Teaching and Learning in
the Scientific Colleges
Diane Ebert-May
Michigan State University
Janet Batzli
University of Wisconsin
The trouble with our
times is that the future
is not what it used to
be.
-Paul Valery, The Art of Poetry
Questions for you...
• What do you expect to gain from this
workshop?
• What are your major teaching challenges?
• What challenges do your students face in
learning?
• How did you learn science?
• How do your students learn science?
Engage
Question 1
Please respond on a scale of 1-5:
1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree
Active learning strategies enable students
to learn science better than passive
lectures.
•
Question 2
Please respond on a scale of 1-5:
1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree
• Students learn science best by “doing”
science.
Question 3
Please respond on a scale of 0-100%
in increments of 10:
How important is it to use multiple kinds
of assessments to determine students’
learning?
•
Question 4
Please respond on a scale of 0-100%
in increments of 10:
The proportion of assessments I use in
my course that demonstrate students’
critical thinking abilities is....
•
Question 5
Please respond on a scale of 1-5:
1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree
In my department, innovation in teaching
is encouraged.
•
Question 1
Please respond on a scale of 1-5:
1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree
Active learning strategies enable students
to learn science better than passive
lectures.
•
Class Meeting
Class Meeting
Question 2
Please respond on a scale of 1-5:
1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree
• Students learn science best by “doing”
science.
Lila Smith 1975; in Smith el al. 2005
Teacher- to LearnerCentered Classroom
• How does scientific teaching
promote this transition?
Lila Smith 1975; in Smith el al. 2005
Question 3
Please respond on a scale of 0-100
in increments of 10:
How important is it to use multiple kinds
of assessments to determine student
learning?
•
Question 4
Please respond on a scale of 0-100 (%)
in increments of 10:
The proportion of assessments I use in
my course that demonstrate students’
critical thinking abilities is....
•
What is critical thinking?
• Connections among concepts
• Organization of concepts
• Visual representations
• Model-based reasoning
• Test models
• Solve problems
Question 5
Please respond on a scale of 1-5:
1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree
In my department, innovation in teaching
is encouraged.
•
Explore
Make a ‘Better’ Bubble
Can you blow a bubble with pure water?
What limits the size/shape of bubbles?
How can you make bubbles last longer?
1. In teams generate a testable question how to
make a ‘better’ bubble and design a method
that supports or rejects the hypothesis.
2. Conduct the experiment. (20 minutes)
Learning Objective
• Develop one possible learning objective for
this ‘inquiry’.
• What do you want students to know and be
able to do?
• What evidence is acceptable?
Give your students a
roadmap to learning….
• Benefits and costs?
Explore: Out of Thin Air
What is going on?
• Brainstorm: talk to your neighbor
and diagnose the situation from
both the teacher’s and learner’s
perspective.
• What is the learning challenge?
Misconceptions about Photosynthesis,
Respiration, and the Carbon Cycle
•
Photosynthesis as Energy
•
Biomass from Soil
•
Energy as Biomass
•
All Green
•
Plant Altruism
•
Thin Air
•
Respiration as ‘breathing’
How and when do you identify
student learning difficulties?
Pre-test (e.g., specific questions - identify
misconceptions)
Engagement activity - brain teaser, discussion
starter, ‘need to know’ questions
Surveys or polls (clickers?)
Others?
Radish Problem
in Ebert-May D, Batzli J, Lim H. 2003. Bioscience 53:1221-1228.
•Experimental setup:
•Weighed out 3 batches of radish seeds
•each weighing 1.5 g.
•Experimental treatments:
•1. Seeds placed on DRY paper towels in LIGHT
•2. Seeds placed on WET paper towels in LIGHT
•3. Seeds placed on WET paper towels in DARK
Problem (cont)
• After 1 week, all plant material was dried in
an oven overnight (no water left) and plant
biomass was measured in grams.
•Predict the biomass of the plant material in
the various treatments.
No Water, light
Water, light
Water dark
No idea
Results
Mass of Radish Seeds/Seedlings
1.46 g
1.63 g
1.20 g
Write an explanation about the results.
Explain the results.
Write individually on carbonless paper.
Assessment on Final Exam
Hypothetical scenario: Grandma Johnson had very
sentimental feelings toward Johnson Canyon, Utah,
where she and her late husband had honeymooned long
ago. Her feelings toward this spot were such that upon
her death she requested to be buried under a creosote
bush overlooking the canyon. Trace the path of a carbon
atom from Grandma Johnson’s remains to where it could
become part of a coyote. NOTE: the coyote will not dig
up Grandma Johnson and consume any of her remains.
How People Learn
Bransford et al 1999, 2004
Explain
Frustrated Student
Within groups: think-pair-share
Reflecting on this case, consider the following:
1.
