Innovations in College Science Teaching (original) (raw)
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Toward Enhancing Scholarship of Science Education in College Teaching
The Journal of Effective Teaching, 2010
Quality of science instruction is crucial at the college level due to the increasing demand of scientific literacy. Development of science education has been examined in this article through both contextual and comparative angles of college teaching. Different approaches have been analyzed to merge interdisciplinary efforts that articulate both artistic and scientific natures for the benefit of various constituencies. Suggestions have been provided to enhance the scholarship of science education as a subject within natural science departments. Similar to the industry partnership between R&D and customer service sectors, effective collaborations between scientists and science educators can facilitate recognition of the science education subject across the campuses of higher learning.
Research in Science Education: Reform in Undergraduate Science Teaching for the 21st Century
Teachers at all levels require some knowledge of physics. A particularly large challenge is to provide appropriate higher education experiences for those future teachers who will be working with students in the first 6 to 7 years of their schooling. We have developed an activity-based course for these teachers. The activities involve both traditional short experiments and technology-based ones. The university course is somewhat unique because the design allows for one faculty member to work with a relatively large number of students and yet maintain a student-centered environment.
2001
Full engagement in science includes observation and asking questions, the development of a hypothesis, designing and conducting an appropriate experiment to test that hypothesis, data acquisition, appropriate analysis, revisiting initial questions, and dissemination of results. Here, I report on efforts to engage undergraduate students in all of these elements of science by integrating inquiry, investigation, and research in four intermediate biology courses for all majors. The project-based courses include Plant Ecology, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Molecular Genetics, and Physiological Ecology. Students conduct semester-long, experimental research projects and present their results at a public poster session on campus. Using computers, peripherals, and software funded by an award from the National Science Foundation, efforts were made to enhance the data acquisition, analysis, and presentation aspects of student research. The quality of the student research was improved, and student pride and ownership over the work increased. Students exhibited a greater understanding of science and quantitative analysis. One student project was published in a peer-reviewed journal, and many others were presented at regional and national meetings. The number of students taking elective courses in related areas, continuing research and senior honors projects, and applying and being accepted to related graduate programs significantly increased. Student poster sessions served to create a campuswide culture of science.
REACHING THE SECOND TIER LEARNING AND TEACHING STYLES IN COLLEGE SCIENCE EDUCATION
In her recent study of college science instruction, Sheila Tobias [19] defines two tiers of entering college students, the first consisting of those who go on to earn science degrees and the second those who have the initial intention and the ability to do so but instead switch to nonscientific fields. The number of students in the second category might in fact be enough to prevent the shortfall of American scientists and engineers that has been widely forecast for the coming decade.
1998
The traditional differences in philosophy and approaches to teaching and learning between colleges of education and sciences have been repeatedly cited as one of the major obstacles in providing appropriate teacher training programs. In an effort to alleviate this problem, Wright State University (Ohio) has fostered a unique environment through a collaboration between the College of Science and Math (COSM) and the College of Education and Human Services (CEHS) by creating dual appointments for faculty within these two colleges. The revitalization of the teacher education programs in science included consideration that prospective science teachers should be involved in investigative activities; have lab courses that focus on topics in biology, chemistry, earth science, and physics; understand the interrelatedness of science disciplines; and have a sound understanding of the nature of learning and how it can be applied to the learning of science. (Author/DDR) *************************...
Connecting Science to the Community at Florida Atlantic University
Faculty members from biology, chemistry, environmental studies, mathematics, and economics worked together to design the foundation for the science curriculum in the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, a new liberal arts college within Florida Atlantic University. With the support of the NSF, the college has developed a discovery-based approach to learning by introducing extended student projects in firstand second-year biology and chemistry courses; promoted interdisciplinarity by creating educational links among the sciences and between mathematics and the sciences; brought science and mathematics out of the classroom and into the community, using local ponds, lakes, forests, and greenways as science laboratories; and supported the building of partnerships between the college and the wider environmental community. At all levels of undergraduate studies, students conduct independent research projects and give oral and written presentations of their findings. Their regular experiences culminate in (required) senior thesis projects, many of which are interdisciplinary in nature. For faculty, students, and community partners, the discoverybased approach to science integrates teaching, learning, and research in a holistic form of scholarship. The portions of this project that involve connecting science and education to the larger community provide the focus for this chapter.
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2010
Effective undergraduate teaching has always been a challenge. In 1987 Chickering & Gamson published the seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education, which was highly used and recommended by most practitioners, yet teaching basic science was still difficult. It is not easy to convey that in science negative results are as important as positive results. In fact, sometimes interpretation and troubleshooting are more important than the experiment itself. In order to make the students feel the importance of science and the importance of every experiment they are doing, the laboratory component of the course was designed as a small project through which they were taught important lessons. Every time an experiment failed, we (instructors) pointed out how it could serve the purpose of the project and how each result, whether positive or negative, leads us to another step and a better understanding of the project's goal. Other than the technical aspects of designing the course, we made sure that there's a strong bond between every student and us without compromising discipline, as it is the way to success and great achievements. Everyone had a talent and a skill that needed to be sculptured to unleash the great scientist -we believe-was in him or her. Our goal was to create an image and to set an example of how a scientist should be; manners, attitude, discipline and perseverance. By the end of the semester, the students were able to interpret, troubleshoot and report the results they collected throughout the whole semester in consolidated reports that mimicked published research papers. More importantly, they learned how to be scientists and they enjoyed learning science.
Reform in undergraduate science teaching for the 21st century
2004
Part I. Introduction and Overview: Chapter 1: Overview of Relationship between Educational Policy, Research and Professional Practice in Science Education. Chapter 2: History of Science Education Policy and Research in the United States. Chapter 3: Implementing Science Education Reform through the Political and Social Process. Chapter 4: A Case Study of the Development of a Science Education Public Policy Report: the National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century. Part II. Perspectives on the Relationship between Science Education Policy, Research and Professional Practice for the 21st Century. Chapter 5: A National Perspective on Linking Policy and Research to Support Science Education Professional Practice in the 21st Century: Reaction to the Glenn Report. Chapter 6: A State Perspective on Linking Policy and Research to Support Science Education Professional Practice in the 21st Century. Chapter 7: A District Perspective on Linking Policy and Research...