Teaching for Understanding Active Learning & Assessment Diane Ebert-May Department of Plant Biology Michigan State University

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

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

Engage Explore Explain Assess Learning Cycle

Engage

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where on the continuum is the ideal classroom ? Question 7 Increasing shared responsibility for learning Learner- Centered Teacher- Centered

Where on the continuum is your classroom? Question 8 Increasing shared responsibility for learning Learner- Centered Teacher- Centered

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

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

Learners doing science...

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

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

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

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

Question 5 Large (>50) introductory courses are active learning environments. 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 6 Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree

Where on the continuum is the ideal classroom ? Question 7 Increasing shared responsibility for learning Learner- Centered Teacher- Centered

Where on the continuum is your classroom? Question 8 Increasing shared responsibility for learning Learner- Centered Teacher- Centered

Explore

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

Explain

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)

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. Video

Final Assessment?

Guidelines for thinking about research... 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?

Research

Data collection

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

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

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

Teaching and Learning Challenges Students Conceptions about 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.

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

How do we develop rubrics?  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

Scoring Rubric for Quizzes and Homework

Advantages of Scoring Rubrics 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

Limitations of Scoring Rubrics  Problem of criteria  Problem of practice and regular use  Scoring Rubric website  Sample Rubrics for Environmental Science

What Type of Learning? Bloom (1956) Cognitive Domain of Educational Objectives 6 categories - Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation Condense to 4 - easy to work with

Cognitive Levels Knowledge - remember Comprehension and Application - grasp meaning, use, interpret Critical Analysis - original thinking, open-ended answers, whole to parts, parts to whole, evaluation Synthesis - make connections, evaluate

Model for Learning - System

So what is a concept? 1.Take a piece of paper -- one of the ‘dino-tree’ responses will work-- 2.Fold it in half. 3.On the top half, draw a bicycle. 4.On the bottom half, describe bicycle in writing. 5.Which is a better representation of the concept ‘bicycle’? 6.Would a concept map be “best”?

Concepts are... Prototypical Knowledge-based Lexical

Hierarchy has Structure has Concept Maps Visual Diagrams Or Models are represent Knowledge or Understanding Concepts display connected with Linking Words Used for AssessmentOrganization Reflection & Learning promotes Context is constructed with New Information Prior Knowledge

Robo Grader in Action

Text Student’s Concept Map

1. Select a concept that is critical for your students to understand. 2. Identify 4 or 5 subconcepts that are important to understanding that concept e.g., DNA - Gene- Chromosome - Enzyme For a course you teach Arrange them by rank order - top most general, bottom most specific 4. Add linking lines to make connections between two concepts 5. Add linking words that describe the relationship between two concepts

How do assessment questions help us determine students’ prior understanding and progressive thinking about the carbon cycle. Question

Concept 1: Matter disappears during decomposition of organisms in the soil. Concept 2: Photosynthesis as Energy: Photosynthesis provides energy for uptake of nutrients through roots which builds biomass. No biomass built through photosynthesis alone. Concept 3: Thin Air: CO 2 and O 2 are gases therefore, do not have mass and therefore, can not add or take away mass from an organism. Concept 4: Plant Altruism: CO 2 is converted to O 2 in plant leaves so that all organisms can ‘breathe’. Concept 5: All Green: Plants have chloroplasts instead of mitochondria so they can not respire. Some Common Misconceptions about Photosynthesis & Respiration

Quantitative Data Qualitative Data Design Experiment Ebert-May et al Bioscience

Instructional Design Two class meetings on carbon cycle (160 minutes) Active, inquiry-based learning Cooperative groups Questions, group processing, large lecture sections, small discussion sections, multi-week laboratory investigation Homework problems including web-based modules Different faculty for each course One graduate/8-10 undergraduate TAs per course

Experimental Design Two introductory courses for majors: Bio 1 - organismal/population biology (faculty A) Bio 2 - cell and molecular biology (faculty B) Three cohorts: Cohort 1 Bio 1 (n=141) Cohort 2 Bio1/Bio2 (n=63) Cohort 3 Other/Bio2 (n=40)

Radish Problem  Experimental setup: Weighed out 3 batches of radish seeds each weighing 1.5 g.  Experimental treatments: 1. Seeds placed on moistened paper towels in LIGHT 2. Seeds placed on moistened paper towels in DARK 3. Seeds not moistened (left DRY) placed in light

Problem (2) After 1 week, all plant material was dried in an oven overnight (no water left) and plant biomass was measured in grams. Predict the biomass of the plant material in the various treatments. Water, light Water, dark No water, light

Results: Mass of Radish Seeds/Seedlings 1.46 g 1.63 g 1.20 g Write an explanation about the results. Explain the results. Write individually on carbonless paper.

