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Student Content Assessments

Instrument 18: Student Background and Concept Inventory

Project: Field-based Science Education in Central Oregon
Central Oregon Community College

Funding Source: NSF - Undergraduate Education ( DUE)

Purpose: To assess skills and knowledge using pre- and post-course concept inventory tests

Administered To: Undergraduate introductory oceanography students

Topics Covered:

Background Characteristics & Activities (Student): prior coursework, family characteristics
Content Specific Assessment: Life science- Oceanography: various concepts
Demographics (Students): gender, ethnicity, age, family responsibilities
Self Assessment (Student): content knowledge

Format/Length: 32 open- and close-ended questions

Student Background and Concept Inventory
Copy Number:__________

1. Age:
_____ under 18 years old
_____ 18-25 years old
_____ over 25 years old

2. Gender
_____ male
_____ female

3. Major
_____ undecided/non degree
_____ K-12 teacher ed.
_____ business
_____ technical specialty (AAS)
_____ science / math
_____ other

4. Family:
_____ single, live away from parents
_____ single parent
_____ one of a two parent household
_____ married/no kids

5. Race/Ethnic Background:
(you can check more than one)
_____ European descent
_____ Asian
_____ African American
_____ Native American
_____ Hispanic
_____ other

6. Education:
_____ Currently enrolled in high school
_____ Completed high school or equivalent
_____ Current college freshman or sophomore
_____ Completed associates degree
_____ Over 2 years of college, but no degree
_____ Completed a bachelors degree or higher

7. How much do you work while going to school?
_____ I do not work
_____ usually 10 hours per week or less
_____ usually 11-20 hours per week
_____ usually 21-30 hours per week
_____ usually over 30 hours per week

8. Religion:
_____ It is significant influence in all my decisions
_____ I consider it in context of other information
_____ It has no influence in most of my decisions

9. Previous science courses:
_____ None
_____ High school only
_____ College

10. Previous math courses:
_____ high school algebra
_____ developmental (Math 95 or less)
_____ college level (Math 111 or higher)

Concept Inventory. The purpose of this test is to find out how students think about concepts in science and technology. Please answer all of the following questions as best you can. For multiple choice questions check the answer that you think is most correct. For short answer questions, provide a brief explanation or drawing to illustrate the concept as best you understand it. In addition to each question, check the choice that best indicates your level of confidence with the answer you provided. Turn in your completed test and record the test number next to your name on the instructor's roster. 1. Which direction do rivers flow and why?
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

2. What is the bulk of our planet made of?
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

3. Examine the following graph of ocean water. List two different observations that you can derive from the data.
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know


4. Tides are caused by:
____ wind	____ magnetism	____ gravity
____ ocean currents	____ solar energy	____ centrifugal forces

	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

5. From where does the ocean get its salt?
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

6. Check all of the following statements that apply to Earth's rocks: _____ They are all pretty much all the same age. _____ They vary widely in age. _____ They have not changed much since they formed. _____ They form primarily from soil.
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

7. Draw a picture showing the locations of the Sun, Earth and Moon in space, together with their orbital paths with respect to each other.
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

8. Examine the following graph showing a long-term record of coastal tides. What, if any, predictions can you make from the data?
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

9. For each of the following statements place an "O" next to those which are observations and an "I" next to those which are interpretations. _____ Whales can swim to great depths because they can hold their breath a long time. _____ Major ocean currents flow counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere. _____ Most sand along the northern Oregon coast comes from erosion by rivers. _____ Fish breathe by extracting oxygen from water. _____ Mid oceanic ridges are composed of volcanic rock.
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

10. Draw and label a flow diagram of the hydrologic cycle showing the distribution and movement of all water on Earth. Include arrows showing the direction of movement of water.
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

11. Examine the following graphs of ocean temperature and salinity, and then select the appropriate responses.
_____ The temperature of the ocean varies a lot more than the air temperature in Bend. _____ Regions of high salinity occur at 25 degrees N & S latitude because of low rainfall. _____ Ocean temperature is remarkably uniform and cold. _____ Regions of high salinity occur near the equator because it is hot. _____ Regions of low salinity occur near the equator because it rains a lot.
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

12. List two examples of how dolphins are different from sharks.
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

13. Examine the quality of the following set of water data. Check the statements that reflect your sense of the quality of the data.
	Depth (meters) 1 4 8 18 40 176		Temperature (Centigrade) 18.4 17.6 11.4 6 5.114 3.9

_____
_____
_____
_____
_____

The data looks fine. No changes are needed.
Throw out the highest and lowest values and keep the rest.
Recalibrate the instrument and redo the exact same analyses.
A more closely spaced sampling interval may be required.
Some of the data may overstate or understate the accuracy of the instrument and should be redone.

	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

14. During the winter, waves produce near-shore currents of 100 cm/sec, whereas summer waves produce near shore currents of about 1-2 cm/sec. Use the accompanying chart to hypothesize the types of annual changes that a sand and gravel beach will experience.
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

15. Place a check mark next to all of the following statements that show a correct cause and effect relationship. _____ Two independently moving land masses result in separate polar wander curves _____ Submarine canyons form by underwater erosion of the continental shelf and slope. _____ Most of the ice in an iceberg is underwater because they are so big. _____ The Earth's rotation causes the Gulf Stream current. _____ Earthquakes create volcanoes.

	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

16. Examine the following graph showing the distribution of sea floor heat and age as plotted with distance from the crest of a typical mid oceanic ridge. What hypothesis can you can make regarding the development of ocean basins?
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

17. Check all of the following statements which are reasonable interpretations based upon the evidence provided. _____ Ozone is responsible for global warming . _____ Warm ocean water near the equator is responsible for hurricanes and typhoons. _____ The Gulf Stream current flows clockwise because the ocean is a liquid lying on a rotating sphere. _____ El Nino causes warm ocean water temperatures to occur in the Eastern Pacific. _____ The temperature of the ocean varies little with time because it is a large mass with a high specific heat capacity.

	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

18. What organism in the ocean serves a similar function as trees? What function does it share?
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

19. Check all of the following instruments which are used for making measurements? _____ navigation compass _____ ruler _____ electronic calculator _____ stop watch _____ human eye

	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

20. What conclusions can you make from the examination of the following sediment core obtained from a coastal estuary?
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

21. Check all of the following statements which are true regarding fish. _____ They can swim to great depths because they can hold their breath a long time. _____ Most fish live in shallow water because they need sunlight to survive. _____ They breathe by extracting oxygen from the water molecule. _____ All fish are carnivores. _____ Any given specie can live in either fresh or salt water.
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know

22. Draw and label a simple cross section of what you think the sea floor off the coast of Oregon out to a distance of about 500 miles looks like.
	Assess your level of certainty in answering this question:
_____ very sure		_____ kind of sure	_____ wild guess	_____ don't know