Teaching for Understanding in Large Classes: Active Learning & Assessment

1. Teaching for Understanding in Large Classes:Active Learning& Assessment Diane Ebert-May Department of Plant Biology Michigan State University ebertmay@msu.edu http://first2.org

3. The trouble with our times is that the future is not what it used to be. -Paul Valery, The Art of Poetry

4. Implement a learning cycle instructional design Organize and use cooperative groups Create an inquiry-based, student-centered classroom Develop goals/assessments Use concept maps - maybe Analyze data to improve instruction Develop rubrics for assessment Figure out if the rewards are worth “it” Objectives: you will be able to.....

5. Learning Cycle • Engage • Explore • Explain • Assess

6. Engage

7. Question 1 Students learn science best by doing science. Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree

8. Question 2 Science should be taught as it is practiced. Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree

9. Question 3 How important is it to use multiple kinds of data to assess student learning? Please respond on a scale if 0-100 in increments of 10:

10. Question 4 How often do you use data to make instructional decisions? Please respond on a scale of 0 - 100 in increments of 10:

11. Question 5 Large lectures (+50 at UM) are active learning environments. Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 5=strongly agree; 4=agree; 3=neutral; 2= disagree; 1=strongly disagree

12. In my department, excellence in teaching is rewarded at a level comparable to excellence in research. Question 6 Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree

13. Question 7 Where on the continuum is the ideal classroom ?

14. Where on the continuum is your classroom? Question 8

15. Question 1 Students learn science best by doing science. Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree

21. Question 2 Science should be taught as it is practiced. Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree

22. Learners doing science...

23. Question 3 How important is it to use multiple kinds of data to assess student learning? Please respond on a scale if 0-100 in increments of 10:

24. How important is it to use multiple forms of data to assess student learning? % Relative Importance n=127

25. Question 4 How often do you use data to make instructional decisions? Please respond on a scale of 0 - 100 in increments of 10:

26. How often do you use data to make instructional decisions? % Frequency n=127

27. Question 5 Large (+50 UM) introductory courses are active learning environments. Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 5=strongly agree; 4=agree; 3=neutral; 2= disagree; 1=strongly disagree

28. In my department, excellence in teaching is rewarded at a level comparable to excellence in research. Question 6 Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree

32. Question 7 Where on the continuum is the ideal classroom ?

33. Where on the continuum is your classroom? Question 8

34. Explore

35. What’s up with Termites? 1. On a sheet of paper, draw two circles near each other on the center of the page. 2. Release termites onto paper. 3. Keep creatures safe. I shall collect them in their original habitat. 4. What do you observe about termite behavior? 5. Develop a question your group could explore if you had more time. (15 minutes - select a timekeeper)

36. 1. Develop 3 possible goals/ objectives for this ‘inquiry’ Team Written response. Overhead. Reporter - Recorder - Timekeeper - (10 minutes) Checker - 2. Develop an assessment appropriate for one of the goals/objectives.

37. Explain

38. What is assessment? • Data collection with the purpose of answering questions about… • students’ understanding • students’ attitudes • students’ skills • instructional design and implementation • curricular reform (at multiple grainsizes)

39. Why do assessment? Improve student learning and development. Provides students and faculty substantive feedback about student understanding. Challenge to use disciplinary research strategies to assess learning.

40. Assessment

41. What did students learn? (assessment data) Why did students respond a particular way? (research) What are the working hypotheses or questions? What has already been done? Literature says... How and why to select methods? Conduct study... How to analyze and interpret data? What do the results mean? Are findings valid and generalizable? Guidelines for thinking about research...

42. Research

43. Data collection

44. Assessment Gradient High Ease of Assessment Low Multiple Choice, T/F Diagrams, Concept maps, Quantitative response Short answer Essay, Research papers/ reports Oral Interview Low Potential for Assessment of Learning High

45. Identify desired outcomes Determine acceptable evidence Design learning experiences and instruction Wiggins and McTighe 1998

46. Objective (outcome): Students will demonstrate understanding of evolution by natural selection.

47. Write a scenario that explains the phenotypic changes in the tree and the animal. Use your understanding of evolution by natural selection. Problem (evidence) Text

48. Describe the goal/objective for the activity, problem, task... Select the assessment tasks aligned with goals Develop performance standards Differentiate levels of responses based on clearly described criteria Rate (assign value) the categories How do we develop rubrics?

49. Scoring Rubric for Quizzes and Homework

50. Improve the reliability of scoring written assignments and oral presentations Convey goals and performance expectations of students in an unambiguous way Convey “grading standards” or “point values” and relate them to performance goals Engage students in critical evaluation of their own performance Save time but spend it well Advantages of Scoring Rubrics