How People Learn (Biology edition)
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Transcript of How People Learn (Biology edition)
HOW PEOPLE LEARN
Peter Newbury Center for Teaching Development,University of California, San Diego
[email protected] @polarisdotca
ctd.ucsd.edu #ctducsd
YOU CAN HELP
February 5, 2013
BIOLOGY
2 How People Learn (Biology)
Evidence-based teaching
How People Learn (Biology)3
We know How People Learn.1
There is research that informs us. Let’s exploit the patterns of learning to make instruction more effective.
1. National Research Council. How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition. J.D. Bransford, A.L Brown & R.R. Cocking (Eds.),Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2000.
The traditional lecture is based on the transmissionist learning model
How People Learn (Biology)4 (Image by um.dentistry on flickr CC)
How People Learn (Biology)
Scientifically Outdated, a Known Failure
5
We must abandon the tabula rasa “blank slate” and
“students as empty vessels” models of teaching and
learning.
How People Learn (Biology)
Let’s have a learning experience…
6
7
Here is an important new number system. Please learn it.
How People Learn (Biology)
1 = 4 = 7 =
2 = 5 = 8 =
3 = 6 = 9 =
8
Test
How People Learn (Biology)
What is this number?
9
New Number System
How People Learn (Biology)
Here’s the structure of the “tic-tac-toe” code:
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
10
Test
How People Learn (Biology)
What is this number?
How People Learn (Biology)
Constructivist theory of learning
11
New learning is based on pre-existing knowledge that you hold.
You store things in long term memory through a set of connections that are made with previous existing memories.
Higher-level learning = brain development
Physical changes occur inyour brain when you learn.
T.J. Shors, “Saving New Brain Cells”
Sci. Amer. 300, 46-54 (March 2009).
How People Learn (Biology)12
What are the patterns of how people learn?
How do we use them?
How People Learn (Biology)
Key Finding 1
13
Students come to the classroom with preconceptions about how the world works. If their initial understanding is not engaged, they may fail to grasp the new concepts and information that are taught, or they may learn them for the purposes of a test but revert to their preconceptions outside of the classroom.
How People Learn – Chapter 1, p 14.
How People Learn (Biology)
Key Finding 2
14
To develop competence in an area, students must:
a) have a deep foundation of factual knowledge,
b) understand facts and ideas in the context of a conceptual framework, and
c) organize knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval and application.
How People Learn – Chapter 1, p 16.
How People Learn (Biology)
Key Finding 3
15
A “metacognitive” approach to instruction can help students learn to take control of their own learning by defining learning goals and monitoring their progress in achieving them. How People Learn – Chapter 1, p 18.
Aside: metacognition
How People Learn (Biology)16
Metacognition refers to one’s knowledge concerning one’s own cognitive processes or anything related to them…. For example, I am engaging in metacognition if I notice that I am having more trouble learning A than B.
(Flavell1,2, 1976, p. 232)
1. Flavell, J. H. (1976). Metacognitive aspects of problem solving. In L. B. Resnick (Ed.), The nature of intelligence (pp.231-236). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.2. Brame, C. (2013) Thinking about metacognition. [blog] January, 2013, Available at: http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/2013/01/thinking-about-metacognition/ [Accessed: 14 Jan 2013].
How People Learn (Biology)
Key Finding 3
17
A “metacognitive” approach to instruction can help students learn to take control of their own learning by defining learning goals and monitoring their progress in achieving them. How People Learn – Chapter 1, p 18.
Please break into groups of 3-4...18
Each set of cards has3 Key Findings3 Implications for Teaching3 Designing Classroom Environments
TASK: For each Key Finding, match one Implication for Teaching and one Designing Classroom Environment.
19
How People Learn (Biology)
Key Finding 1
20
Students come to the classroom with preconceptions about how the world works. If their initial understanding is not engaged, they may fail to grasp the new concepts and information that are taught, or they may learn them for the purposes of a test but revert to their preconceptions outside of the classroom.
How People Learn – Chapter 1, p 14.
How People Learn (Biology)
Implications for Teaching 1
21
Teachers must draw out and work with the preexisting understandings that their students bring with them.
22
Clicker QuestionThe molecules making up the dry mass of wood that forms during the growth of a tree largely come from A) sunlight.B) the air.C) the seed.D) the soil.
Question credit: Bill Wood
Veritasium (Derek Muller)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KZb2_vcNTg
How People Learn (Biology)
Classroom Environments 1
23
Schools and classrooms must be learner centered.
