What’s an I3U? The what, why, and how of inquiry-based, integrated instructional units Susan Singer and Cathy Manduca

Unpacking I3Us Inquiry-based – actively engages students in asking and answering questions Integrated - flow of lab experience, lecture, discussion, and reading are designed to optimize learning Instructional units – comprehensive package that can range from a short activity to course or larger-scale curricular effort.

Why I3Us ? Evidence-based curriculum development I3Us follow the instructional design principles recommended in the NRC's "America's Lab Report" (National Academies Press, 2006)

Framework Definition of Laboratory Experience Laboratory experiences provide opportunities for students to interact directly with the material world (or with data drawn from the material world), using the tools, data collection techniques, models, and theories of science. http://www.imb-jena.de/~rake/Bioinformatics_WEB/bioinformatics_what_is.html Courtesy Greg May, NCGR

Goals of Laboratory Experiences* Mastery of subject matter. Developing scientific reasoning. Understanding the complexity and ambiguity of empirical work. Developing practical skills. Understanding of the nature of science. Interest in science and science learning. Developing teamwork abilities. *Broader context for more specific genomics learning goals

Integrated instructional units are more effective than traditional labs in achieving these learning goals*: Mastery of subject matter Scientific reasoning Understanding of nature of science Interest in science *Lack of evidence for other goals does not indicate evidence of lack of effectiveness

Design Principles: The How of I3Us Clear learning outcomes in mind. Thoughtfully sequenced into the flow of classroom science instruction. Integrate learning of science content with learning about the processes of science. Incorporate ongoing student reflection and discussion. The committee found the emerging evidence from research on integrated instructional units sufficient to identify these four design principles for laboratory instruction.

Courtesy of Jodi Schwarz And Erica Crespi

Developing an I3U Begin with the end in mind Start with a clear goal Link goals and assessment Follow the evidence-based design principles Use the SERC template to guide your development work