Assessment, Research & Results

Research and Results: Papers and Data Slides

Online Assessment: LASSO and LASSO Resources

Overview

When engaging in instructional reform efforts, Assessment, Research & Results play an important role in understanding what works and what needs revision. These specific resources also play a powerful role in how you might make the case to students, other faculty, and administration about your LA Program. The LA Alliance can support you in administering, analyzing and presenting assessment instruments. It can also direct you to specific research studying the effectiveness of the LA Model and point you to results that can help you, or your colleagues, answer specific questions.

V. Otero, S. Pollock, and N. Finkelstein, Am. J. Phys., 78, 11 (2010).

Assessment

LASSO: Learning About STEM Student Outcomes

LASSO is an online platform to support instructors assessing their courses. The platform administers assessments online to students, freeing up class time, and automatically analyzes the data. It can be used to support your efforts to analyze the effectiveness of instruction at your institution and can support efforts in developing a robust assessment plan for your classes and program.

Research & Results

There are many studies that shed light on the different types of benefits of the LA Model at a variety of institutions from improved content understanding, to reduction in DFW rates, to changes in LA identity, and much more. Click on the video to hear about research focusing on how being an LA can shape and change student identity from Eleanor Close at Texas State University - San Marcos.

Below are some examples of papers, posters, and presentations that focus on the LA Model and its effectiveness.

Sample papers:

  • Otero, V., Pollock, S., McCray, R., & Finkelstein, N. (2006). Who is responsible for preparing science teachers? Science, 313 (5786), 445-446.

  • Nelson, M. (2011) PRIMUS (Problems, Resources, and Issues in Mathematics Undergraduate Studies Oral Assessments: Improving Retention, Grades and Understanding

  • Close, E. W., Conn, J., & Close, H. G. (2016). Becoming physics people: Development of integrated physics identity through the Learning Assistant experience. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 12(1), 010109.

  • Jariwala, M., White, J. S. S., Van Dusen, B., & Close, E. W. (2017). In-class vs. online administration of concept inventories and attitudinal assessments. arXiv preprint arXiv:1701.01739.