One of the major impacts we have as a college is through the educational experiences we provide for thousands of undergraduates each year. The work we do with our students is important for a number of reasons. It develops the tools and ingenuity the next generation of scientists will need to advance science. It cultivates critical thinking skills that students will apply within the sciences and beyond. It also shapes the relationships our students will have with scientific data, the scientific community, and their own scientific identities.
The College of Biological Sciences’ strong commitment to undergraduate education is reflected in thoughtful, dedicated teaching and learning throughout the college. In the Department of Biology Teaching and Learning, a major focus and expertise is continued innovation in these areas. Scholarly Teaching encompasses a variety of types of intellectual and creative work to implement evidence-based practices that improve teaching and learning in biology, and to evaluate their outcomes. This overview outlines some of the core educational practices of Scholarly Teaching and provides links to additional resources. Throughout the year we look forward to sharing more ongoing work from BTL, including highlighting some examples of Scholarly Teaching projects.
There are many aspects to Scholarly Teaching, including establishing content and skills goals in each topic area, developing pedagogical approaches and activities that support learning, and evaluating whether the teaching and learning were effective toward specific goals. Each of these steps relies on sophisticated engagement with the material being taught and the process of learning. Similar to scientific research, Scholarly Teaching is an iterative process. Evidence gathered from each new curricular or pedagogical implementation leads to new ideas and questions.
Establishing content and skills goals in each topic area:
- Scholarly Teaching begins with using expert thinking in the topic area to characterize the scope of knowledge in that area and then to articulate learning objectives that specify what students should learn about this topic. Student learning is supported by focusing on aspects of the topic that will build deeper understanding in their future studies or that connect to their lives outside of the classroom, and also by being transparent with students about the expectations for their learning.
- In addition, development of students’ scientific reasoning relies on incorporating each topic into a systematic way of thinking about the living world, by developing the themes and key elements that define the topic, and highlighting connections to related concepts.
- The learning goals should also include skills that students will develop, such as question formulation, data interpretation, and quantitative analysis.
Developing pedagogical approaches and activities that support learning:
- Creating active learning exercises around key concepts aligned with the learning goals supports students to construct their own understanding of how a system works and enables greater learning in both content knowledge and critical thinking.
- Incorporation of a variety of formative assessment tools provides feedback to students on their learning before summative assessments like exams, and provides instructors with opportunities to address confusion and make adjustments in real time. Formative assessments can take many forms including class/small group discussion, “clicker”-style questions, and low-stakes assignments.
- Using equitable teaching practices provides students from a variety of backgrounds and circumstances the ability to realize their full potential and feel valued in their scientific learning community.
Evaluating whether the teaching and learning were effective toward specific goals:
- Qualitative and quantitative analysis of formative and summative assessment data can identify areas where learning goals have been met, and where additional support is needed. In addition, assessment data can be used to explore what levels of learning students are achieving, for example whether students are able to apply their learning to new scenarios and think systematically beyond the examples originally studied.
- Beyond assessments, other types of evidence of student learning and experience can be gathered through surveys and reflection assignments, including insights into the extent to which students are building tools to be flexible, independent learners and are developing strong identities as scientists and as learners.
- Survey tools and evaluation of performance patterns can identify what barriers students are experiencing in their learning, whether certain groups of students are disproportionately affected by them, and whether inclusive educational practices are having the intended effect of reducing barriers.
If you are curious about making changes in your teaching experiences, explore the links above or reach out about opportunities for collaboration with BTL. - Tamar Resnick
About Dr. Resnick
Tamar Resnick is a teaching associate professor in the Department of Biology Teaching and Learning, director of undergraduate studies for the biology major, and assessment and curriculum liaison for the College of Biological Sciences.
About BTL Insights
Throughout the department’s 10th anniversary year, BTL faculty and staff will share their findings and offer best practices on a range of topics related to biology teaching and learning.