incorporating active learning in astronomy 101
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Linda Strubbe (Science Teaching & Learning Fellow)Aaron Boley (Astronomy faculty)
Paired teaching +Course transformation:
Incorporating active learningin Astronomy 101
linda@phas.ubc.ca
Goals of the project
1. Professional development in teaching for less experienced partner: learn and become confident in active learning strategies
2. Incorporate active learning into Astronomy 101
Paired Teaching at UBC • Goal: Professional development in teaching for
both instructors
• 2 instructors share responsibility for all aspects of course
• Weekly meetings (or more often) to plan and discuss teaching
• We alternate weeks that we teach
• Both always in the classroom
Course Overview• “Introduction to the Solar System”• First-year students• Mostly science majors (not physics or astro)• ~100 students• 3 one-hour lectures / week• 1 two-hour lab / week
• Taught for many years in (popular) pure-lecture style
• Develop a life-long interest in astronomy• Develop understanding of the scientific process• Ask "Why" and "How do we know?"• Develop your skills and mindset for evidence-based thinking
Major Learning Goals
Active learning strategieswe incorporated in Astronomy 101
• Peer instruction via clicker questions• Get students comfortable contributing in class
• learn names, ask students to prepare to share, wait long time• In-class worksheets• Pre-class reading assignments (with online questions)• Online discussion forum• Two-stage (individual + group) midterms & final
Selected research references:• Active learning: Freeman et al. (2014);• Inclusive teaching: Tanner (2013);• Pre-class reading: Heiner, Banet, Wieman (2014);• Group exams: Wieman, Rieger, Heiner (2014);• Research-based materials from Center for Astronomy Education & UNebraska
Our process• Drafted learning goals together• Challenge: Had to make most key decisions before course started:
• textbook, HW format, exam format• LS and AB (pair) alternated responsibility by topics / weeks
• What LS did each week:• read chapter• list key topics• draft extremely rough topic-level learning goals• decide on pre-class reading sections, pre-reading HW
questions, in-class activities, post-class HW questions
• Borrowed large amounts from Center for Astronomy Education (slides, ranking tasks) & UNebraska (clicker Q’s, simulations)
• CLASS figs, COPUS figs, midterm figsAB
LS
Results: COPUS observations (2016 only)
Results: Attitude survey (CLASS) (2015 and 2016)
Dashed = PreSolid = Post
2015Traditional lecture
2016Transforming
(Analysis by Physport)
Similar results in 2015 and 2016: Small negative shift in student attitudes
Dashed = PreSolid = Post
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1
2.,Moon,phases
5.,Light 6.,Gravity 7.,Seasons 8.,Sun 10.,Sky,motion
21.,Climate,change
9.,Sky,motion 17.,Stars 15.,Light 13.,Distance,and,scale
12.,Parallax 18.,Moon,phases
1.,Sky,motion 3.,Distance,and,scale
14.,Gravity 20.,Distance,and,scale
11.,Distance,and,scale
19.,Moon,phases
4.,Gravity 16.,Cosmology
Fraction,of,co
rrect,responses
PreJ and,PostJtest,scores,on,Astronomy,Diagnostic,Test,2.02016:,Transformed,course
(ordered,by,normalized,gain)
Pretest,mean Posttest,mean
Results: Astronomy Diagnostic Test 2.0 (2016 only)
Mean fraction correct on pre-test = 0.503 +/- 0.013 Mean fraction correct on post-test = 0.622 +/- 0.013
Mean normalized gain = 0.239
(No data available for 2015)ADT 2.0 written by Collaboration for Astronomy Education Research (2004)
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Theatrics1 (story5telling,1theatre5based1…
Small5group1discussions1about1a1…
Worksheets
Derivations1(writing1on1the1document1…
Clicker1questions
Listening1to1the1instructor1explain1the1…
Demonstrations1with1props
Student1perceptions1of1in5class1 activities(from1most1to1least1helpful)
Not1at1all1helpful Slightly1helpful Moderately1helpful
Very1helpful Extremely1 helpful
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Online-journalOnline-discussion-forum
LabsOffice-hours
Pre<class-reading-assignmentsMastering-Astronomy
Group<stage-of-midterm-examsReviewing-class-notes-/-lecture-slides
Student-perceptions-of-out<of<class- activities(from-most-to-least-helpful)
Not-at-all-helpful Slightly-helpful Moderately-helpful
Very-helpful Extremely- helpful
Results: Student perceptions of class activities (2016 only)
“Please indicate how helpful you found the following class elements of ASTR101 -- for learning astronomy, or skills useful for other science courses.”
Challenges• Support / long-term planning at dept level has been unclear
(though improving now)• No observations of previous untransformed course• Vision for pair and for transformation• Future teaching assignments?• Future astronomy transformations?
• Not enough time:• to discuss lesson plans days before class• to digest, analyze and incorporate results from students through the
term
Next steps : Transform Lab Curriculum• AB will teach Astronomy 101 lecture alone in Fall 2017
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“What changes to the labs would improve your learning in ASTR101?”
• Currently: Linear step-by-step lab activities
• Plan to introduce inquiry-based labs to focus on scientific thinking
• We plan to begin lab transformation in Fall 2017:
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