Science & Math General Education Division III Third Open Meeting.

Science & Math General EducationDivision IIIThird Open Meeting

Brief Review

Brief Review Survey of DPU SM faculty regarding SM

gen ed requirements


gen ed requirements General dissatisfaction with current

requirement Based on lack of goals & concern whether

courses provide exposure to scientific method

General consensus on goal of teaching SM skills rather than set of “facts”


gen ed requirements Two Div III open meetings and creation

of Working Group



of Working Group Consensus on initial SM gen ed goals

(TOSLS): 2 broader goals Understand methods of inquiry that lead to

scientific knowledge Organize, analyze, and interpret quantitative

data and scientific information



of Working Group Assessment of incoming students’

scientific literacy skills this year (TOSLS)



of Working Group Assessment of incoming students’

scientific literacy skills this year Active-learning workshop with Ed

Prather


gen ed requirements Two Div III open meetings and creation of

Working Group Assessment of incoming students’

scientific literacy skills this year Active-learning workshop with Ed Prather SM advising document (salmon colored

paper)

Brief Review Survey of DPU SM faculty regarding SM gen

ed requirements Two Div III open meetings, Brown Bags, and

creation of Working Group Assessment of incoming students’ scientific

literacy skills this year Active-learning workshop with Ed Prather SM advising document WISER website (inc. previous meeting notes)

Moving forward

Moving forward We each have a 3-year Faculty

Fellowship to continue facilitating this project



Transparency with other divisions (Chairs Meeting Oct. 9 at Pres. Casey’s house)



Transparency with other divisions (Chairs’ Meeting Oct. 9 at Pres. Casey’s house)

We are writing an NSF-IUSE grant proposal with Michael Roberts for money to continue this project

NSF---IUSE grant proposal

NSF---IUSE grant proposal Category: Institutional & Community

Transformation—Exploration Up to $250,000 over 2 years

NSF---IUSE grant proposal Category: Institutional & Community

Transformation—Exploration Up to $250,000 over 2 years Due Oct. 24! Met with Rockman for external

assessment

NSF---IUSE grant proposal What we hope to accomplish:

Learning Community on Science/Math education Clear Division 3 Gen Ed Goals Departmental Goals for SM courses Workshops on course transformation Pilot the “Big Ideas” class (designed around

divisional goals) Implement meaningful assessment in classes

and university-wide Share model with other divisions & schools

NSF---IUSE grant proposal Money for:

Reading groups Divisional meetings Workshops on teaching strategies Departmental Retreats Development of “Big Ideas” course Conference attendance

Goals for this year

Goals for this year Strengthen our Learning Community

Reading Group Share ideas for new course activities

Goals for this year Strengthen our Learning Community Departmental retreats/discussions

Departmental Learning Goals for SM courses

Departmental Learning Goals for majors

Goals for this year Strengthen our Learning Community Departmental retreats/discussions Pilot a “Big Ideas” course for SM general

education-2014/2015 Michael will talk about later


education-2014/2015 Collect assessment data


education-2014/2015 Collect assessment data

Which is where we need help for the upcoming IUSE grant…

Assessment (30 minutes) Attitudinal & Affective measures

Pretest and posttest 4 examples at your tables Peruse & discuss with tablemates

Are we interested in self-efficacy/affect and/or perception of nature of science?

Can you envision any of these being useful in your class or helpful to this project?

Share feedback with larger group

Assessment (30 minutes) Are we interested in

self-efficacy/affect and/or perception of nature of science?

Can you envision any of these being useful in your class or helpful to this project?

SMQ: Science Motivation Questionnaire (pink sheet) 30 items Can substitute discipline name for

“science” 5 subscales

Intrinsic motivation & personal relevance Self-efficacy & assessment anxiety Self-determination Career motivation Grade motivation

SMQ: Science Motivation Questionnaire (pink sheet) Pros

Good reliability & validity Fairly widely used Pretty brief

Cons One of the subscales is not as strong Assesses motivation, but not

epistemology or perceptions of science

TOSRA: Test of Science Related Attitudes (blue sheet) 70 items 7 subscales

Social implications of science Normality of scientists Attitude to scientific inquiry Adoption of scientific attitudes Enjoyment of science lessons Leisure interest in science Career interest in science

