Application of the Microbiology Concept Inventory to improve programmatic curriculum

Area of Science:

• Microbiology education
• Educational assessment
• Concept inventory development

Background:

• The Microbiology Concept Inventory (MCI) is based on fundamental statements from the American Society for Microbiology.
• This assessment uses a two-tier, multiple-choice format requiring justification for student reasoning.
• Educators use the MCI to identify and address student misconceptions in microbiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the Microbiology Concept Inventory's effectiveness in assessing undergraduate microbiology students.
• To analyze MCI scores across various demographic factors and course levels.
• To identify potential biases and curriculum-related improvements.

Main Methods:

• The MCI was administered annually for 5 years to undergraduate students in entry-level, mid-level, and capstone microbiology courses.
• Data analysis compared MCI scores based on course, year, major/minor, gender, ethnicity, and cumulative GPA.
• Statistical analysis identified significant differences in scores among demographic groups.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in MCI scores were observed between students with high (3.5-4.0) and lower (2.5-3.49) cumulative GPAs.
• Statistically significant score differences favored white students, indicating potential ethnic bias.
• No statistically significant differences in scores were found between genders.

Conclusions:

• The MCI results suggest evidence of ethnic bias, but not gender bias.
• Significant score variations across cohorts indicate potential curriculum improvements.
• Concept inventory analysis provides valuable data for guiding curriculum changes and enhancing student academic success.