What questions and issues does this case raise?
2.
As an instructor, what would you do in this situation?
3.
What are the learning objectives for each class?
4. What are the students’ expections for course?
5.
How do the active, in-class problems in groups motivate
students to learn, or not?
6.
Have you faced a similar challenge? If so, what did you
learn from it?
Cooperative
Learning
Eric Mazur - Harvard (Dept of Physics) Peer Instruction
Karl Smith - University of Minnesota (Civil
Engineering Dept) Cooperative/
Collaborative Learning
Regrouping
What are ways of putting students
into cooperative groups?
Individual accountability and group
responsibility with common goal.....
What is assessment?
Data collection with the purpose of
answering questions about…
students’ understanding
students’ attitudes
students’ skills
instructional design and implementation
curricular reform (at multiple grain sizes)
Informing BOTH instructors and students about
learning.
Learning Outcome
• Statement that indicates level of expectation
of performance.
• What evidence will indicate whether students
have achieved the learning objective?
•
(actions, behaviors that can be assessed)
What level of learning
do we ask of our students?
Bloom (1956)
Cognitive Domain of Educational Objectives
6 categories Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
Characterize the
Level of Expectation
Return to the ‘better’ bubble learning
objective....
...assign a Bloom level to each.
Jigsaw
Count off -- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
All 1s work on same paper ....2s, 3s, 4s, 5s
Tomorrow, return to new groups and share
what you found in each of the papers.
Report out
Paper Assignments
Group 1: Climate change....
Group 2: Novel assessments...
Group 3: Unraveling complexity...
Group 4: Unleashing problem solvers...
Group 5: Active homework...
Jigsaw
Tomorrow, return to your home group....and discuss.
You should be able to answer the following:
1. What are the student learning goals?
2. What is the Bloom-level of each goal?
3. Describe the type of assessment used in the unit.
4. Do the assessments align with the goals?
5. What are the active learning strategies?
Reflections on Today
Muddiest Point:
1. What are your questions?
2. What still seems “clear as
mud?”
3. What do you wish we were
doing?
Angelo and Cross (1993)
Your Questions
• Visit class in Biological Sciences?
• Group work - high and low students?
• Students’ responses to innovation?
• Cover vs. Uncover - plus time?
• Student evaluations?
• Academic integrity?
Your Wishes
•
Location-specific methods for Kuwait U.
•
Decreasing teaching loads to improve
quality teaching?
•
Comprehension and communication
•
How to assess student understanding of
lecture?
•
More physics examples!
Your Muddiest Points
• Nothing is muddy
• Interactive logistics
Engage
Use Bloom’s taxonomy to categorize the first 5
questions you brought from an assessment
from your course.
Each question = one postit.
Level 1 - blue
Level 2 - yellow
Level 3 - pink
Level 4 - green
Level 5 - purple
Level 6- orange
% Total Qs
Department of Plant Biology
Course Level
*N items
Jigsaw Homework
Tomorrow, return to your home group....and discuss.
You should be able to answer the following:
1. What are the student learning goals?
2. What is the Bloom-level of each goal?
3. Describe the type of assessment used in the unit.
4. Do the assessments align with the goals?
5. What are the active learning strategies?
Groups 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s
•Group roles:
•Time keeper
•Reporter
•Recorder
•Encourager/facilitator
Groups 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s
•
Consider one learning challenge of Kuwait
University Students and adapt the Pathways
to Scientific Teaching ideas to one unit of
instruction.
•
Summaries the ideas on large flip chart
paper.
•
Reporter - gives synopsis to large group.
•
GEA
Individual Activity
•Select two types of assessments that you
brought from your course.
• Compare two types of assessments.
• Chose one assessment and develop a
learning objective for it.
Instructional Design
How do you go about developing a unit
for your course?
How would you start?
What would you do?
Backward Design
Learning Objective
Identify desired results
Learning Outcome
Determine acceptable evidence
Assessments
Data collected & Feedback given
Instructional Design & Activities
Planned learning experiences and instruction
Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe 1998, 2005
Backward Design
Concept Maps
are
represent
display
connected
with
has
has
Used for
Concepts
Knowledge or
Understanding
Visual Diagrams
Or Models
Structure
Hierarchy
is constructed
with
Assessment
Linking Words
Organization
Context
promotes
Reflection &
Learning
Prior
Knowledge
New
Information
For a course you teach .....
1. Select a concept that is critical for your students to
understand.
2. Identify 4 or 5 subconcepts that are important to
understanding that concept
e.g., DNA - Gene- Chromosome - Protein
3. Add linking lines to make connections between two
concepts
4. Add linking words that describe the relationship
between two concepts
www.ctools.msu.edu
Student’s Concept Map
Rubrics
Learning Objective
Students will be able to demonstrate
understanding of evolution and natural
selection by developing and testing
models and solving problems.
