Carl Wieman University of British ColumbiaUniversity of Colorado

Helen Quinn Symposium

Helen Science Education work

1. SLAC outreach and education.

2. California state science standards

3. NAS-NRC Board on Science Education (BOSE) (most active member)

3. Helen BOSE activitiesa. Active BOSE member

*b. Current Chair of BOSE

c. Study Director-- NASA Ed. programs

d. Very active study committee member Learning and Teaching Science in Grades K-8(“Taking Science to School” and “Ready, Set, Science”NAS Press best seller)

Proficiency in Science-- 4 strands“1. Know, use, and interpret scientific explanations of the natural world2. Generate and evaluate scientific evidence and explanations3. Understand the nature and development of scientific knowledge4. Participate productively in scientific practices and discourse”

K-8 0

= The cognitive processes and behaviors that make up scientific thinking and expertise

What is the evidence?(How well being learned, most effective ways to teach?)

Measuring how well students develop cognitiveprocesses and behaviors in specific science contexts.

Data is the ultimate judge of educational ideas andmethods.

A scientific approach to science education

Why need better science education?

Scientifically literate public

Modern economy

Need for all students.

Future scientists and engineers

How to teach science most effectively?What does the evidence say?

(figure out and tell teaching) Strengths & Weaknesses

Works well for basic knowledge, prepared brain:

bad,avoid

good,seek

Easy to test. Effective feedback on results.Highly intuitive

Problems with approach if learning:• involves complex analysis or judgment• organize large amount of information• ability to learn new information and apply

Complex learning-- different.

more generally-- the four strands of science proficiency

Significantly changing the brain, not just adding bits of knowledge.

Building proteins, growing neurons enhance neuron connections, ...

“Teaching by telling”, intuitive & unsuccessful.Requires scientific approach.

cognitivepsychology

brainresearch

Scienceclassroom

studies

Major advances past 1-2 decadesConsistent picture Achieving learning

or ?

Expert competence =• factual knowledge• Organizational framework effective retrieval and

application

Expert competence research*

• Ability to monitor own thinking and learning("Do I understand this? How can I check?")

New ways of thinking-- require MANY hours of intense practice with guidance/reflection. Change brain “wiring”

*Cambridge Handbook on Expertise and Expert Performance

patterns, associations, scientific concepts

historians, scientists, chess players, doctors,...

• Expert behavior-- social practices, standards, and beliefs

What is the evidence?

Measuring how well different teaching methods develop expert-like thinking

On average learn <30% of concepts did not already know.Lecturer quality, class size, institution,...doesn't matter!Similar data for conceptual learning in other courses.

R. Hake, ”…A six-thousand-student survey…” AJP 66, 64-74 (‘98).

• Force Concept Inventory- basic concepts of force and motion 1st semester physics

Fraction of unknown basic concepts learned

Average learned/course 16 traditional Lecture courses

Measuring conceptual mastery (strand 1)

Ask at start and end of semester--What % learned? (100’s of courses)

improvedmethods

Novice Expert

Content: isolated pieces of information to be memorized.

Handed down by an authority. Unrelated to world.

Problem solving: pattern matching to memorized recipes.

Perceptions about science (all 4 strands)

Content: coherent structure of concepts.

Describes nature, established by experiment.

Prob. Solving: Systematic concept-based strategies. Widely applicable.

*adapted from D. Hammer

measure student perceptions with surveys

intro physics more novicechem. & bio as bad

Scientific approach to science education

What has been learned? (the big picture)

• Mastery only comes from extended authenticpractice of all 4 strands, with effective feedback.

• Current science education K-16. Largely listening, sometimes playing, not practicing scientific thinking. not learning science proficiencies

Science education 17-25 (Ph. D. & postdoc research) Continually practice all 4 strands expert scientists

If we stopped wasting most of those first 17 years of science education....?

Example from a class--practicing with effective guidance/feedback

1. Assignment--Read chapter on electric current. Learn basic facts and terminology. Short quiz to check/reward.

2. Class built around series of questions.

How to actually practice strandsof scientific proficiency in class?

(%

)

A B C D E

When switch is closed, bulb 2 will a. stay same brightness, b. get brighterc. get dimmer, d. go out.

21 3

3. Individual answer with clicker(accountability, primed to learn)

4. Discuss with “consensus group”, revote. (prof listen in!)5. Elicit student reasoning, discuss. Show responses. Do “experiment.”-- cck simulation.

Follow up instructor discussion-- review correct and incorrect thinking, extend ideas. Respond to student questions & model testing.

Practicing all 4 strands of science proficiency

1. Know, use, and interpret scientific explanations of the natural world.

2. Generate and evaluate scientific evidence and explanations.

3. Understand the nature and development of scientific knowledge.

4. Participate productively in scientific practices and discourse.

R. Hake, ”…A six-thousand-student survey…” AJP 66, 64-74 (‘98).

• Force Concept Inventory- basic concepts of force and motion 1st semester physics

Fraction of unknown basic concepts learned

Average learned/course 16 traditional Lecture courses

Measuring conceptual mastery (strand 1)

improvedmethods

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 2030

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

8885

6865

Retention interval (Months)

Co

nce

pt

Su

rve

y S

core

(%

)

award winning traditionallecturer

interactive engagement/practice

Mastery of quantum mechanics conceptsDeslauriers & Wieman to be published

Teaching approach matters.Retained (without relearning)

standard lecture, etc.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

+ 8 hrssmall groupstructuredprob solving

or 8 hrs “invention activities”

# plausible mechanisms to explain biological process never encountered before

Taylor & Spiegelmansmall scale,randomized.preliminary

teaching innovative problemsolving

Summary: Scientific model for science education

Much more effective. (and more fun)

Helen playing major role in advocating and applying.

