Considering Biology as a subject discipline: is it really open to - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Deirdre Hogan Roland Tormey

Considering Biology as a subject discipline: is it really

• pen to Education for

Sustainable Development?

Deirdre Hogan, Roland Tormey University of Limerick presentation for ESAI conference, 26th March 2010

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Education for Sustainable Development

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) helps people to better understand the world in which they live, addressing the complexity and interconnectedness of problems such as poverty, wasteful consumption, environmental degradation, urban decay, population growth, health, conflict and the violation of human rights that threaten our future. (UNESCO, 2003: 4).

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

ESD Principles

• 1. It explores complex and interrelated development issues

e.g. climate change, poverty, child labour, fuel dependence.

• 2. It makes both local and global connections.
• 3. It supports the learner to develop and use higher order thinking

skills such as critical thinking, systemic thinking, and personal reflection.

• 4. It encourages active and participatory learning experiences
• 5. Where possible interventions should be interdisciplinary
• 6. It encourage the learner to identify action towards positive change.

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Why integrate ESD?

• To make ESD part of everyday thinking
• A multidisciplinary approach is required

to address sustainability problems

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

What does ‘integrate ESD’ mean?

To integrate ESD means to bring something that is distinctively ESD to the subject discipline, while also making it relevant to the existing content and delivery.

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Understanding subject disciplines

• Subject disciplines are social constructs

with different sets of values, different beliefs as to what is important, as to how problems are to be understood and as to the process of solving problems.

• Framework for looking at subject disciplines?

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Subject Disciplines as…

Structures

• Hard V Soft and

Pure V Applied

• Subject Boundaries

(Classification)

• Communication of

subject (Framing) Cultures Ways of Thinking/ Knowing (Knowledge)

• Ways of Acting

(practices & skills)

• Ways of Feeling

(Attitudes & values)

• Symbols
• Language
• Sense of belonging to a

community (tribal) Discourse

• Claims of Truth
• Reflexivity
• History and

emerging areas Tony Becher Basil Bernstein Jerome Bruner, Tony Becher Michel Foucault Ivor Goodson

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Structure

• Pure & Hard Knowledge - Fundamental knowledge,

considered to be fact or universal truth, and the building blocks for becoming a competent biologist.

“… they should have fundamentals, lets say in terms of soils - soil composition and function, how they do what they do…

• nce

you have that right you can take steps forwards based upon it… ”

Possible Implication – Undergraduate students may not be at a stage where they can apply their fundamental learning to real world problems, and work towards solutions…

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Structure

Hard Knowledge Soft Knowledge Pure Knowledge

e.g. Chemistry, Physics etc  Discovery of the ‘new’

 Analysing specific elements of a problem  Finding universal truths  Explanations are strong  Research is value free

e.g. Sociology, Political Science  Re-examining ideas within different theoretical contexts  Synthesis, focus on complexity of inter-linkages  Finding patterns which fit particular contexts  Explanations are weak, due to the multiple ‘causes’ and ‘effects’  Research is value laden as it deals with human subjects

Applied Knowledge

e.g. Engineering, Medicine Draws on hard pure knowledge but differs in the following respects:  Use of trial (and error) as methodology  Focused

• n

addressing problems, rather than ‘discovering’ truths  May be many solutions to problem (rather than one truth)  Effectiveness rather than ‘discovered truth’ is criteria

• f judgement

e.g. Education Studies, Social Policy Draws on soft pure knowledge but differs in the following respects:  Knowledge is less stable than hard applied knowledge, and has less of a sense of progression as ‘answers’ become critically re-evaluated.  Trial (and error) are commonly used as methodologies  May be many solutions  Pragmatic utility is criteria of judgement

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Structure

• Biology is value free - Ethics is far removed from ‘pure

biology’

“… any of these new discoveries… they’re value neutral… it’s the value that people put on them then, depending on what uses they’ve put them to… ”

Possible Implication – the space for dialogue on ESD issues does not exist within modules.

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Structure

• Strong classification – Defined subject boundaries,

‘stand alone’ subject with a defined curriculum. Possible Implications – biology becomes ‘compartmentalised’, lose connections with

– Other areas of science (physics, chemistry) – Other areas of biology or other modules covered – Other disciplines (makes interdisciplinary collaboration difficult)

“… the labs were designed to show them what (bacteria) is actually on their own skin? And what’s on their

• wn hair? So it was interactive, and this is why it

kind of blows my mind, that they don’t remember either, because they seem to enjoy the labs associated with it, or certain aspects of the labs, they seem to enjoy.”

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Structure

• Strong framing: Lecturer controls sequencing

and pacing of knowledge, what is to be learned and examined Possible Implication – learner doesn’t feel

• wnership over their learning, lacks power to take
• control. Learner doesn’t build skills of decision

making, problem solving, systems thinking etc.

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Structure

• Scaffolding learning… lab handbooks

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Structure

• Scaffolding learning…handouts from lectures

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Structure

• Scaffolding learning… pre and post lab tests

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Structure

• Strong framing: Students want to know

what will be on the exam. If there are marks going for an activity or project, students engage at a much higher level. Possible Implication – ESD must be assessed to ensure that students see the benefit of investing time in it?

