Implementing Vision and Change Using
Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
Welcome to the Feb. 8, 2014 ASBMBsponsored regional workshop at UCSB.
Your hosts: Duane Sears and Ann Wright
Keynote address: Vicky Minderhout
Funded by an NSF RCN-UBE (Research Coordination Networks – Undergraduate
Biology Education) grant (2010): “Promoting Concept Driven Teaching Strategies
in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology through Concept Assessments”
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
1
Announcements
 If you don’t already have one, please pick up a copy of
the workshop booklet provided for everyone. It
includes more detailed information about this
workshop, its participants, and the activities. It also
includes as several articles relevant to this meeting that
many of you might find interesting and useful as a
science educators.
 The first page of the booklet outlines the meeting
agenda and you will see that we will are scheduled to be
quite busy until 5:30 pm.
 However, there will be lunch break from 12:30-1:30 and
coffee break from 3:30-3:45.
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
2
NSF-Funded ASBMB project: Background & overview
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
3
Just out: ASBMB’s Accreditation Program
http://www.asbmb.org/accreditation/
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
4
ASBMB-sponsored workshops and meetings.
Since 2010, 12 workshops have held around the country
and up to this point, 4 have been planned for 2014,
including this one.
With registration numbers around 30 per workshop in
the first two years, roughly 500 science educators have
participated in these workshops including K-12 science
teachers, graduate students and postdocs, and faculty
from small colleges and large universities.
In more recent years, registration numbers have grown
to between 50 to 70 per meeting, including this one with
53 registered.
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
5
These specific aims in the RCN grant have been
or are being addressed in these workshops.
 Specific Aim 1 (year 1): Identify foundational concepts in
terms of core knowledge and foundational principles,
research, and skills.
 Specific Aim 2 (years 2-3): Create a taxonomy of these
foundational concepts and skills, and link them to topics
outlined in the undergraduate curriculum recommendations
of ASBMB.
 Specific Aim 3 (years 3-4): Develop and evaluate appropriate
assessment tools for the topics identified in Specific Aim 1.
 Specific Aim 4 (years 4-5): Create a toolkit that can easily be
accessed by the academic community.
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
6
What do our students need to know and how do we
know if they know what we want them to know?
COO
COO
CH2
CH2
H3C
O
N
H
C
H
CH3
CH3
H3C
N
H
C
H
H
N
H
C
H
N
H
Adapted from a slide made
by Prof. Hal White, U. Del.
O
Biology
Chemistry
Provides the methods and
molecular perspective:
Concepts, Skills, Allied Field
Provides the means to evaluate
and predict: Allied Field
Biochemistry
Molecular Biology
Mathematics
Provides the relevance:
Concepts and Skills
Provides physical
models: Allied Field
Physics
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
7
Today’s workshop activities and goals.
Group formation according to learning objectives (11:00 to 11:30 pm)
Each participant selects one of the top learning objectives identified
by the survey and is thus assigned to one group with no more than 4.
1st group activity (11:30 to 12:30 pm) – Groups refine their selected
learning goal and specific learning objective in sufficiently explicit
language for the purposes of designing an assessment and learning
strategy.
2nd group activity (1:30-2:30 pm) – Groups develop an assessment
and associated scoring rubrics to measure student learning of your
refined specific learning objective.
3rd group activity (2:30- 3:30 pm)- Groups Develop a student centered
strategy designed to promote student learning of your refined
specific learning objective either in the context of a classroom or
laboratory activity. Finalize and electronically submit your
completed alignment table created during the 3 group activities.
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
8
Workshop Flowchart – part 1
1. BEFORE 11 am, participants should look over the learning objectives
written on the board and identify TWO objections you would be
msot interested in working on during the three workshop sessions.
2. AT 11 am, participants will sign up for just 1 of 12 groups .
NO MORE than 3 or 4 participants will be assigned PER GROUP.
NO MORE than 2 groups will work on the SAME learning objective.
3. By writing your participant number (on the back of your name
badge) next to just one learning objective shown on the white board
here, you will select the one group you will be in the entire day (no
switching); the learning objectives were identified from the survey.
4. After all 12 groups have been formed, each group will be given a
THUMB DRIVE with a “blank” design template Word document that
your group is asked to complete by the end of the 3rd session. The
drive also has a Word document with the list of learning objectives
so each group can COPY & PASTE their objective into the template.
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
9
Workshop Flowchart – part 2
5. The group members should find a good place to set up and work
during the 3 workshop sessions.
6. Each group needs to assign one individual to each of these tasks:
RECORDER – This individual will record information in the template.
REPORTER – This individual will report on the group at 4:30 pm
RESEARCHER – This individual find relevant online info.
ROVER (optional) – This individual will assist where needed.
7. At 4:30 each REPORTER will give a 5-6 min summary of the groups
design template.
8. At 5:30 pm, the RECORDERs will turn in their thumb drives to me for
my post-meeting report
Goals: The workshop activities are designed to help guide you through the
stepwise creation of (1) specific learning goals, (2) assessments, and (3)
learning strategies that target your learning goal. Eventually, ASBMB hopes
to use the templates to help in the development of searchable and vetted
10
online resource for instructors and educational researchers to use.
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
Top 8 learning objectives you selected in
the online pre-meeting workshop survey
Foundational Concepts (Survey Question #7)
Group
The top 3 survey selections for the Foundational Concepts learning objectives and the learning goals they support.
