Transcript Chemical Education - Purdue University

Selling TAs on Learner
Centered Education
Steven L Brown
Department of Chemistry
University of Arizona
The Problem
Our Laboratory courses are taught by
teaching assistants: novice educators
with little or no knowledge of teaching
theories and practices. To effectively
create a LCE environment in such a
course requires modifying not only the
lab course but also the training of the
teaching assistants.
The Proposal
Structure the training of teaching
assistants to incorporate LCE
principles in such a way that the
TAs would be more likely to
incorporate LCE principles into
their own teaching.
Lab Course Paradigm
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A learner-centered classroom.
Constructivist assignments.
Collaborative learning.
Discovery-based experimentation.
We insist that students take
ownership of their own learning.
• We are learning facilitators.
Teaching Teaching
What is practical?
• Preterm training
•In service training
Teaching Teaching
How do we do it?
Modeling
TA Training and Orientation
Program
Required of all new teaching
assistants prior to the first
term they teach.
TA Training & Orientation Program
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The Basics
The usual collection of assessment
exams commonly known as “qualifiers”
The standard “meet and greet” by the
administrators.
Department Policies and Procedures.
“True Colors” Personality Inventory.
“Red Cross CPR & First Aid Training
Class”.
TA Training & Orientation Program
Workshops
• # 1. “Who are our students?”. An
introduction to our undergraduate chemistry
course offerings and the students who
populate them.
• # 2. “What do we mean by ‘teaching’?”. A
group development of the concept of teaching
and how it applies to chemical education.
• # 3. “Professionalism”. Maintaining the
proper professional demeanor while teaching.
More Workshops
• # 4. “Teaching Methodologies”. Our current
understanding of how learning is achieved in an
academic setting.
• # 5. “Department of Chemistry Teaching
Laboratory Policies and Procedures”. How things
get done.
• # 6. “Teaching Laboratory Safety”.
Responsibilities of a teaching assistant.
Even More Workshops
• # 7. “Lecturing and Tutoring Techniques”. An
introduction to the issues and some suggestions
on approach.
• # 8. “Evaluating Students and Issuing Grades”.
A discussion of grading systems, keeping
records, grade distributions, etc.
• # 9. “TA Evaluation”. Review of the process
used to evaluate TAs, the rewards and other
possible outcomes.
• # 10. “Introduction to the lab”. Overview of
first day in lab activities.
TA Training & Orientation Program
Assignments
• Lab Skill Evaluation. Students are observed
performing selected gen chem techniques.
• Practice presentations. Each student is assigned
to give a 10 minute presentation to their peers on
one of the freshman experiments. Peer critique
follows presentation.
TA Training & Orientation Program
Assignments
• Mock Lab. Groups are to perform assigned
experiments. Technique to be formally
evaluated by instructional staff.
• Practice lab report grading assignment.
Students are given three reports to grade
which are discussed during the report
grading workshop.
TA Training & Orientation Program
Key Features
• Frequent assessment of student knowledge
and skill.
• Stress on student participation in
workshops and through assignments.
• Modeling of LCE Principles while
presenting them.
• Modeling the teaching we wish for them to
employ.
Chem 595c: College Teaching
A one-credit colloquium course.
Meets one day each week for ¾ of the
semester.
Grade based on five assignments.
College Teaching Topics
• Assessment in a learnercentered lab class.
• Evaluating lab reports.
Students are required to
bring along three, graded
reports. Their grading is be
peer evaluated.
• Writing exams.
• Identifying learning.
Student are assigned to
observe two peer classes
and evaluate the teaching
methodologies employed.
• Mid-term exam evaluation.
Students are required to
bring a copy of the
midterm exam they
prepared for evaluation.
• Determining and issuing
final grades.
• Peer Observation
Discussion & Review of TA
Evaluation Procedures.
Class Assignments
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Self evaluation of teaching plan.
Group assessment of report grading.
Group assessment of exams.
Group assessment of exam outcomes.
Peer evaluation of two group members.
The First Homework Assignment
Self-evaluation of Presentation Techniques.
Students are assigned to tape one of their
own pre-lab lectures and then listen to the
tap and compare what they hear to their
original design for the presentation.
The Second Homework Assignment
Students are assigned to observe two classes taught
by their peers and to evaluate how effectively the
teaching methodologies employed meet LearnerCentered Education Principles.
Self Evaluation Correlation
Self evaluation Assignment Grade
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1.5
y = 0.0716x + 2.7951
R2 = 0.0032
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PerformanceEvaluation grade
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4.5
Peer Evaluation Correlation
4.5
Peer evaluation Grade
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3.5
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2.5
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y = 0.3345x + 2.059
R2 = 0.0898
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PerformanceEvaluation grade
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4.5
“Hallie’s class was extremely different from Sung
Yuen’s class. When Hallie began lecture, she simply
asked, “Are there any questions?” Several
students asked questions about the lab, all of which
demonstrated that they had prepared for the lab.
It was entirely learner centered since Hallie did
not lecture at all. She only answered questions
when they were brought up by the students. She
also commonly asked the students questions as
answers to their own questions…
Almost all of the students appeared attentive while
Hallie was answering questions. This makes sense
because they did not have much of a choice…”
“I have found a few things from these
observations that I will try to
incorporate into my teaching. First, I
will do my best to remove a bit of the
formality that can sneak into the
structure of my class. I think my
students are comfortable, but they don’t
necessarily loosen up until I start making
playful announcements … lightheartedness
seems to make them more willing to think
on their own and trust their instincts. I
do think some formality is necessary to
keep the students responsible in the lab
and when completing assignments.”
“Instead of simply coming over and answering the question
and fixing the problem with the machine, Karen asked
what they thought was the problem with the instrument
or the data. One of the students began to answer, but
quickly stopped for he had run into a concept that he did
not understand. Moments later, the other student began
to talk, picking up slightly behind where the first had
stopped but continued further into the problem and
question posed. This type of interaction continued, with
very little direction from Karen, but instead
encouragement of the students as they jointly worked to
determine the problem. The answer was reached by the
students to which Karen added a few minor points about
other complicating issues. The students went back to
work, seemingly very happy with the result…
Karen’s approach fulfilled a number of the LCE goals, but
most specifically helped to encourage number seven, a
quality peer interaction”
“The TA recognized that his drawing was a
bit confusing (although I think that was simply
to sympathize with students that seemed
confused because the drawing was very clear
to me), and proceeded to explaining each part
in detail. The fact that the drawing was not
just assumed to be understood and some
explaining was done by the TA, is a very
positive aspect of this method because it
allows for the TA to talk about something
without loosing his students’ attention and it
allows for questions, hence enhances teacherstudent interactions.”
Gen Chem Lab Listserv
Email Steve Brown at
[email protected]