SGTS Theory 1

Summer Graduate Teaching Scholars

April 25, 2013

Theory 1: Introduction and HPL

Who Am I – Peter

Peter Newbury

PhD (Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada) 1998

in applied math

Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative, 2008 – 2012

Associate Director, Center for Teaching Development

since August, 2012

Teaching and learning interests:

how people learn astronomy, physics, math

how to convince instructors to transform the way they teach

finding the most effective ways to implement peer instruction (clickers)

establishing and maintaining an online personal learning network

@polarisdotca peternewbury.org SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

2

Who Am I – Liz

Liz Specht

PhD candidate in Stephen Mayfield’s lab in the UCSD Division of

Biological Sciences

The College Classroom alumnus (Fall 2012)

TA Consultant for TCC Wi13

@lizspecht

In addition to her research on algae, she is interested in science

education at all levels, and has been actively involved in several

teaching endeavors beyond the TA requirements for the

department. She has taught a lab course for post-graduate

adults, a summer course for high school students, and she

volunteers regularly at local middle schools through the Salk

Mobile outreach program.

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

3

A quick survey:

We have people with different backgrounds in our

audience: Raise your hand if this is you:

Who experienced undergraduate education in the US?

Who has had a teaching experience before?

Who has given a technical talk?

Who has English as a second language?

Who has been a student in a large (150+ students) class?

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

4

Introduction to teaching and learning

in higher education

Survey

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

6

Which of these do you associate with a typical

university lecture?

A) listening

B) absorbing

C) note-taking

D) learning

The traditional lecture is based on the

transmissionist learning model

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

7

(Image by um.dentistry on flickr CC)

Scientifically Outdated, a Known

Failure

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

8

We must abandon the tabula rasa

“blank slate” and “students as

empty vessels” models of teaching

and learning.

Let’s have a learning experience…

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

9

Here is an important new number

system. Please learn it.

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

10

1 = 4 = 7 =

2 = 5 = 8 =

3 = 6 = 9 =

Test

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

11

What is this number?

Important New Number System

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

12

Here’s the key to the “tic-tac-toe” code:

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

Test

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

13

What is this number?

New learning is built on and from existing knowledge.

You store things in long term memory through a set of connections that are made with previous existing memories.

Constructivist Theory of Learning

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

14

(Images by Rebecca-Lee on flickr CC)

Creating memories (aka learning) involves having neurons fire and neurons link up in networks or patterns.

15

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

How People Learn [1]

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

16

Key Finding 1

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

17

Students come to the classroom with preconceptions about how the world works. If their initial understanding is not engaged, they may fail to grasp the new concepts and information that are taught, or they may learn them for the purposes of a test but revert to their preconceptions outside of the classroom. (How People Learn , p 14.)

Implications for Teaching – 1

Teachers must draw out and work with the preexisting

understandings that their students bring with them.

(How People Learn, p. 19)

18

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

New Coding System 19

Please memorize this code:

1 = 4 = 7 =

2 = 5 = 8 =

3 = 6 = 9 =

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

unsupported, unfamiliar content built on pre-existing

knowledge

(tic-tac-toe board) SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

Designing Classroom Environments – 1

Schools and classrooms must be learner centered.

(How People Learn, p. 23)

20

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

Learning requires interaction [2]

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

21

Learning requires interaction [2]

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

22

% of class time

NOT lecturing

Normalized learning gain:

pre-test 0

100%

post-test

0.50

Learning requires interaction [2]

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

23

1 2

3 4

Key Finding 2

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

24

To develop competence in an area, students must:

a) have a deep foundation of factual knowledge,

b) understand facts and ideas in the context of a conceptual framework, and

c) organize knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval and application. (How People Learn, p 16.)

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

25

Implications for Teaching – 2

Teachers must teach some subject matter in depth,

providing many examples in which the same concept is at

work and providing a firm foundation of factual

knowledge.

(How People Learn, p. 20)

26

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

Discussion

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

27

1. Turn to you neighbor and introduce yourself.

2. Tell your neighbor about how, in the class you

observed, the instructor talked about the framework

of concepts and organization/retrieval of the

concepts. (5 minutes)

3. Group discussion: Was there a time when the

instructor failed to do 2? How did you know?

