Performance Profile of Students in a University General Biology Course

Abstract

Performance monitoring of at-risk and not-at-risk students was performed during the spring 1994 semester in a general biology course for non-science majors at a large land-grant institution in the southern United States. This course is required in such curricula as the social sciences, humanities, management, and engineering. Students' potential for success was assessed by Marsh's (1985) Biomathematical Skills Test (BST), a 46-item test using quantitatively-focused questions dealing with biological topics. Additionally, the opportunity was used to examine achievement levels and other characteristics of this class, with the assumption that its makeup and performance represented the profile of students who might typically enroll in this course. Beyond grades, comparative performance assessments were made among several criteria including gender and rank in both the at-risk and not-at-risk populations. Inventory measurements of self-concept and nature of science surveys were also given. This study was supported by a Teaching Excellence and Faculty Initiative Grant provided by the author's home institution and was approved by its Use of Human Subjects in Research Committee.

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