Fall 2009: Teaching and Learning Science - Revealing Student Thinking and Conceptual Obstacles to Learning


This CIRTL Network course will explore how undergraduate students understand their disciplines. Participants will discuss course design and how it interacts with student thinking, misconceptions and conceptual gaps, which are among the most serious barriers to new learning. This course is offered on-line; you will be learning with graduate students and post-docs from a wide variety of universities in the CIRTL Network across the nation!

Students in this course will complete a small Teaching-as-Research projects on student thinking and conceptual hurdles in their disciplines.  The project will require that students have access to an undergraduate class, discussion section, or similar student group in order to first explore, and then assess various attempts to address student thinking.  Prior to the start of class, you will need to have a faculty member agree to assist you in gaining access to a group of undergraduate students.  Depending on your project, you may only need to ask undergraduate students to visit a project website.

Note: Students who anticipate disseminating the result of their project beyond the course environment are encouraged to have your study reviewed by your Institutional Review Board. Links are provided to local campus resources below.

 

A typical project might entail the following:

  1. You develop and administer a questionnaire to uncover student thinking and misconceptions about your topic of focus (generally a topic in your discipline).
  2. Based on responses to this preliminary survey, you will design follow up questions to resolve areas of ambiguity.
  3. You will prepare a learning module that attempts to improve student thinking, analytical skill, and concept mastery.
  4. You develop and administer a post-intervention assessment to determine the impact of your learning module on student thinking.

Link to Fall 2009 course syllabus  http://www.colorado.edu/MCDB/LearningBiology/

Link to biology-centric version of the course syllabus  http://www.colorado.edu/MCDB/LearningBiology/

 

Overview

Course type: Online web-conference, synchronous graduate seminar

Host institution: University of Colorado, Boulder

Instructor: Mike Klymkowsky, Professor, Mollecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology, CU-Boulder

Dates: September 14, 2009 - December 7, 2009

Meeting times: Every Monday, 12p ET / 11a CT / 10a MT (75 minute meetings)

 

Technology Requirements

  • Individual access to a computer in a quiet location with a high-speed internet connection
  • Microphone and headphones
  • A webcam (if you don’t have one, they can be obtained for $25-$75)
 

Accessibility

We strive to be inclusive of anyone interested in participating in our activities, programs, and courses. If you have specific accessibility needs, please let us know in advance so that we may make the necessary accommodations.

 

Credit Options

Students may participate with or without credit, as they prefer.Graduate studentsinterested in receiving course credit are encouraged to work with theirlocal CIRTL Network campus leaders or advisors to receive independentstudy credit. Credits offered will vary by campus.

CIRTL Network courses are open to graduate students at CIRTL Network campuses including: University of Colorado at Boulder, Howard University, Michigan State University, Texas A&M University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Wisconsin-Madison. Priority registration is given to students from in STEM departments (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

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