Download My problem is students don`t read graphs and

My problem is students don't read
graphs and tables effectively.
Research Question
• Does continued practice producing and
interpreting graphs increase students’ skill at
getting information out of a graph, i.e., does
this type of exercise improve their ability to
read a graph or table?
Why is this project interesting?
• Producing/interpreting graphs and tables is a
Program-Level Outcome for our majors.
• Only 52% of first-year science majors
successfully identified dependent and
independent variables and 42% correctly
summarized the central findings of a figure.
Alignment with Objectives &
Learning Goals
• My intervention, a series of exercises
producing graphs related to course material,
will improve the proficiency of my students
with graphs and tables.
• Bowen et al., (1999) showed that students' lack of experience in
generating graphs slows their interpretation of a "ready-made" graph.
Student population
• Selective undergraduate-only liberal arts
college (2400 students total)
• 200-level Molecular Genetics course
• Mixed science majors (Biology, Biochemistry,
Neuroscience, Chemical Engineering,
Computer Science)
• 24 student cap with 2 lab sections
• Typically sophomore, junior, or senior (rarely
freshman).