Teaching ! and ! Teaching ! and ! Tomlinson Project in - PDF document

November ! 10, ! 2012 Teaching ! and ! Learning ! in ! Science ! Labs T " PULSE PULSE Teaching ! and ! Teaching ! and ! • Tomlinson Project in University-Level Science Education Learning ! in ! Learning ! in ! g www.mcgill.ca/tpulse • Run 2-day Fall and Winter teaching workshops Science ! Labs Science ! Labs • Presentation skills workshop • Undergraduate study technique workshop Torsten Bernhardt • Teaching assistant discussion groups Assistant Director, T-PULSE • Research in science education Have ! you ! taught ! a ! science ! Have ! you ! taught ! a ! science ! Say ! hello Say ! hello! ! lab ! before? lab ! before? Hello. ! 1. No, never Do ! you, ! uh, ! like ! leaves? !! 2 Y 2. Yes, once 3. Yes, more than once What ! do ! you ! hope ! to ! learn ! What ! do ! you ! hope ! to ! learn ! What ! What ! level ! of ! labs ! do ! level ! of ! labs ! do ! from ! this ! workshop? from ! this ! workshop? you ! usually ! TA? you ! usually ! TA? 1. How to manage and get what you expect from a 1. Mostly introductory labs. lab-full of students 2 2. Mostly intermediate and advanced labs. Mostly intermediate and advanced labs 2. How to prepare for and execute labs in the best and most efficient way 3. A mix of different levels. 3. How to maximize student learning in a lab setting 1

November ! 10, ! 2012 Teaching ! and ! Learning ! in ! Science ! Labs Overview Overview Learning ! Objectives Learning ! Objectives The Workshop Participant Will: Part ! 1: ! 1. Recognize how students learn to maximize Background teaching Optimal ! lab ! Optimal lab Part ! 2: ! 2 . Understand how to set up a safe, clean, and experience ! interactive environment that is conducive Setting ! up ! the ! to student learning environment (for ! everyone) 3 . Identify how to effectively prepare to teach and Part ! 3: facilitate undergraduate science labs Preparation ! and ! execution Different ! Viewpoints Different ! Viewpoints The ! Value ! of ! Labs The ! Value ! of ! Labs • Students Expose students to the actual process of o Don’t want to do unnecessary work. science instead of the end results and data o Want to learn new things and enjoy themselves. that they usually get in lecture that they usually get in lecture. • TAs (you!) o Want the lab to run smoothly. o Want the students to learn new things. • Lab Techs o Want the lab to run smoothly. o Want to not have to clean everything up afterwards. The ! Value ! of ! Labs The ! Value ! of ! Labs The ! Value ! of ! Labs The ! Value ! of ! Labs Develop intuition and deepen understanding of concepts. • • Small class sizes (unlike lectures) Apply concepts learned in class to new situations. • • Experience basic phenomena. Develop critical, quantitative thinking. • • Interactive sessions • Develop experimental and data analysis skills. Learn to use scientific apparatus. i ifi • Learn to estimate statistical errors and recognize systematic • • Hands-on reinforcement of things taught errors. • Develop reporting skills (written and oral). in lecture Practice collaborative problem solving. • • Exercise curiosity and creativity by designing a procedure to test a hypothesis. • Introduction to people students can talk • Better appreciate the role of experimentation in science. to Test important laws and rules. • (from Science Teaching Reconsidered, National Academy Press, 1997. www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/str/) 2

November ! 10, ! 2012 Teaching ! and ! Learning ! in ! Science ! Labs Passive ! Learning: ! Passive ! Learning: ! Learning ! Vocabulary Learning ! Vocabulary Basic ! Principles Basic ! Principles Knowledge is static and Passive Learning : reading, hearing, • • exists outside the seeing, rote writing and transcribing individual – no personal ! Learning facts affiliation affiliation Learning is memorization • • Active learning: learning from life experiences, teaching, writing, asking Teaching is a flow of • questions information from ! Understanding concepts/ideas educator to learner 14 Active ! Active ! Learning Learning: ! : ! Labs ! and ! Active ! Learning Labs ! and ! Active ! Learning Basic ! Principles Basic ! Principles • Labs are a well-crafted forum for • Knowledge is constructed by integrating new active learning information; a personal understanding • Learning by constructing meaning • Teaching: builds on prior background, work with the content to construct a meaning for the student 15 How ! to ! Maximize ! Learning How ! to ! Maximize ! Learning Peer ! Learning Peer ! Learning • If students are just following a recipe (passive learning) they will forget what they have done quickly and won’t enjoy the process • Get students used to the idea of using each other as resources • The real trick is to get students to critically • The real trick is to get students to critically analyze what they are already doing • Ask successful lab groups to demonstrate how o Asking questions and what they did to the rest of the group • The easiest ways to get students to use their • Positive reinforcement, effective learning, and brains are the simplest for you, but not always minimal effort = a powerful method! the most intuitive 3

