How should course-based research be graded?
CRE instructors describe assessment models that prioritise being a scientist, procedural knowledge, or project ownership rather than only skill checklists.
Source
Models of Classroom Assessment for Course-Based Research Experiences
Study at a glance
- Design
- Cross-sectional — SEA CRE instructor survey plus workshop refinement of assessment models
- N
- N=72 · 72 of 105 respondents provided full answers (330 instructors invited)
- Population
- Science Education Alliance course-based research experience instructors
- Outcome
- Assessment models prioritizing scientist identity, procedural knowledge, or project ownership
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Inspect source passages
How should course-based research be graded?
These passages occur verbatim in the stored paper text. They support the points listed below; they do not verify every statement in the explanation.
Survey sent to 330 SEA instructors
For the first stage of data collection, a survey request was sent to 330 SEA instructors.
105 faculty responded; 72 provided full answers
105 faculty responded with 72 instructors providing full answers on the survey.
What they did
Researchers surveyed SEA course-based research experience instructors about assessment familiarity, self-efficacy, aims, and practices, then refined three assessment models with instructor cohorts in workshop and validation sessions.
What they found
Instructors reported high familiarity with many assessment approaches and articulated distinct models: assessing being a scientist and generating data; assessing procedural knowledge; and assessing facilitation of project ownership. The models are meant to align grading with authentic CRE goals rather than only externalised skill inventories.
The limits
What it doesn't show
Faculty self-reports do not measure student learning gains under each model. The SEA network sample may not represent all CRE programmes, and community-checking sessions lacked demographic data.
Key terms
- Course-based research experience (CRE)
- A course format in which students conduct authentic scientific research as part of classwork.
- Constructive alignment
- Designing assessment so it reflects and supports the instructional objectives of the course.
- Procedural knowledge
- Know-how for carrying out scientific procedures and techniques correctly.
- Project ownership
- Students' sense of responsibility and agency over an authentic research project.
- SEA program
- A large multi-institution course-based research programme providing the instructor sample.
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Quiz yourself
How many SEA instructors were surveyed (invited)?
Common questions
How many instructors were invited to the survey?
330 SEA instructors.
How many provided full survey answers?
72 of 105 respondents.
How many assessment models were developed?
Three models.
What is the core alignment concern?
Assessment should support CRE goals, not undermine students' identities as researchers.
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