iBiology Scientific Teaching Series: Active Learning - Classroom Models

iBiology Career and Professional Development

20 Nov 201716:35

Summary

TLDRThe video script emphasizes the importance of student-centered teaching, contrasting it with instructor-centered approaches. It highlights the shift from focusing on what the teacher does to considering what students are doing during class. Active learning is stressed as a method to engage students in problem-solving and critical thinking, rather than just receiving information. The script also acknowledges the value of lectures but argues for a balance with opportunities for students to practice and develop skills. The instructor's self-assessments indicate a continuous journey towards more student-centered teaching, with a recognition of the need for improvement and a desire to incorporate active learning strategies.

Takeaways

📚 **Student-Centered Teaching**: The script emphasizes the importance of student-centered teaching, which focuses on student activities and engagement rather than instructor-led lectures.
🔄 **Shift in Focus**: It highlights a shift from instructor-centered to student-centered teaching, where the focus is on what students are doing rather than what the instructor is presenting.
👨‍🏫 **Active Learning**: Active learning is stressed as a method to encourage students to analyze data, draw conclusions, and solve problems, which is more effective than passive listening.
🧬 **Biological Examples**: The script uses biological examples, such as the SRY gene and Mullerian inhibiting substance, to illustrate complex concepts in a relatable way.
🤔 **Problem-Solving**: Good teaching is described as eliciting productive behavior and helping students grapple with and solve problems, not just transmitting information.
🎓 **Lecturing vs. Active Learning**: While acknowledging the value of lectures, the script suggests they are insufficient for developing critical skills and that active learning is necessary for practice.
📈 **Skill Development**: The script suggests that the goal of teaching should be to develop skills like problem-solving and critical thinking, which are not achieved through traditional lectures alone.
🔍 **Self-Assessment**: Instructors are encouraged to self-assess their teaching methods, considering whether they are student-centered and if active learning is effectively implemented.
📊 **Gradual Transition**: The script recognizes that transitioning from traditional teaching to a more student-centered approach is a gradual process and that there is always room for improvement.
🌟 **Role Modeling**: It is suggested that instructors can serve as role models by how they discuss and think about the material, influencing students' understanding and approach to learning.

Q & A

What is the main difference between instructor-centered and student-centered teaching?
-Instructor-centered teaching focuses on what the instructor will do during the class, such as which slides to show or what to discuss first. In contrast, student-centered teaching shifts the focus to what the students will be doing, emphasizing their activities and engagement in the learning process.
How does a student-centered approach change the way a teacher prepares for a class?
-A student-centered approach requires the teacher to consider the students' activities and experiences during the class. The teacher plans for what the students will do during the first five minutes, after that, and how they will interact with the material, rather than focusing solely on their own presentation.
What is an example of a student-centered activity mentioned in the script?
-An example of a student-centered activity is when the teacher asks students to work in groups to discuss their figures and comments on photos, and then come to an agreement about a specific topic, such as a problem numbered 19.
What is the significance of the SRY gene in the context of the script?
-The SRY gene is crucial for the development of male reproductive organs. The script discusses how, aside from the SRY gene, all other genes involved would typically lead to the development of a female reproductive system. The SRY gene's role is to initiate the development of male characteristics.
How does the script relate the concept of receptors to the learning process?
-The script uses the analogy of receptors on target cells to explain how information is received and acted upon. In the context of learning, students are encouraged to receive information (the 'signal'), process it, and then respond, similar to how a cell with a receptor would respond to a signal.
What role does active learning play in the educational philosophy discussed in the script?
-Active learning is emphasized as a critical component of student development. It is not just about transmitting information but also about helping students practice skills such as analyzing data, drawing conclusions, and solving problems, which are essential for deeper understanding and application of knowledge.
Why is it important for students to practice skills beyond just learning content, according to the script?
-Practicing skills such as data analysis, conclusion drawing, and problem-solving is important because these are the abilities that students need to develop beyond mere content knowledge. These skills are essential for students to apply what they have learned in real-world situations and to think critically.
What is the speaker's self-assessment of their teaching style in terms of being student-centered?
-The speaker acknowledges that while they are student-centered in their approach, aiming for active learning and understanding, they also recognize there is room for improvement. They rate themselves between a two and a five on a scale, indicating a mix of traditional and student-centered teaching methods.
How does the speaker plan to improve their teaching to be more student-centered?
-The speaker intends to move towards a more student-centered approach by reducing the amount of lecture and incorporating more active learning strategies. They aim to increase student engagement and interaction with the material to enhance learning outcomes.
What is the speaker's view on the balance between lecturing and active learning?
-The speaker believes that while lecturing can be inspiring and convey information not found in textbooks, it is not sufficient on its own. Active learning is necessary for students to practice and develop the skills that are the ultimate goals of the course.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Shift to Student-Centered Teaching

