/fas.pdf

Frayer Model. Retrieved from http://www.justreadnow.com/strategies/frayer.htm

MacDonald Glenn, L. (n.d.). Ethical Issues in Genetic Engineering and Transgenics . Retrieved from http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/glenn.html

West Virginia Department of Education

Week 4: Misconceptions in Biology and how to address them

What are misconceptions?

Misconceptions are naive or alternate conceptions that students may have about a particular concept.

For example, water and carbon dioxide become the new mass as a seedling grows into a mature tree. Students intuitively disbelieve that carbon dioxide can become the mass of a tree. In addition, students understand that living things are made up of cells, but don't extend their understanding to include the concept that those cells are made up of atoms and molecules.

General strategies to address them

The common conceptual change approach

1)    Preparation and planning

2)    Exploration and clarification

3)    Challenge

4)    Investigation and exploration

5)    Reflection and revisiting

Module 9.2

Module 9.2 ‘Maintaining a Balance’ has information on the specialised organs required for uptake of nutrients, utilisation of energy and removal of waste. Since this is the first core module in the HSC course, addressing any misconceptions regarding plants- obtaining and using energy- should be addressed at the start of the HSC course for a better conceptual understanding. The prerequisite towards any conceptual changes is a comprehensive understanding of the topic by the teacher herself/himself.

1)    Preparation and planning

Teacher clarifies the focus of sequence by asking themselves the following question:

·                What is the purpose?

To have students correct their misconceptions themselves after a deeper understanding of the topic.

·                What conceptual outcomes am I aiming at?

plants- obtaining and using energy

·                What intuitive conceptions am I likely to encounter?

·                What effective probes exist?

Questioning

·                How will student understanding be assessed?

-A descriptive poster

-A group discussion and then one representative voicing the group’s notions,

-Further questioning

2)    Exploration and clarification

What are the students’ views on plants- obtaining and using energy?

The teacher has assigned a short true and false question set via a google docs spreadsheet for homework. The teacher now has a record of the students opinions.

Do you think the following statements are true or false? Write T for true and F for false.

1.   Plants obtain their energy directly from the sun.

2.   Plants have multiple sources of food (heterotrophic as well as autotrophic).

3.   Carbon dioxide, water, and minerals are food.

4.   Plants feed by absorbing food through their roots.

5.   Plants use heat from the sun as a source of energy for photosynthesis

6.   Sunlight is a food.

7.   Sunlight is composed of molecules.

8.   Sunlight is “consumed” in photosynthesis.

9.   Plants absorb water through their leaves.

10. Plants produce oxygen for our benefit.

3)    Challenge, investigation and exploration

The students now look at pictures of the process of photosynthesis, write equations etc.

4)    Application and extension

The students test the validity of different answers by seeking evidence. Students are also encouraged to carry out investigations to explore the statements. Investigations may include reading books and journal articles, conduction first-hand experiments, talking to experts or observations.

5)    Reflection and revisiting

In this final phase, students evaluate their learning by comparing what they have now understood and learned to what they initially believed. Students can be asked to justify their new answers to confirm their understanding.

References:

Berthelsen, B. (1999). Students Naïve Conceptions in Life Science.   MSTA Journal, 44(1) pp. 13-19. Retrieved from http://web.archive.org/web/20001019004741/http://gamstcweb.gisd.k12.mi.us/msta/journal.spring99/naive_concepts.html

Dawson, V., Venville, G. (2004). The art of teaching science. Crows Nest, Australia: Allen and Unwin.

Board of Studies. (2009). Biology Stage 6 Syllabus. NSW: Board of studies. Retrieved from http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/biology-st6-syl-from2010.pdf

Week 3: Evaluate (Make a judgement based on criteria; determine the value of) the use of the BOS stage 6 support doc for writing units of work.

·         The K–12 continuum of learning in science

-the continuum of learning and the relationship between the stage 6 course and prior knowledge.

·         Interpreting the Syllabus Design

-understanding of the link between the content and skills.

·         advice on programming and assessments

-in terms of lesson planning, programming units of work and developing assessment criteria.

·         Open-ended investigation

-the teacher’s role, types and stages of investigations, safety and the use of animals in investigations.

Advantages

The continuum of learning and skills, apart from being tabulated, has already been described and thus, makes it almost effortless to understand the progress of development for each skill are well described in a systematic way . For example, In Stages 4 and 5, students increase their skills in developing investigation plans whereas in Stage 6, students develop skills in assessing whether first- and second-hand data and information is valid and reliable.....

The linking of the key words and verbs used in column 3 of the modules in the syllabus to the skills table has been illustrated making it quite self explanatory.