Good Refs.:NAS Press “How people learn” Redish, “Teaching Physics” (Phys. Ed. Res.)Wieman, Change Magazine-Oct. 07 at www.carnegiefoundation.org/change/

CLASS belief survey: CLASS.colorado.eduphet simulations: phet.colorado.educwsei.ubc.ca-- resources, Guide to effective use of clickers

Components of effective learning/teaching apply to all levels, all settings, all subjects

1. *Motivation (essential & often neglected)

2. Connect with and build on prior thinking

*3. Apply what is known about memory

*4. Explicit authentic practice of expert thinking. Extended & strenuous (brain development like muscle development)

Research provides guidance on all.

Motivation-- essential(complex- depends on previous experiences, ...)

a. Relevant/useful/interesting to learner (meaningful context-- connect to what they know and value)

b. Sense that can master subject and how to master

c. Sense of personal control/choice

Enhancing motivation to learn

Components of effective teaching/learning apply to all levels, all settings

1. Motivation

2. Connect with and build on prior thinking

3. Apply what is known about memorya. short term limitationsb. achieving long term retention (Bjork)

retrieval and application-- repeated & spaced in time

4. Explicit authentic practice of expert thinking. Extended & strenuous (brain development like muscle development)

Mr Anderson, May I be excused?My brain is full.

MUCH less than in typical science lecture

a. Limits on working memory--best established, most ignored result from cognitive science

Working memory capacityVERY LIMITED!(remember & process<7 distinct new items)

copies of slides available online

processing and retention from lecture tiny (for novice)

Wieman and Perkins - test 15 minutes after toldnonobvious fact in lecture.10% remember

many examples from research:

Reducing unnecessary demands on working memory improves learning.

jargon, use figures, analogies, pre-class reading

Components of effective teaching/learning apply to all levels, all settings

1. Motivation

2. Connect with and build on prior thinking

3. Apply what is known about memory

4. Explicit authentic practice of expert thinking. Extended & strenuous (brain development like muscle development)

Practicing expert-like thinking--

Challenging but doable tasks/questions

Explicit focus on expert-like thinking• concepts and mental models• recognizing relevant & irrelevant information• self-checking, sense making, & reflection

Teacher provide effective feedback (timely and specific)

How to implement in classroom?

New technologies can help (when used properly)--extend capabilities of teacher.

1. Interactive simulations

2. Clickers

Highly Interactive educational simulations--phet.colorado.edu ~85 simulations physics & chemexpanding into math, biology FREE, Run through regular browser

Build-in & test that develop expert-like thinking andlearning (& fun)

laserballoons and sweater

10% after 15 minutes

• Fraction of concepts mastered in course

15-25%

• Perceptions of science-- what it is, how to learn,

significantly less(5-10%) like scientist

Some Data ( from science classrooms):

>90 % after 2 days

50-70% with retention

more like scientist

Model 1 (telling) traditional lecture method scientific teaching

• Retention of information from lecture

UBC CW Science Education Initiative and U. Col. SEI

Changing educational culture in major research university science departmentsnecessary first step for science education overall

• Departmental level scientific approach to teaching, all undergrad courses = learning goals, measures, tested best practicesDissemination and duplication.

All materials, assessment tools, etc to be available on web

Example from a class--practicing expert thinking with effective guidance/feedback

1. Assignment--Read chapter on electric current. Learn basic facts and terminology. Short quiz to check/reward.

2. Class built around series of questions.

How to actually do in class? Hundreds of students???

a) proven practices from research

b) use technology to help

Used/perceived as expensive attendance and testing device little benefit, student resentment.

clickers*-- Not automatically helpful-- give accountability, anonymity, fast response

Used/perceived to enhance engagement, communication, and learning transformative

• challenging questions-- concepts• student-student discussion (“peer instruction”) &

responses (learning and feedback)• follow up instructor discussion- timely specific

feedback• minimal but nonzero grade impact

*An instructor's guide to the effective use of personal response systems ("clickers") in teaching-- www.cwsei.ubc.ca

how to cover as much material?transfer information gathering outside of class

IV. Institutionalizing improved research-basedteaching practices. (From bloodletting to antibiotics)

Univ. of Brit. Col. CW Science Education Initiative(CWSEI.ubc.ca)& Univ. of Col. Sci. Ed. Init.• Departmental level, widespread sustained change at major research universities scientific approach to teaching, all undergrad courses

• Departments selected competitively• Substantial one-time $$$ and guidance

Extensive development of educational materials, assessment tools, data, etc. Available on web.Visitors program

Characteristics of expert tutors* (Which can be duplicated in classroom?)

Motivation major focus (context, pique curiosity,...)Never praise person-- limited praise, all for process

Understands what students do and do not know. timely, specific, interactive feedback

Almost never tell students anything-- pose questions.

Mostly students answering questions and explaining.

Asking right questions so students challenged but can figure out. Systematic progression.

Let students make mistakes, then discover and fix.

Require reflection: how solved, explain, generalize, etc.

*Lepper and Woolverton pg 135 in Improving Academic Perfomance