Anatomy of a Module: Using LON-CAPA in Biology Jim Smith HHMI Core Group Michigan State University East Lansing, MI

The Overall Goal(s) of HHMI/LON-CAPA Create online learning modules –Supplement traditional presentation Rationale –"What should I do to study this stuff?" Module design –based on educational principles –use instructional technology to its best advantage

Content Creation Driven by Educational Principles What’s the Big Idea? Use of Multiple Representations Use of Interleaved Questions of High Quality

What’s the Big Idea? Our Goal is Conceptual Understanding –Deeper and better integrated than what one gains by presentation of facts and memorization of terms Our modules attempt to focus on “Big Ideas” –De-emphasis on facts and terms Wandersee JH (2001) High School Biology Instruction: Targeting Deeper Understanding for Biological Literacy, Subject-Specific Instructional Methods and Activities 8:

What is a Big Idea in Biology? Compare and Contrast Mitotic and Meiotic Cell Division Cycles –A Mitotic Cell Division leads to the production of daughter cells that are identical to the original cell; all have the same number of chromosomes. –A Meiotic Cell Division leads to the production of daughter cells that are not identical to the original cell; the daughter cells have half the number of chromosomes found in the original cell.

Use of Multiple Representations Content “Experts” move fluidly between alternative representations Able to use representations as cues to bring up other ideas “Novices” are constrained to the surface –Physics (Acceleration Diagram) –Biology (Punnett Square) Kozma RB (2000) The Use of Multiple Representations and the Social Construction of Understanding in Chemistry, pp in: Innovations in Science and Mathematics Education: Advanced Designs for Technologies in Learning (ML Jacobson & RB Kozma, Eds.), Lawrence Erlbaum, London.

Use of Interleaved Questions of High Quality Question pages interspersed with content pages –Questions appear immediately after the introduction of a concept –Most LON-CAPA users put questions at “the end of the chapter”

Use of Interleaved Questions of High Quality High Quality as judged by Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives –Type I - Recall Questions –Type II/III - Comprehension Application/Interpretation Bloom BS, Engelhart MD, et al. (1956) Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals, David McKay Co., New York.

Use of Interleaved Questions of High Quality In 14 modules, we have 58% Type II/III questions –Range from % within modules Campbell’s “Biology” has < 5% Type II/III questions –Analysis of End-of-Chapter Questions and Questions on the Accompanying Student CD

Use of Interleaved Questions of High Quality ModuleQuestion Pages (%) Type I Type II/III Genetics I 15/32 (47%)8 7 Genetics II 20/37 (54%)218 Genetics III 9/16 (56%)1 8 Genetics IV 17/21 (81%)215

Instructor, 2 Graduate TAs, 6 undergraduate TAs for 140 students Lecture - two per week (TTh), 80 min. –as active as possible –Lecture notes available online before class Recitation/Lab - 3 h per week –6 sections of 24 each staffed by one grad TA and two UGTAs –multi-week investigations Honors Option Textbook - Freeman's "Biological Science" Lab Book - Self-produced (coursepack) External Readings readings throughout the term (coursepack) Exams and Lab Quizzes –50% extended responses Group Lab Write-ups (Poster, Paper, Web Site) Written Homework based on Readings Minute Papers in class LON-CAPA Study Guides Components of LBS144 F02

LBS144 students thought that the HHMI modules helped them learn!

Acknowledgments Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) LITE Lab HHMI Core Group at MSU –Estelle McGroarty –John Merrill –Merle Heideman –Joyce Parker –Randy Russell –David Kirschtel –Janet Batzli –Scott Harrison –Lissa Anderson –Marlene Cameron –Jiatyan Chen –Tammy Long –Heejun Lin –Mark Olson