5.4 Interpret student data

In all my science classes, students were summatively assessed with end-of-topic tests. These assessments were usually one-hour long written tests with a combination of multiple choice short and long answer questions. The purpose of summative assessments provide teachers with an overview of students’ learning progress and have the effectiveness of their teaching methods (Black, Harrison & Lee, 2003). However, the perceived pressure of testing can produce test anxiety can reduce learning outcomes (Cassady & Johnson, 2001), so it is important that student data from assessments is interpreted meaningfully and used to improve student learning.

After teaching biological classification keys to my Year Seven science students, they were summatively assessed with an in-class test. The written answer section of the test asked students to do the following tasks:

1. Give two reasons why we classify organisms.

2. Use a dichotomous key to answer simple questions about it.

3. Use a dichotomous key to make inferences about the organisms

4. Identify characteristics of a given group of organisms that can be used for classification

5. Create a dichotomous key of a given group of organisms

These tasks progressed in challenge according to Bloom’s Taxonomy (Figure 1). Task 1 required remembering, Tasks 2 and 3 required understanding, Task 4 required analysing and Task 5 involved creating.

To interpret the students’ data from assessment, I analysed their performance in each of the key tasks, not just their overall score. I created a Guttman Chart to make an ordered visualisation of which tasks students struggled with. I used Microsoft Excel to create the chart, following instructions from a guide from the Victorian Department of Education and Training (Figure 2).

My key finding from this analysis were that:

• About half the class could not complete Task 1, recalling the reasons for classification.
• One third could identify characteristic that can be used to create a dichotomous key but struggled to create and organise the actual key.
• One third of the class could not identify the characteristics for classification or create the dichotomous key.
• One third of the class could achieve all the assessment outcomes.

Based on my interpretation of these student results I would make the following modifications to my teaching practice:

• Incorporate paced revision of core content knowledge into lessons so students can store it in their long-term memory (Dunlosky et al 2013). This can be done through revision quizzes or games such as Kahoot.
• Give students more time to practice creating their own dichotomous keys about a variety of organisms. I will also give students practice task for choosing suitable characteristics for biological classification. Textbook exercise generally give a list of characteristics, I could create open-ended practical tasks by bringing in physical items such as leaves and shells so students can use their critical thinking skills to classify them.
• Prepare extension activities for the students who were able to achieve all the learning outcomes. These students could learn to make classification keys using digital technologies such as Google Draw or Canva.

References

Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4-58.