How People Learn (Biology)24
Learning requires (good) interaction
E.E. Prather, A.L. Rudolph, G. Brissenden and W.M. Schlingman, “A national study assessing the teaching and
learning of introductory astronomy. Part I. The effect of interactive instruction,” Am. J. Phys 66, 64-74 (1998).
How People Learn (Biology)25
Learning requires (good) interaction
% of class time NOT lecturing
Learning gain:
pre-test0
100%
post-test
0.50
E.E. Prather, A.L. Rudolph, G. Brissenden and W.M. Schlingman, “A national study assessing the teaching and
learning of introductory astronomy. Part I. The effect of interactive instruction,” Am. J. Phys 66, 64-74 (1998).
How People Learn (Biology)26
Learning requires (good) interaction
1 2
3 4
E.E. Prather, A.L. Rudolph, G. Brissenden and W.M. Schlingman, “A national study assessing the teaching and
learning of introductory astronomy. Part I. The effect of interactive instruction,” Am. J. Phys 66, 64-74 (1998).
How People Learn (Biology)
Key Finding 2
27
To develop competence in an area, students must:
a) have a deep foundation of factual knowledge,
b) understand facts and ideas in the context of a conceptual framework, and
c) organize knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval and application.
How People Learn – Chapter 1, p 16.
These are characteristics
of
expertize.
How People Learn (Biology)
Implications for Teaching 2
28
Teachers must teach some subject matter in depth, providing many examples in which the same concept is at work and providing a firm foundation of factual knowledge.
Classroom Environments 2To provide a knowledge-centered environment, attention must be given to what is taught (information, subject matter), why it is taught (understanding), and what competence or mastery looks like.
Development of Mastery
How People Learn (Biology)29
conscious
unconscious
incompetent competent
Level of Expertise
Behavio
r
Sprague, J., & Stuart, D. (2000). The speaker’s handbook. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt College Publishers.
Development of Mastery
How People Learn (Biology)30
incompetent competent
Level of Expertise
Development of Mastery
How People Learn (Biology)31
conscious
unconscious
adikko.deviantart.com
Behavio
r
Development of Mastery
How People Learn (Biology)32
conscious
unconscious
incompetent competent
Level of Expertise
Behavio
r
Development of Mastery
How People Learn (Biology)33
conscious
unconscious
incompetent competent
1
Level of Expertise
Behavio
r
Development of Mastery
How People Learn (Biology)34
conscious
unconscious
incompetent competent
1
2
Level of Expertise
Behavio
r
Development of Mastery
How People Learn (Biology)35
conscious
unconscious
incompetent competent
1
2 3
Level of Expertise
Behavio
r
Development of Mastery
How People Learn (Biology)36
conscious
unconscious
incompetent competent
1
2 3
4
Level of Expertise
Behavio
r
Why Your Students Don’t Understand You
How People Learn (Biology)37
Expert brains differ from novice brains because novices: Lack rich, networked connections, cannot
make inferences Have preconceptions that distract or
confuse Lack automization, resulting in cognitive
overload
How People Learn (Biology)
Key Finding 3
38
A “metacognitive” approach to instruction can help students learn to take control of their own learning by defining learning goals and monitoring their progress in achieving them. How People Learn – Chapter 1, p 18.
How People Learn (Biology)
Implications for Teaching 3
39
The teaching of metacognitive skills should be integrated into the curriculum in a variety of subject areas.
Classroom Environments 3Formative assessments — ongoing assessments designed to make students’ thinking visible to both teachers and students — are essential.Instructors need to provide
opportunities for students to practice being metacognitive –
thinking about their own thinking
Evolution of the Solar System
How People Learn (Biology)40
Today, we’ve been learning about the formation of the Solar System.
Just like a geologist studies the exposed layers on a cliff-face, we study landforms on other planets and moons to find the chronology (sequence) of processes.
(Image: NASA)
How People Learn (Biology)41
Clicker question
Are features X and Y ridges or valleys?A) X=ridge,
Y=valleyB) X=valley,
Y=ridgeC) both are ridgesD) both are valleys
X
Ycrater
(EOS/CWSEI - UBC)
Implications for Instructorsand Teaching Assistants
42
How People Learn (Biology)43
student-centered instruction
listening
interacting
engaged
learning
traditional lecture
listening
How People Learn (Biology)44
student-centered instruction
listening
interacting
engaged
learningpeer instruction w clickersworksheetsvideosinteractive demonstrationssurveys of opinionsreading quizzesdiscussions
How People Learn (Biology)45
Archimedes’ PrincipleIn today’s Physics class, we’re going to study buoyancy and Archimedes’ Principle.
