ERIC Number: EJ1038274
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Aug
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1059-0145
EISSN: N/A
Using Web-Based Key Character and Classification Instruction for Teaching Undergraduate Students Insect Identification
Golick, Douglas A.; Heng-Moss, Tiffany M.; Steckelberg, Allen L.; Brooks, David. W.; Higley, Leon G.; Fowler, David
Journal of Science Education and Technology, v22 n4 p509-521 Aug 2013
The purpose of the study was to determine whether undergraduate students receiving web-based instruction based on traditional, key character, or classification instruction differed in their performance of insect identification tasks. All groups showed a significant improvement in insect identifications on pre- and post-two-dimensional picture specimen quizzes. The study also determined student performance on insect identification tasks was not as good as for family-level identification as compared to broader insect orders and arthropod classification identification tasks. Finally, students erred significantly more by misidentification than misspelling specimen names on prepared specimen quizzes. Results of this study support that short web-based insect identification exercises can improve insect identification performance. Also included is a discussion of how these results can be used in teaching and future research on biological identification.
Descriptors: Science Instruction, College Science, Undergraduate Students, Web Based Instruction, Computer Uses in Education, Conventional Instruction, Classification, Entomology, Pretests Posttests, Science Tests, Pictorial Stimuli, Knowledge Level, Misconceptions, Spelling, Learning Activities, Biology
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A