How do biology students in the
UK compare to Malaysia?
Momna Hejmadi and Yvonne Ong
Dept. Biology & Biochemistry
University of Bath
Teaching and learning
For teachers, summative assessment marks the end of the teaching-learning period.
However, students often view the assessment at the beginning. From a student's
perspective, "assessment always defines the actual curriculum"
Cultural contexts
East?
West?
If this is the case, then why…..
….do Asian students outperform their
Western peers?
Assessments
Teachers
summative assessment marks the end of the teachinglearning period.
Students
often view the assessment at the beginning.
From a student's perspective,
"assessment always defines the actual curriculum"
Ramsden 1992
Assessment and learning
Surface learning or deeper learning?
OR
Retention of key concepts in biology
Study aim
To provide a preliminary quantitative analysis on
the longer-term retention of concepts in biology
among 17 year olds in the UK and Malaysia.
Methodology
AS-level students in the two countries were
tested on GCSE content one year later
GCSE grade - baseline
Basic concept questions from the exam paper
(N=52-63 students /country)
GCSE content retention after 1 year
GCSE 2012
Biology
SPM 2012
Biology
Assessment structure
GCSE assessment
Modular (2012)
SPM assessment
Linear (2012)
B1, B2, B3
SPM Biology
Findings
No difference in the number of students in both
countries who dropped a grade
Malaysia
UK
40
% of students
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
-3
-2
-1
Grade difference
0
1
Findings
But Malaysian students maintained their grades
better than UK students
Malaysia
UK
40
% of students
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
-3
-2
-1
Grade difference
0
1
Findings
Fewer Malaysian students dropped more than 2
grades
Malaysia
UK
40
% of students
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
-3
-2
-1
Grade difference
0
1
Overall findings
Malaysian students retained content better, with 70% of the students
either maintaining or dropping one grade
70% of UK students showed a decline by one or two grades,
suggesting strategic learning
Malaysia
UK
40
% of students
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
-3
-2
-1
Grade difference
0
1
Further analyses
High achievers in Malaysia (A* and A students)
maintained their grades better than their UK
counterparts
Malaysia
UK
% of students
50
40
30
20
10
0
-3
-2
-1
0
Grade difference
1
Further analyses
Lower achievers in the UK (B and below)
maintained their grades better than their
Malaysian counterparts
60
Malaysia
% of students
50
40
30
20
10
0
-3
-2
-1
0
Grade difference
1
UK
But overall grades were lower among
Malaysian students
UK students achieved a mean post-test score of
72% in contrast to 49% obtained by Malaysian
students
Grades
Malaysia
UK
Overall
49
72
A*/A+ and A
61
73
A*/A+ to B
57
72
B and below
42
70
Mean scores of the post-test in Malaysia
and UK, compared to their initial
examination grades
Next steps
Use identical exam question papers in both
countries
Independent assessment of conceptual
understanding
Interesting questions raised
Does bite-sized’, modular education encourage
strategic learning?
Questions for us?
Should we have more linear, end-ofyear or programme assessments?
Thank you