Motlow State Community College
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Use of Assessment Results
Spring Semester 2012
Program Title: General Education, Tennessee Transfer Pathway
Course: BIOL 1120 (General Biology II)
Assessment Results and Use of Results:
Expected Student Learning Outcomes:
1. The student should be knowledgeable of taxonomy and the evolutionary relationships
and significant innovations regarding the different plant and animal groups. (Questions
1, 2, 3)
2. The student should be knowledgeable of animal characteristics related to the
advancement and complexity and its application to the major animal phyla (Questions 4,
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
3. The student should know the major human body systems including the circulatory and
the reproduction systems. (Questions 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
4. The student should be knowledgeable about plant anatomical structures and plant
reproductive features. (Questions 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
5. The student should know the significant plant division characteristics. (Questions 22, 23,
24, 25)
Performance Measure(s): Pre-test, Post-test
Effectiveness Standard: Effectiveness of this course will be determined according to the
following two measures based upon the results of the Pre and Post-tests:
1. The percentage of Post-Test correct responses per item will be at least 20 points higher
than the percentage of Pre-Test correct responses per item if the Pre-Test values is
below 50%.
2. Each item will have at least 50% correct responses on the Post-test.
Assessment Results:
Results of the pre-test were as follows:
BIOL 1120 GE Pre-and Post-test Results for S12
Question
Q1
Q2
Q3
PreTest
#
Correct
50
96
53
PreTest
%
Correct
34%
65%
36%
PostTest
#
Correct
86
110
108
PostTest
%
%
Correct Difference
54%
20%
70%
4%
68%
32%
Q4
Q5
Q6
Q7
Q8
Q9
Q10
Q11
Q12
Q13
Q14
Q15
Q16
Q17
Q18
Q19
Q20
Q21
Q22
Q23
Q24
Q25
81
52
115
32
49
45
96
94
134
75
62
40
53
34
20
49
56
109
90
40
59
49
55%
35%
78%
22%
33%
31%
65%
64%
91%
51%
42%
27%
36%
23%
14%
33%
38%
74%
61%
27%
40%
33%
129
114
151
91
114
68
115
112
152
92
87
59
61
94
53
114
107
143
129
95
103
101
82%
72%
96%
58%
72%
43%
73%
71%
96%
58%
55%
37%
39%
59%
34%
72%
68%
91%
82%
60%
65%
64%
27%
37%
17%
36%
39%
12%
7%
7%
5%
7%
13%
10%
3%
36%
20%
39%
30%
16%
20%
33%
25%
31%
One hundred forty-seven students took the pre-test and158 students took the post-test. The
average of the pre-test scores was 43% and the average of the post-test scores was 66%,
Assessment results showed a 23 percent point gain from pre-test to post-test, thus meeting the
effectiveness standard that the post-test average score be at least 20 percent points higher that
the pre-test average score.
The effectiveness standard that each item will have at least 50% correct responses on the posttest was met by all problems except questions 9, 15, 16 and 18, which more than 50% of the
students answered incorrectly. Question 9 concerns animal characteristics, question 15
concerns human circulatory and reproductive systems, and questions 16 and 18 concern plant
anatomical structures and reproductive features.
Question 9 concerning animal characteristics was also a question that did not meet the
expectation of getting at least 50% correct responses on the post test in 2010. This question on
the test needs to be reexamined by the science faculty. The reproductive systems of plants and
humans did not fare well on the test either. Faculty will begin to put more emphasis on this area
so that when BIOL 1120 is assessed in spring 2014, according to the assessment cycle, gains will
be made in student learning. All questions on the test will be reexamined by a committee from
the science department to make sure they all meet the expectations of the department.
Use of Assessment Results:
During the Math& Science Departmental meeting at the Fall Assembly on August 20, 2012, the
science faculty discussed question 9 and the concerns they had with the question not gaining
the expectations on student learning yet again. This question failed the expectations in 2010 and
in 2012. The faculty will create a committee to evaluate all the questions on the exam. This will
assure that the question meets the standards of the department. The other questions all relate
to the reproductive systems of plants and humans. Discussions arose on whether the questions
need to be analyzed, or more emphasis needs to be put on that area. It was finally agreed that
both should be done.