A Familiar(ity) Problem: Assessing the Impact of Prerequisites and Content Familiarity on Student Learning

Abstract

Prerequisites are embedded in most STEM curricula. However, the assumption that the content presented in these courses will improve learning in later courses has not been verified. Because a direct comparison of performance between students with and without required prerequisites is logistically difficult to arrange in a randomized fashion, we developed a novel familiarity scale, and used this to determine whether concepts introduced in a prerequisite course improved student learning in a later course (in two biology disciplines). Exam questions in the latter courses were classified into three categories, based on the degree to which the tested concept had been taught in the prerequisite course. If content familiarity mattered, it would be expected that exam scores on topics covered in the prerequisite would be higher than scores on novel topics. We found this to be partially true for “Very Familiar” questions (concepts covered in depth in the prerequisite). However, scores for concepts only briefly discussed in the prerequisite (“Familiar”) were indistinguishable from performance on topics that were “Not Familiar” (concepts only taught in the later course). These results imply that merely “covering” topics in a prerequisite course does not result in improved future performance, and that some topics may be able to removed from a course thereby freeing up class time. Our results may therefore support the implementation of student-centered teaching methods such as active learning, as the time-intensive nature of active learning has been cited as a barrier to its adoption. In addition, we propose that our familiarity system could be broadly utilized to aid in the assessment of the effectiveness of prerequisites.

The Impact of Physiology Prerequisites on Future Anatomy and Physiology Courses

“…On the other hand, if the prerequisite course is required before enrolling in the follow-up course, an alternative assessment approach must be taken due to the lack of a control group that has not completed the prerequisite. One method to examine the impact of prerequisites in this scenario is by assessing student performance on exam questions in the follow-up course that are based on the level of familiarity one has with the tested content from the prerequisite course (Shaffer et al 2016, Sato et al 2017. In this analysis, exam questions are coded (by instructors, students, or lecture slide analysis) as "very familiar" if the topic was previously covered extensively in the prerequisite, "familiar" if the topic was briefly introduced in the prerequisite course, and "not familiar" if the topic was not taught at all in the prerequisite course.…”

“…In this analysis, exam questions are coded (by instructors, students, or lecture slide analysis) as "very familiar" if the topic was previously covered extensively in the prerequisite, "familiar" if the topic was briefly introduced in the prerequisite course, and "not familiar" if the topic was not taught at all in the prerequisite course. Shaffer et al (2016) examined the impact of a genetics prerequisite on performance in a molecular biology course and a human physiology prerequisite on performance in a human anatomy course. This study (Shaffer et al 2016) demonstrated limited differences on performance among questions of varying familiarity, suggesting that students did not necessarily utilize or need their prerequisite knowledge in follow-up courses.…”

“…Shaffer et al (2016) examined the impact of a genetics prerequisite on performance in a molecular biology course and a human physiology prerequisite on performance in a human anatomy course. This study (Shaffer et al 2016) demonstrated limited differences on performance among questions of varying familiarity, suggesting that students did not necessarily utilize or need their prerequisite knowledge in follow-up courses. Sato et al (2017) found similar results using the familiarity analysis for a microbiology lecture course that served as a recommended prerequisite for a microbiology laboratory course.…”

“…Exam question familiarity based on the material presented in the prerequisite human physiology courses for Bio PL and MP was assigned as previously described (Shaffer et al 2016, Sato et al 2017. Briefly, the instructors for the Biological Sciences and Pharmaceutical Sciences human physiology courses examined the Bio PL and MP exam questions and rated each as very familiar (VF), familiar (F), or not familiar (NF) based on the material taught in the physiology courses.…”

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“…By association, it is emphasized that learning through familiar means will also provide the resources needed to assimilate different means, and preferences will in most cases be those with which the learner is familiar (Shaffer, et al, 2016).…”