I developed some for medics and vets which were also used for biologists at Cambridge
http://www.mathcentre.ac.uk/resources/uploaded/EssentialMaths.html
They're written in Numbas so you can download the 4 tests - there's practice versions (with feedback) and summative versions (no feedback). I would really recommend giving students a chance to practice first. I didn't at first but after a while I realised that some students did quite badly just because they were rusty (had been away from education for a few years) and soon picked up quite quickly. On the other hand a few students really didn't get it and no amount of practice was going to help - they really needed a tutor to help them get over whatever misconceptions/lack of knowledge they had.
Also note that the fourth test on logs is something that only students with A level maths will have covered previously so take care if you're using it with students who have GCSE maths or equivalent.
Hope this helps
Jenny
-----Original Message-----
From: The sigma network for cross-university mathematics and statistics support [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of SIGMA-NETWORK automatic digest system
Sent: 02 August 2016 13:15
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: SIGMA-NETWORK Digest - 28 Jul 2016 to 2 Aug 2016 - Special issue (#2016-94)
There are 5 messages totaling 11242 lines in this issue.
Topics in this special issue:
1. Maths diagnostic test for Biological Sciences students (5)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2016 10:59:24 +0000
From: "Zaczek, Kinga" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Maths diagnostic test for Biological Sciences students
Hi all,
Did you use an online maths diagnostic test for students in Biological Sciences?
After speaking to the Bio Sciences department at Royal Holloway we decided to test our students at the beginning of the academic year. We are thinking about using Numbas and we would like to know if there are any ready tests so the results could possibly be compared?
I'll appreciate any comments and advice.
Best wishes,
Kinga
Dr Kinga Zaczek
Teaching Fellow
Maths & Stats Advisory Service
CeDAS (Centre for the Development of Academic Skills) Royal Holloway University of London, International Building IN003, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX
E: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
[cid:image002.png@01D1ECB5.4F395C50]
T: +44 (0)1784 276433
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2016 11:13:23 +0000
From: Moira Petrie <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Maths diagnostic test for Biological Sciences students
Hi Kinga
sigma funded a resource development project led by Jenny Koenig (University of Cambridge) To implement the “Essential Maths for Biologists, Medics and Vets” practice questions and diagnostic tests using the Numbas open-source e-assessment system for use on the mathcentre website<http://www.mathcentre.ac.uk/resources/uploaded/EssentialMaths.html> (hyperlinked)
This may be a starting point for you
Kind regards
Moira
From: The sigma network for cross-university mathematics and statistics support [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Zaczek, Kinga
Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2016 11:59 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Maths diagnostic test for Biological Sciences students
Hi all,
Did you use an online maths diagnostic test for students in Biological Sciences?
After speaking to the Bio Sciences department at Royal Holloway we decided to test our students at the beginning of the academic year. We are thinking about using Numbas and we would like to know if there are any ready tests so the results could possibly be compared?
I’ll appreciate any comments and advice.
Best wishes,
Kinga
Dr Kinga Zaczek
Teaching Fellow
Maths & Stats Advisory Service
CeDAS (Centre for the Development of Academic Skills) Royal Holloway University of London, International Building IN003, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX
E: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
[cid:image003.png@01D1ECB7.424407A0]
T: +44 (0)1784 276433
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2016 11:27:58 +0000
From: Christian Lawson-Perfect <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Maths diagnostic test for Biological Sciences students
Since you're looking at Numbas, you might already have seen the test we've been using with biomedicine students since 2012: https://numbas.mathcentre.ac.uk/exam/2/medics-test/
It hasn't had much attention since it was first written, so there are a few ways it could be improved. Nevertheless, we haven't had any complaints!
Christian
From: The sigma network for cross-university mathematics and statistics support [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Zaczek, Kinga
Sent: 02 August 2016 11:59
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Maths diagnostic test for Biological Sciences students
Hi all,
Did you use an online maths diagnostic test for students in Biological Sciences?
After speaking to the Bio Sciences department at Royal Holloway we decided to test our students at the beginning of the academic year. We are thinking about using Numbas and we would like to know if there are any ready tests so the results could possibly be compared?
I'll appreciate any comments and advice.
Best wishes,
Kinga
Dr Kinga Zaczek
Teaching Fellow
Maths & Stats Advisory Service
CeDAS (Centre for the Development of Academic Skills) Royal Holloway University of London, International Building IN003, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX
E: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
[cid:image002.png@01D1ECB9.4CEE5E10]
T: +44 (0)1784 276433
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2016 11:26:16 +0000
From: "Johnston-Wilder, Sue" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Maths diagnostic test for Biological Sciences students
Dear Kinga,
Have you considered that some of the students will have acquired maths anxiety? it is treatable but disabling, and faced with a maths test at the start of term could cause trouble for a vulnerable subgroup.
Is there any chance you could text for maths anxiety first and offer 'treatment'.
