ERIC Number: EJ1135240
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Jul
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1931-4744
EISSN: N/A
Time Efficiency, Written Feedback, and Student Achievement in Inquiry-Oriented Biology Labs
Basey, John M.; Maines, Anastasia P.; Francis, Clinton D.
International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, v8 n2 Article 15 Jul 2014
We examined how different styles of written feedback by graduate-student teaching assistants (GTAs) in college intro biology lab (USA) influenced student achievement and related the different styles to time efficiency. We quantified GTA feedback on formative lab reports and student achievement on two different types of assessments, a quiz in 2010 and a summative lab report in 2011. We evaluated the extent to which three categories of written feedback impacted student achievement (grade discrepancy between actual and ideal, short direct comments, and in-depth explanatory comments). Student achievement was best explained by both grade discrepancy and short direct comments in 2010 and grade discrepancy only in 2011. In-depth explanations were not part of the best-fit models in either year. Results also indicated that GTAs provided little encouraging feedback, most feedback was targeted and asked students to expand on explanations. Results are discussed in relation to relative time efficiency and GTA training.
Descriptors: Time Management, Feedback (Response), Summative Evaluation, Graduate Students, Teaching Assistants, Biology, Science Achievement, Formative Evaluation, Goodness of Fit, Undergraduate Students, Science Tests, Grades (Scholastic), Inquiry, Statistical Analysis
Centers for Teaching & Technology at Georgia Southern University. IJ-SoTL, Georgia Southern University, Henderson Library 1301, Statesboro, GA 30460. e-mail: sotlij@georgiasouthern.edu; Web site: http://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ij-sotl/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Colorado
Grant or Contract Numbers: NSFEF0905606