Abstract
AbstractProfessionals with strong quantitative and analytical skills are essential to understanding and responding to current environmental challenges. The goal of this study was to promote and evaluate the development of data analysis (DA) skills in undergraduate students through targeted interventions in environmental science courses. We developed materials to promote practice, instruction, and assessment of four core DA dimensions: the ability to make appropriate calculations, convert data to graphical representations, interpret graphical or mathematical information, and draw conclusions based on the analysis of data. We integrated two conservation exercises as pre/post assessment tools, flanking differentiated teaching interventions, into selected science courses and used a standardized rubric to measure students' performance level. We found that students improved their DA skills in a single semester, but the level of improvement varied across skill dimensions. Students struggled with dimensions that require higher levels of thinking such as data interpretation and drawing conclusions. The use of additional exercises targeting these dimensions and alternative practices might enhance gains. Importantly, students also gained content knowledge in ecological principles while developing skills, and demonstrated an increase in self‐confidence with their DA skills. Our approach and open‐access materials can be integrated into existing courses to develop and assess data skills in undergraduate learners.
Highlights
The complexity of global environmental and social issues we face requires citizens and professionals equipped with skills to solvecomplex problems
We will refer to this set as an instructional unit (IU), which consisted of (1) a rubric for data analysis (DA) skills, (2) two content-r ich exercises designed to promote the development of DA skills accompanied by solutions, (3) a pre/post content assessment for each exercise and a scoring guide, (4) a student’s pre/post self-a ssessment of DA skills, and (5) a light and an intensive teaching intervention
While exercises were administered to approximately 750 students during the study period, we analyzed data from a total of 538 students who completed both exercises over the course of a single semester
Summary
The complexity of global environmental and social issues we face requires citizens and professionals equipped with skills to solvecomplex problems. The NRC (2009), for instance, urged the formation of the New Biologist, an individual who has a strong understanding of complex biological systems and is capable of providing solutions to real-w orld problems. To accomplish this goal, the NRC emphasized the need for biologists with quantitative and analytical skills. In a survey of 159 faculty members from a wide diversity of institutions, most respondents identified Problem solving/Critical thinking (80%) and Interpreting data (60%), as the two most important skills to be acquired by undergraduates (Coil et al 2010). Because teaching efforts are not always paired with assessment there is limited evidence of the effectiveness of the teaching practices used by the respondents in developing these skills
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