Edward Nuhfer|Christopher Cogan|Carl T. Kloock|G. G. Wood|Anya Goodman|Natalie Zayas Delgado|Christopher Wheeler
Using a Concept Inventory to Assess the Reasoning Component of Citizen-Level Science Literacy: Results from a 17,000-Student Study
Center for Assessment|California State University, Bakersfield|California State University, Channel Islands|California Polytechnic State University|California State University, Monterey Bay|California State University, Channel Islands
articulating 12 concepts reasoning component citizenlevel science literacy restating assessable student learning outcomes slos developed valid reliable assessment instrument addressing outcomes brief 25item science literacy concept inventory slci paper report results obtained assessing citizenlevel science literacy 17382 undergraduate students 149 graduate students 181 professors address findings 999 confidence level found general education ge science courses significantly advance understanding science way knowing however understanding sciences way knowing increase academic ranks indicating extended overall academic experience better accounts increasing thinking capacity science courses alone higher mean institutional slci scores correlate closely increased institutional selectivity measured institutions higher mean sat act scores socioeconomic factors firstgeneration student b english native language c interest commitment science major unequally distributed across ethnic groups factors proved powerful accounting variations slci scores across ethnicities genders