‘INCENTIVISED READING’-USING
MASTERING BIOLOGY TO
ENCOURAGE EARLIER
ENGAGEMENT BY STUDENTS
Louise Beard
School of Biological Sciences
University of Essex
Transition between college and Uni
Old A-level system:
 Units with continuous assessment and
multiple retakes
University:
 Students need to become
independent learners
 Self-motivated and organised
Problems faced by HE lecturers
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Large first year teaching groups (250+ students)
Not possible to give individual attention
Very differing levels of ability and understanding
from students coming onto course
Module has to get all students to the same level of
understanding, in order for them to be able to
progress
Problems faced by new students
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Social and personal changes, upheaval
Complex timetables and multiple coursework
deadlines
Possible homesickness
Teaching in large groups
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BS101 First year molecular cell biology (280 students)
A core module: most students have done A-level
biology, but not all
Essential text: Biology 9th Ed, Campbell & Reece
How can we monitor
engagement in such a large
group?
Structure of module and rationale
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2 exams (Jan MCQ and Summer written paper:
67%)
4 practicals: 33% coursework
One practical dropped; alternative assessment
needed?
Engagement, progress, identifying problems?
The Active learning approach
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Use of technology such as Virtual Learning Environments
(VLE)
Promotes ‘student-centred learning’: students are
responsible for their own education
By making students engage early with the work, can we
improve retention and engagement?
Mastering Biology- Pearson VLE
www.masteringbiology.com
“The Mastering platform is the most effective and widely
used tutorial, homework and assessment system for the
sciences”
“Engages and motivates students to learn”
“Provides students personalised coaching and feedback”
“Quickly monitors student learning”
(Similar systems are available from other publishers….)
How does it work?
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Lecturers can be set up as an Instructor
Then you can log in, create an assignment and add
activities, tutorials, MCQs from a database of
1000’s of questions
Students purchase the book and use the code
provided, plus your unique course code, to register
onto your course
Example question
My use of Mastering Biology
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5 assignments created, each one covering 2 topics,
taking ~60 min to complete
Assignment open for 1 week, do not need to complete
in one sitting
Original purpose was to consolidate learning from
the lectures
Assessment of assignments
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All assignments are automatically marked and
graded, exported to Excel
Total number of marks from all 5 assignments was
converted to an overall percentage

This replaced one practical (8.25% of module)

Rewarded with coursework marks for engaging
Participation of students in each compulsory
Mastering Biology assignment
% of students attempting assignment
100
80
60
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
40
2012-13
20
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Compulsory assignment number
8
9
10
Participation of students in each optional
Mastering Biology assignment
% of students attempting assignment
100
80
60
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
40
2012-13
20
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Optional assignment number
7
8
9
Does it work?
Comparison between mean coursework, MCQ, exam and total
module marks between 2007-2012 (Mastering Biology was
introduced as part of coursework assessment in 2009-10)
90
80
70
Percentage
60
2007-08
50
2008-09
2009-10
40
2010-11
30
2011-12
20
10
0
Coursework mean
MCQ mean
exam mean
total module mean
Student achievement and perceptions
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Total marks for all assignments were mostly in the
75-95% range
Students were surveyed in the final assignment
Nearly all students agreed that the system had
helped them to understand the lecture material
Over 90% conceded that they would probably NOT
have completed all assignments if not compulsory
Do you think you have learnt more through the
online assignments, than through lectures alone?
90
80
70
60
50
Jan-10
Jan-11
40
Jan-12
30
Jan-13
Jan-14
20
10
0
No, I haven't learnt or
understood any more then I
would have from the lectures
alone
Yes they have helped me to
understand the lectures and I
have learnt more this way
They have helped me to
understand the lectures, but I
didn't learn any more info
Benefits of Mastering Biology
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Students perceive that they have learnt more, and
basic exam results data supports that
Students get earlier feedback on their performance
through the online system
They can ‘bank’ easy coursework marks along the
way
Encourages the students to work continuously rather
than leaving everything til end of term/year exams,
which may be too late
Added staff benefits
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My (anecdotal) data reveals that each year there
are approx 10-15 students that don’t engage with
this work
Approx half of these drop out of the course before
the end of the first year
The remaining half continue, but are often weak
students or poorly organised in their 2nd year too
Now, these early strugglers or those not engaging
can be identified and can followed up
Future interventions: can a more
proactive approach help the transition?
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1.
2.
3.
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For me, the system is now multi-purpose:
Encourages earlier engagement with work
Underpins knowledge delivered in lectures
Identifies problem students at an early stage and
can offer them extra support
Students may benefit from individual attention at
this crucial early transition into HE