Active-Learning Strategies
Hal White
University of Delaware
Student-Centered Education
in the Molecular and Life Sciences II
University of Richmond
July 20, 2011
5 Core Concepts
Evolution
Structure and
Function
Information Flow
Transformation of
Energy and Matter
Systems
6 Core Competencies
Apply Science
Process
Quantitative
Reasoning
Modeling and
Simulation
Interdisciplinary
Nature of Science
Communicate and
Collaborate
Science and
Society
Vision and Change Recommendations
•Integrate Core Concepts and Competencies
throughout the Curriculum
•Focus on Student-Centered Learning
•Promote Campuswide Commitment to
Change.
•Engage the Biology Community in the
Implementation of Change.
Should be required
reading for all
STEM teaching faculty
A large body of evidence shows
that humans achieve greater
conceptual understanding and
retain information longer when they
are actively involved—a process
that enables them to construct
knowledge. For a majority of
students, lecturing is not the most
effective mode of instruction.
Active-Learning Strategies
Workshop Outline
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Description & Comparison of PXnL
Pedagogies
Groups and Group Formation
Classic Articles as Problems
Concept Mapping
Assessment – IFAT Quizzes
Peer Facilitators
Q &A
The PXnL Pedagogies
of Engagement:
PBL, PLTL, & POGIL
PBL
Problem-Based Learning
In PBL, students work together in small groups
to solve real-world problems. PBL is an active
and iterative process that engages students to
identify what they know, and more importantly,
what they don't know. Their motivation to solve a
problem becomes their motivation to find and
apply knowledge.
http://www.udel.edu/inst/why-pbl.html
PLTL
Peer-Led Team Learning
PLTL is an active-learning strategy to help students interact
with course material on a personal level. Carefully designed
Workshops are created to accompany the lecture course.
These Workshops replace traditional Teaching Assistant led
recitation sessions. Each Workshop has a Peer Leader, who
previously did well in the course, and a small group of 6 to 8
students. Workshops meet each week to work through a set
of problems carefully designed by the professor to cover
important topics discussed in lecture and the text.
http://chem.chem.rochester.edu/~workshop/
POGIL
Process-Oriented
Guided Inquiry Learning
POGIL is a classroom and laboratory technique that seeks to
simultaneously teach content and key process skills such as the
ability to think analytically and work effectively as part of a
collaborative team. Students work in small groups on specially
designed guided inquiry materials that supply students with data
or information followed by leading questions designed to guide
them toward formulation of their own valid conclusions—
essentially a recapitulation of the scientific method. The
instructor serves as facilitator, observing and periodically
addressing individual and classroom-wide needs.
http://www.pogil.org/about
All PXnLs are designed to:
• Promote higher-order thinking skills;
• Help students learn to reason though problems,
instead of using algorithmic approaches;
• Build conceptual understanding through active
engagement with the material;
• Foster growth in teamwork and collaborative
problem-solving skills.
PXnLs Attempt to
Breach the Perception Filter
Incoming Information
Perception
Filter
Long-Term
Memory
Working
Memory
Space
Limited
thinkingholding
space
Storing
Retrieving
“5 ± 2”
An
“infinite”
expandable
long-term
storage
space
Feedback Loop for Perception Filter
Adapted from: Johnstone (1996) J. Chem Educ. 27, 262.
Comparisons among PXnLs
PBL
POGIL
PLTL
Are lectures retained?
Sometimes
No
Yes
Course format or
supplemental
Course format Course format Supplemental
Group problem
solving sessions
During normal class hours;
usually, all groups in the same
room
Extra sessions held
outside normal class
hours; each group in a
separate room
Is the course grader
present?
Yes
Instructor ±
Peer
Facilitators
No
Peer Facilitators
Yes
Instructor
Comparisons among PXnLs-2
PBL
POGIL
PLTL
Problem types
Complex, open-ended,
real world, deliberately
vague
Structured by Learning
Cycle: Exploration,
Invention, Application
Similar to most
challenging examination
problems structured for
group work
Duration
Varies from a single
class to an entire
semester
One activity lasts one
period; unfinished
portions are homework
One session lasts 1-2 hr,
with many problems per
session
How are “concepts”
treated?
Problems drive concept
discovery on a need-toknow basis
Develop concepts
through group work,
reinforce w/ application
Probe and apply concepts
introduced in text, lecture,
and homework
Textbook not used in
class; reading done after
group work
Textbook is resource for
problem solving work
sessions
In-class textbook use? Textbook used as one of
many resources
Comparisons among PXnLs-3
Ideal group size
Permanent groups?
