Natural Sciences > Biology > Concept-Centered Teaching

Concept-Centered Teaching posted by duggu on 12/10/2007

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Abstract/Syllabus

Courseware/Lectures

Test/Tutorials

Course Highlights

This course features a full bibliography of readings.

Course Description

Do you like teaching, but find yourself frustrated by how little students seem to learn? Would you like to try teaching, but are nervous about whether you will be any good at it? Are you interested in new research on science education? Research in science education shows that the greatest obstacle to student learning is the failure to identify and confront the misconceptions with which the students enter the class or those that they acquire during their studies. This weekly seminar course focuses on developing the participants' ability to uncover and confront student misconceptions and to foster student understanding and retention of key concepts. Participants read primary literature on science education, uncover basic concepts often overlooked when teaching biology, and lead a small weekly discussion session for students currently enrolled in introductory biology classes.

The instructor for this course, Dr. Julia Khodor, is a member of the HHMI Education Group.

Syllabus

Course Description

Do you like teaching, but find yourself frustrated by how little students seem to learn? Would you like to try teaching, but are nervous about whether you will be any good at it? Are you interested in new research on science education? If so, 7.391 is the course for you! 7.391 is a new weekly seminar on science education. Participants will read primary literature on science education, uncover basic concepts often overlooked when teaching biology, and lead a small weekly discussion session for students in 7.012.

Research in science education shows that the greatest obstacle to student learning is the failure to identify and confront the misconceptions with which the students enter the class or those that they acquire during their studies. This course focuses on developing the participants' ability to uncover and confront student misconceptions and to foster student understanding and retention of key concepts.

Participants are encouraged to remain in the program as paid mentors for the spring semester.

Course Format

The course will have three components' reading primary literature in science education, discussing key concepts in select areas of biology, and leading a discussion group for the students taking Introductory Biology (7.012). We will discuss an original paper each week. The papers must be read in advance of the class. Our goal will be to critically analyze these papers. To help us achieve that goal, each of you will be expected to email to the instructors two discussion questions for the article covered that day by the morning of the class. In discussing the papers, we will focus on articulating the main points of the paper, identifying conditions under which the data was collected and assumptions used in interpreting the data, and discussing how the results could be applied to the teaching environment at MIT. The second hour of each class will be spent discussing key ideas in a particular unit covered in 7.012. We will focus on identifying key concepts, making connections between concepts within a unit or across units, and formulating some discussion questions for the unit.

Starting in the third week of class, seminar participants will lead a small (no more than 5 students) discussion groups for students enrolled in 7.012. There will be one session of each discussion group a week and each session will last approximately an hour. For the first four weeks of discussion sessions, the course instructor will be available to help you run each session.

Each class will conclude with a short introduction to the material presented in next week's papers.

Attendance

This is a discussion class, so attendance is mandatory. You are allowed to miss one of the 15 sessions of the class, but please notify the instructors ahead of time. You will also need to arrange to pick up the paper for the next week from the course instructor. If you need to miss a second class, you must talk to the instructors ahead of time so we can arrange an appropriate make-up assignment.

Assignments

Class participants are required to lead a discussion session with currently enrolled introductory biology students. There are writing assignments based on preparation work for these discussion sessions. Participants will also be required to give several oral presentations on class readings and run a selected concept discussion during a portion of the seminar.

Grading

The course is pass/fail. Participation in class discussion, completion of the assignments above, and satisfactory attendance will result in a passing grade.

Calendar

Course schedule.
SeS #	Topics	KEY DATES
1	Introduction - Understanding by Design and the BCF
2	Meaningful Assessment
3	Confronting Student Misconceptions Key Concepts in Biochemistry	7.012 discussion groups begin
4	Multiple Intelligences Key Concepts in Genetics
5	Concept Mapping Key Concepts in Molecular Biology
6	Predictors of Success in College Science Key Concepts in Gene Regulation
7	Cooperative/Group Learning Key Concepts in Recombinant DNA
8	Discussion Key Concepts in Genomics
9	Case Studies Key Concepts in Nervous System
10	Gender and Science Key Concepts in Nervous System
11	Teaching Lab Courses Key Concepts in Cancer
12	Free Discussion
13	Student Self-assessment Key Concepts in Immunology and AIDS
14	Teaching Evolution Key Concepts in Molecular Evolution and Stem Cells
15	Wrap-up

