Evaluation of Innovative on-Line Learning Tools in Soil Science.

Deficiencies in STEM-related skills (science, technology, engineering and math) deter many students from completing science-intensive agricultural majors, thus decreasing the number of potential graduates in these fields.  Learning tools designed to help students understand some of the science and math concepts needed in soil science have been developed and posted online at ScienceofSoil.org.  The modules address graphical interpretation, working in three dimensions, and the log scale.  An animation and an interactive module help students understand why log scales are used, how to read log scales, and how to calculate logs.  The learning products were introduced in two courses at NMSU: Introduction to Plant Science, a freshman level course with no prerequisites; and Soils a sophomore level course requiring college algebra and freshman chemistry.  Pre- and post- tests assessed changes in the content knowledge of the students before and after exposure to the learning modules over one semester. At the beginning, 87 students took an attitude survey and content test.  The test had four sections: Reading a Graph; Interpreting Data on a Graph; Reading a Log Scale; and Working in two and three Dimensions.  Students performed best on questions related to 2 and 3 dimensions (76% correct) and worst on the log scale reading and calculation questions (41% correct).  The same test was given at the end of the semester and students took less time to complete it and changed their answers more than at the beginning of the semester, however they improved their overall scores. The greatest improvement was in reading log scales (10% increase) and in thinking multi-dimensionally (7% increase).