Revolution in EducationAddressing Paradigm Shifts to Benefit Today’s Students

Amanda L. LewisCollaborator: Dr. John J. FeldmeierNovember 17th, 2011

ASTRO 1504YSU general science courseDescriptive Astronomy (ASTRO 1504)1,200 students per year at YSU

Dr. Feldmeier’s 1504Utilizes Student-Centered Learning (SCL)

Paradigm shift from traditional lectureUncommon in modern introductory science

coursesRevolutionizing the way general sciences are

taught

How often has this happened?

Tools of SCL in ASTRO 1504

Student AssistantsSocratic DialogueLecture Tutorials (LTs)Think Pair Share

Student AssistantsScience or non-science majorsUsed as exemplar students

Socratic Dialogue in SCLLecture itselfInteraction between instructors and studentsFound in LTs

“Most ideas about teaching are not new, but not everyone knows the old ideas.” –Euclid

Lecture Tutorials

Reinforce LectureStudents helping studentsContain Socratic Dialogue

Lecture Tutorial Example Consider the following discussion between two

students.Student 1: Since all the galaxies we observe are moving

away from us, we must be at the center of the universe.

Student 2: If you look… it is pretty clear that all the galaxies move away from each other, so I think each galaxy must be at the center of the universe.

Do you agree or disagree with either or both of the students? Explain your reasoning.

Think Pair SharePoll StudentsUngraded Informative AssessmentLow-cost

An Interactive Example of Think Pair Share

A first quarter moon can be seen rising on the eastern horizon at what time?

A. 6:00 pmB. 12:00 am (midnight)C. 6:00 amD. 12:00 pm (noon)

Something Closer to Home

This statement is false.

A. True B. False

Philosophical Underpinnings of SCL

Normative ApproachesProgressivismPerennialismUnschooling

The ProblemAverage first exam grade is 55%Two ways to fix:

Make test easier Improve students’ behavior

Suspected lack of metacognitionStudent population backgroundSelf-regulated learning

Metacognition Studies

First Day Questions: Collected from Fall 2007 – Fall 2010

Metacognition Studies

Peer Feedback: Collected from Fall 2008 – Fall 2010

The Proposed SolutionDevelop a formative self-assessment survey

The SurveyGoal: change student

behavior20 optimal behaviorsUse results to seek

correlation and any other useful information

Results:Nonexistent Correlation

Claimed Prevalence of Behaviors in Fall 2011

Compared to Regrets of Previous Classes

Results Show Student Improvement

Shift to higher grades

Bootstrap Sampling

Statistical DataMean shift

Fall 2010: 54.26%Fall 2011: 58.48%

Median shiftFall 2010: 54%Fall 2011: 58%

Bootstrapping Sample: 80% success rateOverall gain of 4%, believed to be caused by

survey

Future PlansRevise Survey

Only humorAnonymous

Compare next semester’s results for additional verification

Publish workContinue looking for other ways to improve

student metacognition

Why bother with future work?

“All who have meditated on the art of governing mankind have been convinced that the fate of empires depends on the education of the youth.” -Aristotle