1. Connecting Concepts On-line Tutorials for Introductory Biology Robert L. Jeanne and Jan Cheetham University of Wisconsin-Madison http://ats.doit.wisc.edu/biology/

2. Overview 1.Why we created the tutorials 2.How we created the tutorials 3.Demonstrations 4.An assessment

3. Introduction Introductory Biology 151-152 Majors course 1,000 students –Mostly sophomores Team-taught –30 faculty –5 lecture sections

4. The Need Growth in class size Students vary in –learning styles –foundations in biology Students tend to –focus on facts rather than on concepts –have misconceptions –compartmentalize

5. The Goals Stimulate higher-order learning –apply concepts covered in lecture –solve problems –think critically Correct misconceptions Connect concepts to get the “big picture” Reduce need for TAs to clarify material covered in lecture

6. The Outcome 9 tutorials: –2 Cell biology –2 Evolution –2 Animal physiology –1 Genetics –1 Plant biology –1 Ecology

7. Ideas Genetics 30 Instructors in: Bob Jeanne, PI 3 Instructional designers Jan Cheetham, PM Creation Cell biology Animal physiology Plant physiology Evolution Ecology 3 Programmers TutorialsContent 5 Grad students

8. Demonstration 1.Homeostasis (most frequently accessed from MERLOT) 2.Natural selection 3.Water relations 4.Speciation (effectiveness data relate to this one)

9. 1. Homeostasis Connect concepts –Mechanisms of endocrine vs nervous systems –Systems work together Learning goal: Systemic thinking Instructional design: Advance organizer –Structure for linking new info and prior knowledge –Models a good way to organize new info –Demo (link)Demolink

10. 2. Natural Selection Connect concepts: –Genetic variation –Relationship between genotype and phenotype –Meaning of fitness Learning goal: Correct misconceptions Instructional design: Game –Situated context –“Foil” expectations –Cycles of cognitive disequilibrium/resolution –Demo (link)Demolink

11. 3. Water Relations Connect concepts –Movement of water and gases in photosynthesis –Physiology of plant cells and whole plant –Water relations equation Learning goal: Problem solving in context Instructional design: Scaffolding –Worked examples, completion problems –Leading questions –Just in-time information –Demo (link)Demolink

12. 4. Speciation Connect concepts –Species definitions –Incompleteness of evidence –Relative weight of evidence Learning goal: Critical thinking Instructional design: Scaffolding –Case study –Metacognitive procedures built into interface –Demo (link)Demolink

13. Are they effective? An assessment

14. Effect of the lecture Unit 1: Cell biology Unit 2: Genetics Unit 3: Evolution 5 weeks; Exam 1 5 weeks; Exam 2 5 weeks; Exam 3 (final exam) Speciation lecture Post-test Pre-test Test of effect of lecture

15. Exam 3 Unit 1: Cell biology Unit 2: Genetics Unit 3: Evolution 5 weeks; Exam 1 5 weeks; Exam 2 5 weeks; Exam 3 (final exam) Speciation lecture Post-test Tutorial v. control Pre-test Test of effect of lecture Test of effect of tutorial Effect of tutorial

16. 3 treatment groups: 1.Interactive (n = 51) --completed speciation tutorial on-line 2.Non-interactive 1 (n = 42) --assigned tutorial info as PDF 3.Non-interactive 2 (n = 53) --assigned a general homework question on speciation --read only 1 of the 2 case studies as PDF Effect of tutorial

17. Treatment subgroups: A.Average on previous two exams >80% B.Average on previous two exams <80% Effect of tutorial

18. Pre-test (%)Post-test (%)P = Group 15157.5.001 <80%5054.8.05 >80%5260.2.008 Group 248.658.4<.001 <80%49.554.9.14 >80%47.961.3<.001 Group 352.359.0<.001 <80%52.156.5.09 >80%52.562.2<.001 Result 1: Effect of lecture

19. Exams 1 & 2 (%)Exam 3 (%)P = Group 179.084.3<.001 <80%72.783.2<.001 >80%85.585.4.93 Group 278.077.6.89 <80%67.768.9.75 >80%86.584.7.55 Group 377.278.9.42 <80%70.874.2.17 >80%85.585.0.83 Result 2: Effect of tutorial

20. Exam 3, overallExam 3, evolutionP = Group 184.382.1.19 <80%83.281.0.38 >80%85.483.2.34 Group 277.678.5.79 <80%68.970.3.75 >80%84.785.3.90 Group 378.978.5.87 <80%74.2.99 >80%85.084.1.75 Result 3: Effect of tutorial

21. Conclusions 1.Lecture most effective for the >80% subgroup 2.Tutorial most effective for the <80% subgroup 3.Tutorial seemed to enhance learning of material not directly related to speciation

22. Wish-list: Existing tutorials –update information –enable edits –enable customization Possible new tutorials in –genetics –cell –ecology Nevertheless… Final thoughts

23. Principal Investigator: Robert Jeanne Project Manager: Jan Cheetham Instructional Designers and Consultants: Lee Clippard, Alan Wolf, Les Howles Project Assistants: Edna Francisco, Steven Grunder, Sainath Suryanarayanan, Ben Schulte, Olaf Olson Programmers: Michelle Glenetski, Bahman Zakeri, Cidney Frietag Instructors and Instructional Support Staff, Biology 151-152: Nancy Ruggeri Jean Heitz Carlos Peralta Brian Manske Catherine Reinitz Doug Rouse Carol Lee Tony Stretton Dave Abbott Milo Wiltbank Bill Mellon Ted Golos Paul Weimer Tony Bleecker Eric Triplett Bob Goodman Linda Graham Seth Blair Donna Fernandez Rich Viersta Tim Allen John Kirsch Evelyn Howell Monica Turner Stanley Dodson Kathy Barton Ken Sytsma Paul Berry Tom Sharkey Edgar Spalding Tom Martin Steve Gammie Acknowledgments