Inquiry Learning in SCI 230 (Biology) By Kelly Bohrer and M.E. Dillon University of Dayton

Background Work  OHEN Workshops  Chautauqua ( May 5-7,2005 )“ Evolution Education: A Delicate Balance Between Pedagogy, Content & Controversy”  Chautauqua: ( June 6 -8, 2005) “Inquiry based Instruction: Enhance the Way You Teach and Your Students Learn”  Observations: WSU: BIO (J. Tomlin and ) Belmont Middle School:

Goals Short Term:  To substantially modify lecture sections of SCI 230 to model best teaching practices  To modify selected SCI 230L activities in order to better reflect inquiry-based pedagogy  To correlate one class section of SCI 230 lecture, reserved for education majors only, with one class section of SCI 230L, also reserved for education majors only

Goals Long Term:  To share the activities/presentations developed for this grant with all of INSS biology faculty, to allow incorporation of some of these activities into all sections of SCI 230 lecture  To share key ideas and most successful teaching strategies with entire INSS faculty.  To produce future science teachers who are better prepared in both science content and best practices in pedagogy

Bybee “5E” Learning Cycle (Review!)  Engage! (Those lost stories!/demos/etc!)  Explore (Traditionally in lab?)  Explain  Elaborate  Evaluate

Greatly Modified Lecture Units:  Nature of Science/Scientific Method  Organic Molecules  Evolution Also: Joint Lecture Lab Field Trip to Aullwood Nature Center/MEEC

Nature of Science

 Engage: Survey Environment for “germs”  Explore: Learn info about microorganisms  Explain: Instructor explains which organisms are bacteria & fungi  Elaborate: Apply to cell theory ED majors: Use tool for further investigation  Evaluate: Quiz & Formal Report (Ed majors)

Nature of Science

Organic Molecules = FOOD!  Engage: South Beach Diet Article  Explore: What information do I need to understand this article/diet? Finding information  Explain: Small Group  Large Group  Elaborate: MED SCI 230L: Food Investigations  Evaluate – Quiz!

Aullwood FieldTrip Pre-Trip:  Read “Nature and Young Children: A Natural Connection” by Ruth A. Wilson  Highlight major points  5 ideas you could use in your classroom  3 questions/goals for Aullwood

Aullwood FieldTrip

Student Comments:  Loved the Aullwood fieldtrip!!  “I found the SCI 230 course to be one of the most interesting of all my Education courses. I wish there were more Biology courses to take for IS majors.”  “I learned more about teaching methods in this class than from all of my education classes and observations put together.”

Questions?