Impact of Gender, Ethnicity, Year in School, Social Economic Status, and State Standardized Assessment Scores on Student Content Knowledge Achievement When Using Vee Maps as a Formative Assessment Tool

Abstract

The National Research Council has recognized the challenge of assessing laboratory investigation and called for the investigation of assessments that are proven through sound research-based studies. The Vee map provides a framework that allows the learners to conceptualize their previous knowledge as they develop success in meaningful learning when they utilize the Vee map to guide their thinking and the process of experimentation. Previous research has shown that using the Vee map as a formative assessment tool positively affects student content knowledge. The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of student demographic variables on student content knowledge achievement when using the Vee map as a formative assessment tool. The population of this quasi-experimental, counter-balance design study was composed of students at nine high schools that offered agriscience education. The results of this study indicated the Vee map is unbiased based on gender, grade, and ethnicity. It was also concluded that the Vee map does not provide either remedial or non–remedial readers with a significant advantage, thus allowing the assessment to focus on the content rather than a student’s reading ability.