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Pre-assessment on graphical mathematics skills among physical science students

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A pre-assessment in mathematics skills was administered to 23 students in SC 130 Physical Science on the first day of class. The pre-assessment differed from prior terms. This term the first question more no longer used a density of soap example. Instead the graph and questions referred to an algebraic xy labelled scatter graph. Question two was also simplified with the answers to 2e and 2d being able to be read from the table directly rather than calculated from the equation of the line. This term the slope formula and point-slope form were not provided. 1. Answer the following questions based on graph one.  a. __________ What is the slope of the line?  b. ______________ What is the y-intercept of the line?  c. y = _________ x + __________ Write the y = mx + b slope-intercept equation for the line. 2. A student rolled a ball along the sidewalk measuring the time and distance that the ball rolled. The data is recorded in the table below.  a. Plot the...

Assessing Learning in Ethnobotany

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SC/SS 115 Ethnobotany proposes to serve three program learning outcomes through two course level outcomes. The course serves learning outcomes in general education and the Micronesian studies program. PLO SC/SS 115 CLO GE 3.4 Define and explain scientific concepts, principles, and theories of a field of science. 1. Identify local plants, their reproductive strategies, and morphology. GE 4.2 Demonstrate knowledge of the cultural issues of a person’s own culture and other cultures. MSP 2 Demonstrate proficiency in the geographical, historical, and cultural literacy of the Micronesian region. 2. Communicate and describe the cultural use of local plants for healing, as food, as raw materials, and in traditional social contexts. CLO 1 Identify local plants, their reproductive strategies, and morphology. The twenty-three students (8 female, 15 male) who completed the course engaged in a number of activities in support of this learning outcome. Reproductive strate...

Assessing Learning in Physical Science

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SC 130 Physical Science proposes to serve two institutional learning outcomes (ILO) through four general education program learning outcomes (GE PLO) addressed by four course level student learning outcomes (CLO). This report assesses learning under the course level learning outcomes which in turn support program and institutional learning outcomes. Note that this course has a focus on "doing" science, on science as a process, a way of understanding the natural physical world and the mathematics that underlies many physical systems. The course does not focus on memorized facts. The course is centered on science as being that which can be measured, observed, evidenced. The course is intended as a counter to memorized science. Once one shifts to memorized facts as the basis of a science, then any set of memorized facts can be seen by the learner as equally valid. Somewhere down at the bottom of that slope are those who are convinced the earth is flat, climate change is not h...

Photo essay of presentations in statistics

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This term featured eight open data exploration presentations, one more than in the prior term, spring 2019. At the end of the term the students responded that they had learned the most when preparing and presenting. The presentations have become a core element of both instruction and assessment in the course. The following is a glimpse into some of the presentations. The first day of class each student was given a bag of MMs and told to prepare a presentation for Friday based on the following questions: Before opening your bag, determine the weight of each bag. Does the weight match the weight printed on the bag? How many M&Ms in your bag? Is the number of M&Ms the same in each bag? What might be the average number of M&Ms in a bag? How many colors are there in a bag? How many MMs of each color are there? Which color is there the most of? Make a chart showing the number of MMs of each color in a bag. If you are working with a partner, make a chart for each bag....