Successful Inquiry Instruction: Providing Feedback that works Peggy Brickman University of Georgia

To account for classroom anomalies, it is sometimes wryly noted that college teaching is the only profession requiring no formal training of its practitioners. J. Nowliss, 1968 The Graduate Student as Teacher

“Here’s the Textbook. There’s the Class.” Instructors: recent graduates inthe 18th and 19th century Until 1755, Yale instruction depended entirely on “tutors”. Now, graduate student instructors are no longer responsible for all undergraduate instruction. –1995 (University of Illinois, graduate students teaching 2/3 of undergraduate courses) –Particular problematic at large research universities

“Teaching is Telling” Pew Charitable Trusts Study (2001) revealed only 30-40% of Graduate Student instructors (TAs) nationwide took a formal teacher-training course. Another study found that although 53% of TAs reported having formal teacher training, 75% said it was less than one week. “Training” focused mostly on policies and procedures rather than pedagogy. Rather than helping, one study showed the more days of training, the lower the student evaluations of their TA*. *Shannon, D. M., Twale, D. J., & Moore, M. S. (1998). Journal of Higher Education, 69(4), 440-+

The “Learn as You Go” Model Sadly, TA apprentices are receiving the only formal training they will ever get before becoming college faculty. Is there any evidence that we faculty can get better with practice alone? More experienced TAs report better attitudes toward teaching. But experience did not translate into higher student evaluations. The only factor that correlated with higher teaching effectiveness scores from evaluations was prior experience teaching K-12.* *Shannon, D. M., Twale, D. J., & Moore, M. S. (1998). Journal of Higher Education, 69(4), 440-+

Explains Lack of Change NRC Push to Incorporate inquiry ignored 1992: Fewer than 4/100 universities polled used investigative approach in all freshman lab program*. Why? –lack quality of lab books and support materials –view of preparation for the next science class. –the challenges of the new teacher role as facilitator rather than lecturer. –inadequate professional development * Sundberg, M.D., and J.E. Armstrong, The status of laboratory instruction for introductory Biology in U.S. universities. Am Biol. Teach. 55:

Breaking the Cycle Model for teacher training drawn from efficacy studies done in K-12 education: –Introduction to what is inquiry (do an activity) –Modeling: How do you teach this way? (Questioning Techniques) –Observation and feedback: not waiting for end of semester evaluations (TA-IOP) –Surveys for understanding of inquiry (Videos) This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. EHR