Pathways to Scientific Teaching

1. Pathways to Scientific Teaching • Diane Ebert-May • Department of Plant Biology • Michigan State University • ebertmay@msu.edu • http://first2.org

3. Team at MSU Rett Weber - Plant Biology (postdoctoral researcher) Deb Linton - Plant Biology (postdoctoral researcher) Duncan Sibley - Geology Doug Luckie - Physiology Scott Harrison - Microbiology (graduate student) Tammy Long - Plant Biology Heejun Lim - Chemistry Education Rob Pennock - Philosophy Charles Ofria - Engineering Rich Lenski - Microbiolgy Janet Batzli - Plant Biology [U of Wisconsin]

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

5. Engage

6. Question 1 Scientific teaching involves active learning strategies to engage students in the process of science. Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree

7. Question 2 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 3 How important is it to use multiple kinds of data to assess student learning? Please respond on a scale of 0-100 in increments of 10:

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

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

11. Question 1 Scientific teaching involves active learning strategies to engage students in the process of science. Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree

13. Question 2 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

19. Large Class Meeting

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

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

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

23. Explore

24. Teaching and learning challenges Developing and critiquing learning objectives and assessments Aligning objectives with assessment Exploring tools for assessment - what is the evidence? Implementing active learning strategies in science courses and curricula Topics for Today

25. 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)

26. 1. Develop one possible objective for this ‘inquiry’. • Team Written response. • Reporter - • Recorder - • Timekeeper - (10 minutes) • Checker - 2. Develop an assessment appropriate for the objective.

27. Explore...thin air

28. What is going on? Teaching without learning! Talk to your neighbor - brainstorm 1. Diagnose situation - the learning challenge 2. Where is/are the missing links?misconceptions?

29. In your groups: What do you want your students to be able to DO? Design learning objectives that address photosynthesis learning challenges. Get to know your students and their prior knowledge. May use pretest or diagnostic (clicker) question

30. At the end of this unit, students should be able to…. Generate statement of measurable performance

31. Learning objectives • Once you have a set of learning goals…. • assign a Bloom-level to each goal. • Statement that indicates level of expectation of performance

32. What level of learning do we ask of our students? Bloom (1956) Cognitive Domain of Educational Objectives 6 categories - Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation

33. Learning Objectives... Revise

34. Explore more...

36. Jigsaw • New groups • Count off -- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 • All 1s work on same paper ....2s, 3s, 4s, 5s • Return to ‘home’ groups and share what you found in each of the papers. • Report out

37. Paper Assignments Group 1: Climate change.... Group 2: Novel assessments... Group 3: Practicing scientific inquiry... Group 4: Determining confidence... Group 5: Collaborative learning...

38. In your groups: Read the paper, discuss, record... 1. What are the student learning goals? 2. What is the Bloom-level of each goal? 3. Do the assessments align with the goals? 4. What are the active learning strategies?

39. 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)

40. Why do assessment? 1. Improve student learning and development. 2. Provide students and faculty substantive feedback about student understanding. 3. Challenge to use disciplinary research strategies to assess learning.

41. Assessment Gradient low Potential for Assessment of Learning high Multiple Choice … … Concept Maps … … Essay … … Interview high Ease of Assessment low Theoretical Framework • Ausubel 1968; meaningful learning • Novak 1998; visual representations • King and Kitchner 1994; reflective judgment • National Research Council 1999; theoretical frameworks for assessment

42. Backwards Design Identify desired goals/objectives Determine acceptable evidence Design learning experiences and instruction Wiggins and McTighe 1998

43. Department of Plant Biology Mean Bloom Level Course Level

44. Department of Plant Biology Bloom Level % Total Qs Course Level *N items

45. Explain

46. Assessments: Tools to Detect Learning

47. 2 What’s a tool used to test student attitude? 1. Self-Efficacy 2.VASS (Views)

48. 2 What’s a tool used to test knowledge? 1. Exam 2. Writing 3. PBA 4. Concept I

49. The most common tool used is?

50. What is the relationship among DNA, a gene, and a chromosome? a. A chromosome contains hundreds of genes which are composed of DNA. b. DNA contains hundreds of genes which are composed of chromosomes. c. A gene contains hundreds of chromosomes which are composed of DNA.