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How do biology students in the UK compare to Malaysia?
Momna Hejmadi and Yvonne OngDept. Biology & BiochemistryUniversity of Bath
Teaching and learning
For teachers, summative assessment marks the end of the teaching-learning period. However, students often view the assessment at the beginning. From a student's perspective, "assessment always defines the actual curriculum"
If this is the case, then why…..….do Asian students outperform their Western peers?
Assessments
Teacherssummative assessment marks the end of the teaching-learning period.
Students often view the assessment at the beginning. From a student's perspective,
"assessment always defines the actual curriculum"
Ramsden 1992
Assessment and learning
Surface learning or deeper learning?
OR
Retention of key concepts in biology
Study aim
To provide a preliminary quantitative analysis on the longer-term retention of concepts in biology among 17 year olds in the UK and Malaysia.
MethodologyAS-level students in the two countries were tested on GCSE content one year later GCSE grade - baseline
GCSE content retention after 1 year
Basic concept questions from the exam paper(N=52-63 students /country)
GCSE 2012 Biology
SPM 2012 Biology
Assessment structureGCSE assessmentModular (2012)
SPM assessment Linear (2012)
B1, B2, B3
SPM Biology
No difference in the number of students in both countries who dropped a grade
Findings
-3 -2 -1 0 10
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40Malaysia UK
Grade difference
% o
f stu
dent
s
But Malaysian students maintained their grades better than UK students
Findings
-3 -2 -1 0 10
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40Malaysia UK
Grade difference
% o
f stu
dent
s
Fewer Malaysian students dropped more than 2 grades
Findings
-3 -2 -1 0 10
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40Malaysia UK
Grade difference
% o
f stu
dent
s
Malaysian students retained content better, with 70% of the students either maintaining or dropping one grade70% of UK students showed a decline by one or two grades, suggesting strategic learning
Overall findings
-3 -2 -1 0 10
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40Malaysia UK
Grade difference
% o
f stu
dent
s
High achievers in Malaysia (A* and A students) maintained their grades better than their UK counterparts
Further analyses
-3 -2 -1 0 10
10
20
30
40
50 MalaysiaUK
Grade difference
% o
f stu
dent
s
Lower achievers in the UK (B and below) maintained their grades better than their Malaysian counterparts
Further analyses
-3 -2 -1 0 10
10
20
30
40
50
60Malaysia UK
Grade difference
% o
f stu
dent
s
UK students achieved a mean post-test score of 72% in contrast to 49% obtained by Malaysian students
But overall grades were lower among Malaysian students
Grades Malaysia UK
Overall 49 72A*/A+ and A 61 73A*/A+ to B 57 72B and below 42 70
Mean scores of the post-test in Malaysia and UK, compared to their initial examination grades
Use identical exam question papers in both countries
Independent assessment of conceptual understanding
Next steps
Does bite-sized’, modular education encourage strategic learning?
Interesting questions raised
Should we have more linear, end-of-year or programme assessments?
Questions for us?
