The Yellow Brick Road for Educators? Assessment-Rich Instructional Technology to Advance Learning-centered and Inquiry-oriented Pedagogies in Science Education > Donald P. Buckley, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Biology Director of Instructional Technology, School of Health Sciences Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT Apple Distinguished Educator Computerworld Smithsonian Laureate > Science Education in a Twenty-First Century University ◊ Quinnipiac University

A Revolution in Education? Only once in our species history …NOW 1. The Decade of the Brain: 1. The Decade of the Brain: New insights about the cognitive development of learning 2. Soul-searching about alarming levels of literacy: 2. Soul-searching about alarming levels of literacy: Emergence of the Learning Paradigm 3. Information technology: 3. Information technology: Data collection/analysis & authoring SimulationCommunication Formative Assessment Data collection/analysis & authoring SimulationCommunication Formative Assessment

Knowing The meaning of “knowing” has shifted from being able to repeat and remember information to being able to find and use it Herbert Simon Nobel Laureate The meaning of “knowing” has shifted from being able to repeat and remember information to being able to find and use it Herbert Simon Nobel Laureate

Learning with Understanding Sudying Facts Is Necessary, But Memorization Is Not Enough Students Need to Build Their Own Meaning Transfer Learn for Understanding Application to Solve New Problems

But where do we start? Bransford, Brown and Cocking, 2000.

“What we need to learn before doing, we learn by doing.” doing, we learn by doing.” Aristotle

Why? The part of the brain that we use for critical inquiry seems to have evolved from part of the brain that we use for : Perception Which draws lots of assumptions and makes lots of snap decisions in order for us to navigate though our daily existence The part of the brain that we use for critical inquiry seems to have evolved from part of the brain that we use for : Perception Which draws lots of assumptions and makes lots of snap decisions in order for us to navigate though our daily existence

Learning with Understanding Sudying Facts Is Necessary, But Memorization Is Inadequate Learn for Understanding Application to Solve New Problems Students Need to Build Their Own Meaning Transfer

Where Are We Going? Instructional Paradigm Learning Paradigm

We Are On the Threshold of a Historical Transition Instructional Paradigm Learning Paradigm

Principles to Drive This Transition Learning should be inquiry-oriented Students need to learn with understanding Student experiences should be learning-centered Learning should be socially situated Pedagogical Innovation must be coupled to institutional change processes Faculty development should be transformational Learning should be inquiry-oriented Students need to learn with understanding Student experiences should be learning-centered Learning should be socially situated Pedagogical Innovation must be coupled to institutional change processes Faculty development should be transformational

How?

One Approach...

COMMUNICATING VISUALIZING ANALYZING MODELING DATA COLLECTION Technology can be an Enabler COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS SIMULATING BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium

Four Foci How do people learn? What is the role of technology in learning? Institutional Change: Boutique Phase Institutional Change: Systemic Phase How do people learn? What is the role of technology in learning? Institutional Change: Boutique Phase Institutional Change: Systemic Phase

Pedagogical Feature Set of Instructional Technology Interactivity: Interactivity: fosters active-learning experiences Multimedia: Multimedia: engages cognitive processes Communication: Communication: promotes social construction of knowledge Computing components: Computing components: professional tools professional tools simulations to develop critical inquiry skills simulations to develop critical inquiry skills integrate powerful assessment tools integrate powerful assessment tools authoring tools for report writing authoring tools for report writing

Goals of Assessment Mindful engagement...”chunking” Mindful engagement...”chunking” Provide feedback Provide feedback Build incentive systems Build incentive systems Collect diagnostic clues about individual needs Collect diagnostic clues about individual needs

Assessment Tools in Education Technology Open-ended assessment styles Structured assessment styles Utility of CompetingAssessmentStyles Learn Facts Learn Inquiry Learn Concepts main learning goal foundational information

Open-ended Assessment A Contradiction of Terms? Portfolio model …report authoring Need epistemological scaffolding …e.g., 3P's Iterative, analogous scenarios to build meaning Perhaps some structured assessment Path analysis …monitor decision making Formative Assessment is Pivotal Portfolio model …report authoring Need epistemological scaffolding …e.g., 3P's Iterative, analogous scenarios to build meaning Perhaps some structured assessment Path analysis …monitor decision making Formative Assessment is Pivotal

Examples

The Bottleneck to Transition Most faculty reside in the Instructional Paradigm because we are trained primarily as researchers, not as teachers Effective transition to the Learning Paradigm will require faculty development that is: 1)Learning centered pedagogies 2)Advanced Instructional Technology 3)Transformational: altering practices Transformational faculty development must be coupled to institutional change processes

Faculty Preparation for Learning-Centered Instruction Content Knowledge Pedagogical Knowledge Pedagogical Content Knowledge Learning-Centered Instruction

Technology Is Often Heralded as a Solution, but… Instructional Paradigm Learning Paradigm Faculty Practices Pedagogical Potential of Instructional Technology

Faculty Development Key Authoring learning centered activities is a transformational experience Authoring learning centered activities is a transformational experience

U N I V E R S I T Y O F H A R T F O R D Advanced Educational Computing A Tool To Foster Student-Centered Learning Advanced Educational Computing A Tool To Foster Student-Centered Learning

Deep Authoring Is Transformational Experience It was enormously stimulating for most participants to create learning environments that would enable them to teach things that they could not teach well before. It was enormously stimulating for most participants to create learning environments that would enable them to teach things that they could not teach well before.

