Increased course structure improves performance in introductory biology.

Area of Science:

• Biology Education
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Traditional introductory biology courses often feature lecturing and high-stakes assessments, potentially leading to high failure rates.
• The effectiveness of highly structured course designs incorporating active learning and frequent assessments in mitigating these failures is under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test if highly structured course designs (reading quizzes, active learning, practice exams) lower failure rates in introductory biology compared to low-structure designs.
• To determine if points from practice assessments in structured courses inflate grades and confound comparisons.
• To evaluate if active learning improves student learning skills and bridges preparedness gaps.

Main Methods:

• Compared failure rates between low-structure and highly structured introductory biology course designs.
• Controlled for instructor effects, exam equivalence (Weighted Bloom's Index, Predicted Exam Score), and student ability (Predicted Grade).
• Analyzed the impact of practice assessment points on final grades and exam influence.

Main Results:

• No evidence found that active learning points inflate grades or diminish exam impact.
• Failure rates were lower in moderately structured courses and dramatically lower in highly structured courses when student ability was controlled.
• Highly structured courses demonstrably reduced failure rates compared to low-structure designs.

Conclusions:

• Highly structured course designs, featuring active learning and regular practice, effectively reduce failure rates in introductory biology.
• Active learning exercises enhance student learning skills and help equalize outcomes for students with varying preparation levels.
• Structured course elements do not inflate grades but rather support student success and learning.