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| Behavioral Concerns in the College Classroom |
| Sunday, May 30, 2004 |
| 9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
| Berkeley |
| Area: EDC |
| Chair: David L. Myers (Edison College) |
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| Importance of Personality in the Formation of Professional Competencies in Psychology |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| LETICIA RIVERA (Universidad Cristobal Colon), Sebastian Figueroa Rodríguez (Universidad Veracruzana), Clara Olivia Romero Rodríguez (Universidad Cristobal Colon), Adriana Ordaz García (Universidad Cristobal Colon), Ilse Lara-Cado (Universidad Cristobal Colon) |
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| Abstract: This study is being setting to establish existing type of relationship between personality and vocacional profiles and professional competencies formation in psychology students. It will consist in the aplication of measuring instruments that allow to establish these profiles, in order to compare them with those proposed in existing literature. Once established professional competencies of the sample, the existence of a correlation between personality and vocacional profiles and professional competencies formation will be identified. In affirmative case, the grades of subjects which contained practices in each semester will be compared with students profiles to corroborate the existence of this relationship. |
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| Assessment and Intervention with College Student Writing |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| DAVID L. MYERS (Edison College), Janet Cook (Edison College) |
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| Abstract: Over 500 randomly sampled course papers from community college students were rendered anonymous as to author and rated by pairs of arts and sciences faculty from 1999 to 2003. Twelve indicators were developed to operationalize three of the college’s core values of written communication, critical thinking, and inquiry and respect for learning. The average inter-rater agreement (A/[A+D]) for individual indicators was 0.80. Cross-sectional and longitudinal comparisons found no consistent improvement in performance over the college experience, that is, from first semester to last semester. The percent of indicators scored as demonstrating college level work averaged 50% for new students, and 67% for final semester students. While this represents an average improvement of 2 indicators, 67% is still only 8 of 12 indicators at college level. Indeed, many rising graduates produced papers not of college caliber. Effective with fall semester 2003, the faculty will implement interventions such as emphasizing writing across the curriculum, using a standard set of guidelines for effective writing, stating assignments clearly, and walking students through paper preparation and refinement. The presentation will include data from over 200 papers from fall 2003 sample that were written under this intervention package, but have not yet been rated. |
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| Differential Effects of Required versus Nonrequired WebCT Mastery Quizzes in Large Introductory Psychology Courses |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| JOHN E. DENCOFF (University of New Mexico), Gordon Hodge (University of New Mexico) |
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| Abstract: Beginning with the fall 2002 semester, all introductory psychology courses at the University of New Mexico have been redesigned. In spring 2002, we found that students enrolled in a section where WebCT “mastery quiz” completion was mandatory received better course grades (63% C or better) than students in a comparable section where quizzes were available but optional (43% C or better); both sections were taught by the same instructor from the same textbook. Students in the quiz-optional section had fewer total course points (and thus, lower grades) compared with all other redesigned sections over a 2-year period where quizzes were required (ANOVA, p < .001). All students now attend one large section (n = 700) and they are required to complete mastery quizzes, for which they receive course credit (for AY 2002/03, 76% received a C or better). To further enhance performance, students who score below 75% on the first exam are told to attend studios where peer leaders provide motivational interviewing and coaching designed to help them better memorize key terms and concepts. Studio attendance is positively correlated with final course grade (p < .001). This work was supported by a Pew Grant for Course Redesign. |
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