Are Evolution Knowledge Disparities by Race and Gender the Result of Measurement Bias?

• In Event: Assessing STEM Student Success in Higher Education: Insights From Multidisciplinary Research

Abstract

Many instruments used in prior studies documenting educational disparities among demographic groups lack testing for Differential Item Functioning (DIF). DIF is important to educators because it may be used to test for possible item bias. This study tests for DIF in two of the most commonly used instruments measuring knowledge of the disciplinary core idea of evolution. Using a diverse sample of >5000 students, we found many cases of DIF for gender but not for race/ethnicity. Additional analyses are exploring intersectional patterns of race and gender in a larger dataset. This work has significance for quantitative models seeking to elucidate the factors contributing to the extreme lack of diversity in the field of Evolutionary Biology.

Authors

• Gena Sbeglia, San Diego State University

• William L. Romine, Wright State University

• Ross H. Nehm, Stony Brook University - SUNY