How do we get students to
think like scientists?
Fiona Rawle
Curriculum Mapping Project
• Undergraduate curriculum mapping:
– Learning Outcomes
– BOK Map (Body of knowledge – concepts)
– Skill Map (Biology Skill Set)
• Every LO gets mapped accordingly to:
– Taught, Assessed (-/T/A)
– Introduced, Reinforced, Advanced (I/R/A)
• Using the review of the curriculum map to inform
course redesign
Core Courses
BIO152
Introduction to
Evolution and
Evolutionary Genetics
BIO153
Diversity of Organisms
BIO204
Introduction to
Physiology
BIO205
Ecology
BIO206
Introductory Cell and
Molecular Biology
BIO215
Laboratory in
Molecular Biology and
Genetics
BIO207
Introductory
Genetics
BIO360
Biometrics I
BIO152
• We need to lay the foundation for future
learning.
• Students need to know how science works,
rather than learning lists/collections of facts.
• Need to learn to think like scientists…and
later, think like scientists to learn.
1. “Thinking
Like a
Scientist”
Introductory
Module
6. Active
Learning
Exercises in
Lecture
2. Case
Study Based
Tutorial
Sessions
Introductory
Biology Course
Re-Design
5. Scientific
Literacy
Assignment
3. Inquiry
Based Labs
4. “Science
vs.
Pseudoscien
ce” Lecture
Examples
Nature of science
Process of science
Scientific Reasoning Skills
The process of science
exploration is not about
“right answers”
Thinking Like A Scientist Module
What is science?
Who does
science?
Process of Science
Science around
you
Why should you
care?
Nature of science
Processes of science
Roles of evidence
Roles of theory
Generation of hypotheses
Interpretation of data
Creation and use of models
What do you think of when you hear the word
“scientist”?
-old
-smart
-conducts
experiments
Sciencebuddies.org
www.understandingscience.org
What’s “wrong” with the simplified,
linear scientific method?
• implies that scientific studies follow an constant, one-way
recipe. (Reality: different order; different activities;
repeats).
• implies that science is done by individual scientists alone.
(Reality: different people might do different parts;
collaboration; scientists actually talk to one another.)
• implies that science has little room for creativity. (Reality:
process of science is exciting, dynamic, and unpredictable).
• implies that science concludes. (Reality: investigations are
often ongoing; conclusions are reversible).
From: www.understandingscience.org
www.understandingscience.org
www.understandingscience.org
www.understandingscience.org
www.understandingscience.org
Science vs Pseudoscience
Science vs Spin
www.understandingscience.org
Chlorophyll Supplementation
• “…take chlorophyll supplements to oxygenate
your bowel”
(See expanded description of this chlorophyll example in Bad Science by Ben Goldacre)
Questions
•
•
•
•
Will chlorophyll oxygenate your bowel?
Does chlorophyll contain oxygen?
Can photosynthesis occur in your bowel?
Do you want oxygen in your bowel?
Students assist in developing
conceptual framework
Student generated steps…
• Question the rationale.
• Question the source.
• Come up with a question.
• Come up with a hypothesis.
• Design a controlled experiment to test the
claim.
• “Contains stem
cells and DNA
technology”
• “Replace aged
cells with
younger cells”
• “Repair damage”
• “Reverse the
aging process”
“Detox Foot Bath”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Rationale
Source
Question
Hypothesis
Prediction
Experiment
More Questions
How will we assess this?
• Concept assessments / inventories
• NOSCA (Nature of science concept
assessment)
Acknowledgements & Resources
• Mindy Thuna, Science Librarian
• Cleo Boyd, Academic Skills Centre
• www.understandingscience.org
• Koslowski, B. (1996). Theory and evidence: The
development of scientific reasoning. Cambridge, MA: MIT
Press.
• Zimmerman, C. (2000). The development of scientific
reasoning skills. Developmental Review, 20, 99–149.
• Link to “experiment” on detox foot bath, used as a class
example for critiquing experiments
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlvUHukhT9Q