Toward a Formative Approach to Teaching Science Laboratories.
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| Title: | Toward a Formative Approach to Teaching Science Laboratories. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Mauldin, Robert F.1 (AUTHOR) rmauldin@uca.edu |
| Source: | Journal of College Science Teaching. Jul/Aug2025, Vol. 54 Issue 4, p275-278. 4p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Science education, *Summative tests, *University faculty, *Formative evaluation, *Student teaching |
| Abstract: | Preliminary evidence regarding the effectiveness of a participation-based, formative assessment pedagogy in the laboratory component of undergraduate science classes is presented in this paper. The formative approach to teaching lab is unique in science education given the prevailing paradigm of summative assessment via grading lab reports. The formative approach involves the laboratory instructor providing immediate feedback regarding the quality and reporting of experimental results to students while they are in the laboratory and requiring that students incorporate that feedback. Although no systematic comparison of formative versus summative approaches was conducted in this study, responses on teaching evaluations over an 8-year period of using the formative pedagogy resulted in 43% of students identifying the lab as a strength of the course, providing specific reasons for their satisfaction. Feedback from students was corroborated by observations of the faculty member in teaching a freshman-level and a junior-level chemistry course. More specifically, over the course of the semester, the faculty member observed better lab and calculation skills, fewer corrections on data sheets, improved comfort level of students in the lab, and a shift in students' view of the lab instructor from that of a judge to that of a coach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of College Science Teaching is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 185908050 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Toward a Formative Approach to Teaching Science Laboratories. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mauldin%2C+Robert+F%2E%22">Mauldin, Robert F.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> rmauldin@uca.edu</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+College+Science+Teaching%22">Journal of College Science Teaching</searchLink>. Jul/Aug2025, Vol. 54 Issue 4, p275-278. 4p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+education%22">Science education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Summative+tests%22">Summative tests</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22University+faculty%22">University faculty</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Formative+evaluation%22">Formative evaluation</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+teaching%22">Student teaching</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Preliminary evidence regarding the effectiveness of a participation-based, formative assessment pedagogy in the laboratory component of undergraduate science classes is presented in this paper. The formative approach to teaching lab is unique in science education given the prevailing paradigm of summative assessment via grading lab reports. The formative approach involves the laboratory instructor providing immediate feedback regarding the quality and reporting of experimental results to students while they are in the laboratory and requiring that students incorporate that feedback. Although no systematic comparison of formative versus summative approaches was conducted in this study, responses on teaching evaluations over an 8-year period of using the formative pedagogy resulted in 43% of students identifying the lab as a strength of the course, providing specific reasons for their satisfaction. Feedback from students was corroborated by observations of the faculty member in teaching a freshman-level and a junior-level chemistry course. More specifically, over the course of the semester, the faculty member observed better lab and calculation skills, fewer corrections on data sheets, improved comfort level of students in the lab, and a shift in students' view of the lab instructor from that of a judge to that of a coach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of College Science Teaching is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=185908050 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1080/0047231X.2025.2493684 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 4 StartPage: 275 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Science education Type: general – SubjectFull: Summative tests Type: general – SubjectFull: University faculty Type: general – SubjectFull: Formative evaluation Type: general – SubjectFull: Student teaching Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Toward a Formative Approach to Teaching Science Laboratories. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Mauldin, Robert F. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 07 Text: Jul/Aug2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 0047231X Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 54 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of College Science Teaching Type: main |
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