Get Students to Value Learning: Teach them HOW to Learn! Saundra Y. McGuire, Ph.D., Director Center for Academic Success Adj. Professor, Dept. of Chemistry Assoc. Dean, University College Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Desired outcomes We will have concrete metacognitive strategies that faculty can teach students to increase critical thinking We will know what motivates students to learn We will view our students differently We will see positive changes in our students’ performance and self-perception

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership A Tale of Three LSU Students Travis, junior psychology student 47, 52, 82, 86 Robert, freshman chemistry student 42, 100, 100, 100 Terrence, junior Bio Engineering student GPA 1.67 cum, 3.54 (F 03), 3.8 (S 04)

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Reflection Questions Did you study a lot in high school? In college? When did you learn the conceptual structure (relationships between basic concepts) of your discipline? When/why/how did you to learn this?

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership How do some faculty members inadvertently decrease student learning? By assigning homework and giving tests that require little, if any, higher order thinking By assessing learning too infrequently By putting notes on-line and advising students they don’t need to purchase the textbook By having little ability to teach students concrete learning strategies

Counting Vowels in 30 seconds How accurate are you?

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership So, what can we do to improve student learning? Teach students about metacognition Use pedagogical strategies that reinforce the use of metacognition Assess and provide feedback as often as possible Use motivational techniques

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Metacognition The ability to: think about thinking be consciously aware of oneself as a problem solver monitor and control one’s mental processing

Evaluation Synthesis Analysis Application Comprehension Knowledge Making decisions and supporting views; requires understanding of values. Combining information to form a unique product; requires creativity and originality. Using information to solve problems; transferring abstract or theoretical ideas to practical situations. Identifying connections and relationships and how they apply. Restating in your own words; paraphrasing, summarizing, translating. Memorizing verbatim information. Being able to remember, but not necessarily fully understanding the material. Bloom’s Taxonomy Louisiana State University  Center for Academic Success  B-31 Coates Hall   Identifying components; determining arrangement, logic, and semantics. Graduate School Undergraduate High School This pyramid depicts the different levels of thinking we use when learning. Notice how each level builds on the foundation that precedes it. It is required that we learn the lower levels before we can effectively use the skills above.

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership What Can Faculty Do to Increase Learning? Clearly communicate course goals and expectations Teach basic learning strategies within the context of the discipline Use engaging pedagogical technique (e.g. think pair-share, one-minute essay, in class groups, etc.)

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Provide a Learning-Centered Syllabus Focus less on what you will do and more on what you expect the students to do. Specify the learning outcomes you expect and the assessment tools you will use. Clarify the mutual responsibilities of both you and the students. Provide students with resources and study aids. Indicate all course policies, but in a friendly helpful tone. Source: Judith Grunert, The Course Syllabus: A Learning Centered Approach, Anker Publishing Company

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Clearly specify what is to be learned Memorization of facts Comparing and contrasting data Application of information Creation of new information (synthesis) Critical evaluation of differing ideas Other

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Example ~ Bloom’s Levels of Learning ~ Example ~ Bloom’s Levels of Learning ~ Applied to Goldilocks and the Three Bears Evaluation Judge Judge whether Goldilocks was good or bad. Defend your opinion. Synthesis Propose Propose how the story would be different if it were Goldilocks and the Three Fish. Analysis Compare Compare this story to reality. What events could not really happen. Application Demonstrate Demonstrate what Goldilocks would use if she came to your house. Comprehension Explain Explain why Goldilocks liked Baby Bear’s chair the best. Knowledge List List the items used by Goldilocks while she was in the Bears’ house. Courtesy of

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Keys to Learning Based on Cognitive Science Principles Deep factual and procedural knowledge of a discipline is required to solve problems Learning is a continuous process; repetition is the key New knowledge must be tied to existing knowledge; accurate judgment of knowledge is crucial! Learning should involve both sides of the brain and several learning styles

Experts vs. Novices They think differently about problems © LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership

Novices vs. Intelligent Novices Intelligent novices learn new domains more quickly than other novices The metacognitive skills make the difference

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership What intelligent novices know Learning is different from memorization Solving problems without looking at the solution is different from using the solution as a model Comprehension of reading material must be tested while the reading is in progress Knowledge is not “handed out” by the instructor; it is constructed by the learner

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership The Study Cycle Phase 1: Read or preview chapter(s) to be covered in class… before class. Phase 2: GO TO CLASS! Listen actively, take notes, participate in class. Phase 3: Review and process class notes as soon after class as possible. Phase 4: Implement Intense Study Sessions. Repeat

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Intense Study Sessions n 2-5 minutes: Set Goals n minutes: STUDY with FOCUS and ACTION (Read your text, create flash cards, create maps and/or outlines, work problems -without peeking at the answers, quiz yourself…) Achieve your goal! n 5 minutes Take a break n 5 minutes Review what you have just studied n Repeat

