Abstract
Limitations in previous pseudo-experimentally designed Scholarship of Teaching and Learning studies were addressed by including recent recommendations in the literature (LoSchiavo, Shatz, & Poling, 2008; Smith, 2008). These involved: (a) pre/post tests administered in Social Psychology (SP) courses; (b) random assignment of SP students within the same course, semester, and instructor to one of the two interventions; and (c) the recruitment of students from a participant pool to serve as a group control (i.e., completed the same tests without having taken the course). This presentation focused on results from a 50-items SP exam covering SP topics, including prejudice, aggression, attraction and helping behavior. Students' scores were compared between those randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups (n = 35) or to a control group (n = 44). Students in the experimental conditions performed significantly higher on exam than in the control (M = 38.37, SD = 4.94 vs. M = 23.50, SD = 6.34); F(1, 77) = 129.72, p < .001, Partial Eta Squared = .63. Implications of results are discussed.
Location
Atrium/Concourse
Recommended Citation
Marsh, Patricia; Gopala, Neena; and Dickherber, Anna, "Improving the Experimental Design of SoTL Research" (2012). SoTL Commons Conference. 57.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sotlcommons/SoTL/2012/57
Improving the Experimental Design of SoTL Research
Atrium/Concourse
Limitations in previous pseudo-experimentally designed Scholarship of Teaching and Learning studies were addressed by including recent recommendations in the literature (LoSchiavo, Shatz, & Poling, 2008; Smith, 2008). These involved: (a) pre/post tests administered in Social Psychology (SP) courses; (b) random assignment of SP students within the same course, semester, and instructor to one of the two interventions; and (c) the recruitment of students from a participant pool to serve as a group control (i.e., completed the same tests without having taken the course). This presentation focused on results from a 50-items SP exam covering SP topics, including prejudice, aggression, attraction and helping behavior. Students' scores were compared between those randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups (n = 35) or to a control group (n = 44). Students in the experimental conditions performed significantly higher on exam than in the control (M = 38.37, SD = 4.94 vs. M = 23.50, SD = 6.34); F(1, 77) = 129.72, p < .001, Partial Eta Squared = .63. Implications of results are discussed.
