Scientific Teaching 28 September 2004 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

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 data to make instructional decisions? Please respond on a scale of in increments of 10:

Question 5 Large lectures are active learning environments. 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 6 Active Learning

Where on the continuum is your classroom? Question 7 Active Learning

Question 8 How many different forms of active learning do you use/or have you experienced in your courses? Please respond: 0-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

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 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 %

So just what is active learning?

Cooperative Groups 4 students per group Person A, B, C, D in each group First - read problem/think about task individually Discuss in your group, come to consensus and proceed

Learning Cycle Engage Explore Explain Assess

Engage: 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 will 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.

1. Develop 3 possible goals/objectives for this ‘inquiry’ Team Written response. Overhead. Reporter - Recorder - Timekeeper - (10 minutes) Checker - 2. Develop an assessment appropriate for each of the goals/objectives.

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

Description: -What is happening? Cause: -Does ‘x’ (teaching strategy) affect ‘y’ (understanding)? 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

System Model