Abstract
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) involves students in addressing real-world problems in collaboration with community partners. Research has shown that this approach results in positive outcomes with respect to student engagement and attitudes. However, demonstrating that CBPR leads to genuine improvement in student learning, as compared with more traditional pedagogical approaches, is an emerging challenge. In order to address this challenge, we present the use of an authentic assessment in Watershed Ecology, a CBPR science course for non-majors, to measure gains in student learning as compared with learning gains in a similar undergraduate course that does not use a CBPR approach. The assessment was designed to measure student learning gains in four primary learning objectives: understanding the interdisciplinary nature of science, proficiency with the scientific method and quantitative literacy, awareness of global ethical issues relating to science, and communication in a scientific format. Preliminary results suggest that student learning gains in all four primary learning objectives were greater in the CBPR course than the comparison course.
Location
Room 2904
Recommended Citation
Nielsen, Caroline; Dunbar, David; Medved, Christina; and Gill, Susan, "Collaborative Assessment: Measuring Effects of Community-Based Participatory Research on Student Learning" (2012). SoTL Commons Conference. 49.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sotlcommons/SoTL/2012/49
Collaborative Assessment: Measuring Effects of Community-Based Participatory Research on Student Learning
Room 2904
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) involves students in addressing real-world problems in collaboration with community partners. Research has shown that this approach results in positive outcomes with respect to student engagement and attitudes. However, demonstrating that CBPR leads to genuine improvement in student learning, as compared with more traditional pedagogical approaches, is an emerging challenge. In order to address this challenge, we present the use of an authentic assessment in Watershed Ecology, a CBPR science course for non-majors, to measure gains in student learning as compared with learning gains in a similar undergraduate course that does not use a CBPR approach. The assessment was designed to measure student learning gains in four primary learning objectives: understanding the interdisciplinary nature of science, proficiency with the scientific method and quantitative literacy, awareness of global ethical issues relating to science, and communication in a scientific format. Preliminary results suggest that student learning gains in all four primary learning objectives were greater in the CBPR course than the comparison course.