Assessment Design  Multiple iterations/versions of the carbon cycle problem  Pretest, midterm, final with additional formative assessments during class  Administered during instruction Semester 1 - pretest, midterm, final exam Semester 2 - final exam

Grandma Johnson Problem Hypothetical scenario: Grandma Johnson had very sentimental feelings toward Johnson Canyon, Utah, where she and her late husband had honeymooned long ago. Her feelings toward this spot were such that upon her death she requested to be buried under a creosote bush overlooking the canyon. Trace the path of a carbon atom from Grandma Johnson’s remains to where it could become part of a coyote. NOTE: the coyote will not dig up Grandma Johnson and consume any of her remains.

Analysis of Responses Used same scoring rubric (coding scheme) for all three problems - calibrated by adding additional criteria when necessary, rescoring: Examined two major concepts: Concept 1: Decomposers respire CO 2 Concept 2: Plants uptake of CO 2 Explanations categorized into two groups: Organisms (trophic levels) Processes (metabolic)

Coding Scheme

Correct Student Responses (%) Cellular Respiration by Decomposers Bio1/Bio2Other/Bio2 Friedmans, p<0.01

Pathway of Carbon in Photosynthesis Bio1/Bio2 Correct Student Responses (%) Other/Bio2 Friedmans, p<0.05

Question 9 True or False? Assessing student learning in science parallels what scientists do as researchers.

1. Description: -What is happening? 2. Cause: -Does ‘x’ (teaching strategy) affect ‘y’ (understanding)? 3. Process or mechanism: -Why or how does ‘x’ cause ‘y’? Parallel: ask questions

We collect data to find out what our students know. Data helps us understand student thinking about concepts and content. We use data to guide decisions about course/curriculum/innovative instruction Parallel: collect data

Quantitative data - statistical analysis Qualitative data break into manageable units and define coding categories search for patterns, quantify interpret and synthesize Valid and repeatable measures Parallel: analyze data

 Ideas and results are peer reviewed - formally and/or informally. Parallel: peer review

Assessment of Workshop Minute Paper Q1 What was helpful to you? Why? Q2 What would have been helpful to you ? Why? Q3 What should we focus on in future workshops?

IRD Team at MSU Janet Batzli - Plant Biology [U of Wisconsin] Doug Luckie - Physiology Scott Harrison - Microbiology (grad student) Tammy Long - Plant Biology Deb Linton - Plant Biology (postdoc) Rett Weber - Plant Biology Heejun Lim - Chemistry Education Duncan Sibley - Geology Rob Pennock - Philosophy Charles Ofria - Engineering Rich Lenski - Microbiolgy *National Science Foundation

Does active, inquiry-based instructional design influence students’ understanding of evolution and natural selection? Pre-Posttest Analysis

■ 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. Alternative Conceptions: Natural Selection

(AAAS 1999) Explain the changes that occurred in the tree and animal. Use your current understanding of evolution by natural selection.

Misconception: individuals evolve new traits % of Students n=80; p<.01

Misconception: evolution is driven by need % of Students n=80; p<.01

In guppy populations, what are the primary changes that occur gradually over time? a. The traits of each individual guppy within a population gradually change. b. The proportions of guppies having different traits within population change. c. Successful behaviors learned by certain guppies are passed on to offspring. d. Mutations occur to meet the needs of the guppies as the environment changes. Anderson et al 2002

Posttest: Student responses to mc % of Students n=171 *

Animal/Tree Posttest: Gain in student understanding of fitness % of Students n=80; p<.01