Near real-time assessment of student learning and understanding in biology courses

Computer technologies have transformed biology research, but the application of instructional technology tools to better connect teaching with learning has proceeded at a far slower pace. Especially in large-enrollment classes where many undergraduates are first introduced to biology, faculty can use computer-assisted instructional technologies to help gauge student understanding (and misunderstanding) of core science concepts and to better evaluate their own teaching practices. In this article, I report on two instructional technology tools, which prompt students to reflect on their learning and allow faculty to gauge student understanding of material almost simultaneously: (1) off-the-shelf personal response systems, modified for in-class assessment in introductory biology classes, and (2) a custom-designed Web-based assessment for use between lectures (Bio-Bytes). On the whole, both faculty and students reported that these technologies helped to improve students' overall understanding of biological principles and concepts.