Moving from Assessment to Research Objectives: 1. ID everyone by name. 2. Engage in a jigsaw to achieve shared interpretation of four papers. 3. Identify a research question, research design and predicted outcome from your teachable unit. 4. Discuss the ethical considerations of research.

Articles derived from journal papers

Active learning leads to Qs...

Learning Objective Students will demonstrate understanding of evolution by natural selection.

Questions we asked... What are the learning challenges for students? Why are students challenged with this topic? What do we know? What do we need to know?

Changes in a population occur through a gradual change in individual members of a population. New traits in species are developed in response to need. All members of a population are genetically equivalent, variation and fitness are not considered. Traits acquired during an individual’s lifetime will be inherited by offspring. Anderson et al Alternative Conceptions: Natural Selection

(AAAS 1999) Dino/Tree extended response Explain the changes that occurred in the tree and animal. Use your current understanding of evolution by natural selection.

Individual Assignment Make a new concept map demonstrating your understanding of natural selection using the following concepts. genetic variation evolution species population natural selection artificial selection selective agent Concept Map 4

Individual Assignment Add the following terms to concept map 4. biotic factors abiotic factors fitness trait mutation reproduction meiosis allele frequency variation selection pressure adaptation Concept Map 5

Research Question: Do concept maps facilitate students’ learning about evolution? Initial hypothesis: Learning gains are higher for students who use C-maps than for students who do not use C-maps. What is wrong with that hypothesis from a research design perspective? Discuss in groups. One reporter from each group.

Research Question: Do concept maps facilitate students’ learning about evolution? Revised hypothesis: Learning gains are higher for students who use C-maps than students who write multiple representations for the same concepts.

Multiple Representations (MR) Developed by Duncan Sibley (MSU)

Who gets treatment? Ethical issues? Problem with ‘controls’ Pretest In-class Active Learning Concept MapNo Map Essay and MC Assessment (midterm and final exams) Controlled Experiment

Assessment Timeline

Design Experiment What is the problem with this design? Pretest In-class Active Learning Concept MapMRs Essay and MC Assessment (midterm and final exams)

Question: Final Design Pretest In-class Active Learning Concept MapMRs Pretest In-class Active Learning Concept MapMRs Concept 1 Class 1 Concept 2 Class 2 Essay and MC Assessment (midterm and final exams) Class of 200 students randomly assigned to 2 treatment groups (n=60) Students alternate between MRs and concept maps

Possible Significant Results Concept Map MR % Correct Concept Map MR % Correct Treatment p < 0.05 CMap higher than MR Interaction p<0.05 effect of treatment depends upon topic Evolution Ecosystem services Trial p < 0.05 Evolution higher than Ecosystem Services Evolution Ecosystem services

No Significant Difference p treatment = 0.95 (CMap vs MR) p trial = 0.65 (Evolution vs Ecosystem services) p interaction = 0.58

Your Group’s Job Record on a large flip chart: Time 15 minutes - Group report out. 1. Use the learning objective and assessments from your teachable unit/tidbit. 2. Develop a research question or hypothesis to test. 3. Illustrate the research design. 4. Draw or represent one predicted outcome.

“...we note that successful people are the ones who take advantage of those around them to ultimately benefit students.” Ebert-May D, Weber R, Hodder J, Batzli J (2006) Finally...