20131214

Education research: formative SASS student learning outcomes assessment (Cuesta College, fall semester 2013, second 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 the 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 second midterm of the semester are compiled below. Values for the mean and standard deviations are given next to the modal response category for each question. 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. Apply work and energy conservation to analyze initial-to-final state systems.
(Achieved: 77%, unachieved: 23%)
Very poor.  * [1]
Below average.  ************ [12]
Average.  ******************************* [31]
Above average.  *********** [11]
Excellent.  * [1]

2. Relate the impulse exerted on an object to its resulting change in momentum.
(Achieved: 77%, unachieved: 23%)
Very poor.  * [1]
Below average.  ************ [12]
Average.  ********************************* [33]
Above average.  ********** [9]
Excellent.  * [1]

3. Apply appropriate momentum conservation and kinetic energy conservation laws to analyze different types of collisions.
(Achieved: 84%, unachieved: 16%)
Very poor.  * [1]
Below average.  ******** [8]
Average.  *************************** [27]
Above average.  ******************* [19]
Excellent.  * [1]

4. Calculate the rotational inertia of an object using standardized shapes, or as an assembly of standardized shapes.
(Achieved: 61%, unachieved: 39%)
Very poor.  * [1]
Below average.  ********************* [21]
Average.  *********************** [23]
Above average.  ********** [10]
Excellent.  * [1]

5. Calculate torques due to forces, using Fr form.
(Achieved: 54%, unachieved: 46%)
Very poor.  ***** [5]
Below average.  ********************* [21]
Average.  ***************** [17]
Above average.  ******** [8]
Excellent.  ***** [5]

6. Apply Newton's first law for translational and rotational motion to determine the conditions required for static equilibrium.
(Achieved: 62%, unachieved: 38%)
Very poor.  *** [3]
Below average.  ****************** [18]
Average.  ********************** [22]
Above average.  ********** [10]
Excellent.  *** [3]

7. Apply energy conservation to analyze systems with rolling/rotating objects.
(Achieved: 64%, unachieved: 36%)
Very poor.  * [1]
Below average.  ******************* [19]
Average.  ************************** [26]
Above average.  ******** [8]
Excellent.  ** [2]

8. Relate forces due to pressures, and pressure differences between locations in static fluids.
(Achieved: 84%, unachieved: 16%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  ********* [9]
Average.  ******************************** [32]
Above average.  ************* [13]
Excellent.  ** [2]

9. Use the properties of the buoyant force to analyze floating and submerged objects.
(Achieved: 80%, unachieved: 20%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  *********** [11]
Average.  ************************** [26]
Above average.  ************* [13]
Excellent.  ****** [6]

10. Apply appropriate conservation laws (continuity and Bernoulli's equation) to analyze ideal fluid flow.
(Achieved: 77%, unachieved: 23%)
Very poor.  * [1]
Below average.  ************ [12]
Average.  ************************* [25]
Above average.  **************** [16]
Excellent.  ** [2]

11. Apply Hooke's law to relate compressive/tensile stress to the resulting strain for elastic non-destructive deformation.
(Achieved: 70%, unachieved: 30%)
Very poor.  * [1]
Below average.  **************** [16]
Average.  **************************** [28]
Above average.  ********* [9]
Excellent.  ** [2]

12. Apply Newton's laws and energy conservation to analyze the objects undergoing simple harmonic motion.
(Achieved: 66%, unachieved: 34%)
Very poor.  ***** [5]
Below average.  ************** [14]
Average.  *************************** [27]
Above average.  ********* [9]
Excellent.  * [1]

13. Relate the properties of a mass-spring system or simple pendulum to its period, or frequency.
(Achieved: 77%, unachieved: 23%)
Very poor.  ** [2]
Below average.  *********** [11]
Average.  ***************************** [29]
Above average.  ************ [12]
Excellent.  ** [2]

14. Understand the relationship between string wave properties and parameters (frequency, speed, velocity, etc.).
(Achieved: 82%, unachieved: 18%)
Very poor.  *** [3]
Below average.  ******* [7]
Average.  ******************************* [31]
Above average.  ************* [13]
Excellent.  ** [2]

15. Understand how string standing waves arise from resonance, their node/antinode patterns, and parameters that affect these resonant frequencies.
(Achieved: 71%, unachieved: 29%)
Very poor.  *** [3]
Below average.  ************* [13]
Average.  ****************************** [30]
Above average.  ******** [8]
Excellent.  ** [2]

16. Relate how the speed of sound changes due to changes in air temperature.
(Achieved: 77%, unachieved: 23%)
Very poor.  *** [3]
Below average.  ********** [10]
Average.  ************************* [25]
Above average.  ************ [17]
Excellent.  * [1]

17. Understand the relationship between sound wave properties and parameters (frequency, speed, velocity, etc.).
(Achieved: 75%, unachieved: 25%)
Very poor.  *** [3]
Below average.  *********** [11]
Average.  ************************* [25]
Above average.  **** [14]
Excellent.  *** [3]

18. Understand how sound standing waves arise from resonance, their node/antinode patterns, and parameters that affect these resonant frequencies.
(Achieved: 73%, unachieved: 27%)
Very poor.  ***** [5]
Below average.  ********** [10]
Average.  ******************************* [31]
Above average.  ******* [7]
Excellent.  *** [3]

Of the 18 student learning outcomes in this section of the SASS, none were self-reported as being achieved by at least 85% of students, listed below in order of decreasing success:
3. Apply appropriate momentum conservation and kinetic energy conservation laws to analyze different types of collisions. (84%)
8. Relate forces due to pressures, and pressure differences between locations in static fluids. (84%)
14. Understand the relationship between string wave properties and parameters (frequency, speed, velocity, etc.). (82%)
9. Use the properties of the buoyant force to analyze floating and submerged objects. (80%)
1. Apply work and energy conservation to analyze initial-to-final state systems. (77%)
2. Relate the impulse exerted on an object to its resulting change in momentum. (77%)
10. Apply appropriate conservation laws (continuity and Bernoulli's equation) to analyze ideal fluid flow. (77%)
13. Relate the properties of a mass-spring system or simple pendulum to its period, or frequency. (77%)
16. Relate how the speed of sound changes due to changes in air temperature. (77%)
17. Understand the relationship between sound wave properties and parameters (frequency, speed, velocity, etc.). (75%)
18. Understand how sound standing waves arise from resonance, their node/antinode patterns, and parameters that affect these resonant frequencies. (73%)
15. Understand how string standing waves arise from resonance, their node/antinode patterns, and parameters that affect these resonant frequencies. (71%)
11. Apply Hooke's law to relate compressive/tensile stress to the resulting strain for elastic non-destructive deformation. (70%)
12. Apply Newton's laws and energy conservation to analyze the objects undergoing simple harmonic motion. (66%)
7. Apply energy conservation to analyze systems with rolling/rotating objects. (64%)
6. Apply Newton's first law for translational and rotational motion to determine the conditions required for static equilibrium. (62%)
4. Calculate the rotational inertia of an object using standardized shapes, or as an assembly of standardized shapes. (61%)
5. Calculate torques due to forces, using Fr form. (54%)

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

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