Anatomy of a Module: Using
LON-CAPA in Biology
Jim Smith
HHMI Core Group
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
The Overall Goal(s) of HHMI/LON-CAPA
• Create online learning modules
– Supplement traditional presentation
• Rationale
– "What should I do to study this stuff?"
• Module design
– based on educational principles
– use instructional technology to its best
advantage
Content Creation Driven by
Educational Principles
• What’s the Big Idea?
• Use of Multiple Representations
• Use of Interleaved Questions of High
Quality
What’s the Big Idea?
• Our Goal is Conceptual Understanding
– Deeper and better integrated than what one gains by
presentation of facts and memorization of terms
• Our modules attempt to focus on “Big Ideas”
– De-emphasis on facts and terms
•
Wandersee JH (2001) High School Biology Instruction: Targeting Deeper
Understanding for Biological Literacy, Subject-Specific Instructional
Methods and Activities 8: 187-214.
What is a Big Idea in Biology?
• Compare and Contrast Mitotic and Meiotic
Cell Division Cycles
– A Mitotic Cell Division leads to the production of daughter
cells that are identical to the original cell; all have the same
number of chromosomes.
– A Meiotic Cell Division leads to the production of daughter
cells that are not identical to the original cell; the daughter
cells have half the number of chromosomes found in the
original cell.
Use of Multiple Representations
• Content “Experts” move fluidly between
alternative representations
• Able to use representations as cues to
bring up other ideas
• “Novices” are constrained to the surface
– Physics (Acceleration Diagram)
– Biology (Punnett Square)
•
Kozma RB (2000) The Use of Multiple Representations and the Social
Construction of Understanding in Chemistry, pp. 11-46 in: Innovations in Science
and Mathematics Education: Advanced Designs for Technologies in Learning
(ML Jacobson & RB Kozma, Eds.), Lawrence Erlbaum, London.
Use of Interleaved Questions of
High Quality
• Question pages interspersed with content
pages
– Questions appear immediately after the
introduction of a concept
– Most LON-CAPA users put questions at “the
end of the chapter”
Use of Interleaved Questions of
High Quality
• High Quality as judged by Bloom’s
Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
– Type I • Recall Questions
– Type II/III • Comprehension
• Application/Interpretation
•
Bloom BS, Engelhart MD, et al. (1956) Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The
Classification of Educational Goals, David McKay Co., New York.
Use of Interleaved Questions of High
Quality
• In 14 modules, we have 58% Type II/III questions
– Range from 0 - 100% within modules
• Campbell’s “Biology” has < 5% Type II/III
questions
– Analysis of End-of-Chapter Questions and Questions on
the Accompanying Student CD
Use of Interleaved Questions of High
Quality
Module
Genetics I
Genetics II
Genetics III
Genetics IV
Question Pages (%) Type I Type II/III
15/32 (47%)
8
7
20/37 (54%)
2
18
9/16 (56%)
1
8
17/21 (81%)
2
15
Components of LBS144 F02
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Instructor, 2 Graduate TAs, 6 undergraduate TAs for 140 students
Lecture - two per week (TTh), 80 min.
– as active as possible
– Lecture notes available online before class
Recitation/Lab - 3 h per week
– 6 sections of 24 each staffed by one grad TA and two UGTAs
– multi-week investigations
Honors Option
Textbook - Freeman's "Biological Science"
Lab Book - Self-produced (coursepack)
External Readings - 8-10 readings throughout the term (coursepack)
Exams and Lab Quizzes
– 50% extended responses
Group Lab Write-ups (Poster, Paper, Web Site)
Written Homework based on Readings
Minute Papers in class
LON-CAPA Study Guides
LBS144 F02 Evaluation
The Way the Course wa s Ta ught
Group Work Outs ide of Cla ss
Enjoyment
TA Contac t
Learning
Instructor Contact
Rea dings (Add'l)
Obje ctives a nd Study Q' s
Te xtbook
Cla ssnotes Online
Hea rts HW
LON-CAPA
Bee Beha vior HW
Fairnes s of Eva luation Sc ale
Feedback on Work
Mental Stretch
Content of Exa ms
# and Timing of Exa ms
Review Ses sions
Gue st Le ctures/Pre senta tions
Pic ture-of-the -Week
Minute Pape rs
Group Work in Cla ss
Dis cuss ions in Class
Cla ss Meeting Pres entations
Pac e of Work
How Pie ces Fit Toge ther
0
0.5
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1.5
2
2.5
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Student Ranking
LBS144 students thought that the HHMI
modules helped them learn!
Acknowledgments
• Howard Hughes Medical
Institute (HHMI)
• LITE Lab
• HHMI Core Group at MSU
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Estelle McGroarty
John Merrill
Merle Heideman
Joyce Parker
Randy Russell
David Kirschtel
Janet Batzli
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Scott Harrison
Lissa Anderson
Marlene Cameron
Jiatyan Chen
Tammy Long
Heejun Lin
Mark Olson