Education research: formative SASS student learning outcomes assessment (Cuesta College, fall semester 2013, first midterm)

Student achievement of course learning outcomes are assessed by administering an Student Assessment of Skills Survey (SASS), a five-point Likert scale questionnaire (Patrick M. Len, in development) to Physics 205A students at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA. This is first semester of a two-semester introductory physics course (college physics, algebra-based, mandatory adjunct laboratory).

Different sections of the SASS are administered online just before each of two midterms, and the final exam.

The SASS results from the first midterm of the semester are compiled below. Listed are the percentages of students who have self-assessed themselves as having successfully achieving a learning outcome (responding "average," "above average," or "excellent") as opposed to not achieving success with a learning outcome (responding "very poor" or "below average").

Cuesta College
Student Assessment of Skills Survey (SASS)
Physics 205A fall semester 2013
Sections 70854, 70855, 73320
N = 56

The questions below are designed to characterize your achievement of each of the learning outcomes by filling in a bubble on the rating scale provided to the right of each statement.

Mark the level of achievement that best describes your learning at this time.

1. Distinguish between displacement, distance traveled, (average) velocity, and (average) speed.
(Achieved: 98%, unachieved: 2%)

Very poor.	[0]
Below average.	* [1]
Average.	****************** [18]
Above average.	*********************** [23]
Excellent.	************** [14]

2. Analyze and describe motion using different kinematic graphs.
(Achieved: 78%, unachieved: 22%)

Very poor.	* [1]
Below average.	*********** [11]
Average.	************************ [24]
Above average.	**************** [16]
Excellent.	**** [4]

3. Model free fall, using kinematic equations of constant acceleration motion.
(Achieved: 85%, unachieved: 15%)

Very poor.	* [1]
Below average.	******* [7]
Average.	************************* [25]
Above average.	******************* [19]
Excellent.	**** [4]

4. Relate the magnitude and direction of a vector to its horizontal and vertical components.
(Achieved: 78%, unachieved: 22%)

Very poor.	* [1]
Below average.	*********** [11]
Average.	******************* [19]
Above average.	******************** [20]
Excellent.	***** [5]

5. Model projectile motion, using kinematic equations of constant acceleration motion in the vertical direction, and constant velocity in the horizontal direction.
(Achieved: 71%, unachieved: 29%)

Very poor.	*** [3]
Below average.	************* [13]
Average.	************************** [26]
Above average.	************* [13]
Excellent.	* [1]

6. Describe the magnitude and direction of common mechanical force interactions (weight, tension, normal force, static friction, and kinetic friction).
(Achieved: 69%, unachieved: 31%)

Very poor.	**** [4]
Below average.	************* [13]
Average.	********** [10]
Above average.	********* [14]
Excellent.	***** [5]

7. Apply Newton's first or second laws to determine the conditions required for static equilibrium, or for acceleration, according to the forces on a proper free-body diagram.
(Achieved: 73%, unachieved: 27%)

Very poor.	*** [3]
Below average.	******* [12]
Average.	*************************** [27]
Above average.	************ [12]
Excellent.	** [2]

8. Apply Newton's third law to relate interaction pairs acting on separate objects.
(Achieved: 67%, unachieved: 33%)

Very poor.	***** [5]
Below average.	************* [13]
Average.	********************* [26]
Above average.	*********** [11]
Excellent.	* [1]

9. Understand the relationship between both the magnitudes and directions of tangential velocity and radial acceleration for uniform circular motion.
(Achieved: 55%, unachieved: 45%)

Very poor.	***** [5]
Below average.	******************** [20]
Average.	*********************** [23]
Above average.	******** [8]
Excellent.	[0]

10. Apply Newton's second law to determine the conditions required for uniform circular motion, according to the forces on a proper free-body diagram.
(Achieved: 58%, unachieved: 42%)

Very poor.	**** [4]
Below average.	******************* [19]
Average.	**************************** [28]
Above average.	***** [5]
Excellent.	[0]

Of the 10 student learning outcomes in this section of the SASS, two were self-reported as being achieved by at least 85% of students, listed below in order of decreasing success:
1. Distinguish between displacement, distance traveled, (average) velocity, and (average) speed. (98%)
3. Model free fall, using kinematic equations of constant acceleration motion. (85%)

However, eight student learning outcomes were self-reported as being achieved by less than 85% of students:
2. Analyze and describe motion using different kinematic graphs. (78%)
4. Relate the magnitude and direction of a vector to its horizontal and vertical components. (78%)
7. Apply Newton's first or second laws to determine the conditions required for static equilibrium, or for acceleration, according to the forces on a proper free-body diagram. (73%)
5. Model projectile motion, using kinematic equations of constant acceleration motion in the vertical direction, and constant velocity in the horizontal direction. (71%)
6. Describe the magnitude and direction of common mechanical force interactions (weight, tension, normal force, static friction, and kinetic friction). (69%)
8. Apply Newton's third law to relate interaction pairs acting on separate objects. (67%)
10. Apply Newton's second law to determine the conditions required for uniform circular motion, according to the forces on a proper free-body diagram. (58%)
9. Understand the relationship between both the magnitudes and directions of tangential velocity and radial acceleration for uniform circular motion. (55%)

Since this section of the SASS is administered before the first midterm, it should be considered a formative rather than summative form of self-assessment.