Problem with Authoring As Training: Scalability Authoring LearningWare is a deep experience Faculty do become sophisticated consumers of LearningWare and explore learning principles Problem …very effort intensive We need another kind of authoring experience to provide transformational faculty & curriculum development Course Management Systems: Transformation & Scalability? Authoring LearningWare is a deep experience Faculty do become sophisticated consumers of LearningWare and explore learning principles Problem …very effort intensive We need another kind of authoring experience to provide transformational faculty & curriculum development Course Management Systems: Transformation & Scalability?

Hagner, NLII 2001 White Paper

Institutional Transition Process Lone Rangers Innovators Lone Rangers Innovators Boutique Phase Transformation Scalability Early Adopters Boutique Phase Transformation Scalability Early Adopters Systemic Phase Transformation Scalability Later Adopters Systemic Phase Transformation Scalability Later Adopters Local R&D 1-on-1 Authoring Harding, NLII 2001

Registrar CMS Database Course Management Systems: The Enabling Technology Infrastructure? Faculty ContentComm ToolsAssessment Student Experience on the Web

Some Emergent Goals for Utilizing CMS Technology: Technology-assisted Facilitation of Learning-centered Teaching Styles Content Delivery Communication Assessment Lecture Content delivery Activities Problem-based Project-based Case-based Episodic Pervasive Routine reflection within and among teams SummativeFormative Teacher-centeredLearner-centered CMS Pedagogical Tools A Continuum of Teaching Styles

A model for coupling the feature set of course management systems to learning centered principles. Smart Tutor Web-based Homework System: routine formative assessment out of class time Research Simulation Emulating the Process of Professional Investigation Revision of Class Time content delivery system from Lecture to Discovery Activities Mitigating the Coverage Dilemma Develop Epistemological Skills Students Need to Build Meaning

A Dilemma Coverage Learning & Inquiry NOW Emphasis on Delivery of Content Emphasis on Effective Learning

A Solution to the Dilemma? GOAL Coverage Emphasis on Delivery of Content Learning & Inquiry Emphasis on Effective Learning

Can we use technology to mitigate the Coverage Dilemma? Routine Online AssessmentIn Class Traditional Approach Web Assisted Foundational Information Inquiry-orientation and powerful pedagogies smart tutor homework

The holy grail is: Learning with Understanding

Learning with Understanding Sudying Facts Is Necessary, But Memorization Is Inadequate Learn for Understanding Application to Solve New Problems Students Need to Build Their Own Meaning Transfer

S U M M A R Y We need to integrate pedagogies that are learning-centered and inquiry-oriented. Interactive, sensory-rich, assessment-rich technology learning environments can foster these goals in scaffolded activities that allow students to build meaning. Research simulations promote student experience in the process of investigation. Communication technology and authoring tools can promote cooperative learning experiences and help students to build meaning, when coupled with pedagogies such as case-based and problem-based learning activities. The Coverage Dilemma. These time-intensive pedagogies are commonly viewed as a conflict with coverage demands. However, assessment-rich web “homework” systems may be able to move the coverage of foundational information to student time with a competency-based learning standard, making room for more learning- centered and inquiry-oriented pedagogies in class time. New course management systems will provide an enabling technology infrastructure. A three-tiered model is suggested to supplement current CMS’s.

Science Education in a Twenty-First Century University

Memory for Words versus Pictures How well do we remember? »Best: Pictures alone »Next best: Pictures and Words »Worst: Words alone Different communication formats entail different learning opportunities, e.g. words »Linear strings of concept elements »Limited to 5-7 elements »With overload, we loose the middle elements »Then an individualistic synthesis

Comparison of Novices and Experts Novices versus Experts Left -brain Serial processing Scanning possibilities Superficial distracters Abstraction Left -brain Serial processing Scanning possibilities Superficial distracters Abstraction Right-brain Parallel processing Recognizing useful patterns Core concepts Perception Right-brain Parallel processing Recognizing useful patterns Core concepts Perception

Chunking: Novice & Expert i.e., n00b versus guy with mad skillz expert novice fact

Chunking & Background Knowledge Then same with letters …back to 7 again Train to remember digit strings From 7 to over 70 within 30 days Train to remember digit strings From 7 to over 70 within 30 days Break big strings into smaller number of elements (chunking) Each chunked element was remembered with a trick: races (background knowledge) = 9.41 seconds for 100 yards 3591 = 3 minutes, 59.1 seconds for 1 mile Break big strings into smaller number of elements (chunking) Each chunked element was remembered with a trick: races (background knowledge) = 9.41 seconds for 100 yards 3591 = 3 minutes, 59.1 seconds for 1 mile

Major Kinds of Assessment Summative Assessment - measuring learning outcomes Formative Assessment - a pedagogical steering wheel »Communicate learning goals to students »Provide timely feedback to students »Collect diagnostic clues about student needs »Build an incentive system for competency standards

Learning with Understanding The Third International Mathematics and Science Survey (TIMSS; Schmidt, 1997) "criticized curricula that are a mile wide and an inch deep" and argued that this is more of a problem in the U.S. than in other countries. "The fact that expert's knowledge is organized around important ideas or concepts suggests that curricula should also be organized in ways that lead to conceptual understanding" NRC, 2000