(Image: Wikimedia Commons – public domain)
Clicker question
How People Learn (Biology)46
An ice cube is floating in a glass of waterthat is filled entirely to the brim. As the icecube melts, the water level will
A) stay the same, remain at the brim.B) rise, causing the water to spill.C) fall to a level below the brim.D) cannot say without knowing the density
of ice.
(Physics and Astronomy/CWSEI - UBC)
How People Learn (Biology)
Typical episode of peer instruction
47
Alternating with 10-15 minute mini-lectures, 1. Instructor poses a conceptually-
challengingmultiple-choice question.
2. Students think about question on their own.
3. Students vote for an answer using clickers, colored/ABCD voting cards,...
4. The instructor reacts, based on the distribution of votes.
How People Learn (Biology)48
In effective peer instruction students teach each other immediately,
while they may still hold or remembertheir novice misconceptions
students discuss the concepts in theirown (novice) language
the instructor finds out what the students know (and don’t know) and reacts
students learn and practice how to think, communicate like experts
49
Clicker QuestionSuppose that in the tree below new data were uncovered indicating that taxon E is sister to a group consisting of taxa D and F. Draw the new phylogeny.
(Biology/CWSEI - UBC)
50
Some other phylogeny
A) B)
C) D)
Which one is the closest match to your phylogeny?
Quiz
51
Selection is the stimulus/pressure (internal or external) that affects life and/or the ability to reproduce.True or False?1. Some plants don’t experience selection.
2. Insects often experience a different type of selection as larvae than as adults.
3. Birds can experience different directions of selection in different years.
4. Selection in mammals always operates more strongly on survival than on reproduction.
T F
T F
T F
T F
Sync with Key Findings?
52
Does that lesson demand deep foundation of knowledge, a conceptual framework, organization of knowledge?
Did instructor teach in depth, multiple examples of concept, provide firm foundation?
Is attention given to what is taught, why it’s taught and what mastery looks like?
Is there an opportunity for students to be metacognitive?
Clicker question: Selection
53
How many of the following statements are true?Plants: Some plants don’t experience selection.
Insects: Insects often experience a different type of
selection as larvae than as adults.
Birds: Birds can experience different directions of
selection in different years.
Mammals: Selection in mammals always operates more strongly on survival than on reproduction.
A) 0 B) 1 C) 2 D)3 E)4
Active Learning in Discussion Sections
54
Think, Pair Share or peer instruction with clickers or colored ABCD cards
One-Minute papers: What is most confusing right now?
Problem Solving in Groups Provide scaffold/structure Ask what steps would you take to solve
problem(versus actually solving them)
Critique or “fix” sample work/problem overhead slides, document cameras,
board?
How People Learn (Biology)55
Student-centered instruction takes time
Five minutes of peer instruction every 15 minutes means 25% of class time is spent on interactive, students-centered instruction.
Where does that time come from?
How People Learn (Biology)56
Traditional classroom
first exposure to material is in class, content is transmitted from instructor to student
learning occurs later when student struggles alone to complete homework, essay, project
learn easy stuff
together
learn hard stuff alone
How People Learn (Biology)57
Flipped classroom
student learns easy content at home: definitions, basis skills, simple examples. Frees up class time for...
students come to class prepared to tackle challenging concepts in class, with immediate feedback from peers, instructor
learn hard stuff
together
learn easy stuff alone
How People Learn
58
Learning is not about what TAs explain.It’s about what students understand!
How People Learn
59
Learning is not about what TAs explain.It’s about what students understand!
Corollary 1: Students will not understand (just) by watching the TA solve problems.
How People Learn
60
Learning is not about what TAs explain.It’s about what students understand!
Corollary 1: Students will not understand (just) by watching the TA solve problems.
Corollary 2: BE LESS HELPFUL.
If in doubt, ask yourself…
61
Who is doing the work?You or the students?
HOW PEOPLE LEARN
Peter Newbury Center for Teaching Development,University of California, San Diego
[email protected] @polarisdotca
ctd.ucsd.edu #ctducsd
YOU CAN HELP
Monday, February 4, 2013Eleanor Roosevelt College