Raw failure rates in the introductory biology course declined from 18.2% to 6.3% as course structure increased across quarters¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2011 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? The proportion of students receiving a grade below 1.5 differed significantly across the six quarters (χ2 = 44.7, df = 5, p ≪ 0.001), falling from 18.2% in Spring 2002 to 6.3% in Autumn 2009. → Freeman Scott 2011

Evidence¶

Freeman Scott 2011¶

Freeman Scott, Haak David, Wenderoth Mary Pat. (2011). Increased Course Structure Improves Performance in Introductory Biology. CBE—Life Sciences Education. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.10-08-0105

q3 · i? · causal · r2

A χ2 analysis of graded students above and below the 1.5 threshold across six quarters. Table 7 reports failure percentages of 18.2, 15.8, 10.9, 11.7, 7.4, and 6.3 across low-, moderate-, and high-structure quarters, a decline the discussion describes as "from 18.2 to 6.3%".

"A χ2 analysis of the number of students who took the final and received a grade, and were above and below the 1.5 threshold, confirms significant differences across quarters (Table 7; χ2 = 44.7, df = 5; p ≪ 0.001)."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• High course structure significantly reduces failure rates in introductory biology independent of student ability, while moderate structure has a marginal effect — a broader claim this one bears on
• Student academic ability varied across quarters but not systematically with changes in course structure — related
• Drop rates did not vary with course structure except for an increase in the final high-enrollment quarter — related