TOSRA: Test of Science Related Attitudes (blue sheet) Pros

Comprehensive Commonly used Can select subscales

Cons Long Developed for younger audience Some items may be outdated

ACS: Attitudes & Conceptions in Science (yellow sheet) 26 items Includes some discipline-specific items 3 subscales

Attitudes toward learning science Attitudes toward science Conception of science

ACS: Attitudes & Conceptions in Science (yellow sheet) Pros

Pretty brief Measures both attitudes towards science

and conception of science Cons

Some subscales have few general science items

Attitudes towards science scale is weaker Not widely used

SAI II: Scientific Attitude Inventory (green sheet) 60 items 6 subscales

Beliefs about whether science laws can change

Limitations of science Scientific dispositions Science as theoretical vs. practical Value of public understanding of science Interest in a science career

SAI II: Scientific Attitude Inventory (green sheet) Pros

Commonly used Measures epistemology as well as

motivation Cons

Negative items could be difficult to answer Long Originally validated for high school students

Additional measures RISC—Research on the Integrated

Science Curriculum Managed online at Grinnell Faculty questionnaire to complete first 78 items Self-ratings, including experience with

certain science and learning tasks, opinions about self and science

Additional measures VNOS (Views of Nature of Science)

Questionnaire VOSI (Views of Scientific Inquiry)

Questionnaire VASI (Views of Scientific Inquiry)

Questionnaire All open-ended format and responses

need to be scored.

Additional measures There are discipline-specific measures

as well.

Consider using smaller classroom assessments throughout the semester (e.g., Angelo & Cross)

“Big Ideas” class

“Big Ideas” class Address science literacy learning goals

from multiple disciplines/contexts (transfer)

Engaging courses that non-majors want to take and faculty want to teach (the FYS of STEM dreams)

“Big Ideas” class What’s the big idea?

Model for team-teaching the course

What’s the big idea? Thematic courses

Pivotal ideas

Contemporary issues

What’s the big idea? Thematic courses

Water Science of Consciousness Climate Change Complex Systems

What’s the big idea? Examples at Otterbein College (geared to

upper level, lacking explicit learning goals)• Origins (Paleontology/ Molecular Biology)• The Atom (Chemistry/ Physics)• Why sex? (Ecology/ Molecular Biology)• Exobiology (Physics/ Microbiology)• Water (Ecology/ Chemistry)• Biological Sciences-Plagues and Pandemics• Earth Science & Society- Coral Reef Resources• Earth Science & Society-Energy Resources• Energy and Society

What’s the big idea? Pivotal Ideas

Evolution + Classical mechanics/Quantum mechanics + Cognitive Revolution + …

What’s the big idea? Contemporary Issues

Climate change + Epigenetic effects + …

What’s the big idea?Please take 10 minutes to discuss the Big Ideas courses that would most excite you and excite students.

Then each table will report their favorite ideas.

“Big Ideas” class What’s the big idea?

Model for team-teaching the course

Model for team-teaching the course Modules

5 faculty, 5 sets of X students, rotate


5 faculty, 5 sets of X students, rotate Lecture + “labs”/discussion

All faculty and students meet together, e.g. once a week

Each faculty also meets for a lab/discussion section with a separate subset of students


5 faculty, 5 sets of X students, rotate Lecture + “labs”/discussion

All faculty and students meet together, e.g. once a week

Each faculty also meets for a lab/discussion section with a separate subset of students

Alternative model?

Model for team-teaching the coursePlease take 5 minutes to discuss possible models for team-teaching the course.

Then we’ll ask if there was a consensus for one of the aforementioned models, or whether an alternative model gained traction.

“Big Ideas” class Want to be involved in further

development of these ideas and piloting?

Suggestions? Interest in Learning Community?

Topics? Frequency (1, 2, 4 x month)? Time (lunch, day of week)?

Other topics we should be exploring?

Departmental concerns?

WISER site http://www.depauw.edu/academics/cent

ers/ctl/wiser/

Calendar of events Notes from all meetings

Educational Resources Student Information

http://www.depauw.edu/academics/centers/ctl/wiser/

http://www.depauw.edu/academics/centers/ctl/wiser/

Science & Math General Education Division III Third Open Meeting.

Documents

Transcript of Science & Math General Education Division III Third Open Meeting.