11238 Views (as of 05/2023)
  1. Amanda Manzanares
  2. https://phdamanda.com/
  3. Research Assistant
  4. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  5. University of Northern Colorado
  1. Steven Anderson
  2. http://volcanoesteve@gmail.com
  3. Professor
  4. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  5. University of Northern Colorado
  1. Lydia Horne
  3. Postdoctoral researcher
  4. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  5. University of Northern Colorado
  1. Chelsie Romulo
  2. https://cromulo.wordpress.com/
  3. Assistant Professor
  4. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  5. University of Northern Colorado
  1. Shirley Vincent
  2. http://vincentconsult.com
  3. Principal and Owner
  4. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  5. University of Northern Colorado

Developing a Next Generation Concept Inventory to Help Environmental Programs...

NSF Awards: 2013373

2021 (see original presentation & discussion)

Undergraduate

Our video will highlight the creation of the Next Generation Concept Inventory (NGCI). We will explain our process in creating the NGCI and the relevancy of using constructed response (CR), e.g., short answer questions, to create the NGCI over selected-response (SR) items, e.g., multiple-choice, which have been the chosen assessment tool used for previous concept inventories. We will discuss why the initial pilot for NGCI development focuses on Food-Energy-Water (FEW) Nexus systems, which are common concepts taught in environmental programs.

Lastly, we will explain through our video that the NGCI would provide educators with a tool that could reveal their students’ initial knowledge state and alternative concepts regarding the FEW Nexus. This is significant because if students’ alternate conceptions are not addressed by instructors, it is possible that students will continue to believe false information and will not understand why their answers are incorrect. Additionally, students’ alternative conceptions and/or low prior knowledge regarding FEW concepts can impact students’ confidence and interest to learn and thrive in an EP course.

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Discussion from the 2021 STEM For All Video Showcase (14 posts)
  • Icon for: Mesut Duran

    Mesut Duran

    Facilitator
    Professor of Technology
    May 11, 2021 | 07:05 a.m.

    --How nice it could be to have such an assessment toll in every classroom, congratulations on this critical study and assessment tool development. Can you tell us a little more if the assessment tool is showing similar results among varying student demographics? Thanks, Mesut

  • Icon for: Lydia Horne

    Lydia Horne

    Co-Presenter
    Postdoctoral researcher
    May 11, 2021 | 11:23 a.m.

    Hi Mesut,

    Thanks for your question! We're still in the early phases of the project and have not yet begun to administer the assessment (it doesn't exist yet). I can tell you that we're observing differences in how students are answering interview questions based on their geographic location. For example, when we ask them about energy systems students are pulling from their first hand experiences with seeing wind turbines or living near hydroelectric dams. We will be delving into more demographic analysis at all steps of the project in the near future.

  • Icon for: Mesut Duran

    Mesut Duran

    Facilitator
    Professor of Technology
    May 11, 2021 | 12:31 p.m.

    Thank you for the reply, Lydia. I would anticipate that the assessment tool will gain great interest when developed.  Best, Mesut 

     
    1
    Discussion is closed. Upvoting is no longer available

    Lydia Horne
  • Icon for: Heather Hopkins

    Heather Hopkins

    Informal Educator
    May 14, 2021 | 04:54 p.m.

    I second this thought! Our group is very interested when the assessment tool is up and running! Great work Lydia et al!

  • Icon for: Alexander Rudolph

    Alexander Rudolph

    Facilitator
    Professor of Physics and Astronomy
    May 11, 2021 | 11:15 a.m.

    I really like your approach to understanding what students know coming into a class and what they learn while there. How have you approached validating your concept inventory? Do you plan to use the pre-course/post-course comparisons to assess instruction efficacy? For example, such concept inventories have been used in many fields to validate the importance of interactive learning strategies in promoting learning in STEM classes.

  • Icon for: Lydia Horne

    Lydia Horne

    Co-Presenter
    Postdoctoral researcher
    May 11, 2021 | 11:38 a.m.

    Hi Alexander,

    Great question! We'll be working with the Automated Analysis of Constructed Response (AACR) research group to validate our concept inventory using a machine learning approach (Check out the AACR website at https://beyondmultiplechoice.org/). This involves comparing human and machine scored student responses using text analysis. Eventually the machine "learns" how to score student responses. Our goal for this project is to develop the validated concept inventory that can eventually be used to assess how well different teaching interventions influence student learning of interdisciplinary environmental topics.

  • Icon for: Steven Anderson

    Steven Anderson

    Co-Presenter
    Professor
    May 11, 2021 | 11:42 a.m.

    We plan to target our concept inventory with several validity and reliability approaches, although it will be sometime before we have an entire instrument to validate (we are looking to have 10 valid and reliable questions by the end of our granting period (in 2 years)). We will apply many of the validity and reliability approaches outlined in Libarkin and Anderson for the Geoscience Concept Inventory to our questions, and then when we have enough questions to constitute an entire concept inventory then we will also look to validate the test as a whole. So yes, we will validate the instrument but we don't expect to have a full concept inventory for a couple of years.  

  • Icon for: Carrie Ferraro

    Carrie Ferraro

    Higher Ed Administrator
    May 12, 2021 | 09:49 a.m.

    I am very excited about your work and I think that it will be extremely valuable in fostering student centered learning. Thank you for working on this tool! Apologies if you mentioned this and I missed it. What level student are you targeting with this assessment?

  • Icon for: Steven Anderson

    Steven Anderson

    Co-Presenter
    Professor
    May 12, 2021 | 10:49 a.m.

    Hi Carrie,

    Our project concentrates only on college students and college programs.  

    Steve

  • Icon for: Neela White

    Neela White

    Facilitator
    Project Director
    May 12, 2021 | 03:15 p.m.

    Great video!  I loved learning about your project.   Do you plan on any longitudinal tracking on the students, to see if they go into research or careers in the FEW nexus system?

  • Icon for: Amanda Manzanares

    Amanda Manzanares

    Lead Presenter
    Research Assistant
    May 12, 2021 | 11:40 p.m.

    Hi Neela,

    Thank you for your question! This current IUSE funded project is focused on developing a validated assessment tool. We do not have a current plan for a longitudinal study. However, we are interested in researching student retention and academic choice in the environmental sciences and studies. We welcome collaborative efforts for future projects stemming from this work. We are also interested in equity-minded teaching and how teaching practices can help close the equity gap. There is a lot of interest in the aging water workforce, for example, and our work can be applied to prepare a next generation of diverse water professionals.

  • Icon for: DeLene Hoffner

    DeLene Hoffner

    Informal Educator
    May 16, 2021 | 12:44 a.m.

    It's wonderful to see a strong project from Colorado!  Thanks for making us proud! Go UNC!

  • Icon for: Amanda Manzanares

    Amanda Manzanares

    Lead Presenter
    Research Assistant
    May 17, 2021 | 11:43 a.m.

    Hi DeLene,

    Thank you for your post, this project is very rewarding. Go Bears!

  • Icon for: Thomas Veague

    Thomas Veague

    Community Engagement Manager
    May 18, 2021 | 05:08 p.m.

    Great video! I'm glad to see projects like this focused on helping students and faculty succeed in environmental sciences, especially on such critical issues as the food-energy-water nexus.

  • Further posting is closed as the event has ended.