The first paragraph discusses the concept of teaching well and the shift from instructor-centered to student-centered teaching. It emphasizes the importance of focusing on what students are doing in class rather than what the instructor is doing. The speaker reflects on their own teaching practices, moving from a traditional lecture format to a more interactive approach where students are engaged in activities and problem-solving. The paragraph also touches on the idea of using active learning strategies to help students develop skills beyond just receiving information.

05:02

🔬 Exploring Active Learning and Lectures

Paragraph two delves into the importance of active learning and the role of lectures in education. It acknowledges that while lectures can be inspiring and informative, they may not sufficiently prepare students for real-world problem-solving and critical thinking. The speaker discusses the need for students to practice skills like data analysis, conclusion drawing, and problem-solving, which are not typically developed through lectures alone. The paragraph also suggests that good teaching involves eliciting productive behavior and helping students grapple with and solve problems.

10:03

🎓 Balancing Lectures and Active Learning

In this paragraph, the speaker shares their personal journey towards integrating active learning into their teaching. They admit to still having a significant amount of lecture in their classes but express a desire to move towards a more student-centered approach. The speaker reflects on the challenges of transitioning from traditional teaching methods and the importance of setting goals for improving teaching practices. They also discuss the balance between being student-centered and maintaining the instructor's role in guiding the curriculum and content.

15:03

🌟 Maximizing Student Engagement

The final paragraph focuses on the speaker's approach to teaching freshman seminars and upper-division courses. They describe their method of balancing instructor-selected topics with student interests, allowing for a mix of required and elective content. The speaker conveys confidence in their teaching methods, indicating a high level of student engagement and a commitment to meeting the learning needs of their students. This paragraph showcases the speaker's dedication to creating an educational environment that is responsive to both the curriculum's requirements and the students' desires.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Student-centered teaching

Student-centered teaching is an educational approach that prioritizes the needs, interests, and activities of students over the instructor's presentation of content. In the video, this concept is central as it discusses shifting the focus from what the instructor does to what the students are actively engaged in during class. An example from the script illustrates this when the instructor asks, 'What are the students going to be doing during the first five minutes?' This approach encourages active learning and critical thinking.

💡Active learning

Active learning is a teaching strategy that involves students in the learning process through activities, discussions, and collaboration. It contrasts with passive learning, where students are typically recipients of information. The video emphasizes the importance of active learning, suggesting that it's not just about transmitting information but also about enabling students to analyze, conclude, and solve problems. The script mentions, 'we've been emphasizing in this series, the importance and the value of active learning,' highlighting its role in developing skills beyond content knowledge.

💡Lecturing

Lecturing is a traditional teaching method where an instructor delivers information to students in a one-way communication format. While the video acknowledges that lecturing can be inspiring and convey information not found in textbooks, it also points out its limitations in facilitating skill development and practice. The script states, 'a good lecture can be inspiring... the problem is, that it's not sufficient,' indicating that while lecturing has value, it should be complemented by other methods.

💡Problem-solving

Problem-solving is the process of finding solutions to problems or challenges. It is a critical skill that the video suggests students should develop, going beyond mere content absorption. The script refers to problem-solving when it says, 'we want them to be able to solve problems,' indicating that this skill is integral to the learning outcomes instructors aim for, and it is best developed through active engagement rather than passive listening.

