Two case studies of action research: Assessing student graphical interpretation skills and understandings about ecological restoration

Background/Question/Methods

Two short case studies are presented here.  The first evaluates the impact of a large lecture based course on student ability to interpret graphical data.  We designed learning experiences in a large lecture course that emphasized quantitative analyses and small group discussion.  We provided students with pre- and post-course assessments of their ability to interpret graphical information.  In the second study, we explored changing student attitudes and understandings about ecological restoration in a freshman seminar.  This course was designed to explore the development and early success of grass-roots ecological restoration in the Chicago area that resulted in a public at odds with the practices and outcomes of restoration and a moratorium on ecological restoration.  We used a published survey of attitudes about ecological restoration in a pre- and post- course assessment of the college students. 

Results/Conclusions

In the study of student abilities to interpret graphical data, most students thought they did well on the initial assessment, although faculty evaluators scored half as below minimally acceptable.  There was no relationship between how students thought they did and how they were scored by faculty.  At the end of the course, lower performing students showed significant improvement in their ability to interpret graphical information.  However, the large number of poorly performing students in both the pre- and post-course assessments, and the disconnect between how students thought they performed and how they were scored means that actual performance may not increase with increasing perceptions of ability.  We concluded that the course was modestly successful in accomplishing its quantitative student learning outcomes, but that students need more feedback to confront the disparity between their perceptions and the reality of their lack of success in interpreting quantitative information.  In the study on restoration knowledge and attitudes, the results showed that prior to the course, the college freshmen had knowledge and attitudes very similar to the published cross section of Chicago citizens during the height of the controversy. The course resulted in a dramatic shift in both knowledge and beliefs about restoration that are more consistent with the protection of nature and the adoption of practices that improve local biodiversity and positively affect our relationship to it.  Both studies show the strengths and limits of assessing course goals and student learning outcomes.