Guiding Faculty toward Access: Ways to Facilitate Change Beth Harrison, Ph.D. University of Dayton

You have a piece of paper...

We’re going to talk about “conceptual change”…  What it is  Why we care  Intro to the neuroscience of learning  What we can (and can’t) do to help conceptual change happen

What? Me change?! RESISTANCE

Conceptual change = fundamental changes in the content and organization of existing knowledge Vosniadou (2013) Concepts Conceptions Conceptions Difficult! Concepts Conceptions

(1) Take a minute or two to write: What do you currently think about why it is hard for people to change the way they think about something?

What concepts conceptions assumptions expectations do faculty have that we in DS want to change? That’s why we care.

The neuroscience: Our brains have ~100,000,000,000 neurons. cell body dendrites axon axon terminals

The neuroscience: Neurons in the brain connect at synapses.  electrical impulses  chemical transmitters incoming axon incoming axon incoming axon incoming axon

The neuroscience: Neurons in the brain connect at synapses, forming neural networks.

Learning = changes in the brain. 1.Grow more dendrites: Make more connections 2.Use it or lose it: Pruning 3.Use it: New and/or stronger pathways (better recall)

Interlude With someone near you, talk through what you’ve learned about the brain. (2) Make a few notes: What’s important to you?

Learning depends on memory, on being able to retrieve knowledge stored in the brain. Sensory Memory Short Term Memory is encoded into... Long Term Memory is consolidated into... When we remember, we retrieve knowledge from LTM

Knowledge is stored in LTM in schemata. Schema = an organized grouping of related material = “concept ecology” Expert Novice Complex, integrated, lots of connections

Knowledge is stored in LTM in schemata. Concepts are embedded in schemata. When you learn something new, you...  create a new schema  modify or combine with existing schema, create connections with prior knowledge

Interlude With someone near you, talk through what you’ve learned about memory. (3) Make some notes: What’s important to you?

Retrieval strengthens neural pathways: easier to retrieve next time Two techniques that we use all the time:

With someone near you, explain what a “neural network” is and why we care. Try to find a simile or metaphor to illustrate. Now switch and the other person explain “retrieval” and why we care. Try to find a simile or metaphor to illustrate. Interlude

Retrieval strengthens neural pathways: easier to retrieve next time Elaboration retrieval + builds connections to prior knowledge Two techniques that we use all the time:

Durable learning & conceptual change take time!  Learning is iterative Reconsolidate: makes modifiable  Social + affective + situational + motivational factors  Draw, write, construct a model  Reflection

 Identify prior knowledge, assumptions, unexamined beliefs.  Intentional reflection  Make connections  Attend to nuances in people’s ideas, figure out how to use them

 Searching for info, generating and testing hypotheses underlie knowledge restructuring.  Growth mindset (Dweck, Mindset)  Bring the facts  Discovery: problem-based learning, build models, argumentation (argue opposite side), debate

 Elaboration is an important and powerful tool.  Engage with others: Explain, ask questions, discuss Social & affective aspects  Analogies, metaphors  Examine differences

 Reflection and self-awareness are also powerful tools for conceptual change.  Recognize complexity  Set goals

How can we bring about conceptual change? Example 1: Plan for a workshop 1.List, discuss ideas, beliefs people are starting with 2.Examine relevant data, info, alternate conceptions 3.Compare their starting ideas, beliefs with the new 4.Discuss what people now understand or think

How can we bring about conceptual change? Example 2: Problem-based learning exercise You are planning your XXX class for the fall, and you are constructing a Design-Build-Test PBL project to begin the second week... Your job is to make the PBL exercise accessible to all the students in your class.

Handout: Ideal solutions – Provide equitable opportunity to learn, participate, and demonstrate learning Are scalable: focus on your design choices for the class, not on each student’s individual needs Are reusable and sustainable

Handout: Ideal solutions – Are “un-remarkable” to the class as a whole, that is, they honor the anonymity and image of students with disabilities Maintain essential elements Maintain academic rigor Hint: You DO know many good solutions...

Follow up activity: With your team, describe a process or protocol you could use in the future to ensure that you make more accessible choices when you design your courses.

What does this exercise do?  Uses language of the discipline  Work in teams  Discovery learning based in own experience  Future plan

(4) Take a minute or two to write: Now what do you think about why it is hard for people to change the way they think about something? Compare what you’ve written here with what you wrote at the beginning of the session... Set a goal for yourself...

Resources Ho, A., Watkins, D., & Kelly, M. (2001). The conceptual change approach to improving teaching and learning: An evaluation of a Hong Kong staff development programme. In Higher Education, 42, Nussbaum, E. & Sinatra, G. (2003). Argument and conceptual engagement. In Contemporary Educational Psychology, 28, Vosniadou, S. (2013). International handbook of research on conceptual change. New York, NY: Routledge.