November ! 10, ! 2012 Teaching ! and ! Learning ! in ! Science ! Labs Various ! Ways ! of ! Learning Various ! Ways ! of ! Learning About ! Undergraduates About ! Undergraduates • Visual • Remember what it’s like o Stress, being on your own for the first time • Auditory A dit • Assume nothing A thi o They come from all sorts of backgrounds, cultures, schools • Be understanding, patient, available • Kinesthetic Overview Overview Safety Safety • Know location of: • First aid kit Part ! 1: ! • Emergency exit Background • Be familiar with: • Specific rules for the lab • Specific rules for the lab O Optimal ! lab ! l l b Part ! 2: ! • How to report accidents Setting ! up ! the ! • WHMIS experience environment • Chemical properties of substances used Part ! 3: • Be a role model! Preparation ! and ! execution Getting ! to ! Know ! Each ! Other Getting ! to ! Know ! Each ! Other Expectations ! and ! Cleanliness Expectations ! and ! Cleanliness • Set deadlines – no exceptions • Why should you care about this? • Lab Benches • It must start on the first day o Standards before leaving St d d b f l i • Let them know you • Behaviour Personal stories, your research projects, etc. o • Get to know your lab group • Start right away! Taking attendance – a great way to learn their names o Make notes about them for yourself only o 4

November ! 10, ! 2012 Teaching ! and ! Learning ! in ! Science ! Labs Sample ! Introduction ! Card ! A Sample ! Introduction ! Card ! A Introduction ! Cards Introduction ! Cards • Student introduction cards are a simple way to learn more about the members of your class • The information you receive can be valuable • The information you receive can be valuable in tailoring the content of your teaching • The act of soliciting personal information sends a positive message to your students • Make sure you do it on the first day! 26 Sample ! Introduction ! Card ! C Sample ! Introduction ! Card ! C Sample ! Introduction ! Card ! B Sample ! Introduction ! Card ! B 27 28 Students ! and ! Students Students ! and ! Students Take Take " home ! activity! home ! activity! • Facilitate interaction among students in the lab How? • Develop your own introduction card ! Break the ice ! Break the ice o 4-5 questions q o Each question should inform you of something you are interested in finding out from your students ACTIVITY: o WHY did you pick these questions? What 2 ! min: ! On ! your ! own, ! jot ! down ! a ! few ! ways ! you ! can ! break ! the ! information do you hope to gather? ice ! between ! students ! in ! the ! lab 5 ! min: ! Talk ! to ! the ! person/persons ! sitting ! next ! to ! you ! and ! compile ! a ! list ! of ! your ! ideas 5 ! min: ! Discussion 5

November ! 10, ! 2012 Teaching ! and ! Learning ! in ! Science ! Labs Overview Overview Environment ! (cont’d) Environment ! (cont’d) Part ! 1: ! • Encourage the spirit of science: Background exploration and experimentation Optimal ! lab ! O l l b Part ! 2: ! • BE AVAILABLE Setting ! up ! the ! experience environment o In the lab – Circulate, ask questions, answer questions o Outside of the lab Part ! 3: • Give the students your e-mail o Encourage office hours or appointments Preparation ! and ! execution Beginning ! of ! Semester Beginning ! of ! Semester • Find out where supplies are stored http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnblm • Know the safety rules and procedures. ZdTbYs ZdTbYs Tell students show them eye washes Tell students, show them eye washes, emergency showers, etc. • Set policies on preparation and behaviour (including cell phones!) Beginning ! of ! Semester Beginning ! of ! Semester Before ! a ! Lab Before ! a ! Lab • Read up on the techniques and theory; • Start to get to know your students think of how this relates to the lectures • Use TA briefing time fully! • Explain the policy on cheating and o Discuss lab with more experienced TAs plagiarism plagiarism • No substitute for doing a full run- through of the experiment, especially • Do all this straight away! using the lab manual. • Make handouts if you think they’ll help 6