Project Investigator(s): Tara Ivanochko, Instructor, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Sara Harris, Instructor, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Phil Austin, Instructor, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Project Description
EOSC 340: Global Climate Change is a math- and physics-intensive course open to science and engineering students at UBC. This project aims to develop, implement and evaluate a two-stage math and physics review aimed to improve student transfer of 1st year math and physics concepts to applications in upper level science courses.
Research Questions
Can student application of mathematics and physics in EOSC 340 be improved through a targeted two-stage review intervention?
Impact on teaching and learning at UBC
We will assess this approach to enable students to better able to apply 1st year Math and Physics concepts in 3rd year. This study will inform the future course design of EOSC 340, impacting approximately 300 students / year. If successful, the two-stage review will be encouraged and supported in other courses that have this same challenge, for example EOSC 372 and 372 and ENVR 300. In EOAS we are currently reconsidering our math intensive course offerings, this project will inform future course development and current course transformations intended to broaden student enrollment in upper level quantitative courses.
Outcome Achieved
“In general [the] intervention doesn’t seem to have made a big difference in the class in terms of Math. But what we have found out, based on looking at past math scores, is that previous Math scores are only predictive of the student score on the pre-quiz Math question, not the midterm Math or Final math questions. So we seem to have evidence that what we are doing in class is closing the Math gap”.