IDs
Students should be able to describe what a mutation is at the molecular level, and how it comes about, be able to
A(1-2) predict how changes in a nucleotide sequence can influence the expression of a gene or the amino acid sequence of the
gene product (protein) and be able to translate these findings into a conclusion about how said mutation would impact
the general fitness of an organism or population.
Students should be able to summarize the different levels of control (including reaction compartmentalization, gene
B(1-2) expression, covalent modification of key enzymes, allosteric regulation of key enzymes, substrate availability and
proteolytic cleavage), and relate these different levels of control to homeostasis.
Students should be able to compare and contrast the potential ways in which the function of a macromolecule might be
C(1-2) affected and be able to discuss examples of allosteric regulation, covalent regulation and gene level alterations of
macromolecular structure/function.
Foundational Skills (Survey Question #8)
Group
The top 2 survey selections for the Foundational Skills learning objectives and the learning goals they support.
IDs
Response
Percent
Response
Count
24.4%
10
19.5%
8
19.5%
8
Response
Percent
Response
Count
D(1-2)
Given an experimental observation, students should be able to develop a testable and falsifiable hypothesis.
27.3%
12
E(1-2)
Given a hypothesis, students should be able to identify the appropriate experimental observations to be measured, as
well as appropriate control variables.
38.6%
17
Response
Percent
Response
Count
13.6%
6
9.1%
4
50.0%
22
Allied Fields (Survey Question #9)
Group
The top 2 survey selections for the Allied Fields learning objectives and the learning goals they support.
IDs
Students should be able to recall concepts of energetics and order, and apply them in the context of biological
F(1-2)
macromolecules.
Students should be able to recall concepts of thermodynamics, and apply them in the context of thermal processes at
G(1-2)
the molecular level.
Students should be able to recall principles of chemical structure (i.e., covalent bonds, polarity, the hydrophobic effect,
H(1-2) hydrogen bonds and other non-covalent interactions), and apply them in the context of the dynamic aspects of
molecular structure.
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
11
BAMBEd publications with learning objectives.
 Part 1: Introduction: (These are found in your meeting booklets.)
Carla Mattos, Margaret Johnson, Hal White, Duane Sears, Cheryl Bailey and Ellis Bell.
“Foundational Concepts and Underlying Theories for Majors in Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology.” Biochem. Mol. Biol. Educ. 41:287-8 (2013).
 Part 2: Foundational Concepts:
John T. Tansey, Teaster Baird, Jr., Michael M. Cox, Kristin M. Fox, Jennifer Knight, Duane
Sears, and Ellis Bell. “Foundational Concepts and Underlying Theories for Majors in
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.” Biochem. Mol. Biol. Educ. 41:289-96 (2013).
 Part 3: Skills:
Harold B. White, Marilee A. Benore, Takita F. Sumter, Benjamin D. Caldwell, and Ellis
Bell. “What Skills Should Students of Undergraduate Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology Programs Have Upon Graduation?” Biochem. Mol. Biol. Educ. 41:297-301
(2013).
 Part 4: Allied Fields:
Ann Wright, Joseph Provost, Jennifer A. Roecklein-Canfield, and Ellis Bell. “Essential
Concepts & Underlying Theories from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics for
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Majors.” Biochem. Mol. Biol. Educ. 41:302-8
(2013).
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
12
Resource:
Reverse Design
Template
This template is can be found
as a Word file with this name
on the thumb drive.
“Alignment LocationAbbr LastNameA
LastNameB LastNameC.docx”
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
13
Resource: Suggested
literature resources.
This template is can be found
as a Word file with this name
on the thumb drive.
“Regional Handout - Literature
Resources.docx”
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
14
Resource: Concatenated Bloom’s taxonomy.
Combined levels
This resource page
can be found in your
workshop booklet.
(3)
(2)
(1)
http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/story.php?title=blooms-taxonomy-thinking
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
15
Combined
levels
Bloom’s Taxonomy
www.teach-nology.com
(3)
(2)
(1)
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
16
Ann Wright, workshop co-host and DBR.
Ann is a Professor of Biology at Canisius College in
Buffalo, NY.
In addition to her responsibilities as a biology professor,
Ann has become a very respected and accomplished
“DBR,” or design-based researcher, in the areas of
science education that we will discuss today.
Later on this morning, she will introduce the rational for these workshop
activities: “Backward design: A framework for building your course.”
 She has included the following article in the workshop booklet:
David R. Krathwohl. A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy: An
Overview, Theory into Practice 41:212-18 (2002)
17
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies
Vicky Minderhout, my other
co-host and keynote speaker.
Vicky is a Professor of Chemistry and Dept. Chair at
Seattle University in Seattle, Washington.
Vicky is an expert practitioner of POGIL, or “Process
Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning,” whereby students
learn by doing and instructors instruct by guiding rather
than lecturing. (See ACS Symposium on POGIL in booklet.)
Later Vicky will discuss “Effective teaching practices and assessment
strategies that promote learning in undergraduate biochemistry.”
 She has co-authored (with Jenny Loertscher) a POGIL-based textbook,
Foundations of Biochemistry, Pacific Crest publisher.
 In 2011, Vicky was one of only 27 faculty chosen nationwide for the
2011 Washington State “Professor of the Year” award from the
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the
18
Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Implementing Vision and Change Using Concept-Driven Teaching Strategies