Expectations and performance of science students in physics and biology education

Program           

Ian Bearden, Professor MSO, NBI

Can We Predict Student Success?

How well does what we know about students at the beginning of their studies correlate with later success? This talk will focus on what we do know about physics students starting at KU and how that correlates with the rate at which students pass courses. We can, for example, answer questions such as “how well does secondary school GPA predict performance in introductory physics?” and “does early conceptual knowledge of mechanics predict success in math courses?”

Based on the data we have (or could potentially obtain), what conclusions can be drawn about university entrance requirements, course content and curricula? Finally, I will attempt to address the question “How should we define success?”

Break

Anders Priemé, Professor MSO, Department of Biology

Biology year 2009 – what happened to them?

In 2009, 187 students enrolled in the bachelor program in biology. A few days before their first classes at the university, the new students were asked about their background and expectations. 156 of the students responded to our questionnaire. Four years later, most of the students have graduated. I looked at their performance during those four years and linked performance to background and original expectations. The large data set opened for answering a number of questions relating to student performance. Was performance at the bachelor program correlated with GPA at high school? What happened to those students who haven´t graduated? Do expectations correlate with performance? What characterize students that drop out? What characterizes students that graduate within three years?