💡SRSY gene

The SRY gene, short for sex-determining region Y gene, is a gene on the Y chromosome that triggers the development of male characteristics. In the context of the video, the SRY gene is used to explain biological concepts and is part of the active learning process where students are encouraged to engage with the material. The script mentions, 'remember back your analogies now when we were learning about our forces work the receptors of the target cells,' which could be referring to how the SRY gene works.

💡Endocrine cells

Endocrine cells are glandular cells that secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream. The video uses the example of endocrine cells to explain how substances like hormones travel through the bloodstream and interact with target cells. This concept is important for understanding physiological processes and is used to illustrate active learning through the discussion of how these cells function, as mentioned in the script: 'and that was start the top page that leads to the response in himself.'

💡Receptors

Receptors are proteins that receive signals from hormones or neurotransmitters and initiate a cellular response. In the video, the concept of receptors is used to explain how cells respond to chemical signals, which is a fundamental aspect of cell biology. The script refers to receptors when discussing the SRY gene's role: 'on target cells for malaria inhibitory substance or dysfunctional so how the sry gene of a choice develop Pisces as normal.'

💡Mullerian inhibiting substance

Mullerian inhibiting substance (MIS) is a hormone that plays a crucial role in the development of male reproductive organs by causing the regression of the Mullerian ducts, which would otherwise develop into female reproductive structures. The video script mentions MIS in the context of discussing the development of male reproductive systems, indicating its importance in understanding sexual differentiation.

💡Antibiotic resistance

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria evolve to withstand the effects of antibiotics, making infections difficult to treat. The video touches on this topic when discussing selectable markers in genetic engineering. The script mentions, 'that bacteria cannot see kill as a classic - plentiful marker,' which refers to the use of antibiotic resistance as a selectable marker to identify successful genetic modifications.

💡Clickers

Clickers, or student response systems, are devices used in classrooms to facilitate active learning by allowing students to answer questions in real-time. The video mentions the use of clickers as a tool that the instructor employs to engage students in the learning process, as indicated by the script: 'I'm just like everybody else that you know taught me so I got to get out of that so I gave myself a lot of - I need to swing that pendulum.'

💡Curriculum

Curriculum refers to the planned subjects and learning experiences that students encounter in an educational program. The video discusses the balance between instructor-led and student-centered curriculum design. The script reflects on this when the instructor says, 'I don't let students drive the curriculum entirely,' emphasizing the instructor's role in guiding the educational experience while also considering student input.

Highlights

The concept of teaching well involves a shift from instructor-centered to student-centered teaching.

Student-centered teaching focuses on what students will be doing during class rather than what the instructor will do.

Instructor-centered teaching often revolves around the instructor's presentation and slides.

Active learning is emphasized as a key component of student-centered teaching.

Lectures can be inspiring but may not provide enough opportunities for students to practice skills.

Good teaching is about eliciting productive behavior and helping students solve problems.

Teaching is more than transmitting information; it's about fostering student engagement and problem-solving.

The instructor's role is to guide students towards understanding and thinking critically about the material.

Active learning strategies can vary and should be tailored to meet the objectives of the class.

Instructors should consider their own teaching style and how it aligns with student-centered learning.

The use of technology, such as clickers, can facilitate active learning in the classroom.

Instructors should reflect on their teaching practices and strive for continuous improvement.

Student-centered teaching may not always be the best approach, and a balance with traditional methods can be beneficial.

Instructors should set the scope and depth of the curriculum while engaging students in their learning process.

The effectiveness of teaching can be self-assessed by instructors, with room for subjective interpretation.

Instructors may rate their teaching effectiveness on a scale, acknowledging areas for improvement.

The importance of setting clear learning objectives and using active learning to achieve them is discussed.

Instructors with large enrollment courses may find it challenging to implement student-centered teaching fully.

The role of the instructor as a role model in how they present and discuss material is highlighted.