1. Patterns of online use and improved student performance with repeatable online assessments
Ann E. Holmes, Ph.D.
Department of Physics, Geology and Astronomy
and
Jennifer T. Ellis, Ph.D.
Walker Teaching Resource Center
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Chattanooga, TN 37403
Research Funded by NSF-CCLI Grant #

2. Patterns of Use

3. General Usage of Blackboard
52%
Content Area contains Lecture outlines, PowerPoint lectures for review, and online quizzes
Physical Geology, Fall 2010

4. Blackboard Access by Date

5. Blackboard Access by Day of Week
Class meets Tuesday & Thursday for 1 hour and 15 minutes
Most work is done during the week on Monday-Thursday
These data have strong implications for scheduling online class deadlines

6. Blackboard Access by Hour
Most work is done between
8 a.m. – midnight
Some work done as late as 3 a.m.
Students have 24/7 access to the material
These data have strong implications for scheduling online class deadlines

7. Student Performance

8. Improved Performance Descriptive Statistics
Intro Geol
Exam 1 avg
Exam 2 avg
Exam 3 avg
Fall 2010
80.3%
79.4%
80.2%
N = 87
N = 86
N = 84
STD = 14.87
STD = 13.12
STD = 13.59
Spring 2010
79.9%
70.8%
73.5%
N = 42
STD = 15.71
STD = 22.93
STD = 22.59
Fall 2009
79.2%
72.3%
74.2%
N = 75
STD = 14.22
STD =
STD = 15.23
Spring 2009
74.0%
73.8%
75.3%
STD = 14.58
STD = 13.83
Fall 2008
74.8%
71.9%
66.0%
N = 115
STD = 15.10
STD = 20.89
STD = 24.73
online quizzes
i>Clicker review
This is the descriptive statistics,
no i>Clicker review

9. Improved Performance Inferential Statistics
Fall 2008 control group
Independent Sample T Test
Significant Difference Between Fall 2010 (online quizzes) <0.05
Exam 1
Spring 2009 (i>clicker review)
(t(87) = -2.821, p = 0.005)
Fall 2008 (no i<clicker review)
(t(115) = -2.593, p = 0.010)
Exam 2
Spring 2010 (i>clicker review)
(t(42) = -2.684, p = 0.008)
Fall 2009 (i>clicker review)
(t(73) = -2.426, p = 0.016)
(t(87) = -2.745, p = 0.007)
(t(115) = -2.939, p = 0.004)
Exam 3
(t(42) = -2.074, p = 0.040)
(t(75) = -2.794, p = 0.006)
(t(87) = -2.223, p = 0.028)
(t(115) = -4.756, p = 0.000)
From the ANOVA and the Independent Sample T Test it is safe to conclude that a significant increase in student performance occurred after their exposure
to the online tests in comparison to the control group as well as to those students that were exposed to iClicker reviews in class.

10. Quiz Creation & Examples

11. Choosing Topics for Quizzes
7 online quizzes
~10 questions each
Focused on topics that were confusing, complex, not well-understood in past classes
quizzes were designed to give students visual and conceptual opportunities to learn
remembering and understanding
analysis and application

12. Topics for Quizzes Lithospheric Plate Names
Mineral Group Identification
Solidus/Liquidus Igneous melting
Sedimentary Depositional Environments
Contact Metamorphism and Rock Names
Earthquakes
Surface and Groundwater

13. Lithospheric Plate ID Quiz
Learning Objective: After completion of this quiz students should be able to recognize plate names.
Screen Snapshot From Blackboard
Students were given unlimited attempts to correctly identify plate names. Each exam had at least one similar question.

14. Lithospheric Plate ID Quiz
Screen Snapshot From Blackboard

15. Mineral Group ID by Formula Quiz
Learning Objective:
Students should be able to identify a mineral group by the anion or anion group
Screen Snapshot From Blackboard

16. Solidus/Liquidus Question
QUESTION: Compare the two solidus lines in the diagram.  One is labeled wet solidus line and one is labeled dry solidus line.  Which statement accurately reflects the use of one of these solidus lines?
Answer Choices
Use the wet solidus line if there is no water present.
Use the wet solidus line when water is present.
Use the dry solidus if there is water present.
Incorrect Feedback
Minerals melt at lower temperatures when water is present. The wet solidus represents the appropriate melting curve when water is present, and the dry solidus, when water is not present. Use one or the other, never both.  
Learning objective
correctly determine the effect of water on melting temperature
understand how/when to use lines on graph
Solidus/Liquidus Question

17. Solidus/Liquidus Igneous Quiz
Learning Objectives
understand how to read a P/T melting graph
understand effects of decompression
understand effects of increased temperature
Answers
all solid (crystalline)
some melt and some crystals
all liquid (melt)
Which mineral melts due to increasing temperature? (ID by arrow color)
Which mineral or rock melts because of decreasing pressure? (ID by arrow color)
What is the state of any mineral or rock that lies in the blue field?
What is the state of any mineral or rock that lies in the green field?
What is the state of any mineral or rock in the yellow field?

18. Sedimentary Environments of Deposition
Learning objective
become adept at recognizing sedimentary environments
Screen Snapshot From Blackboard

19. Earthquake Quiz
Match the seismic stations and their seismograms to an appropriate lettered box located on the surface in the cross-section sketch of Earth. 
Learning Objective
Identify P & S waves on a seismogram
Analyze DT length on 3 seismograms
Apply knowledge to link DT length and seismic station placement

20. Earthquake Quiz
Which answers correctly match seismic stations (PAN, etc) and their seismograms to an appropriate box located on the surface in the cross-section sketch of Earth? 
a.  PAN belongs at B b.  BRG belongs at C c.  RGT belongs at A d.  RGT belongs at C e.  PAN belongs at C f.  PAN belongs at A g.  RGT belongs ad B h.  BRG belongs at B i.  BRG belongs at A

21. Water Quiz Question Well A penetrates a(n) __________.
aquiclude
Learning Objective
recognize difference between unconfined and confined aquifers
Question Well A penetrates a(n) __________.
a.  confined aquifer b.  unconfined aquifer

22. Water Quiz Learning Objectives analyze potential contamination
assess which well is less likely to be polluted
aquiclude
Question Which well, A or B, is likely to be polluted by the factory?
A.  neither A nor B is likely to be polluted by the factory B.  only water from well B is likely to be polluted by the factory C.  only water from well A is likely to be polluted by the factory

23. Conclusion
Students conceptual and visual understanding was significantly enhanced via the integration of the online quizzes
New formative assessment model required the same level of effort from the instructor to construct concept questions that assess student understanding of the content as used with the i>Clicker method
One of the major benefits to students was the ability to access to the material at times that work best for their study habits/preferences (24/7)
Increased and repetitive access is interpreted to contribute to enhancing student understanding of physical geology content and improved their overall course performance

24. Questions? Ann E. Holmes, Ph.D. Ann-Holmes@utc.edu
Department of Physics, Geology and Astronomy
and
Jennifer T. Ellis, Ph.D.
Walker Teaching Resource Center
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Chattanooga, TN 37403