Record Details
An evaluation of an experimental biology course employing some cognitive and noncognitive achievements as criteria
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | An evaluation of an experimental biology course employing some cognitive and noncognitive achievements as criteria |
| Names |
Durst, Harold Everett
(creator) Williamson, Stanley E. (advisor) |
| Date Issued | 1967-08-03 (iso8601) |
| Note | Graduation date: 1968 |
| Abstract | This study was designed to evaluate the relative effectiveness of a new college general biology course which utilized an audio - tutorial laboratory as contrasted with a traditional lecture course. Five biology classes with 720 students at the Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia, Kansas, participated in the study. The five classes were composed of two traditional biology classes and three audio -tutorial classes. Seventy students, 35 male and 35 female, were selected from each of the two biology groups. The design of the study was a 2 X 2 factorial type. The factors were the two biology courses, audio -tutorial and traditional, and the two sexes. The data were treated by analysis of variance. Criterion tests used in a posttest situation were the Test on Understanding Science, Form W, an Attitude Scale, and an investigator prepared General Biology Test. The latter test was designed to measure student comprehension of biology on the basis of ability to recall information, ability to show relationships between bodies of knowledge, ability to apply knowledge in new situations, and ability to use skills involved in understanding of scientific problems. Total test scores for the three criterion tests and subtest scores for the Test on Understanding Science, Form W, and the General Biology Test were compared. The data presented in this study indicated that the audio -tutorial course was as effective as the traditional course with which it was compared. In general, students in the audio -tutorial classes attained higher scores on the criterion tests than did students in the traditional classes. However, none of the differences were significant. Results of the analyses indicated that there was a difference between the sexes in ability to show relationships between bodies of knowledge, for the male students in both biology courses scored significantly higher on that level of understanding of biology. The criterion tests and the various subtests seemed to measure distinctly different understandings about science, levels of comprehension of biology, and attitude toward science; however, there was a strong positive correlation between attitude toward science and ability to apply knowledge to new situations. |
| Genre | Thesis/Dissertation |
| Topic | Biology -- Study and teaching |
| Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/1957/46572 |
