Scientific Teaching
Jo Handelsman
Yale University
Goal of the HHMI Program for
Scientific Teaching
• To change the way science is
taught nationwide
• To increase the diversity of
students in science
Reasons For Change
• Widespread scientific illiteracy
• Inability of science students to engage in
conceptual & analytical thinking
• Poor retention (10-20% lecture content)
• Exit of students from college science
(biology majors ~60%)
• Greater loss of certain ethnic minorities
• Long term lack of persistence of women
in academic science
A Tiny World
Scientific Teaching
• the learning should be active
• the content should capture the nature of science
and the scientific endeavor
• the teaching should reflect the rigor, iterative
nature, and spirit of discovery of science at its best
• the students should capture the strength of
diversity
Handelsman et al., 2004 Science 304:521-522.
History of Active Learning
• Plato
• John Dewey – “students are not
empty vessels to be filled….”
• David Ausubel – constructivism
– learning is a process of adjusting our
models to accommodate new information
– knowledge is constructed, not absorbed
Scientific Teaching in Practice
Active learning
• Students must be engaged in the process of
science
Assessment
• Need to determine whether methods work, not
assume they will
Diversity
• Science depends on contributions from diverse
people for creativity – so should teaching
Scientific Teaching in Practice
Active learning
• Students must be engaged in the process of
science
Assessment
• Need to determine whether methods work, not
assume they will
Diversity
• Science depends on contributions from diverse
people for creativity – so should teaching
Active learning in the
classroom
Students contribute and act
– Students solve problems
– Student think, discuss, and question
Inquiry-based learning
– Students ask questions and answer them
– Students engage in the process of science
Assessment
- Determine whether students are learning
- Provide opportunities for students to assess their own
learning
Cooperative/group learning
– Students work in groups
– Teacher is facilitator
Active Learning Works
• Helman and Horswill, 2002
– 10% increase in exam scores
• Sivan et al., 2000
– Enhanced ability to be “self-managed
learners”
– Enhanced critical thinking skills
Cooperative Learning Works
• Deutsch, M. 1949 Coop learning fosters:
interdependence, achievement pressure
higher productivity, more ideas
• Okebukola, P.A. 1984 1,025 9th graders
Cooperative mode--intellectual achievement
Competitive mode--practical lab skills
• Johnson, D.W. et al. 1981 -- 122 studies
Cooperative = higher achievement
higher order thinking
• Swisher, K. and others in the 1990s
Cooperative learning = higher achievement
Native Americans (Navajo, Cherokee)
African Americans
Female Americans
Figure 2. Mean change scores on spring 1993 concept test, by question. Error bars
represent one standard error (*p<0.05; **p< 0.01; ***p<0.001; n.s. p> 0.05).
Active Learning in
Developmental Biology
at U Colorado
With “clickers”
•Learning gains increased 9%
•Increase greatest for best students
•Increase greater for women than men
From:
“Teaching More by Lecturing
Less” Jennifer K. Knight and William B. Wood
Cell Biol Educ 4(4): 298-310 2005
Example of Active Learning
Identify misconceptions in
A Tiny World
Scientific Teaching in Practice
Active learning
• Students must be engaged in the process of
science
Assessment
• Need to determine whether methods work, not
assume they will
Diversity
• Science depends on contributions from diverse
people for creativity – so should teaching
Human diversity leads to…..
• Better academic experience (Milem, 2001)
• More feasible and effective solutions to
problems (Cox, 1993; McLeod, 1996)
• Better, more defensible decisions (Nemeth,
1985; 1995)
• More innovation in teams (Kanter, 1983)
• Best teams in science and theater
(Science, 2005)
Cognitive and Learning Styles
Cognitive style
Process of thinking, perceiving,
and remembering (McFadden,
1986)
Cognitive and Learning Styles
Cognitive style
Process of thinking, perceiving,
and remembering (McFadden,
1986)
Learning Style
Preferred way to learn (Gregorc,
1979)
Behaviors associated with
learning (Kocinski, 1984)
Cognitive Style Assessment
http://www.berghuis.co.nz/abiator/lsi/lsiframe.html
http://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/ILSpage.html
Diversity in the Classroom
• Accommodate diverse cognitive and
learning styles with diverse methods
• Examine unconscious bias to minimize its
impacts
HHMI Fellows Program
HHMI Teaching Fellows
“Scientific Teaching”
Instructional
Materials
Develoment
Mentor
Undergrad
Research
Project
Instructional Materials
Development
• Develop materials – “teachable unit”
• Use peer review to improve
• Test in classroom
Teaching Fellows -- Classroom Teaching
Self-reported skills and knowledge
Skill
Develop
instructional
materials
Before
After
P-value
2.2
5.0
<0.0001
<0.0001
Reflect on
teaching with rigor
2.5
5.0
Teach biology
3.4
4.9
<0.0001
Develop learning
goals that reflect
nature of science
2.8
5.0
<0.0001
Teaching Fellows -- Classroom Teaching
Self-reported skills and knowledge
Skill
Before
After
P-value
Include active
learning
2.5
5.0
<0.0001
Include
assessment
2.6
4.9
<0.0001
Reach diverse
students
2.7
4.9
<0.0001
Create inclusive
classroom
3.0
4.9
<0.0001
Evaluation of quality and quantity of presentation from PRE and
POST teaching philosophies of 2006 Teaching Fellows.
PRE
POST
Definitions of Teaching and Learning
2.2
2.7
0.015
View of the Learner
2.1
2.7
0.007
View of the Teacher
2.6
2.9
0.009
Goals & Expectations of Student-Teacher
Relationship
2.2
2.6
0.029
Teaching Methods
2.1
2.5
0.048
Learning Assessment
1.6
2.1
0.057
Professional Development
1.8
1.9
0.736
Organization of the Statement
1.9
2.7
0.001
Teaching Philosophy
Scoring Category
PREPOST
p=
National Academies Summer
Institute on Undergraduate Teaching
in Biology
• Supported by HHMI
• Collaboration among NAS,
HHMI, UW, and Yale
• Co-directed with Bill Wood
Design teachable units
Learn assessment techniques
Use peer review and iterative
improvement process
NAS Summer Institute
Since 2004…..
 256 faculty and staff
 91 research I universities
 teach over 100,000 undergraduates
annually
 numerous teaching publications
 significant gains in skills and confidence
 gains persist 1 and 2 years post SI
Acknowledgments
•
•
•
•
•
•
Jim Young
Sarah Miller
Chris Pfund
Christine Pribbenow
Adam Fagan and Jay Labov
Peter Bruns
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
HHMI Program for
Scientific Teaching
Producing a new generation
of scientific teachers
http://www.scientificteaching.wisc.edu