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Ways of Thinking

• A biologist must develop a particular mindset…

“… develop confidence in their knowledge and arguments” … “need to gain intellectual independence” “… be logical thinkers and be reflective” “… need to “learn from your mistakes” “… be organised and good at planning, microbiology is like cooking!” “… need to have critical abilities”

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Ways of Knowing

You get to know biology through…

• 1. Lectures (central component)
• 2. Practical work
• 3. Publications
• 4. Peer Dialogue
• 5. Independent research
• 6. Example set by superiors
• Maintaining interest?
• Information overload?
• Lack of attendance when notes provided?

IMPLICATION – question the role of the lecture?? Possibility to introduce active and participatory methods in lectures? Or stimulate interest by posing questions about controversial ESD issues?

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Ways of Knowing

You get to know biology through…

• 1. Lectures (central component)
• 2. Practical work
• 3. Publications
• 4. Peer Dialogue
• 5. Independent research
• 6. Example set by superiors
• Scientific method
• Afraid to be wrong
• Difficult to get them to think for themselves

IMPLICATION – how to encourage reflective thinking? How to make students more confident in their scientific abilities?

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Ways of Knowing

You get to know biology through…

• 1. Lectures (central component)
• 2. Practical work
• 3. Publications
• 4. Peer Dialogue
• 5. Independent research
• 6. Example set by superiors
• Core texts, magazines, research papers
• But we don’t ask them to read enough

(papers)

• Also importance of getting published

IMPLICATION – ensure reading is part

• f an ESD intervention designed?

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Ways of Knowing

You get to know biology through…

• 1. Lectures (central component)
• 2. Practical work
• 3. Publications
• 4. Peer Dialogue
• 5. Independent research
• 6. Example set by superiors
• Mostly at more senior level – e.g.

conferences and strategic partnerships

• Group work, lab technicians to support

IMPLICATION – ensure peer dialogue is part of an ESD intervention designed?

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Ways of Knowing

You get to know biology through…

• 1. Lectures (central component)
• 2. Practical work
• 3. Publications
• 4. Peer Dialogue
• 5. Independent research
• 6. Example set by superiors
• Projects, essays… Final Year Project
• Directed to websites for additional info.

Possible Implication – where students had an interest in the area, lecturers felt that such exercises were fruitful

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Ways of Knowing

You get to know biology through…

• 1. Lectures (central component)
• 2. Practical work
• 3. Publications
• 4. Peer Dialogue
• 5. Independent research
• 6. Example set by superiors
• e.g. responsible disposal of materials
• e.g. enthusiasm of lecturer stimulates

interest

Possible Implication – a visible commitment to ESD in the dept. and working environment will encourage students to consider ESD.

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Ways of Acting

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Ways of Acting

• Applying Scientific Method…

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Ways of Feeling

• Attitudes & Values: What is important to a biologist?

– Getting a paper published, – Getting an unexpected finding in your experiment, – When a student makes a breakthrough with a piece of their research, – Not having to fill out cost statements for funding bodies! – Getting funding… – Being recognised in your field, being phoned up to present at a conference or collaborate on research.

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Ways of Feeling

Are Sustainability issues important to a biologist?

• Some areas have more links to sustainability issues than others

but danger of diluting the ‘pure’ knowledge approach.

• May provide context for ‘pure biology’ e.g. Water Quality and

microbial contamination

• Not imposing personal beliefs on students – providing them with a

variety of ‘accurate’ information and allowing them to make their

• wn decisions.

“… this morning I gave a lecture on organic farming and I’m trying to talk about the need for sustainable soil management and so

• n, I have to try and be a little bit objective as well, it’s not for

me to force my opinion, I want people to think about these things and make up their own minds. But of course it’s only a small proportion of people in the lecture will do that.”

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings – Ways of Feeling

Are ethics a consideration for a biologist?

 “There are two levels of ethics at play in biology. Corporate ethics and their justification for using biology for economic and political gain. And individual ethics of those involved in the sector.”  Any development in science or biology has a neutral value. It is how it is applied that can be deemed ethical or unethical.

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Research Findings - Symbols

• Symbolic Meaning Systems

– White coat (safety or enculturation?) – ‘The idols’… pictures on walls?

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

• “Biology is notorious for jargon”.
• Biology has become so specialist that it is possible that 2 biologists

may have nothing in common! Even within microbiology, a mycologist (fungi) and a bacteriologist will speak a different language.

• It uses chemical equations to represent reactions, e.g.

6CO2 (carbon dioxide) + 6H20 (water)  C6H12O6 (sugar) + 6O2 (oxygen)

• Symbols – for male, female etc.

Research Findings - Language

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

• Biology is highly visual

Research Findings - Language

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

At undergraduate level

• Department of Life Sciences based in the Schrodinger building…

“… in biology everyone kind of knew each other, and they’d always recognise the student, and I know even for instance, maybe its just < Lecturer Name 1> brings character, or even < Lecturer Name 2> ’s character, they’d always say “hello” in the corridor, that never happened at education or physics”

At post graduate level

• Rites of passage: ‘Sink or swim’ analogy in terms of research
• Greater degrees of freedom to resources,
• Speak in more technical language to peers/supervisors
• Given teaching hours

Research Findings – Sense of Belonging

ESAI Conference 2010, deirdre.hogan@ul.ie

Where to go from here…

• Further expand qualitative data
• Go back to lecturers to co-construct meaning
• Identify one lecturer interested in taking the

project further

• Plan a pilot intervention
• Co-construction…
• Implementation and Evaluation