PBL
POGIL
PLTL
4
3-5
6-8
Yes
No
Yes
Groups and Group
Formation
Problem-Solving Ability in Groups
Impossible
Problem Difficulty
Can’t Solve
Trivial
Might Solve
Solution
obvious
A B
C
D
Group Members
Group
Potential
Problem solving is what you do when you don’t know what to do,
otherwise it is not a problem.
Wheatley (1984)
Forming Groups
Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous
“Homogeneous”
Groups
Your Class
“Heterogeneous”
Groups
What Aspects of Heterogeneity
are Important for You?
If you know you want to form
heterogeneous groups, but don’t know
critical information about your students,
what can you do?
Let the students help you.
Forming Heterogeneous Groups
Without Prior Information
•
•
•
•
Never been to a workshop on active learning, add 25
Been to ≥ 1 POGIL, PLTL, or PBL Workshop, add 50
Have tried a “PXnL” strategies in my classroom, add 75
Teach with a “PXnL” pedagogy regularly, add 100
100
• If you are Male, add 100
• If you are Female, add 200
100
-
• I teach at a University, add 200
• I teach at a Liberal Arts College, add 400
• Sum the last 4 digits of your office Phone Number
GRAND TOTAL (Your Number)
200
19
419
When you have calculated “Your Number”,
line up in numerical order.
Ice Breaker
Meet the other members of your Group
• Make a list of four interesting things about
yourself, one of which is false.
• Each group member in turn share your list
with the others in your group and see if
they can guess which item is false.
From Terry Platt
One of these statements about me
is false
• I have never owned a cell phone.
• I played center on my high school
basketball team.
• I have written a book about dragonflies.
• I drove a school bus to Mexico and back.
Teaching = Learning?
Introductory Science Courses
Stereotype
1. Lecture format that is content-driven.
2. Abstract concepts introduced before concrete
examples.
3. Enrollments typically more than 100.
4. Limited student-faculty interaction.
5. Grading based on a few multiple choice
examinations that emphasize recall of information.
6. Reinforce intellectually immature students to a
naïve view of knowledge.
Characteristics of Good Problems
•
•
•
•
•
•
Engage interest
Require decision and judgment
Need full group participation
Open-ended or controversial
Connected to prior knowledge
Incorporate content objectives
Classic Articles as PBL Problems
Advantages
• Authentic (not contrived)
• Complex
• Relevant to the Discipline
• Introduce Important Historical Figures
• Encourage use of Library and Internet
Science as Literature?
“There is no form of prose
more difficult to understand
and more tedious to read that
the average scientific paper.”
Francis Crick (1995)
Introduction to Biochemistry:
An Article-Based PBL Course
• 3 Credits, No Laboratory, 8:00 AM MWF
• Theme - Hemoglobin and Sickle Cell Anemia
• First Biochemistry Course for Sophomore
Biochemistry Majors
• Required for the Major
• Taught in a PBL Classroom
• Enrollment 20 - 35
• Uses Juniors and Seniors as Group Facilitators
Introduction to Biochemistry
Course Description
• Heterogeneous groups of 4 discuss and work to
understand about ten classic articles.
• Articles presented in historical context, show the
development of scientific understanding of
protein structure and genetic disease.
• Assignments and examinations emphasize
conceptual understanding.
• Instructor monitors progress, supervises tutors,
presents demonstrations, and leads whole class
discussions to summarize each article.
Constructing Meaning from Stokes (1864)
Experience it yourself
• What was done? Read Section 11 of the Stokes article. In the
left-hand column of the work sheet, transform Stokes’ description
into a multi-step protocol suitable for an undergraduate chemistry
laboratory experiment.
• What was seen?
In the middle column, describe what
observations students would make.
• What happened chemically? In the last column, explain briefly
in words the chemical basis for the observations.
• How do we represent it? On the back of the work sheet,
construct a diagram (model) that represents the chemistry.
Excerpt from Stokes, Section 11
This [the decomposition of cruorine and separation of hematin]
may be easily effected on a small scale by adding to the watery
extract from blood-clots about an equal volume of ether, and
then some glacial acetic acid, and gently mixing, but not
violently shaking for fear of forming an emulsion. When enough
acetic acid has been added, the acid ether rises charged with
nearly the whole of the colouring matter, while the substance
which caused the precipitate remains in the acid watery layer
below. The acid ether solution shows in perfection the
characteristic spectrum fig. 3. When most of the acid is washed
out the substance falls, remaining in the ether near the common
surface. If after removing the wash-water a solution, even a
weak one, of ammonia or carbonate of soda be added, the
colouring matter readily dissolves in the alkali.
