Jeff Johnston Assistant Director, Center for Teaching Lecturer, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vanderbilt University Meeting the learning goals with a “below average” course SERC Conference on the Affective Domain in Geoscience Learning February 12, 2007

The Course: “The Earth’s Oceans in the Global Environment”, Fall 2006  Who are the students? First-year writing seminar First-year writing seminar  Brief description of the course Discussion, small-group work, mini-lectures Discussion, small-group work, mini-lectures Low-stakes writing, high-stakes writing Low-stakes writing, high-stakes writing Group presentation based on case studies Group presentation based on case studies

Course Goals:  Explain the key components of the earth system (the geosphere, the biosphere, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the cryosphere and the anthrosphere) and how they interact with each other.  Explain the limits to what we currently know about the world ocean and recognize the key fundamental questions that remain.  Explain the ways in which the ocean is the cornerstone of Earth’s life support system and vital to human well being and survival.  Explain ways in which humans are altering basic global processes.  Interpret information about the ocean environment and build hypotheses based on this data.

Course Goals (continued):  Recognize the complex nature of ocean policy issues, i.e., there are no absolute truths or clear- cut, easy answers.  Develop the research, analytical, communication, and writing skills that will help you succeed at Vanderbilt and beyond.  Develop your skills in working closely with a small group of fellow students on team projects.  Develop oral communication and presentation skills

How did it go? Sources of information:  Mid-semester small group analysis  Performance on assignments and final exams  Responses to questions asked on last day of class  Responses to SALG survey  Responses to course and instructor evaluations

What is the most important thing you have learned about the Earth’s oceans this semester?  I actually feel I have learned so much, I could carry on a conversation about the ocean and actually know what I am talking about.  That the environmental concerns concerning the oceans are well founded and far more pressing than most people think. Thanks!

 That humans and the ocean are inextricably connected.  Earth’s oceans are constantly changing drastically in some cases and many of these changes are due to human impact. All parts of the ocean (surface and deep) are equally important in studying these changes. What is the most important thing you have learned about the Earth’s oceans this semester?

Student Assessment of their Learning Gains (SALG)  Free (NSF funded), web based instrument  9 of 15 students completed the survey

SALG Survey Results As a result of your work in this class, how well do you think that you understand each of the following: Not at all A little Somewhat A lot A great deal Earth system Plate tectonics Ocean circulation Climate change Ecosystems00054 Threats00036

SALG Survey Results How much has this class added to your skills in each of the following? Not at all A little Somewhat A lot A great deal Writing papers Scientific literature Critical analysis of news Work with others Presentations04401

SALG Survey Results How much of the following do you think you will remember and carry with you into other classes or aspects of your life? Not at all A little Somewhat A lot A great deal Main concepts 00351

Online course evaluations Estimate how much you learned in the course Almost nothing (1) A little (2)Average(3) Above average (4) Considerably above average (5) Class Average

Online course evaluations Effectiveness of the instructor in stimulating your interest in this subject Poor(1)Marginal(2)Average(3) Very good (4)Excellent(5) Class Average

Online course evaluations Overall rating of the course Poor(1)Marginal(2)Average(3) Very good (4)Excellent(5) Class Average “He had a genuine interest in creating a stimulating experience in the classroom, but he had an hard time achieving that with endless reading and writing assignments.”

Now what?  Department wants to offer course again next spring.  Do low evaluation scores matter? To me? To me? To the department, college, university? To the department, college, university?  Addressing student’s (and my) concerns Setting expectations and modeling discussion Setting expectations and modeling discussion Attention to the affective domain Attention to the affective domain

Meeting the learning goals with a “below average” course