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The Colorado Learning Assistant Programme

The Colorado Learning Assistant Programme. Using Student-Generated Content and Peer Support to Enhance Student Engagement and Learning University of Manchester 16th May 2012. Transforming undergraduate education and K12 teacher recruitment and preparation. Noah Finkelstein

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The Colorado Learning Assistant Programme

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  1. The Colorado Learning Assistant Programme Using Student-Generated Content and Peer Support to Enhance Student Engagement and Learning University of Manchester16th May 2012 Transforming undergraduate educationand K12 teacher recruitment and preparation Noah Finkelstein Physics Department University of Colorado at Boulder noah.finkelstein@colorado.edu

  2. Physics Education Research group at CU-Boulder Faculty: Melissa Dancy Michael Dubson Noah Finkelstein Valerie Otero Kathy Perkins Steven Pollock Carl Wieman (on leave) Postdocs/ Scientists: Charles Baily Danny Caballero Stephanie Chasteen Julia Chamberlain Katie Hinko Kelly Lancaster Emily Moore Ariel Paul Noah Podolefsky Benjamin Zwickl Teachers / Partners / Staff: Shelly Belleau Jackie Elser, Trish Loeblein Molly Giulliano Susan M. Nicholson-Dykstra Sara Severance Emily Quinty Mindy Gratny, Kate Kidder John Blanco, Sam Reid Chris Malley, Jon Olson Oliver Nix, Nina Zabolotnaya Funded by: National Science Foundation William and Flora Hewlett Foundation American Association of Physics Teachers Physics Teacher Education Coalition American Institute of Physics American Physical Society National Math & Science Initiative Howard Hughes Medical Institute And generous donors like you. Grad Students: Stephanie Barr Kara Gray May Lee Mike Ross Ben Spike Ben Van Dusen Bethany Wilcox

  3. What will 30m. get us? A bit of context on US education The Learning Assistant Model Outcomes / Measures / research Q&A

  4. How important is education? In March 2001, the U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century …. on which I served warnedthatthe crisis in scientific research and education is the second greatest threat facing American national security.In fact, the 14 bipartisan members unanimously agreed that the‘inadequacies of our systems of research and education pose a greater threat to U.S. national security over the next quarter century than any potential conventional war that we might imagine.’The Commission went on to assert that only a nuclear or biological weapon released in an American city [is] a greater threat -Newt Gingrich, AEI open letter to Congress, May 2005

  5. Grand Challenges in US Education Better education International Rankings (science) U.S. ranks: 21 out of 30 in science 25 out of 30 in math - PISA 2006

  6. Grand Challenges in US Education Physics Teachers with degrees in: Better education ~ 2/3 Physics Out of Field Less than 50% stay More and better teachers

  7. Grand Challenges in US Education Better education 1 Million more STEM grads needed by 2018 and growing More and better teachers More and better STEM grads

  8. Grand Challenges in US Education Better education US surpassed by Europe and Asia in S&E PhD production PhD Production More and better teachers More and better STEM grads Europe Higher education & research U.S. Asia

  9. High Education & Disciplines:a key lever in education

  10. Discipline-Based Education Research:Physics Education Research (PER)

  11. Overview of PER • Far more to our classes than what is traditionally evaluated • students are not learning what we want • learning some things we would not expect • Physics education research • Tools for assessment • Models of student learning • curricula / approaches in class

  12. A possible “tipping” point • Force Concept Inventory* • Multiple choice survey, (pre/post) • Experts (especially skeptics!) necessary (not sufficient) indicator of conceptual understanding. * Hestenes, Wells, Swackhamer, Physics Teacher 20, (92) 141

  13. Sample question Looking down at a track (flat on table), a ball enters at point 1 and exits at point 2. Which path does it follow as it exits (neglect all friction)?

  14. FCI I We are not teaching students <g> = post-pre100-pre traditional lecture Take home message: Students learn less than 25% of the most basic concepts (that they don’t already know). R. Hake, ”…A six-thousand-student survey…” AJP 66, 64-74 (‘98).

  15. Attitudes & Beliefs:

  16. Attitudes and Beliefs* Assessing the “hidden curriculum” - beliefs about physics and learning physics Examples: • “I study physics to learn knowledge that will be useful in life.” • “To learn physics, I only need to memorize solutions to sample problems” *Adams et al, (2006). Physical Review: Spec. Topics: PER, 0201010

  17. CLASS categories Shift (%) (“reformed” class) -6 -8 -12 -11 -10 -7 -17 +5 (All ±2%) Real world connect... Personal interest........ Sense making/effort... Conceptual................ Math understanding... Problem Solving........ Confidence................ Nature of science.......