Readings

Course overviews and readings.
SeS #	Topics	OVERVIEWs	READINGS
1	Introduction - Understanding by Design and the BCF	We will begin by introducing ourselves and talking about what each of us hopes to get out of the class, our backgrounds and sources of interest in the subject of the seminar. We will introduce the concepts of integrated curriculum and concept-centered learning. We will also discuss how these principles can be applied to the courses where we have only limited influence. We will also introduce the BCF, the biology concept framework, and we will talk briefly about how such an instrument can be beneficial in teaching and learning.
2	Meaningful Assessment	Guest Speaker - Howard Everson, Co-chair AP Biology/NSF Advisory Committee. Ideally, assessment is part of the curriculum design, and emphasizes concepts identified as key during the design process. This ideal setup is almost never possible in the context of a large course where problem sets and exams are written and edited throughout the semester. We will hear about both the idea and real-world situations, and about how to bridge the gap.
3	Confronting Student Misconceptions Key Concepts in Biochemistry	Whether it is our every day experience with falling objects, or our intuitive knowledge of heredity ("in his blood"), we all enter classroom with pre-conceived notions of the concepts at the core of the subject. Some of these pre-conceived notions are in fact misconceptions. Students who learn "over" the misconceptions tend to revert to their original, wrong, ideas after the course is over. It is increasingly becoming an accepted notion that effective teaching identifies and confronts student misconceptions. Today we look at one example of such teaching approach. Additional reading provides another, and a list of many more can be obtained from the instructors. In preparation for your first discussion group meetings, we will discuss the key underlying ideas in introductory biochemistry. We will focus on how the ideas relate to each other and where the "hooks" are that will later connect biochemistry to the other units taught in intro bio. Discussion groups start this week.	Alparslan, C., C. Tekkaya, and O. Geban. "Using the conceptual change instruction to improve learning." Journal of Biological Education 37, no. 3 (2003): 133-7. Additional Reading Odom, A. L. "Secondary and college biology students' misconceptions about diffusion and osmosis." American Biology Teacher 57, no. 7 (October, 1995): 409-15.
4	Multiple Intelligences Key Concepts in Genetics	In 1983 Howard Gardner formulated his theory of Multiple Intelligences. Since then, many books and articles have been written on the subject of MI itself, and, more recently, on how it applies to the educational endeavor. Our discussion will focus on how to apply the principles of MI in the college environment, where large lecture-based courses are the norm.	Mbuva, James. Implementation of the Multiple Intelligences Theory in the 21st Century Teaching and Learning Environments: A New Tool for Effective Teaching and Learning in All Levels, 2003. (Report)
5	Concept Mapping Key Concepts in Molecular Biology	Concept mapping is a technique that asks individual learners to plot the concepts and facts together with their interrelationships in an organizational network that is meaningful to each learner. Based on the assimilation theory of cognitive learning, concept maps have the potential to illuminate student misconceptions and to present a coherent picture of student's knowledge base. We will discuss pluses and minuses of using concept maps in the context of a large lecture course or a smaller course.	Brown, D. S. "High School Biology: A Group Approach to Concept Mapping." The American Biology Teacher 65 (2003): 192-7.
6	Predictors of Success in College Science Key Concepts in Gene Regulation	One of the most frustrating aspects of teaching is watching students who by all rights should succeed in your class fail miserably. What factors predicts student success in college level science? And what can be done to improve the chances of the students who do not come from the backgrounds likely to produce success in college science? Today's paper is focused on college level physics, but some conclusions likely transfer across the spectrum of college science.	Sadler, Philip M., and Robert H. Tai. "Success in Introductory College Physics: The Role of High School Preparation." Science Education 85, no. 2 (2001): 111-36.
7	Cooperative/Group Learning Key Concepts in Recombinant DNA	One of the buzz words in education today cooperative or group learning. Many flavors of this type of learning exist, most with an emphasis on creating an environment where students accomplish more in a group format than any individual can accomplish by his- or herself. Some models, like the guild model discussed in today' paper, explicitly encourage the group to capitalize on each individual member's strengths to accomplish the overall goal. We will discuss applicability of various forms of group work to a number of educational environments. We will also discuss the balance between covering content and developing skills students need to acquire content on their own.	Wright, R., and J. Boggs. "Learning Cell Biology as a Team: A Project-Based Approach to Upper-Division Cell Biology." Cell Biology Education 1 (2002): 145-53.
8	Discussion Key Concepts in Genomics	This week we take a break from the papers and talk to one of the best educators in the biology department - Dr. Michele Mischke. Now that you have had some experience teaching and have had a chance to read some of the literature on teaching, this freestyle discussion will give you a chance to sound out your ideas and concerns.
