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Education research: SASS, ECCE and student learning outcomes assessment (Cuesta College, spring semester 2015)

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), and a shortened version (22 out of 45 questions) of the Electric Circuit Concept Evaluation (David Sokoloff, University of Oregon) to Physics 205B students at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA. This is the second semester of a two-semester introductory physics course (college physics, algebra-based, mandatory adjunct laboratory).

The SASS is administered online during the last week of instruction, to be completed before the final exam. The ECCE is administered in class during the last week of instruction.

The SASS results from this semester are compiled below. Values for the mean and standard deviations are given next to the modal response category for each question. Also listed is the percentage 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 205B spring semester 2015 sections 30882, 30883
N = 37

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 the completion of the course.

1. Quantify the frequency, speed and wavelength of light.
(Achieved: 96%, unachieved: 4%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  * [1]
Average.  **************** [16]
Above average.  ******* [7]
Excellent.  * [1]

2. Analyze the polarization of light.
(Achieved: 88%, unachieved: 12%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  *** [3]
Average.  ********** [10]
Above average.  ********** [10]
Excellent.  ** [2]

3. Analyze reflection, refraction, and total internal reflection.
(Achieved: 92%, unachieved: 8%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  ** [2]
Average.  ************* [13]
Above average.  ********* [9]
Excellent.  * [1]

4. Analyze images produced by lenses.
(Achieved: 96%, unachieved: 4%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  * [1]
Average.  ************** [14]
Above average.  ********* [9]
Excellent.  * [1]

5. Understand optical systems such as cameras, eyes, simple magnifiers, microscopes and telescopes operate.
(Achieved: 88%, unachieved: 12%)
Very poor.  * [1]
Below average.  ** [2]
Average.  ************* [13]
Above average.  ******** [8]
Excellent.  * [1]

6. Analyze the constructive/destructive interference of waves.
(Achieved: 96%, unachieved: 4%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  * [1]
Average.  ********* [9]
Above average.  ************ [12]
Excellent.  ** [2]

7. Understand how double-slits produce constructive/destructive interference.
(Achieved: 88%, unachieved: 12%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  *** [3]
Average.  *************** [15]
Above average.  ****** [6]
Excellent.  * [1]

8. Analyze the diffraction produced by a single-slit.
(Achieved: 92%, unachieved: 8%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  ** [2]
Average.  ******************* [19]
Above average.  *** [3]
Excellent.  * [1]

9. Understand how charges behave differently in conductors and insulators.
(Achieved: 64%, unachieved: 36%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  ********* [9]
Average.  *********** [11]
Above average.  ***** [5]
Excellent.  [0]

10. Understand how a source charge exerts a force on a test charge (the direct model).
(Achieved: 83%, unachieved: 17%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  **** [4]
Average.  ************ [12]
Above average.  ******* [7]
Excellent.  * [1]

11. Analyze the electric force exerted on a test charge by several source charges.
(Achieved: 84%, unachieved: 16%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  **** [4]
Average.  *************** [15]
Above average.  ****** [6]
Excellent.  [0]

12. Understand how a source charge creates an electric field, which exerts a force on a test charge (the two-step field model).
(Achieved: 88%, unachieved: 12%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  *** [3]
Average.  ************ [12]
Above average.  ********** [10]
Excellent.  [0]

13. Analyze the electric field created by several source charges.
(Achieved: 84%, unachieved: 16%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  **** [4]
Average.  *********** [11]
Above average.  ********** [10]
Excellent.  [0]

14. Understand the relationship between electric potential and electric potential energy.
(Achieved: 92%, unachieved: 8%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  ************ [2]
Average.  *********** [11]
Above average.  *********** [11]
Excellent.  * [1]

15. Analyze the characteristics of parallel plate capacitors.
(Achieved: 88%, unachieved: 12%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  *** [3]
Average.  **** [4]
Above average.  *************** [15]
Excellent.  *** [3]

16. Quantify (using Ohm's law) the resistance, electric potential difference, and current of a circuit element.
(Achieved: 100%, unachieved: 0%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  [0]
Average.  ********* [9]
Above average.  ************* [13]
Excellent.  ** [2]

17. Understand how to reduce configurations of resistors to an equivalent resistance.
(Achieved: 92%, unachieved: 8%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  ** [2]
Average.  ************** [14]
Above average.  ****** [6]
Excellent.  *** [3]

18. Understand how to apply Kirchhoff's circuit rules (the junction rule and the loop rule).
(Achieved: 84%, unachieved: 16%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  **** [4]
Average.  *********** [11]
Above average.  ******* [7]
Excellent.  *** [3]

19. Analyze the power used or supplied by circuit elements.
(Achieved: 84%, unachieved: 16%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  **** [4]
Average.  ************** [14]
Above average.  **** [4]
Excellent.  *** [3]

20. Understand how a source magnet or current-carrying wire creates a magnetic field, which exerts a force on a moving charge or current-carrying wire (the two-step field model).
(Achieved: 92%, unachieved: 8%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  ** [2]
Average.  ************* [13]
Above average.  ****** [6]
Excellent.  **** [4]