G. G. Stokes (1864)
Transforming Section 11 of Stokes’
Article into a Laboratory Experiment
Procedural
Step
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Expected
Observation
Chemical
Meaning
Decomposition of Cruorine
and Extraction of Hematin
An experiment described in Section 11 of G. G. Stokes
“On the Oxidation and Reduction of the Colouring Matter of the Blood.”
Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, 13, 355-364 (1864)
Question for Group Work on
Midterm Examination
Prof. Essigsaure returned to his lab one night to prepare for a lecture demonstration
based on the experiment presented in the second paragraph of Section 11 in
Stokes’ 1864 article. Within minutes he was looking high and low for the
glacial acetic acid and mumbling angrily about associates who don’t replace
the things they use up. Frustrated, but undaunted, he figured any acid would do
and substituted concentrated hydrochloric acid. After all, he reasoned, a
stronger acid should work even better. — Not so. Sure enough the
hemoglobin solution turned brown immediately upon addition of HCl but,
much to his initial puzzlement, the resulting hematin did not extract into the
ether layer.
Explain in chemical terms why HCl cannot be substituted for glacial acetic
acid in this experiment. Draw chemical structures and diagrams to
support your argument. If you are uncertain of the explanation, please
outline the possibilities you have considered or how you analyzed the
problem.
Introduction to Biochemistry
Student Assignments
•
•
•
•
•
•
Write an Abstract
Construct a Concept Map
Draw an Appropriate Illustration
Critique from a Modern Perspective
Find out about the Author
Explore a Cited Reference
What does it mean when a student
says, I understand?....
Does it mean the same thing
to him or her that it does
to another student or to you?..…
How can your students demonstrate
their understanding to you?
Concept Mapping
• What is a concept map?
• What are the features of a concept map?
• How do you construct a concept map?
Students Working on a Concept Map
What is a Concept Map?
A Concept Map Includes:
laptop
Linking Phrase
needs a
Linking Phrase
Nodes
(terms or concepts)
Linking lines
(usually with a unidirectional arrow)
Linking phrases
Propositions
charge
Linking Phrase
Linking Phrase
Linking Phrase
Linking Phrase
Short Assignment
Arrange the following three terms
and connect them with arrows and
linking phrases
Bacteria
Pneumonia
Antibiotics
A Mini Concept Map
Caused by
Pneumonia
Bacteria
Antibiotics
Variations on a Theme
Pneumonia
Caused by
Antibiotics
Bacteria
Bacteria
Antibiotics
Can cause
Pneumonia
Can cause
Bacteria
By reversing the arrows,
changing the linking words,
and adding color, the focus
and emphasis changes.
Pneumonia
Antibiotics
Generate a concept map with a suitable title that
uses the information in the following paragraphs.
In the environment, the element iodine occurs naturally as 127I, a nonradioactive (stable) isotope. Humans require iodine as a micronutrient. It
accumulates in the thyroid gland where it is incorporated into thyroxine, a
thyroid hormone that activates transcription of particular genes and stimulates
metabolic rate. Goiters, greatly enlarged thyroid glands that were formerly
observed among people living in iodine-deficient areas of the United States,
have been virtually eliminated by adding small amounts of potassium iodide to
table salt (iodized salt).
Significant increases in childhood thyroid cancer occurred following the 1986
Chernobyl accident due to the ingestion and inhalation of 131I, a short-lived (t½
≈ 8 days) radioisotope of iodine derived from the fission of uranium in nuclear
power plants and nuclear bombs. In order to reduce the chances of getting
thyroid cancer, people exposed to radioactive fallout downwind from the
nuclear reactors damaged by the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami, have
been given potassium iodide tablets to take daily during exposure.
Generate 10 substantive, well-articulated
learning issues relating to the paragraphs.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What is the structure of thyroxine? How is it biosynthesized?
How does throxine get from the thyroid gland where it is made to the nucleus of cells where it
activates genes?
What genes does thyroxine activate? Are they involved in altering the metabolic rate, or do they
affect other cellular functions?
Is the formation of thyroxine the only biochemical role for iodine in the body?
Why does the thyroid gland enlarge when there is an absence of iodine in the diet? One might think
it would shrink.
Are there any hazards to consuming a large amount of potassium iodide? How does the body excrete
iodine?
Are there stable isotopes of iodine other than 127I?
What parts of the US are iodine-deficient? Are there areas where there is too much iodine?
What are the daily requirements for iodine for humans? Is that value different for children and
adults? How does that compare to other micronutrients? What are some other micronutrients?