How does background knowledge affect comprehension? Read this passage and see! *”The procedure is actually quite simple. First, you arrange things into different groups. Of course, one pile may be sufficient depending on how much there is to do. If you have to go somewhere else due to lack of facilities, that is the next step. Otherwise, you are pretty well set. It is important not to overdo things. That is, it is better to do too few things at once than too many. In the short run this may not seem important but complications can easily arise. A mistake can be expensive as well. At first, the whole procedure will seem complicated. Soon, however, it will become just another facet of life. It is difficult to foresee any end to the necessity for this task in the immediate future, but then one can never tell. After the procedure is completed, one arranges the materials into different groups again. Then they can be put into their appropriate places.” What is the task? © LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership

Washing Clothes Exercise *Source: Bransford, J.D.& Johnson, M.K. “Contextual Prerequisites for Understanding: Some Investigations of Comprehension and Recall,” Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 2:7, 1972.

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Turning Students into Intelligent Novices Have them determine their learning style Have them do “think aloud” exercises Provide time for them to do metacognitive activities in class Have them ask “why” and “what if” Have them write exam questions that are at the application level (or higher) on Bloom’s taxonomy Others?

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Active Learning Strategies Get Involved Ask Questions Recite and Write Review Reflect (megacognate?)

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Good notes are essential for meaningful learning

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Cornell Note Taking Format Uses of notes identify major points identify minor points There are 4 Kinds of Notes: Running Text Formal Outline Informal Outline Cornell Note system Recall Column: Notes on Taking Notes, 4/05/03 Reduce ideas and facts to concise summaries and cues for reciting, reviewing and reflecting over here.

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Closing the Gap Between What Faculty Present and What Students Understand An acid is a substance that produces protons when dissolved in water. Other Examples of Misconceptions of HCC students?

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Get the Most Out of Homework Start the problems or questions early--the day they are assigned Do not flip back to see example problems; work them yourself! Don’t give up too soon (<15 min.) Don’t spend too much time (>30 min.)

Concept maps facilitate development of higher order thinking skills © LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership

Compare and Contrast AcidsBases How are they similar? How are they different?

Create a Chapter Map Title of Chapter Primary Headings Subheadings Secondary Subheadings

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Cooperative Learning Activity Develop a mini-lesson on the difference between strong acids and weak acids vs. concentrated and dilute acids

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Faculty Role in Student Motivation Eric Hobson, Albany College of Pharmacy Positive Motivation Teacher’s attitudes 27% Course structure 22% Intrinsic 20% Course content 17% Performance meas. 10% Financial 1% Parents/Others 1% Negative Motivation Teacher’s attitudes 27% Course structure 26% Learning environ. 13% Course content 11% Intrinsic 10% Parents/Others 1% Financial 0.3%

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Motivation Boosters Partial credit for partially correct answers Letting students use their own problem solving method Flexible grading scale based on student performance Demonstrated personal interest in having EVERY student succeed!

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Motivation Busters Multiple choice tests with no opportunity for partial credit Requiring students to use one problem solving method Absolute grading scale with no flexibility Attitude that most students are not prepared to do well, and probably won’t! Assessment that is not closely tied to what students learned

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership The Role of Academic Support Centers in Facilitating Learning Provide faculty with information on student characteristics and on metacognitive learning strategies they can teach students Assist faculty in developing ways to incorporate learning strategies information into their courses Help students identify the problem with their performance, and prescribe remedies involving metacognitive strategies

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership A Tale of Two More LSU Students Amy, junior organic chemistry student 54, 82, 76, 78 Michael, senior pre-medical organic student 30, 28, 80, 91

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership What Metacognitive Learning Strategy Can You Teach that Might Improve Student Performance in Your Course?

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Strategies that have worked at other colleges Integrating study strategy techniques into class structure. Teaching and requiring concept mapping Setting up collaborative working groups in class Frequent pop quizzes and different approaches to testing and homework Using motivational techniques Supplemental Instruction and Service-Learning

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Final Note

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership Please visit the CAS website at We have on-line workshops that will introduce you and your students to effective metacognitive strategies. Please feel free to contact me at I wish you great success with your Saundra McGuire

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership References Bruer, John T., Schools For Thought: A Science of Learning in the Classroom. MIT Press. National Research Council, National Academy Press, How People Learn Robinson, Adam What Smart Students Know. Three Rivers Press.

© LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership In conclusion Our students CAN change their attitudes and behaviors about learning. BUT, this will happen only if and when they are taught how, and are motivated to do so.

B-31 Coates Hall Louisiana State University © LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership