Reflection: Perspective of the student

Students are comfortable with summative assessment (SA) because that has been the traditional method, and they have learned to study with this method in mind. If they are successful, they continue to develop skills to perform on these kinds of assessments. They are comfortable with SA. They have practiced and have learned how to be successful on SAs. They have learned to manage their time based on the syllabi; when is the test, when is the assignment due.

With formative assessment (FA), we are asking them to make a change. Changes are difficult for everyone. It can create frustration.

Assessment for the student is feedback. The feedback must be constructive in a way that helps the student gain understanding of their knowledge and how to adjust their learning to meet the required goals. Of importance, is explaining to the student WHY you are assessing them in the way you are (your rationale), and what you want them to get out of the assessment.

College students are adults and intelligent. They want to know that the teacher respects them, and that they are a team. Then, when the teacher explains their rationale for FA and how students can benefit from this method of assessment, students will be amenable to change and engage in a new learning method. 

REFLECTIONS: formative assessment

This was a difficult exercise for me.  I think what went well was that we knew that we needed to get a sense of what the students already had knowledge of, and how they would assess their own students. We created a strategy to accomplish this which was the easiest part of this exercise.

We discussed goals and outcomes, and decided that these were the same without looking back or thinking about what we had previously read in Backward Design. I spent a lot of time on the readings for Tuesday, but did not make connections between those and Thursday’s readings.

When I first looked over the template, it made sense. I found that trying to use it is a lot more challenging than I thought. It was also a bit awkward trying to use the tool in a group before trying it on my own first, but the exercise has provided me with a way to approach the task. I think it is difficult to identify strategies to truly measure the students’ understanding and will take time and creativity. Using formative assessment allows you to create a structure for your unit but also allows the instructor to measure student learning based on evidence and adapt to the needs and misconceptions of the students.

Reflections about the interviews:

This was an excellent exercise which will really help me with the “real” interview. It was fun and constructive and opened my eyes to my lack of understanding about how an interview might go. Having the feedback about my initial questions, allowing me to adjust my questions, and then practice using those was valuable in developing a better final product. Developing these questions is a lot harder than I initially thought.

I learned that it is important to know the basic background of the interviewee. I must target the interview questions to the individual interviewee. I need to start out with more basic concepts and expand on those, and then make connections with the “big question.” What I learned from my partner was that when my answer was “I don’t know,” he didn’t just give me the answer but built on more basic concepts and terminology that I did know which allowed me to demonstrate the limited knowledge that I did have. At first I was wondering if I really needed an audio recorder. But what I learned is that I need to be observing the interviewee as they think through the questions and their answers. If I’m looking down and writing notes, I will miss an important part of the interview. I’m going to have to listen, observe, think, and possibly formulate the next question all at the same time. My partner also started out with an introductory explanation about the interview and its purpose, which I will add to my interview.

What was difficult was that when I asked the first question I learned that, although my partner had a basic understanding of the topic, he did not have a conceptual understanding about the PCR methodology. I wasn’t prepared for that response and didn’t have a plan to alter my questioning. I also had a hard time listening without trying to teach him. I will need to develop strategies to find out what they know, not tell them what I know.

I think what went well was my scenario questions which led to more insight into my partner’s knowledge. It was interesting to see his thought processes. By simply observing, you can gain a lot of insight.

My protocol will change in that I will definitely make sure that my questions are appropriate for the interviewee’s background. I will begin with determining their understanding of DNA structure, base pairing rules and replication. Then I will assess the connection between these and PCR. I will also prepare back-up questions if I don’t get the responses I am expecting. I will develop some questions that will allow me to better assess their thought processes. I plan to add an activity question, such as a diagram or drawing and build on that. If the interviewee does not know the answer, I plan to have alternatives ways of asking the same question to ensure that they can’t answer because they don’t quite understand the question. I will have a sequence of questions but will feel free to go off on a tangent, or change the sequence. I also need to remember not to try to teach them during the interview, but rather give them cues to elicit their understanding.

What tricks did I learn? Do not make assumptions about the interviewee’s understanding, rather, get at their true knowledge. I think scenarios are a great way to get a handle on their understanding and something that I can build on. Also having them draw a picture of a concept and also build on that.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS first draft

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Concept that I will be teaching:

Polymerase Chain Reaction Methodology (PCR)

Interview Setting:

·         The interview setting will be comfortable, quiet and without distractions. 

·         I will ask the interviewee if I may record our interview. 

·         I will explain the purpose of the interview.

·         I will explain that he can decide not to answer any of the questions and we can stop the interview at any time. 

·         I will explain that if he is unsure whether his/her answer will be correct, to attempt to do his/her best.

·         His/her name will not be used in my class.

1.       Was there a course in high school or college where you covered polymerase chain reaction (PCR)?

2.       Which course was this?

3.       What did you think about this method?

4.       What does the term polymerase chain reaction mean to you?

5.       What is a chain reaction?

6.       What is deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)?

7.       What are the repeating units that make up DNA?

8.       Where can we find DNA?

9.       What part of learning this method was difficult for you and why?

10.   Polymerase is an enzyme. How can this enzyme survive the high temperatures required for the PCR reaction to occur?

11.   What does the term target sequence mean?

12.   Why would we want to amplify DNA sequences?

13.   What are the “ingredients” required for PCR to occur?

14.   What is a thermocycler?

15.   What are the small single stranded pieces of DNA that are needed to get DNA synthesis started?

16.   At the end of the first PCR cycle, you end up with very long flanking pieces of DNA. By the end of 30 cycles, you end up with only short double stranded pieces. Why is this?

17.   What is an amplification plot? Can you draw one?

18.   What does the term “crossing threshold” mean?

19.   How will you assess for the products of PCR?

20.   Who invented PCR?