Presentation:

Scientists spend their lifetime developing expertise as researchers. These talents can be used to explore questions derived from assessing student understanding in undergraduate science courses. Research has shown that active learning methods are effective for improving student understanding (Johnson et al. 1998, Ebert-May et al. 1997, 2003, Hake 2002). While many faculty are interested in learning to implement active, learner-centered instructional designs, far fewer have made them the centerpiece of student’s classroom experience.

Surveys (consensograms) taken in this session revealed differences in the way faculty believe classes should be taught and how they teach them. Although most faculty agreed that students learn best by doing science, that it should be taught as practiced, and that the classroom should be student- rather than teacher-centered, faculty interested in reform still report that their classrooms are teacher-centered with passive learners.

The work of Johnson et al. (1998) has shown that cooperative learning is an excellent first step toward learner-centered teaching. Students working in groups are forced to confront misconceptions and work through difficult concepts. In cooperative learning environments, students and faculty receive feedback, which helps faculty better understand their misconceptions and difficulties associated with the material.

Faculty tend not to read outside of their research interests. Consequently, to disseminate results about improved teaching and learning, faculty need to publish in peer reviewed journals within their disciplines. We modeled this through publications in Science and Bioscience and developed a series in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, (Pathways to Scientific Teaching, access http://www.first2.org/), which illustrate active learning pedagogies and provides data about the effectiveness of these changes. Ideally, these papers will provide background for future research in teaching and learning. We encourage faculty to push their science expertise into the classroom not only in terms of the content and concepts of science, but also in terms of enriching our understanding of student learning through educational research.

Discussion:

Note: This is a synopsis of discussions that occurred throughout the session.

Doing research: Participants are interested in doing research on teaching and learning, but are concerned about using themselves as subjects of studies and do not know how to get into the literature. They also wondered if money was available for research.

Publication of research: Participants exhibited wide-scale concern over the readership of journal articles about teaching and learning. Even Cell Biology Education marginalizes education articles in a journal separate from the mainstream journal. Faculty felt that educational psychology journals were alienating and that rigorous research articles free of jargon were needed. Participants suggested attempting publication in higher profile journals such as Science and Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences. To do so, the research needs to be rigorous in terms of methodology and address “why” questions about understanding rather than descriptions of “how to” do something in a classroom without supporting data.

Active learning: A few participants were concerned about conveying all of the content when using active learning methods. To make their point, they used the possible failure of problem-based learning in medical school. No supporting data was offered to confirm this claim. In response, data show that students who engage in active learning have performed equally well as students in lecture based courses on standardized tests. Some participants were concerned that a learner-centered environment would turn students off to biology. However, evidence suggests that students have already been turned off to science in high school. Active learning has the potential to re-engage students in science. As faculty we teach the teachers and directly or indirectly influence how science is taught in K-12 schools.

Some participants felt that the physical sciences had done much better than biologists in applying active learning. Again, no evidence was given to support this claim. There is a tendency in biology classes to focus on covering content instead of focusing on key concepts and uncovering misunderstandings. The issue of agreeing on which important concepts should be taught is ongoing, and faculty in many institutions are achieving consensus toward that end.

Dissemination: Participants felt one difficulty in dissemination of active learning is getting graduate students and their major advisors to include teaching as an element of their professional mentoring. Most graduate students don’t feel they have the time for classes on teaching. Participants also felt that faculty were reluctant to change, even when given materials and presented with evidence of its effectiveness. Faculty can play an important role in disseminating effective teaching practices. They can, for example, schedule speakers to address issues of teaching and learning in the regular departmental seminar series and as plenary speakers at conferences.

Rewards: Participants felt that rewards (tenure and promotion) are driven by money and that education has become corporate. However, things are changing, as evidenced by a survey of faculty at the University of Minnesota. When the faculty were when asked if they were rewarded for “excellence in teaching” at a level comparable to “excellence in research,” the responses were centered between “agree” and “neutral” rather than at “disagree” typical for this and other seminars given throughout the country.

Recommendations:

Individual Campuses

• Faculty need long-term professional development in assessment and research about learning.
• Faculty need to understand how to disseminate their findings about student learning within their professional publications.
• Faculty need to develop goals and objectives for their courses and curricula that can be assessed in multiple ways.
• Faculty need to become familiar with and understand the literature (and critical theories) about how people learn.

  Reinvention Center

• Faculty should form long-term networks and/or support groups (i.e. lab groups) to maintain, implement and advance discussion and implementation of changes in teaching intended to create active learning environments for all students.
• The Reinvention Center can provide assistance here.

Resources/References:

Website

The PowerPoint presentation given during this workshop as well as other workshops given by Dr. Ebert-May is available at www.first2.org look under resources/workshop materials.

Publications

1. Ebert-May D, Brewer CA, Allred S. 1997. Innovation in large lectures -- teaching for active learning. Bioscience 47(9):601-607.
2. Hake R. 2002. Lessons from the physics education reform effort. Conservation Ecology 5(2):28.
   Johnson DW, Johnson RT, Smith KA. 1998. Cooperative Learning Returns to College: What Evidence Is There That It Works? Change 30(4):26-35.
3. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, (Pathways to Scientific Teaching, access http://www.first2.org/)