Maximizing Content Coverage and
Learning in a Blended Biology Course
Gerald Bergtrom, Ph.D.
Professor of Biological Sciences &
Learning Technology Consultant
Sept. 16, 2010
The Original F2F Course
Home:
Text readings & slide presentations
assessed by online quizzes, due
before lecture
10%
F2F:
Lecture, inclass exams
90%
•Content delivered at home & in class
•No time for interactive, collaborative learning
Redesign Decisions for the
Blended Course:
•
•
•
Stable canon of content moved online.
Provide multiple modes of content
delivery
No lecturing in class.
The Result:
Freedom to model scientific thinking and
“science as a way of knowing” in class and
at home…
The Blended Course
Home
Text readings, un-narrated PowerPoint slide presentations, online quizzes
VOP lectures, Muddiest Points
Discussions
Short Papers
online exams
Integration: mutual reinforcement of online and F2F activities
F2F:
Debrief
muddiest
points
5%
10%
F2F:
Clicker Qs
13%
F2F:
Index Card Qs
12%
55%
5%
10% 45%
Index Card Challenge & Clicker questions
…engage all students, promote collaboration
Learning goals:
-critical thinking
-analytical inquiry
-collaborative problem
solving
-more self-confident students
INDEX CARD EXERCISE
A ship’s captain visiting a far away paradise island
saw much livestock and produce. Years of breeding
had yielded a variety of fast growing maize with
more and larger kernels on the cob. Island farmers
stopped growing the other varieties of maize.
Some years later, the captain returned with her ship
to find the island desolate, strewn with animal and
human remains. Why?
Work in groups of 3-5 (no more, no less); write your
response on a 4X5” index card signed by your group
members.
A follow-up concept question
UNDERSTANDING EVOLUTION IS A
KEY TO UNDERSTANDING LIFE
BECAUSE IT LED TO THE
1.improvement
of species.
2.diversity of species.
3.the extinction of the dinosaurs.
4.origin of cells.
Conceptual misunderstanding!
Question reset…
UNDERSTANDING EVOLUTION IS A
KEY TO UNDERSTANDING LIFE
BECAUSE IT LED TO THE
1.improvement
of species.
2.diversity of species.
3.the extinction of the dinosaurs.
4.origin of cells.
Peer instruction success!
Index Card Assignment
28S
18S
4-5S
Fraction number
[ribosomal RNA]
[total cell RNA]
Look at these sucrose density (sedimentation velocity)
gradient separations of purified RNA. What can you
conclude from these results?
28S
18S
4-5S
Fraction number
Work in groups of 3-5 (no more, no less); write your
response on a 4x5” index card signed by your group
members.
Index Card Assignment
If I ask you to run a gradient of purified messenger
RNA (mRNA) from a culture of liver cells, what should
the gradient look like after the centrifugation? Draw
what the RNA profile might look like and explain your
drawing.
Work in groups of 3-5 (no more, no less); write your
response on a 4x5” index card signed by your group
members.
Was ‘going blended’ hard to do?
•Finding time for redesign
•Settling on a mode of content delivery
•Integration of online & F2F activities
But mostly
•Letting go of old, cherished ways of
teaching!
Some Numbers, Some Thoughts
F2F year
F2F sp 2003
F2F sp 2004
F2F fall 2004
F2F sp 2005
F2F Averages
Blended sp 2008
Blended sp 2009
Blended Averages
•
•
Exam raw Final
scores
Scores n
70.03
82.13 36
61.28
82.14 38
72.36
80.94 61
74.94
83.82 94
69.65
82.26 229
66.29
85.09 28
65.52
86.63 33
65.91
85.86 61
Does this inversion mean that more learning is
takes place in the blended course, or
that I have discounted objective testing because
it doesn’t measure the kind or learning I aim for?
It was an effort, but the payoff was
•A more enjoyable, more effective way
of teaching science.
•Enduring, easily updatable course
materials.
•More content coverage.
•More student engagement with
content, concept and each other
•more learning.
Be my guest…
You are enrolled in my blended Cell Biology course as a guest. To get in:
1. Click on this link: https://uwm.courses.wisconsin.edu/
2. Log on using guest.bergtrom as your login name and password.
3. Scroll down the next screen and click on the blended Cell Biology course
link.
4. Use the clickable tabs above the announcements area (circled) to explore
course features. Pertinent tabs are Course Home (takes you back to
Announcements), Content (contains syllabus, general information, slide
shows, assignments, etc.).
5. Also, check out Discussions, Quizzes, Dropbox, Grades (where you can
see a student’s eye view of the gradebook), and Surveys (e.g., an
anonymous course evaluation form).
Maximizing Content Coverage and
Learning in a Blended Biology Course
Gerald Bergtrom, Ph.D.
Professor of Biological Sciences &
Learning Technology Consultant
Learning Technology Center
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
bergtrom@uwm.edu
414-229-4319
SUPPLEMENTS
Enzyme Kinetics
These curves tally the
[P] over time for
[P]
enzyme reactions
containing different
starting [S]. they level
off because
1.
2.
3.
4.
[S]=
4mM
2mM
1mM
60
Time (seconds)
the reactions are reaching equilibrium.
The [S] are reaching higher levels.
all substrate has been converted to
product.
most substrate has been converted to
product.
120
Index Card Exercise
Discuss this question with your classmates. Then
set up your equations and solutions, showing only
the calculations necessary to answer the question.
To be submitted individually
DH =DG0 + TDS
DG0 = -RTlnKeq
Phosphoglucomutase
Glucose-1-P
Glucose-6-P
This reaction was conducted under standard conditions.
The starting [glucose-1-P]
= 0.20M
The equilibrium [glucose-6-P] = 0.19M
The equilibrium [glucose 1-P] = 0.01M
1. Determine the Keq for this reaction
2. Is this reaction exergonic or endergonic? Explain.
.
Asynchronous
Discussion Forum
Consider the following: Primase is a sloppy enzyme
that makes many mistakes. Eventually the RNA
primers it makes are disposed of and replaced with
DNA synthesized by DNA Polymerase with higher
fidelity. This is wasteful. It would be more energy
efficient if a DNA polymerase made an accurate copy in
the first place.
INSTRUCTIONS: Post an initial response to the statement
below by midnight on 04-07-10 (late posts will not receive credit).
Formulate a thoughtful, reflective reply to one or more of your
classmates initial response posts beginning on 04-08-10 at
12:00am but no later than midnight 01-10-10 (replies posted
before the 4th day will not receive credit)
Instructions for a short writing exercise
(Learning Objective: increase scientific literacy)
Write a 1-2 page (250-500) word, double spaced one page
paper on the recent synthesis of a complete microbial
genome. Sources should be cited on a separate page. Your
paper must address the following:
1. What did the researchers do?
2. How did they do it?
3. What is to be gained by knowing their results? That is,
what is the value (social and/or scientific) of the research?
4. Cite Sources on a separate page
5. Check spelling.
For full credit on this paper, you must address all of these
points.