Also rather than give a test you could give out a question paper and invite the students to colour/code the questions:
* green for 'ok on my own'
* amber for 'possibly ok with support'
* red for 'this makes me panic'
This is based on the 'growth zone model' - an affective version of the ZPD.
All the best
Sue
Sue Johnston-Wilder, FIMA, FHEA, CMathsTeach Associate Professor of Mathematics Education Centre for Education Studies University of Warwick | Coventry | CV4 7AL
t: 07787402766
e: [log in to unmask]
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ces/research/current/mathematicsresilience
http://www.mathematicalresilience.org/
http://<http://www.mathematicalresilience.org/>blogs.warwick.ac.uk/maths_resilience/<http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/maths_resilience/>
According to Alec Issigonis, designer of the Mini, pure maths is the enemy of every creative genius.
________________________________
From: The sigma network for cross-university mathematics and statistics support <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Zaczek, Kinga <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 02 August 2016 11:59
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Maths diagnostic test for Biological Sciences students
Hi all,
Did you use an online maths diagnostic test for students in Biological Sciences?
After speaking to the Bio Sciences department at Royal Holloway we decided to test our students at the beginning of the academic year. We are thinking about using Numbas and we would like to know if there are any ready tests so the results could possibly be compared?
I'll appreciate any comments and advice.
Best wishes,
Kinga
Dr Kinga Zaczek
Teaching Fellow
Maths & Stats Advisory Service
CeDAS (Centre for the Development of Academic Skills)
Royal Holloway University of London,
International Building IN003,
Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX
E: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
[cid:image002.png@01D1ECB5.4F395C50]
T: +44 (0)1784 276433
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2016 12:03:19 +0000
From: Martin Greenhow <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Maths diagnostic test for Biological Sciences students
Dear Sue,
I agree we need to be very careful not to reinforce fear or bad attitudes to maths!
What you suggest looks similar to what Sally Jordan did in the 1990's and later developed by Mundeep Gill at Brunel University (see attached). I have used this for many years in conjunction with an online test for our foundations students as part of their Study Skills module (see "How I teach ..." on the left hand side of http://people.brunel.ac.uk/~mastmmg/ssguide/sshome.htm) The actual Study Skills task is not the diagnostic test itself but rather a document to show they have reflected on it and what they have done about any weaknesses.
The diagnostic test I use is a selection of questions from Algebra, Stats and Numbers/Numeracy in maths e.g. http://www.mathcentre.ac.uk:8081/mathseg/ Unfortunately I haven't had time to put up the Biomaths (Dilutions, Moles & Molarity, Notation and SI units, Solutions) questions, but Calculations for health professionals has some overlap I think. Watch this space for the next release of maths e.g. (which will work on phones/I-pads too). However, what is there should be useful for decontextualized questions at a basic level and you can easily create your own tests using the teachers' interface.
Best wishes,
Martin Greenhow
From: The sigma network for cross-university mathematics and statistics support [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Johnston-Wilder, Sue
Sent: 02 August 2016 12:26
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Maths diagnostic test for Biological Sciences students
Dear Kinga,
Have you considered that some of the students will have acquired maths anxiety? it is treatable but disabling, and faced with a maths test at the start of term could cause trouble for a vulnerable subgroup.
Is there any chance you could text for maths anxiety first and offer 'treatment'.
Also rather than give a test you could give out a question paper and invite the students to colour/code the questions:
* green for 'ok on my own'
* amber for 'possibly ok with support'
* red for 'this makes me panic'
This is based on the 'growth zone model' - an affective version of the ZPD.
All the best
Sue
Sue Johnston-Wilder, FIMA, FHEA, CMathsTeach Associate Professor of Mathematics Education Centre for Education Studies University of Warwick | Coventry | CV4 7AL
t: 07787402766
e: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ces/research/current/mathematicsresilience
http://www.mathematicalresilience.org/
http://<http://www.mathematicalresilience.org/>blogs.warwick.ac.uk/maths_resilience/<http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/maths_resilience/>
According to Alec Issigonis, designer of the Mini, pure maths is the enemy of every creative genius.
________________________________
From: The sigma network for cross-university mathematics and statistics support <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> on behalf of Zaczek, Kinga <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Sent: 02 August 2016 11:59
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Maths diagnostic test for Biological Sciences students
Hi all,
Did you use an online maths diagnostic test for students in Biological Sciences?
After speaking to the Bio Sciences department at Royal Holloway we decided to test our students at the beginning of the academic year. We are thinking about using Numbas and we would like to know if there are any ready tests so the results could possibly be compared?
I'll appreciate any comments and advice.
Best wishes,
Kinga
Dr Kinga Zaczek
Teaching Fellow
Maths & Stats Advisory Service
CeDAS (Centre for the Development of Academic Skills)
Royal Holloway University of London,
International Building IN003,
Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX
E: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
[cid:image001.png@01D1ECBC.7E4C4730]
T: +44 (0)1784 276433
------------------------------
End of SIGMA-NETWORK Digest - 28 Jul 2016 to 2 Aug 2016 - Special issue (#2016-94)
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