Misconceptions:
Natural Selection
•Changes in a population occur through a gradual
change in individual members of a population.
•New traits in species are developed in response
to need.
•All members of a population are genetically
equivalent, variation and fitness are not
considered.
•Traits acquired during an individual’s lifetime will
be inherited by offspring.
Pre-test: extended response. Explain the changes that
occurred in the tree and animal. Use your current
understanding of evolution by natural selection.
(AAAS 1999)
How do we develop rubrics?
Describe the objective for the
activity, problem, task...
Develop criteria and performance
standards for the assessment
Differentiate levels of responses
based on clearly described criteria
Rate (assign value) the categories
Student Responses
Misconceptions
Correct
Change in the individual
Change in the population
Need to Change/ Must Change/
Choice
Change due to genes
All members of a population are
equally fit
Individuals within a
population have varying
fitness levels
Traits acquired during a lifetime
are passed on
Genetic traits help the
individual to survive and
reproduce
Scoring Rubric for Quizzes and Homework
Level of Achievement
Exemplary
(5 pts)
General Approach
• Addresses the
question.
• States a relevant,
justifiable answer.
• Presents arguments in
a logical order.
• Uses acceptable style
and grammar (no
errors).
Comp rehension
• Demonstrates an accurate and
complete understanding of the
question.
• Backs conclusions with data
and warrants.
• Uses 2 or more ideas,
examples and/or arguments that
support the answer.
Adequate
(3 pts)
• Does not address the
question explicitly,
although does so
tangentially.
• States a relevant and
justifiable answer.
• Presents arguments in
a logical order.
• Uses acceptable style
and grammar (one
error).
• Demonstrates accurate but only
adequate understanding of
question because does not back
conclusions with w arrants and
data.
• Uses only one idea to support
the answer.
• Less thorough than above.
Needs Improveme nt
(1 pt)
• Does not address the
question.
• States no relevant
answers
• indicates
misconceptions.
• Is n ot clearly or
logically organized.
• Fails to use acceptable
style and grammar (two
or more errors).
• Does not demonstrate accurate
understanding of the question.
• Does not provide evidence to
support their answer to the
question.
No Answer (0 pts)
Ebert-May http://www.flaguide.org/cat/rubrics/rubrics1.php
Advantages of
Scoring Rubrics
Improve the reliability of scoring written
assignments and oral presentations
Convey goals and performance expectations of
students in an unambiguous way
Convey “grading standards” or “point values” and
relate them to performance goals
Engage students in critical evaluation of their
own performance
Save time but spend it well
Avida-ED
•http://www.msu.edu/course/isb/202/ebertmay/homepage/
homework.html#hw9
How am I going to grade all this
stuff??
Assessment Gradient
High
Ease of
Multiple Choice, T/F
Diagrams, Concept
maps, Quantitative
response
Assessment
Short answer
Essay, Research
papers/ reports
Low
Oral Interview
Theoretical Framework
• Ausubel 1968; meaningful learning
• Novak 1998; visual representations
• King and Kitchner 1994; reflective judgment
• National Research Council 1999; theoretical frameworks
Low
Potential for
Assessment of
Learning
High
Assessment and Feedback Approaches
• Subsample= You don’t need to grade everything!!
• Classroom Assessment Techniques (Angelo &
Cross 1993); Muddiest Point, Minute papers etc..
• Pyramid Exams- Individual 75% + Group 25%
• Diagnostic Questions & Clickers
• Rubrics
Action Plan
What resources from this workshop will be most helpful to
you in teaching?
Reflect on your lectures. What topics are challenging to
teach?
List two colleagues who would help you brainstorm active
learning techniques to address these challenges.
What type of feedback would you value from a
colleague?
Handelsman, Miller & Pfund 2007
Action Plan...continued
Our challenge to you, try one of the
strategies that you and your
colleague identify, next time you
teach.
Open Mic
Finally...
“...we note that successful people are the
ones who take advantage of those around
them to ultimately benefit students.”
Ebert-May D, Weber R, Hodder J, Batzli J (2006)
Team at MSU
•Rett Weber - Plant Biology (postdoctoral researcher)
•Deb Linton - Plant Biology (C. Michigan University)
•Duncan Sibley - Geology
•Doug Luckie - Physiology
•Scott Harrison - Microbiology (graduate student)
•Tammy Long - Plant Biology
•Heejun Lim - Chemistry Education
•Rob Pennock - Philosophy
•Charles Ofria - Engineering
•Rich Lenski - Microbiolgy
•Janet Batzli - Plant Biology [U of Wisconsin]