The key words in column 2 have been explained further to understand the depth of information that the students have to learn for each dot point. For example, ‘explain that the amount of energy needed to separate atoms in a compound is an indication of the strength of the attraction, or bond, between them’. This requires students to provide information on the relationship between the energy needed to separate atoms in a compound and the attraction, or bond, between them. The cause-and-effect reasons why this relationship exists need to be provided. Therefore, in addition to the definitions provided in the glossary of key words, the support document has examples on how they should be used and in what context.

The flow diagram on page 27 of the support document offers an overview of the elements to be concerned about while teaching, planning and assessing. It also serves as a constant reminder of the interconnectedness in learning and teaching.

Disadvantages

The support document is not explicit in dealing with the Biology syllabus and content. It is common for all Science streams.

In my opinion, the scope and sequence plan and a skills mapping grid provided are not self explanatory. I find that drawing out the scope and sequence using the model that I have been taught more straightforward than the example presented in the support document.

Although the verbs and understanding how to link them has been mentioned in the support document, it fails to address the hierarchy of keywords, which is especially important for the stage 6 program. It should have included the kinds of stage-appropriate verbs to be addressed and discussed the relevance of questioning.

The support document has relevant information on planning and conducting investigations, but not much information on scaffolding. Scaffolding is crucial in investigations as it gives students a guideline to follow and a sense of direction.  

It does not give examples of any teaching strategies, worksheets or other helful resources and textbooks that would have been helpful.

Module 8.5

Module 8.5 ‘Evolution of Australian Biota’ describes the evolution of the Australian ecosystems as Gondwana broke away from the rest of its land mass.

There is nothing specifically mentioned about module 8.5 in the syllabus; however, the examples provided in the support document are useful in the following ways:

-It helps with understanding the prior knowledge the students would have had for module 8.5 as seen in the continuum of learning. However, the stage 6 biology syllabus already mentions the prior learning that the students would have undertaken.

It acts as a guide in planning the program in its entirety, the lesson plan, content along with linking the verbs to the skills and the assessment.

Conclusion

In my opinion, the stage 6 support document is valuable as a guide offering information to the overall syllabus, but not explicit to the Biology stage 6 curriculum. 

Reference

Board of Studies. (2009). Biology Stage 6 Syllabus. NSW: Board of studies. Retrieved  from  http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/biology-st6-syl-from2010.pdf

Board of Studies. (2009). Science Stage 6 Revised support document. NSW: Board of studies. Retrieved from

         http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/biology.html

Week 2: An activity for teaching values in the Biology course

The stage 6 Biology syllabus contains the domain ‘Values and Attitudes,’ wherein students are expected to demonstrate or, in the case of year 12, justify demonstrates positive values about and attitudes towards both the living and non-living components of the environment, ethical behaviour and a desire for a critical evaluation of the consequences of the applications of science. This has a special significance in Biology when taking into consideration its impact on society and the environment (BOS, 2009).

Module 8.4, which is Life on Earth, contains the dot point ‘discuss the ways in which developments in scientific knowledge may conflict with the ideas about origins of life by different cultures’ (BOS, 2009). This dot point lends itself to an activity or a discussion on respecting the views and opinions held by different cultures on the origin of life. In my opinion, the values clarification approach devised by Raths, Harmin and Simon (1996, as cited in Marsh, 2010) is a method that can be used to incorporate values into teaching this dot point because this approach values an individual’s thoughts, choices and communication. Furthermore it values certain types of thinking (purple and Ryan 1976 as cited in Marsh, 2010).

This activity can be done after the students are made aware of the several theories surrounding the origin of life. This activity begins with the teacher briefing the students on the fact that each culture and religion has a different belief on the origin of life and that each of these views must be respected. Students are given a coloured chart paper (cut to the size of their note book pages) with the phrases listed below and are given five minutes to complete them on their own.

I believe that

I would argue strongly in favour of

I would prefer to keep to myself that

I will share only with my friends that (Marsh, 2010)

Alternatively students can be told to write a persuasive essay using words such as I truly believe that..., I would argue strongly in favour of....., (Marsh, 2010)I would respect my friend’s opinion if......

This exercise also brings in a literacy component and students are not only confined to write the above statements, but also encouraged to elaborate and write out their thoughts and opinions.

Board of Studies. (2009). Biology Stage 6 Syllabus. NSW: Board of studies. Retrieved from http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/biology-st6-syl-from2010.pdf

Marsh, C. (2010). Becoming a teacher: Knowledge, Skills and Issues. NSW, Australia: Pearson.