9	Case Studies Key Concepts in Nervous System	Case method is a method of instruction that focuses on using real-world or made-up cases (case studies) as the main vehicle for learning. The goal is for students to learn through practice. Ideally, the cases are complex and even controversial, such that the students are engaged and motivated to explore the subject. We will discuss the use of cases as a tool, as well as the difference between pure case method and sporadic use of cases in the curriculum.	Richmond, G., and B. Neureither. "Making a Case for Cases." American Biology Teacher 60, no. 5 (1998): 335-42. Additional Readings Smith, R. A., S. K. Murphy. "Using Case Studies to Increase Learning and Interest in Biology." American Biology Teacher 60, no. 4 (1998): 265-8. Fasko, D. L. "Case Studies and Methods in Teaching and Learning." Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Educators and Scholars. Louisville, KY, April 2003.
10	Gender and Science Key Concepts in Nervous System	We have all heard the statistics' women leave science and technology fields in droves at several key points in their education and career. Many of the proposed remedies target administrative decisions. Today we will focus on what we as educators can do to foster classroom environments that are likely to encourage retention.	Canada, K., and R. Pringle. "The Role of Gender in College Classroom Interactions: A Social Context Approach." Sociology of Education 68 (1995): 161-86.
11	Teaching Lab Courses Key Concepts in Cancer	Lab courses are different from the lecture-based courses in that they by their nature encourage acquisition and application of skills. But the two types of courses are also similar in that ideal outcome of both is deep conceptual understanding. We will discuss the differences in the types of preparation that are needed for cook-book and student-driven active learning labs, as well as the different outcomes that can be expected from each.	Levri, E. P., and M. A. Levri. "Hot Salsa: A Laboratory Exercise Exploring the Scientific Method." The American Biology Teacher 65 (2003): 372-7.
12	Free Discussion	This is a week to talk about any concerns that have come up, any topics of interest and/or to discuss some hypothetical classroom situations.
13	Student Self-assessment Key Concepts in Immunology and AIDS	In addition to subject-matter assessment, it is often important to understand how the course affects students' self-perception. Did the student gain confidence in their ability to approach the subject matter or another related field? Are they more likely to pay attention when the subject matter of the course shows up in the media? Are they interested in applying what they learned in their everyday lives? SALG is an instrument that was developed to assess just such questions. We will discuss the instrument itself, as well as the benefits and limitations of using self-assessment.	Seymour, E., D. J. Weise, A. B. Hunter, and S. M. Daffinrud. "Creating a Better Mousetrap: On-line Student Assessment of their Learning Gains." Paper originally presented to the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society Symposium. "Using Real-World Questions to Promote Active Learning." San Francisco, March 27, 2000.
14	Teaching Evolution Key Concepts in Molecular Evolution and Stem Cells	Evolution is one of the fundamental subjects of modern science. It is supported by evidence from a diverse set of disciplines. And yet, somehow, the teaching of evolution in the United States remains controversial. We will discuss what it means to teach evolution to the students who graduate from American high schools.	Rutledge, M. L., and M. A. Mitchell. "High School Biology Teachers' Knowledge Structure, Acceptance and Teaching of Evolution." The American Biology Teacher 64 (2002): 21-8.
15	Wrap-up	We will talk about what we learned, how teaching discussion groups affected your view of biology and of teaching, and about how to improve this course.

Discussion Group

Educators, students, and self-learners interested in "Course 7.391 / 7.931 Concept-Centered Teaching" are invited to interact with others utilizing these materials in their teaching and learning through the Discussion Group for this course.

This service, offered by MIT OCW and hosted by the Open Sustainable Learning Opportunities Research Group in the Department of Instructional Technology at Utah State University, offers individuals around the world the opportunity to connect with each other, collaborate, form study groups, and receive support for their use of MIT OCW materials in formal and informal educational settings.

OLS is a research project that is focused on building "social software" that enables informal learning communities to form around existing open educational content. The fundamental premise of OLS is that full educational opportunity requires a user to have the social access to other people who can answer questions and provide support. Since the sponsors of free and open Web-based materials cannot typically provide this access, the social support must come from other users. Therefore, OLS:

Operates independently of MIT OCW
Requires users to register and login to participate
Is not a degree-granting or certificate-granting program
Does not provide formal access to MIT or Utah State University faculty

Connect to the Discussion Group for Course 7.391 / 7.931 Concept-Centered Teaching now.

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