Pathways to Scientific Teaching

Diane Ebert-May

Department of Plant Biology Michigan State University

ebertmay@msu.eduhttp://first2.org

The trouble with our times is that the future is not what it

used to be. -Paul Valery, The Art of Poetry

Engage Explore Explain Assess

Instructional Design

Engage

Question 1

Scientific teaching involves active learning strategies to engage students in the process of science.

Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree;

5=strongly disagree

Question 2

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 3

How important is it to use multiple kinds of data to assess student learning?

Please respond on a scale if 0-100 in increments of 10:

Question 4

How often do you use data to make instructional decisions?

Please respond on a scale of 0 - 100 in increments of 10:

Question 5Please respond on a scale of 1-5:

1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree

Scientific teaching usually occurs in large lecture classes in my department.

In my department, excellence/scholarship in teaching is rewarded at a level comparable to excellence/scholarship in research.

Question 6

Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree

Question 1

Scientific teaching involves active learning strategies to engage students in the process of science.

Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree;

5=strongly disagree

Question 2

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 3

How important is it to use multiple kinds of data to assess student learning?

Please respond on a scale if 0-100 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 0 - 100 in increments of 10:

How often do you use data to make instructional decisions?

n=127Frequency

%

Question 5Please respond on a scale of 1-5:

1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree

Scientific teaching usually occurs in large lecture classes in my department.

Large Class Meeting

In my department, excellence/scholarship in teaching is rewarded at a level comparable to excellence/scholarship in research.

Question 6

Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree

Explore

What is assessment?

Data collection with the purpose of answering questions about…

students’ understanding

students’ attitudes

students’ skills

instructional design and implementation

curricular reform (at multiple grainsizes)

Why do assessment?

Improve student learning and development.

Provides students and facultysubstantive feedback about student understanding.

Challenge to use disciplinary research strategies to assess learning.

Video

Final Assessment?

Identify desired

outcomes

Determine acceptable evidence

Design learning experiences

and instruction

Wiggins and McTighe 1998

Guidelines for Planning Research

How do instructors move from assessment to designing research on learning?

What did the assessment data suggest about student understanding?

Why didn’t students understand critical concepts?

What has been done already about students’ understanding of these concepts?

Ask Questions

How and why will you select the methods?

What kinds of data will you collect? Direct or Self-Report.

How will you analyze the data?

Design Study Collect Data

Research Designs

Data collection

How will you analyze the data?

How could the results influence instruction?

Analyze 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

Analyze data

Ideas and results are peer reviewed - formally and/or informally.

Science journals

Report the Study

Explain

Model for Learning - System

Can crop transgenes be kept on a leash?

Marvier and Van Acker (2005)

Movement of transgenes beyond their intended destination - certainty.

Unlikely that transgenes can be retracted once they escape.

Human error, risk management issues

Humans and ecosystems at risk from traits that escape?

What questions would you ask to check students knowledge and comprehension after they

read the paper?

Turn to your neighbor...

What is a gene? A transgene?

What is a trait?

How does an allele differ from a mutation? A transgene?

How can the genotype of an organism influence the phenotype?

How does sexual reproduction occur in plants?

Knowledge and Comprehension Qs

Box Model

Students examine the different types of genetically modified crops in paper.

Select one of the crops and fill in the box model - for each box....

Name of organism on top

Cellular component involved in gene transfer on bottom

Arrows - connect movement of transgene and explain the process.

Application and Analysis Problem

Team at MSU

Janet Batzli - Plant Biology [U of Wisconsin]Doug Luckie - PhysiologyScott Harrison - Microbiology (grad student)Tammy Long - Plant BiologyDeb Linton - Plant Biology (postdoc)Rett Weber - Plant BiologyHeejun Lim - Chemistry EducationDuncan Sibley - GeologyRob Pennock - PhilosophyCharles Ofria - EngineeringRich Lenski - Microbiolgy*National Science Foundation

How do analogous assessment questions help us determine students’ prior understanding and progressive thinking about the carbon cycle?

Question

Concept 1: Matter disappears during decomposition of organisms in the soil.

Concept 2: Photosynthesis as Energy: Photosynthesis provides energy for uptake of nutrients through roots which builds biomass. No biomass built through photosynthesis alone.

Concept 3: Thin Air: CO2 and O2 are gases therefore, do not

have mass and therefore, can not add or take away mass from an organism.

Concept 4: Plant Altruism: CO2 is converted to O2 in plant

leaves so that all organisms can ‘breathe’.

Concept 5: All Green: Plants have chloroplasts instead of mitochondria so they can not respire.

