Pathways to Scientific Teaching Diane Ebert-May Department of Plant Biology Michigan State University ebertmay@msu.edu www.first2.org

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

Engage

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

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 Students learn science best by “doing” science.

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

Please respond on a scale of 0-100 (%) Question 4 Please respond on a scale of 0-100 (%) in increments of 10: The proportion of assessments I use in my course that demonstrate students’ critical thinking abilities is....

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

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

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 Students learn science best by “doing” science.

Large Class Meeting

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

Please respond on a scale of 0-100 (%) Question 4 Please respond on a scale of 0-100 (%) in increments of 10: The proportion of assessments I use in my course that demonstrate students’ critical thinking abilities is....

do we ask of our students? 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

Models Connections Organization Visual Reasoning

Department of Plant Biology Mean Bloom Level Course Level

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

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

Articles derived from journal papers

Explore

How People Learn Bransford et al 1999, 2004

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)

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

Learning objectives Once you have a learning objective(s)…. assign a Bloom-level to each. Statement that indicates level of expectation of performance.

Data collection with the purpose of answering questions about… 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)

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

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

Explain

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

Alternative Conceptions: Natural Selection •Changes in a population occur through a gradual change in individual members of a population. •New traits in species are developed in response to need. •All members of a population are genetically equivalent, variation and fitness are not considered. •Traits acquired during an individual’s lifetime will be inherited by offspring.

Instructional Design Enable students to gain meaningful understanding of evolution and natural selection through active learning.

How do we classify students responses for comprehension and critical thinking? multiple choice extended response concept maps other models

Pre-test: extended response Pre-test: extended response. Explain the changes that occurred in the tree and animal. Use your current understanding of evolution by natural selection. Hauser F. 1990. AAAS

Rubric: Code Responses Misconceptions Correct P = Change in the individual Change in the population C = Need to Change/ Must Change/ Choice Change due to genes V = All members of a population are equally fit Individuals within a population have varying fitness levels G = Traits acquired during a lifetime are passed on Genetic traits help the individual to survive and reproduce P __ C __ V __ G__ I = Incorrect C =Correct P = Partially correct ND = No data

Next steps for analysis Identify patterns of critical thinking among students… Connect each of the categories in the rubric with student understanding. Explore research questions about why students do not understand particular concepts.

Design classroom research Faculty research goal: Use both observational and empirical approaches to answer a question about student learning. Student goals: Use effective and repeatable processes to address ill-structured problems. Demonstrate critical thinking.

Systematic observation Design an ill-structured problem Students use guiding questions in groups Instructor uses systematic observations to identify elements of the problem that are difficult for students.

Comparison Studies What is the effectiveness of guiding questions on problem-solving approaches to address ill- structured problems?

Guiding questions What things do you know or think you know about this problem? What things do you not know? What things are not known in the scientific community studying similar problems? What things can you find out, given review papers, primary scientific literature, and data?

Study designs Challenge: determining the internal and external validity of the study design. Multiple-group comparison Multiple sections one semester Single course - multiple years Intervention: Homework with guiding questions Homework without guiding questions

Split-group comparison Pretest Class of 120 students randomly assigned to 2 treatment groups (n=60) Concept 1 Day 1 In-class active learning Concept Map Definitions Students alternate between definitions and concept maps Pretest Concept 2 Day 2 In-class active learning statistical model {gain (post-pre) = group|homework|concept } n may really only be 1 because there is only 1 class. On the other hand, this may be considered a modified strip plot design. We have one field that we are using and dividing it into as many sections as there are concept areas. The strips are lined up next to each other. Concept and group are blocking factors (we don’t care which concept and which group someone is in). We may use course as a nesting factor (if include Doug) and increase n Definitions Concept Map Essay and MC Assessment (midterm and final exams)

How would you alter this design for your course? Objective: assess students’ higher-level thinking. What is the question? How would you change the problem? Would students do the problem in class, homework, lab, discussion section? Schemes to evaluate work. Classroom research design.

Finally... “...we note that successful people are the ones who take advantage of those around them to ulimately benefit students.” Ebert-May D, Weber R, Hodder J, Batzli J (2006)

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

Active Learning Day 14 in class Artificial selection in plants Group discuss and record: What traits were selected and why? Clicker Q: Plant fitness Natural selection in finches Clicker Q: Selection on beak size Group discuss and record: What traits were naturally selected in Hawaiian finches? Minute paper: Natural and artificial selection Assign homework: Guppy sexual selection

Active Learning Day 15 In class: groups Determine fitness of wild tobacco - three populations in Michigan Sexual selection - review guppy homework Assign homework: concept map 5