1. Pathways to Scientific Teaching
Diane Ebert-May
Department of Plant Biology
Michigan State University

3. -Paul Valery, The Art of Poetry
The trouble with our times is that the future is not what it used to be.
-Paul Valery, The Art of Poetry

4. Scientific Teaching
Engage
Explore
Explain
Assess

5. Engage

6. Question 1 Please respond on a scale of 1-5:
1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree
Students learn science best by doing science.

12. Question 2 Please respond on a scale of 1-5:
1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree
Science should be taught as it is practiced.

13. Learners doing science...

14. Please respond on a scale if 0-100
Question 3
Please respond on a scale if 0-100
in increments of 10:
How important is it to use multiple kinds of data to assess student learning?

15. How important is it to use multiple forms of data to assess student learning?%
Relative Importance
n=127

16. Please respond on a scale of 0 - 100
Question 4
Please respond on a scale of
in increments of 10:
How often do you use data to
make instructional decisions?

17. How often do you use data to make instructional decisions?%
Frequency
n=127

18. Question 5
Please 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.

19. System
Model

20. Question 6
Please respond on a scale of 1-5:
1=strongly agree, 2=agree, 3=neutral, 4=disagree, 5=strongly disagree
In my department, excellence and scholarship in teaching is rewarded at a level comparable to excellence amd scholarship in research.

24. Explore

25. Data collection with the purpose of answering questions about…
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)

26. Improve student learning and development.
Why do assessment?
Video
Improve student learning and development.
Provides students and faculty
substantive feedback about student understanding.
Challenge to use disciplinary research strategies to assess learning.

27. Final Assessment?

28. Identify desired outcomes
Determine acceptable evidence
Design learning experiences and instruction
Wiggins and McTighe 1998

29. Question 7
True or False?
Assessing student learning in science parallels what scientists/do as researchers.

30. Parallel: ask questions
Description:
-What is happening?
Cause:
-Does ‘x’ (teaching strategy) affect ‘y’ (understanding)?
Process or mechanism:
-Why or how does ‘x’ cause ‘y’?

31. Parallel: collect data
We collect data to find out what our students know.
Data helps us understand student thinking about concepts and content.
We use data to guide decisions about course/curriculum/innovative instruction

32. Parallel: 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

33. Parallel: peer review
Ideas and results are peer reviewed - formally and/or informally.

34. Guidelines for thinking about research...
What did students learn? (assessment data)
Why did students respond a particular way? (research) Significant question?
What are the working hypotheses? Relevant theory..
What has already been done? Literature says...
How and why select methods? Direct investigation...
How to analyze and interpret data?
What do the results mean? Coherent reasoning...
Are findings replicable and generalizable? Critique by peers...

35. Research Designs

36. Data collection

38. Explain

39. Model for Learning - System

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

41. Some Common Misconceptions about Photosynthesis & Respiration
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.

42. Ebert-May et al. 2003 Bioscience
Quantitative Data
Qualitative Data
Design Experiment
Ebert-May et al Bioscience

43. Instructional Design Two class meetings on carbon cycle (160 minutes)
Active, inquiry-based learning
Cooperative groups
Questions, group processing, large lecture sections, small discussion sections, multi-week laboratory investigation
Homework problems including web-based modules
Different faculty for each course
One graduate/8-10 undergraduate TAs per course

44. Experimental Design Bio 1 - organismal/population biology (faculty A)
Two 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)

45. Assessment Design
Multiple iterations/versions of the carbon cycle problem
Pretest, midterm, final with additional formative assessments during class
Administered during instruction
Semester 1 - pretest, midterm, final exam
Semester 2 - final exam

46. Problem Experimental setup: Experimental treatments:
Weighed out 3 batches of radish seeds each weighing 1.5 g.
Experimental treatments:
1. Seeds placed on moistened paper towels in LIGHT
2. Seeds placed on moistened paper towels in DARK
3. Seeds not moistened (left DRY) placed in light

47. 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, light
Water, dark
No water, light

48. Results: Mass of Radish Seeds/Seedlings
1.46 g g g
Write an explanation about the results.
Explain the results.
Write individually on carbonless paper.

49. 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.

50. 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)

51. Coding Scheme

52. Cellular Respiration by Decomposers
Correct Student Responses (%)
Bio1/Bio2
Other/Bio2
Friedmans, p<0.01

53. Pathway of Carbon in Photosynthesis
Correct Student Responses (%)
Bio1/Bio2
Other/Bio2
Friedmans, p<0.05

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

55. Alternative Conceptions:
Natural Selection
■ 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.

56. Explain the changes that occurred in the tree and animal
Explain the changes that occurred in the tree and animal. Use your current understanding of evolution by natural selection.
(AAAS 1999)

57. Misconception: individuals evolve new traits
n=80; p<.01
% of Students

58. Misconception: evolution is driven by need
n=80; p<.01
% of Students

59. 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

60. Posttest: Student responses to mc*
% of Students

61. Animal/Tree Posttest: Gain in student understanding of fitness
n=80; p<.01
% of Students

62. Scientific Teaching Active participation to learn
Assessment is evidence
Diversity is science for all...

63. IRD Team at MSU Janet Batzli - Plant Biology [U of Wisconsin]
Doug Luckie - Physiology
Scott Harrison - Microbiology (grad student)
Tammy Long - Plant Biology
Deb Linton - Plant Biology (postdoc)
Rett Weber - Plant Biology
Heejun Lim - Chemistry Education
Duncan Sibley - Geology
Rob Pennock - Philosophy
Charles Ofria - Engineering
Rich Lenski - Microbiolgy
*National Science Foundation