1. Assess Student Learning
Use of a Survey-Test To
Assess Student Learning In
Dendrochronology
Paul R. Sheppard
Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research
University of Arizona

2. GEOS. 220 Environmental History of the Southwest
Environmental, cultural history of SW
Discover past using historical science techniques
Tree-ring analysis
introcrossdate.htm

3. What I Wanted to Know
Student demography:
Class standing?
Science major?
Prior experience crossdating?
Prior experience computer-based learning modules?

4. What I Wanted to Know
Negotiating applet, explanatory pages:
How long did it take?
Read the manual? In what order?
Try extra settings?

5. What I Wanted to Know
Comprehension of crossdating:
Why not ring counting?
Make marks for every ring?
Can dead trees be crossdated?
Must skeleton plots be identical?
Can all tree-ring samples be crossdated?

6. Survey-Test Strategy
Overall test scores
Average performance
Variability
Good, poor responses
Subgroup comparisons of scores
Student demographics
Execution of applet
Negotiation of entire packet

7. Overall Test Scores
Good comprehension for beginners

8. Poor Responses
Sensitivity vs. complacency
Was not required
Crossdating essentially pattern matching
Distracters were too effective
All tree-ring samples crossdateable
Doesn’t always work

9. Subgroup Responses
Seniors did best
Computer experience had no effect
Lack thereof didn’t hinder success
Moving objects:
Easy: scored high
Hard: scored low
Time doing applet:
<20 minutes: scored high
<20 minutes: scored low

10. Subgroup Responses (cont.)
Navigating explanatory pages
Order given or randomly: no difference
Bog down?
1/3rd became frustrated
Accidentally changed master plot

11. Things I Learned
Capability to change master plot
How and why to move objects
Survey-test combination is useful for assessment