Assessment of a Preparatory MOOC in Biology Adrienne Williams Project Specialist, HHMI-UCI Professor Program Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, UC Irvine June 2014
Rationale Average scores in 12 th Grade NAEP mathematics, 2013 National Assessment of Educational Progress Exam,
Rationale Average Math SAT scores for students at each final letter grade, Bio 93 N = 803, Fall 2012 Bio % URM 22.6% URM 25.9% URM 51.6% URM
Experimental Question Will a preparation MOOC help students do better in introductory biology?
Experiment 1 Design Introductory Biology at UCI Preparation for Introductory Biology MOOC UCI students ~ 1800 students
MOOC Course Design Basics Lecture VideosBasics Quizzes Unit Peer Assessments Write your answers Grade answers of peers Research Packet Research Peer Assessments Write your answers Grade answers of peers Normal Certificate Distinction Certificate
MOOC Participation
MOOC Completion All Courserians N = 9401 UCI Students N = 382 Did not complete Normal Distinction Did not complete Distinction Normal
Results Math SAT scores for all participation levels N =
Results All ethnicities participate similarly
Results All Math SAT scores do not respond identically Z score = *[Gender] *[MSAT Ave] *[RSAT Ave] *[AP 3] Predicted Z score equation:
Results Z score = *[Gender] *[MSAT Ave] *[RSAT Ave] *[AP 3] Predicted Z score equation: All ethnicities do not respond identically
Conclusions?
California community college students do worse in online courses. Public Policy Institute of California: Online Learning and Student Outcomes,
California community college students do worse in online courses. Public Policy Institute of California: Online Learning and Student Outcomes,