Do all organisms require iodine as a micronutrient?
How does uranium generate 131I in a nuclear reactor? What are the products of 131I decay? Are they
also radioactive?
Are there different types of nuclear reactors? Do all nuclear reactors generate 131I?
Why are children more likely to develop thyroid cancer than adults after exposure to radioactive
iodine? What are the statistics from Chernobyl that show 131I is more dangerous for children than
adults?
What radioisotopes, other than 131I, are produced in a nuclear reactor accident or nuclear bomb
explosion are of special concern for human health? Or, are all radioactive isotopes of concern?
Transforming Words into Pictures
Visualization
Allison, A. C., (1954) Brit. Med. J. 1, 290-294
Protection Afforded by Sickle-Cell Trait Against
Subtertian Malarial Infection.
Question for group consideration and
subsequent class discussion:
How might you demonstrate that people
carrying one allele for sickle cell hemoglobin
have increased resistance to malaria?
Quiz Time
“Assessment”
Features of the IFAT Scoring Sheets
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Multiple Choice Format
Lottery Ticket Design
Immediate Feedback
Partial Credit
Tremendous Discussion Stimulator
Students Like It
Potential for Multiple Use
•
•
http://www.epsteineducation.com/
BAMBED 33, 261-2 (2005)
Group Quizzes
with IFAT® Answer Sheets
• Scoring of an IFAT® answer sheet used
by a single PBL group for four
successive quizzes. Note that the
position of the star indicating the correct
answer varies to discourage “peeking”
that may have occurred with answer
12B.
•
•
http://www.epsteineducation.com/
BAMBED 33, 261-2 (2005)
Peer Facilitators
Common Situations
Encountered in Groups
1. Student who confidently presents information that is
incorrect yet goes unchallenged by other group
members.
2. Student who misses class or regularly comes late to
class and requires class time for the more
conscientious members of the group to fill him or
her in on what was missed.
3. Unprepared student who routinely comes to class
but doesn’t contribute to group discussions or
projects.
4. Likeable talkative student who is unaware that he
(or she) frequently interrupts others and dominates
discussion thereby preventing contributions by
quieter members of the group.
5. Student who readily understands the material but is
not particularly interested in sharing that knowledge
with other group members.
6. Student who thinks problem-based learning is not a
good way to learn and deliberately or unconsciously
disrupts the process.
7. Quiet student who has good thoughts to contribute
but never seems to get the attention of other
members of the group.
8. Students whose friendship outside of class creates
a subgroup that frequently breaks off from the main
group in class discussion.
9. Student who, due to illness or some other legitimate
reason, misses a week or more of class.
10. Group that gets along well and is satisfied with a
superficial procedural understanding and doesn’t
seem to be aware or interested in a deeper
conceptual understanding.
11. Student who has difficulty focusing on course
material and frequently ends up discussing sports,
the campus social scene, or the previous night’s TV
show.
12. Student who ignores or puts down group members
that have a different cultural background, racial
background, or physical appearance.
13. Student who doesn’t listen to or seem to understand
the points made by other group members.
14. Group that can’t make progress without assistance,
and show signs of frustration (and perhaps
resentment) when the tutor doesn’t provide the
information desired.
15. Group in which a disparity in the abilities of
members makes communication of concepts difficult.
16. Student who directs all of her/his questions to the
tutor (and instructor).
17. Students who do all of the necessary work but do not
seem to enjoy discussing problems and related
concepts with one another.
Common Group Problems
Tutors Must Confront1
Problem Identified by Peer-Facilitator
Obs Maj
%
%
10. Satisfied with superficial understanding
90
40
16. Student directs all questions to tutor
63
6
7. Quiet student who does not contribute
62
5
4. Likeable dominant student
49
12
1. Authoritative incorrect statements unchallenged
43
7
40
7
15. Students with disparate abilities
1 Based
on responses from 126 peer-facilitators over 11 semesters
Course Web-Sites
Introduction to Biochemistry
www.udel.edu/chem/white/CHEM342.html
Tutorial Methods of Instruction
www.udel.edu/chem/white/UNIV460-044.html
http://www.udel.edu/chem/white/CHEM342.html
Acknowledgements
•
•
•
•
National Science Foundation
Fund for Post-Secondary Education
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Pew Charitable Trusts
Prelude to the Final Exam
Always remember that it is possible to
be a worthwhile human being
regardless (or in spite of) how much
biochemistry you know. This won't
necessarily help you with biochemistry,
but it may help you keep your sanity.
Hiram F. Gilbert (1992)
Reflections and Questions