Creating intellectually stimulating environments in large classes

1/21/12Diane O’Dowd

UCI, dkodowd@uci.eduhttp://www.researchandteaching.bio.uci.edu

How would you define a classroom that is

“intellectually stimulating”

A place where students have the opportunity to discuss new ideas, ask questions, challenge assumptions, think deeply about topic

A place where instructors have the opportunity to readily evaluate student understanding and logic during learning

Move away from:• Lecture: an educational talk to an audience

Move toward:• Dialogue: a discussion between two or more

people or groups, esp. one directed toward exploration of a particular subject or resolution of a problem

Strategies that promote dialogue in large classes

• Multiple choice clicker questions

• Free response problems

• Physical demonstrations

• Basic Concept Addressed:– Relationship between biological structures that make up all organisms

• Illustrate how a short exercise can contribute to creation of intellectually stimulating environment

“Structural complexity: Thinking outside the box”

A. Biological systems can be organized in terms of structural complexity

Lecture 1: Unifying themes in Biology

A. Organ>Cell>Atom>Tissue>Molecule

B. Tissue>Organ>Cell>Molecule>Atom

C. Organ>Tissue>Cell>Molecule>Atom

D. Cell>Tissue>Molecule>Organ>Atom

CQ 1-2Which list is correctly ranked from

highest to lowest

C. Organ>Tissue>Cell >Molecule>Atom

Biological systems: hierarchy based on structural complexity

• Simplest unit at the foundation, most complex at the top

atommolecule

celltissue

organ

atom atomatomatommolecule molecule

atom

cell cellmolecule

tissue

• Put the following in order, highest to lowest level in terms of structural complexity. – Muscle – Hydrogen ion– Neuron– Phospholipid– Nucleus– Human sperm– Mitochondrion– Heart

Class Card #1Names:

Close=11%

Groups rarely ever put 2 items on the same line This realization happens during the class discussion

2008 Modification• Add Ostrich Egg to list

– highlight the difference between size and complexity

Unexpected outcome: many group put ostrich egg

above heart!Increased opportunity for exploring how assumptions

affect logic

2009 Modification

• Switched from fixed to fluid groups– Easier to implementUnexpected outcome: increased student satisfaction with group workReason: opportunity to learn names of more classmates

Implementation suggestions

• Wrap up includes overt discussion of learning goals that go beyond content

• how assumptions affect construction of arguments

• importance of asking questions during learning

• value of dialogue during problem solving

• Do early in class to increase student buy-in

• Keep it fresh

For your colleagues who routinely lecture what is their biggest concern about using active

learning strategies?A. Content will have to be

sacrificedB. Time required to develop new

materialsC. Student resistanceD. Time required for

admin/technology issues

E. Other

Challenge #1: Minimize time pressure associated with developing new material

• Develop and implement in bite size pieces

– Allows one to try multiple approaches to find ones that work for you and your students

– Provides scientific teaching opportunities

Challenge #2: minimize content loss when adding active learning elements

Preclass reading assignments!

Why don’t reading assignments help students master knowledge level material before lecture?

A. Don’t have time to do reading

B. Text book is too difficult to read

C. Don’t know what to focus on

Developed three LBL modules • Pre-class

– One page worksheet to guide learning of text book info– Assignment submitted electronically; no feedback– Short preclass online quiz; provided explanations for answers

• Lecture– Active learning strategies to guide application of new

knowledge in solving higher order problems• No change in student time/concept

Traditional LBLPre-class NA 10 minLecture 10 min 10 minSelf-Study 30 min 20 minAssessment Exam Exam

• Implementation-incremental– Selected 5 topics

• 2007/8 material presented in 3-5 slides in 3 lectures• 2009 material presented in 1 page worksheet/lecture• Rest of overall course structure was similar

• Participation

Does this improve learning?

– Compared exam performance of students • traditional vs LBL format

– 5 multiple choice final exam question pairs, comprehension (2) application (3)• 1 question pair identical• 4 pairs isomorphic

Increase in performance on exam questions on topics presented in LBL vs lecture format

• Overall comparison of 2007/8 versus 2009 classes

• Similar demographics• Similar performance on UC Boulder Concept Assessment• Similar distribution of non-LBL exam points earned

Increase in performance related to LBL versus traditional format

• Unexpected outcome: LBL classes place higher value on reading text as a learning strategy– Course evaluation:

How helpful were textbooks and/or readings to your overall learning experience?

– Survey of juniors: students taught w/LBLs place higher value on reading as learning strategy

13% LBL students vs 5% non-LBL students

What works for me might not work for you

What works this year might not work next year

To be effective the science education environment must be as dynamic and evaluative as the science research environment

Question: Do visualization strategies help students gain a more integrative understanding of core concepts

• Garage Demos– Physical models of dynamic biological processes

– Use common household items

• LBL replaced 10 minutes of Cellular Respiration lecture

• Added demonstration to illustrate movement of electrons during oxidative phosphorylation

• Video

How helpful were the demonstrations for understanding lecture material

Experiment

– Removed Demo 7 and 9 from Section A• Replaced with slide description of process

– Removed Demo 6 and 8 from Section B• Replaced with slide description of process

No difference in exam performance on topics 6-10 between Sections A and B

I still do Demonstrations!

• I find them fun to create and interesting to do

• Positive effect on student attitude and stimulates discussion

• Former students most often comment on lasting impact of garage demos

Gateway Drug HypothesisFaculty who try small, easy to implement active learning exercises are more likely to engage in higher stakes, riskier behavior

CURRIULUM Reform

Developing/testing new strategies in their own class