21. Analyze the direction of a magnetic fields and forces using the appropriate right-hand rules.
(Achieved: 100%, unachieved: 0%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  [0]
Average.  *********** [11]
Above average.  ********* [9]
Excellent.  **** [4]

22. Understand how generators work.
(Achieved: 88%, unachieved: 13%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  *** [3]
Average.  ******** [13]
Above average.  ******* [7]
Excellent.  * [1]

23. Understand how changing the magnetic flux through a wire loop produces an induced emf and an induced current (Faraday's law and Lenz's law).
(Achieved: 92%, unachieved: 8%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  ** [2]
Average.  ************* [13]
Above average.  ********* [9]
Excellent.  * [1]

24. Analyze the step-up and step-down behavior of transformers.
(Achieved: 80%, unachieved: 20%)
Very poor.  [0]
Below average.  ***** [5]
Average.  ************** [14]
Above average.  *** [3]
Excellent.  *** [3]

25. Understand the conditions for stability and instability in atomic nuclei.
(Achieved: 75%, unachieved: 25%)
Very poor.  * [1]
Below average.  ***** [5]
Average.  *********** [11]
Above average.  ****** [6]
Excellent.  * [1]

26. Analyze various radioactive decay processes (alpha, beta-plus, beta-minus, electron capture, and gamma).
(Achieved: 83%, unachieved: 17%)
Very poor.  ** [2]
Below average.  ** [2]
Average.  *********** [11]
Above average.  ******* [7]
Excellent.  ** [2]

27. Analyze the time-dependent nature of radioactive decay activity.
(Achieved: 88%, unachieved: 12%)
Very poor.  ** [2]
Below average.  * [1]
Average.  **************** [16]
Above average.  ***** [5]
Excellent.  * [1]

28. Understand how Feynman diagrams are used to depict fundamental subatomic processes and interactions.
(Achieved: 68%, unachieved: 32%)
Very poor.  ** [2]
Below average.  ****** [6]
Average.  ************ [12]
Above average.  **** [4]
Excellent.  * [1]

Of the 28 student learning outcomes in the SASS, 18 were self-reported as being achieved by at least 85% of students, listed below in order of decreasing success:
16. Quantify (using Ohm's law) the resistance, electric potential difference, and current of a circuit element. (100%)
21. Analyze the direction of a magnetic fields and forces using the appropriate right-hand rules. (100%)
1. Quantify the frequency, speed and wavelength of light. (96%)
4. Analyze images produced by lenses. (96%)
6. Analyze the constructive/destructive interference of waves. (96%)
3. Analyze reflection, refraction, and total internal reflection. (92%)
8. Analyze the diffraction produced by a single-slit. (92%)
23. Understand how changing the magnetic flux through a wire loop produces an induced emf and an induced current (Faraday's law and Lenz's law). (92%)
14. Understand the relationship between electric potential and electric potential energy. (92%)
17. Understand how to reduce configurations of resistors to an equivalent resistance. (92%)
20. Understand how a source magnet or current-carrying wire creates a magnetic field, which exerts a force on a moving charge or current-carrying wire (the two-step field model). (92%)
2. Analyze the polarization of light. (88%)
5. Understand optical systems such as cameras, eyes, simple magnifiers, microscopes and telescopes operate. (88%)
7. Understand how double-slits produce constructive/destructive interference. (88%)
12. Understand how a source charge creates an electric field, which exerts a force on a test charge (the two-step field model). (88%)
15. Analyze the characteristics of parallel plate capacitors. (88%)
22. Understand how generators work. (88%)
27. Analyze the time-dependent nature of radioactive decay activity. (88%)

However, 10 student learning outcomes were self-reported as being achieved by less than 85% of students, listed below in order of decreasing success:
11. Analyze the electric force exerted on a test charge by several source charges. (84%)
13. Analyze the electric field created by several source charges. (84%)
18. Understand how to apply Kirchhoff's circuit rules (the junction rule and the loop rule). (84%)
19. Analyze the power used or supplied by circuit elements. (84%)
10. Understand how a source charge exerts a force on a test charge (the direct model). (83%)
26. Analyze various radioactive decay processes (alpha, beta-plus, beta-minus, electron capture, and gamma). (83%)
24. Analyze the step-up and step-down behavior of transformers. (80%)
25. Understand the conditions for stability and instability in atomic nuclei. (75%)
28. Understand how Feynman diagrams are used to depict fundamental subatomic processes and interactions. (68%)
9. Understand how charges behave differently in conductors and insulators. (64%)

Compare these student learning outcomes self-reported as not being achieved (9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 28) those from the previous semester (spring semester 2014: (5, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28).

Student learning outcomes 16, 17, 18, and 19 for this semester were also directly assessed using a shortened version of Electric Circuit Concept Evaluation.

As per the ACCJC (Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges), results from this indirect assessment SASS tool, along with the direct assessment ECCE tool will be used for course/program improvement by increasing emphasis on these lowest three learning outcomes in instruction in future semesters.

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