  18. actively engaging students is important

  19. Many PER curricular innovations

  20. Teach by actively engaging students…based on what they know . . .

  21. Engagement Improves Learning <g> = post-pre100-pre traditional lecture interactive engagement learning gain Pollock & Finkelstein, Physical Review, 4, 010101 (2008).

  22. modest reframing of class context

  23. Tutorials in Introductory Physics • Reconceptualize Recitation Sections • Materials • Classroom format / interaction • Instructional Role

  24. Engagement in Learning <g> = post-pre100-pre CU - IE & trad recitations traditional lecture interactive engagement CU - IE & Tutorials learning gain Pollock & Finkelstein, Physical Review, 4, 010101 (2008).

  25. Program Goals Teacher Recruitment & Preparation Institutional change Discipline-Based Education Research Curriculum and course transformation

  26. Course Transformation Traditional Transformed Teacher Preparation Teacher Preparation Otero et al, Science 2006

  27. The LAs’ learning is moved outside of the classroom; into the experience of serving as an LA Content: Weekly planning sessions with math/science faculty member who is teaching the course (3 to 10) LAs per faculty member Pedagogy: LAs take a weekly course in science education theory and practice Techniques, theory, civic responsibility for education The Learning is embodied in the Experience Practice: LAs lead weekly Learning Teamsof 6 to 20 students Formative feedback for instructor to use in lecture

  28. Trad'l Recitation vs Tutorial

  29. In the LA Model: Learning is distributed throughout the system Enrolled students Learn the subject matter better Learning Assistants learn subject matter and become better teachers & learners University faculty become better teachers Faculty and learning assistants recognize their role in educational change

  30. Learning by Teaching:the LA Story

  31. LA Program Impact on Content Knowledge Gain TA (post) TA (pre) LA (pre) LA (post) LA (post) 44% V. Otero, N.D. Finkelstein, S.J. Pollock and R. McCray (2006). Science, 313, 445

  32. Overall Personal Interest LAs, F06 CLASS F06:Comparing students & LA’s Overall Students in Phys1120 F06 Personal Interest 50 75 100

  33. LA Program Impact on Teacher Recruitment

  34. Participants (2003-2011) Chemistry Tom Cech Susan Hendrickson Robert Parson Veronica Bierbaum Amy Palmer Margaret Asirvatham Joe Falke Laurie Langdon Dan Feldheim Tom Pentecost Astronomy Dick McCray Doug Duncan Nick Schneider John Stocke Fran Bagenal Seth Hornstein Jack Burns Nils Halverson Education Applied Math Jim Curry (Chair) Mary Nelson Anne Dougherty Harvey SegurTiejun Tong Adam Norris Silva Chang SujeetBhat Valerie Otero Steve Iona David Webb Derek Briggs Physics Steve Pollock Noah Finklestein Kathy Perkins Mike Dubson Carl Wieman Ed Kinney Carl Rogers Jim Shepard Murray Holland James Nagle Thomas Schibli John Cumulat (Chair) Paul Beale (Chair) Steve Wagner ShijieZhong Stephanie Chasteen MCD Biology Bill Wood Jennifer Knight Nancy Guild Mike KlymkowskyJia Shi Sylvia Fromherz Michelle Smith Christy Fillman Tom Blumenthal (chair) Engineering Derek Reamon DariaKotes-Schwartz Michael Hannigan Mathematics Eric Stade (Chair) Rob Tubbs Evelyn Puaa K-12 Teachers Steve Iona Mike Fuchs Roberta Tanner Craig Schneider Karen Germann Graduate Students Kara Gray Bud Talbot Kim Geil Stephanie Barr Heidi Iverson Deb Morrison Chandra Turpen Ben Spike Mike Ross Ian HerManyHorses Geology Alexis Templeton 1058 LA positions filled! Chancellor DiStefano, Provost Moore, Dean Shepard (Educ), Dean Gleeson (A&S)

  35. University of Colorado at Boulder Auburn University Black Hills State University Boise State Boston University California Polytechnic State California State University - LB Cornell University Florida International University Indiana University (UTA Program) James Madison (Planned 11/12) Louisiana State University Marshall University (Planned 11/12) New Jersey Institute of Technology North Dakota State University Rutgers University Seattle Pacific University South Dakota State Towson University UNC Chapel Hill University of Arizona University of Arkansas University of Maine University of Maryland University of Minnesota - St Paul University of Oklahoma University of Texas - Austin University of Texas - El Paso Utah State University Virginia Tech Western Kentucky University • V Otero, S Pollock, and N Finkelstein, “A physics department’s role in preparing physics teachers: The Colorado Learning Assistant model,” AJP, 78 (11), 2010.

  36. Fin Much more at: per.colorado.edu Andlaprogram.colorado.edu noah.finkelstein@colorado.edu

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