ENHANCING ASSESSMENT IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES  

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Introduction

Many units of study in the biological sciences include students from a variety of degree programs, and with a diversity of prior study in the discipline. This is particularly true for first year units. It is common for first year biology units, for example, to include some students who have excelled at senior school biology, some who have struggled with the subject, and others who have studied no Biology beyond Year 10. The students will also differ in their particular areas of interests, and may be enrolled in a range of different degree programs in the biological sciences.

My Biology 1 course here, like I think in other universities, has to satisfy students who will go on and be ecologists and wildlife biologists. Equally well, it's got to satisfy people who are going to be biochemists and nurses. So every year it's a trade-off, and every year the nurses say, "Why do I have to know about chlorophyll? Why do I have to know about plants? I am a nurse." And the nutrition people say, "I've come to university to study food science - why do I have to know about DNA?" [academic; coordinator of first year biology unit with 500 students, a unit which provides a foundation for many different courses]

We heard of numerous strategies for engaging and supporting such diverse groups and many of these relate in some way to assessment - directly, such as tasks designed to engage students with diverse interests, and indirectly, such as additional support and resources to assist students with limited prior knowledge.

1. Enhancing assessment for groups of students with diverse prior knowledge

In general, the assessment-related strategies described to us involve either (a) additional support and clarity to assist students with limited background in the discipline, or (b) additional challenge for students with more advanced knowledge.

a) Strategies described for assisting students with limited prior knowledge include:

• Peer-learning - encouraging students to work together and to provide feedback to one another [Examples: Miller 1; Miller 2][see also: Peer and self-assessment];
• Self-assessment - including provision of online quizzes; purpose-designed diagnostic tools; skills 'checklists'; electronic student response system (keypads) in class; and 'practice tests' under typical test conditions [Examples: Peat 3; Peat 5; Peat 6; Plastow; Rogers 2; Ross 1; Wood 1][see also: Tests and quizzes];
• Additional classes and tutorial support - specific for the subject or discipline, and may be provided online [Examples: Rogers 1; Wood 2];
• Study skills support - encouraging students to utilise university-wide programs [Example: Cavanagh 1];
• Explicit assessment criteria and standards - ensuring that expectations are made clear for all students [Examples: Mulder 3; Noble; Ross 3; Taylor 2];
• Gradual introduction to the language of the discipline [Examples: Taylor 1; Taylor 2]; and
• Using targeted preparatory exercises before lectures so that students are familiar with the material and vocabulary, followed by the use keypad technology at the beginning of the lecture for formative assessment of prior knowledge [Example: Wood 1].

Many of these approaches - such as peer-learning, self-assessment, and explicit criteria and standards - are potentially beneficial to all students, irrespective of prior learning in the discipline.

b) Strategies described for assisting students with advanced knowledge and abilities include:

• Additional assessment - optional 'bonus' assessment, such as preparing an extra, advanced essay per semester, worth up to 10 per cent; and
• Different entry levels for particularly accomplished students - such as second-year entry.

2. Enhancing assessment for groups of students with diverse interests

The assessment approaches used to accommodate the diverse interests of students revolve around providing students with choice and include:

• Choice in assessment topic [Examples: Fairweather 1; Hargreaves 2; Majer];
• Choice in method of assessment [Example: Sanderson];
  
• Choice in the composition of groups for group projects - either mixed or same interest groups, depending on the project and aims of the unit [Examples: Kleindorfer; Meyer];
• Choice in their work experience [Example: Cooke 2]; and
• Giving students opportunities to be creative in the materials they present for assessment [Examples: Ross 2; Ross 4].

To reference material from this site, please use:

Harris, K-L., Krause, K., Gleeson, D., Peat, M., Taylor, C. & Garnett, R. (2007). Enhancing Assessment in the Biological Sciences: Ideas and resources for university educators. Available at: www.bioassess.edu.au