(5 minutes)

Designing Classroom Environments – 2

To provide a knowledge-centered classroom environment,

attention must be given to what is taught (information,

subject matter), why it is taught (understanding), and

what competence or mastery looks like.

(How People Learn, p. 24)

28

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

learning outcomes

Theory 3,

Practical 3

development of expertise,

assessment

Theory 2 & 3, Practical 4

Key Finding 3

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

29

A “metacognitive” approach to instruction can help

students learn to take control of their own learning by

defining learning goals and monitoring their progress in

achieving them.

(How People Learn, p 18.)

Aside: metacognition

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

30

Metacognition refers to one’s knowledge concerning one’s

own cognitive processes or anything related to them.

For example, I am engaging

in metacognition if I notice

that I am having more

trouble learning A than B.

([3], [4])

Key Finding 3

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

31

A “metacognitive” approach to instruction can help

students learn to take control of their own learning by

defining learning goals and monitoring their progress in

achieving them.

(How People Learn, p 18.)

Implications for Teaching – 3

The teaching of metacognitive skills should be integrated

into the curriculum in a variety of subject areas.

(How People Learn, p. 21)

32

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

Designing Classroom Environments – 3

Formative assessments — ongoing assessments designed

to make students’ thinking visible to both teachers and

students — are essential. They permit the teacher to grasp

the students’ preconceptions, understand where the

students are in the “developmental corridor” from

informal to formal thinking, and design instruction

accordingly. In the assessment-centered classroom

environment, formative assessments help both teachers

and students monitor progress.

(How People Learn, p. 24)

33

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

34

student-centered instruction traditional lecture

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

35

peer instruction with clickers

interactive demonstrations

surveys of opinions

reading quizzes

worksheets

discussions

videos

student-centered instruction

Clicker question

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

36

Melt chocolate over low heat. Remove the chocolate

from the heat. What will happen to the chocolate?

A) It will condense.

B) It will evaporate.

C) It will freeze.

(Question: Sujatha Raghu from Braincandy via LearningCatalytics)

(Image: CIM9926 by number657 on flickr CC)

Typical episode of peer instruction

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

37

Alternating with 10-15 minute mini-lectures,

1. Instructor poses a conceptually-challenging,

multiple-choice question.

2. Students think about question on their own.

3. Students vote for an answer using clickers,

smart phones, colored/ABCD voting cards,

Poll Everywhere,…

4. The instructor reacts, based on the

distribution of votes.

In effective peer instruction

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

38

students teach each other while

they may still hold or remember

their novice preconceptions

students discuss the concepts in their

own (novice) language

the instructor finds out what the students know (and

don’t know) and reacts, building on their initial

understanding and preconceptions.

students learn

and practice

how to think,

communicate

like experts

How People Learn [1]

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

39

Effective peer instruction requires

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

40

1. identifying key concepts, misconceptions

2. creating multiple-choice questions that

require deeper thinking and learning

3. facilitating peer instruction episodes that

spark student discussion

4. resolving the misconceptions

before

class

during

class

Practical 1

Practical 2

How People Learn

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

41

Learning is not about

what instructors do.

It’s about what students do!

How People Learn

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

42

Learning is not about

what instructors do.

It’s about what students do!

Students don’t learn

just by listening to the

instructor explain.

References

SGTS Theory Stream - collegeclassroom.ucsd.edu

43

1. National Research Council (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind,

Experience, and School: Expanded Edition. J.D. Bransford, A.L Brown & R.R.

Cocking (Eds.),Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

2. Prather, E.E, Rudolph, A.L., Brissenden, G., & Schlingman, W.M. (2009). A

national study assessing the teaching and learning of introductory

astronomy. Part I. The effect of interactive instruction. Am. J. Phys. 77, 4,

320-330.

3. Flavell, J. H. (1976). Metacognitive aspects of problem solving. In L. B.

Resnick (Ed.), The nature of intelligence (pp.231-236). Hillsdale, NJ:

Erlbaum.

4. Brame, C. (2013). Thinking about metacognition. [blog] January, 2013,

Available at: http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/2013/01/thinking-about-

metacognition/ [Accessed: 14 Jan 2013].