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

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

4. Engage

5. Question 1
Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree
Active learning strategies engage students in the process of science.

6. 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
Students learn science best by “doing” science.

7. Please respond on a scale of 0-100
Question 3
Please respond on a scale of 0-100
in increments of 10:
How important is it to use multiple kinds of assessments to determine student learning?

8. Please respond on a scale of 0-100 (%)
Question 4
Please respond on a scale of (%)
in increments of 10:
The proportion of assessments I use in my course that demonstrate students’ critical thinking abilities is....

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

10. Question 1
Please respond on a scale of 1-5: 1=strongly agree; 2=agree; 3=neutral; 4= disagree; 5=strongly disagree
Active learning strategies engage students in the process of science.

12. 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
Students learn science best by “doing” science.

18. Large Class Meeting

19. Please respond on a scale of 0-100
Question 3
Please respond on a scale of 0-100
in increments of 10:
How important is it to use multiple kinds of assessments to determine student learning?

20. Please respond on a scale of 0-100 (%)
Question 4
Please respond on a scale of (%)
in increments of 10:
The proportion of assessments I use in my course that demonstrate students’ critical thinking abilities is....

21. do we ask of our students?
What level of learning
do we ask of our students?
Bloom (1956)
Cognitive Domain of Educational Objectives
6 categories -
Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation

22. Models
Connections
Organization
Visual
Reasoning

23. Department of Plant Biology
Mean Bloom Level
Course Level

24. Department of Plant Biology
Bloom Level
% Total Qs
Course Level
*N items

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

27. Articles derived from journal papers

28. Explore

29. How People Learn
Bransford et al 1999, 2004

30. What’s up with Termites?
1. On a sheet of paper, draw two circles near each other on the center of the page.
2. Release termites onto paper.
3. Keep creatures safe. I shall collect them in their original habitat.
4. What do you observe about termite behavior?
5. Develop a question your group could explore if you had more time.
(15 minutes - select a timekeeper)

31. 1. Develop one learning objective for this ‘inquiry’.
2. Develop an assessment appropriate for the objective.
Team Written response.
Reporter -
Recorder -
Timekeeper - (10 minutes)
Checker -

32. Learning objectives Once you have a learning objective(s)….
assign a Bloom-level to each.
Statement that indicates level of expectation of performance.

33. 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)

34. Assessment Gradient
low Potential for Assessment of Learning high
Multiple Choice … … Concept Maps … … Essay … … Interview
high Ease of Assessment low
Theoretical Framework
• Ausubel 1968; meaningful learning
• Novak 1998; visual representations
• King and Kitchner 1994; reflective judgment
• National Research Council 1999; theoretical frameworks
for assessment

35. Identify desired goals/objectives
Backwards Design
Identify desired goals/objectives
Determine acceptable evidence
Design learning experiences and instruction
Wiggins and McTighe 1998

36. Explain

37. Objective (outcome)
Students will demonstrate understanding of evolution by natural selection.

38. 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.

39. Instructional Design
Enable students to gain meaningful understanding of evolution and natural selection through active learning.

40. How do we classify students responses for comprehension and critical thinking?
multiple choice
extended response
concept maps
other models

41. Pre-test: extended response
Pre-test: extended response. Explain the changes that occurred in the tree and animal. Use your current understanding of evolution by natural selection.
Hauser F AAAS

42. Rubric: Code Responses
Misconceptions
Correct
P = Change in the individual
Change in the population
C = Need to Change/ Must Change/ Choice
Change due to genes
V = All members of a population are equally fit
Individuals within a population have varying fitness levels
G = Traits acquired during a lifetime are passed on
Genetic traits help the individual to survive and reproduce
P __
C __
V __
G__
I = Incorrect
C =Correct
P = Partially correct
ND = No data

43. Next steps for analysis
Identify patterns of critical thinking among students…
Connect each of the categories in the rubric with student understanding.
Explore research questions about why students do not understand particular concepts.

44. Design classroom research
Faculty research goal:
Use both observational and empirical approaches to answer a question about student learning.
Student goals:
Use effective and repeatable processes to address ill-structured problems.
Demonstrate critical thinking.

45. Systematic observation
Design an ill-structured problem
Students use guiding questions in groups
Instructor uses systematic observations to identify elements of the problem that are difficult for students.

46. Comparison Studies
What is the effectiveness of guiding questions on problem-solving approaches to address ill- structured problems?

47. Guiding questions
What things do you know or think you know about this problem?
What things do you not know?
What things are not known in the scientific community studying similar problems?
What things can you find out, given review papers, primary scientific literature, and data?

48. Study designs
Challenge: determining the internal and external validity of the study design.
Multiple-group comparison
Multiple sections one semester
Single course - multiple years
Intervention:
Homework with guiding questions
Homework without guiding questions

49. Split-group comparison
Pretest
Class of 120 students randomly assigned to 2 treatment groups (n=60)
Concept 1
Day 1
In-class active learning
Concept Map
Definitions
Students alternate between definitions and concept maps
Pretest
Concept 2
Day 2
In-class active learning
statistical model {gain (post-pre) = group|homework|concept }
n may really only be 1 because there is only 1 class. On the other hand, this may be considered
a modified strip plot design. We have one field that we are using and dividing it into as many sections as there are concept areas. The strips are lined up next to each other. Concept and group are blocking factors (we don’t care which concept and which group someone is in).
We may use course as a nesting factor (if include Doug) and increase n
Definitions
Concept Map
Essay and MC Assessment
(midterm and final exams)

50. How would you alter this design for your course?
Objective: assess students’ higher-level thinking.
What is the question?
How would you change the problem?
Would students do the problem in class, homework, lab, discussion section?
Schemes to evaluate work.
Classroom research design.

51. Finally...
“...we note that successful people are the ones who take advantage of those around them to ulimately benefit students.”
Ebert-May D, Weber R, Hodder J, Batzli J (2006)

52. Team at MSU Rett Weber - Plant Biology (postdoctoral researcher)
Deb Linton - Plant Biology [Tri-C Community College)
Duncan Sibley - Geology
Doug Luckie - Physiology
Scott Harrison - Microbiology (graduate student)
Tammy Long - Plant Biology
Heejun Lim - Chemistry Education (Korea)
Rob Pennock - Philosophy
Charles Ofria - Engineering
Rich Lenski - Microbiolgy
Janet Batzli - Plant Biology [U of Wisconsin]

53. Active Learning Day 14 in class
Artificial selection in plants
Group discuss and record: What traits were selected and why?
Clicker Q: Plant fitness
Natural selection in finches
Clicker Q: Selection on beak size
Group discuss and record: What traits were naturally selected in Hawaiian finches?
Minute paper: Natural and artificial selection
Assign homework: Guppy sexual selection

54. Active Learning Day 15 In class: groups
Determine fitness of wild tobacco - three populations in Michigan
Sexual selection - review guppy homework
Assign homework: concept map 5