Some Common Misconceptions about Photosynthesis & Respiration

Quantitative Data

Qualitative Data

Design Experiment

Ebert-May et al. 2003 Bioscience

Instructional Design

Two class meetings on carbon cycle (160 minutes)Active, inquiry-based learning

Cooperative groupsQuestions, group processing, large lecture sections, small discussion sections, multi-week laboratory investigationHomework problems including web-based modules

Different faculty for each courseOne graduate/8-10 undergraduate TAs per course

Experimental DesignTwo introductory courses for majors:

Bio 1 - organismal/population biology (faculty A)

Bio 2 - cell and molecular biology (faculty B)

Three cohorts:Cohort 1 Bio 1 (n=141)Cohort 2 Bio1/Bio2 (n=63)

Cohort 3 Other/Bio2 (n=40)

Assessment DesignMultiple iterations/versions of the carbon cycle problem Pretest, midterm, final with additional formative assessments during classAdministered during instructionSemester 1 - pretest, midterm, final exam

Semester 2 - final exam

Problem

Experimental setup:Weighed out 3 batches of radish seeds each weighing 1.5 g.

Experimental treatments:1. Seeds placed on moistened paper

towels in LIGHT2. Seeds placed on moistened paper

towels in DARK3. Seeds not moistened (left DRY)

placed in light

Problem (2)

After 1 week, all plant material was dried in an oven overnight (no water left) and plant biomass was measured in grams. Predict the biomass of the plant material in the various treatments.

Water, lightWater, dark

No water, light

Results: Mass of Radish Seeds/Seedlings

1.46 g 1.63 g 1.20 g

Write an explanation about the results.

Explain the results.Write individually on carbonless

paper.

Grandma Johnson Problem Hypothetical scenario: Grandma Johnson

had very sentimental feelings toward Johnson Canyon, Utah, where she and her late husband had honeymooned long ago. Her feelings toward this spot were such that upon her death she requested to be buried under a creosote bush overlooking the canyon. Trace the path of a carbon atom from Grandma Johnson’s remains to where it could become part of a coyote. NOTE: the coyote will not dig up Grandma Johnson and consume any of her remains.

Analysis of Responses

Used same scoring rubric (coding scheme) for all three problems - calibrated by adding additional criteria when necessary, rescoring:

Examined two major concepts: Concept 1: Decomposers respire CO2

Concept 2: Plants uptake of CO2

Explanations categorized into two groups:Organisms (trophic levels)Processes (metabolic)

Code Organisms Code Processes and pathways 1 Decomposers IA Cellular Respiration IB Release CO2 2 IIA Pathway of Carbon

Primary producers IIA _1: through Air IIA _2 : through Root IIA _3 : no mention about pathway IIB Make Glucose IIC Photosynthesis 3 Herbivore III Respiration

(glycolysis, Kreb cycle) 4 Carnivore IV Respiration

(glycolysis, Kreb cycle)

Coding Scheme

Code Organisms Code Processes and pathways 1 Decomposers IA Cellular Respiration IB Release CO2 2 IIA Pathway of Carbon

Primary producers IIA _1: through Air IIA _2 : through Root IIA _3 : no mention about pathway IIB Make Glucose IIC Photosynthesis 3 Herbivore III Respiration

(glycolysis, Kreb cycle) 4 Carnivore IV Respiration

(glycolysis, Kreb cycle)

Corr

ect

Stu

den

t R

esp

on

ses

(%)

Cellular Respiration by Decomposers

Bio1/Bio2 Other/Bio2

Friedmans, p<0.01

Pathway of Carbon in Photosynthesis

Bio1/Bio2

Corr

ect

Stu

dent

Resp

on

ses

(%)

Other/Bio2

Friedmans, p<0.05

Does active, inquiry-based instructional design influence students’ understanding of evolution and natural selection?

Another Question

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.

Alternative Conceptions: Natural Selection

(AAAS 1999)

Explain the changes that occurred in the tree and animal. Use your current understanding of evolution by natural selection.

Misconception: individuals evolve new traitsMisconception: individuals evolve new traits

% o

f S

tud

ents

n=80; p<.01

Misconception: evolution is driven by needMisconception: evolution is driven by need

% o

f S

tud

ents

n=80; p<.01

In guppy populations, what are the primary changes that occur gradually over time?

In guppy populations, what are the primary changes that occur gradually over time?

a.The traits of each individual guppy within a population gradually change.

b. The proportions of guppies having different traits within a population change.

c.Successful behaviors learned by certain guppies are passed on to offspring.

d.Mutations occur to meet the needs of the guppies as the environment changes.

Anderson et al 2002

Posttest: Student responses to mcPosttest: Student responses to mc

% o

f S

tud

ents

n=171

*

Animal/Tree Posttest: Gain in student understanding of fitnessAnimal/Tree Posttest: Gain in student understanding of fitness

% o

f S

tud

ents

n=80; p<.01

Active participation to learn

Assessment is evidence

Diversity is science for all...

Scientific Teaching

SystemModel