ASELL Project: How do we know that learning in laboratories is worthwhile?
Assoc/Prof Manjula Sharma The University of Sydney
ASELL: Advancing Science by Enhancing Learning in the Laboratory
ASELL SNAPSHOT • APCELL, ACELL, ASELL Universi?es 1999 -‐ ongoing ▫ Focus on educa?onal and pedagogical aspects for science academics ▫ Uptake interna?onally from 2007 ▫ Funded by OLT predecessors, ACDS
• ASELL Schools, 2012 -‐ ongoing ▫ Focus on inquiry … ▫ Will develop other focuses ▫ Successful funding of $2M
ASELL Universities > 30,000 students > 300 academics Deans
ASELL UniversiCes > 30,000 students ~300 academics
ASELL Schools ~ 150 teachers ~ 50 students
TOOLS,TECHNIQUES
• APCELL, ACELL, ASELL Universi?es 1999 -‐ ongoing ▫ Focus on educa?onal and pedagogical aspects for science academics ▫ Uptake interna?onally from 2007 ▫ Funded by OLT predecessors, ACDS
• ASELL Schools, 2012 -‐ ongoing ▫ Focus on inquiry … ▫ Will develop other focuses ▫ Successful funding of $2M
TOOLS and TECHNIQUES
Four ObjecCves of ASELL Database Make available a database of scien?fically and educa?onally sound experiments, that have been tested by both academics/teachers and students including all resources.
Professional Development Provide for the professional development of academics/teachers by expanding their understanding of issues surrounding student learning in the laboratory.
Community of PracCce Facilitate the development of a community of prac?ce around learning via experiments and inves?ga?ons.
Science Ed. Research Undertake original research into student learning in the laboratory.
ASELL objecCve -‐ database Database Make available a database of scien?fically and educa?onally sound experiments, that have been tested by both academics and students including all resources.
Sound accurate science & good pedagogy
works reliably safe
transferrable
• 3rd party tes?ng -‐ away from “home” lab; • Tested by staff and students ~50:50; • Tested under as realis?c condi?ons as possible; • Extensive feedback– both formal and informal.
• July, 2000 (Canberra) • Feb, 2001 (Sydney)* • Feb, 2002 (Christchurch) • Nov, 2002 (Melbourne)* • Feb, 2004 (Hobart)* • July, 2005 (Sydney) • Feb, 2006 (Sydney)* • Jan, 2007 (Adelaide)* • July, 2007 (Auckland) • Nov, 2007 (Sydney, physics)* • Apr, 2008 (Adelaide, biology)* • July, 2009 (Sydney)* • April, 2010 (Adelaide, Science)* • June, 2011 (Sydney, Science)* • July, 2011 (Brisbane, Biology)* • July, 2011 (Melbourne, Biology)* • April, 2013 (Sydney, Science)* • July, 2014 (Perth, Bio/chem)*
* Experien?al workshop
UNIVERSITY SCHOOLS • June, 2012 (Sydney, High School Science)* • July, 2012 (Adelaide, High School Science)* • May, 2013 (Sydney, High School Science)* • July, 2013 (Melbourne, High School Science)* • Nov, 2013 (Melbourne, High School Science)* • April, 2014 (Melbourne, High School Science)* • July 2014 (Perth, ECU) *
Conference workshops • July, 2013 (Melbourne, CONASTA)* • Nov, 2013 (Melbourne, CONASTA)* • July, 2014 (Adelaide, CONASTA)*
Similarities and differences
www.asell.org
ASELL objecCve -‐ PD Professional Development Provide for the professional development of academics/teachers by expanding their understanding of issues surrounding student learning in the laboratory.
• Facilitated through ▫ The Educa?onal Template ▫ Validated survey instruments ▫ New instruments being developed.
• Recogni?on of the poten?al in this area evolved over ?me
Wide range of learning experiences
Q14: Overall, as a learning experience, I would rate this experiment as:
0%5%
10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%
Outstanding VeryValuable
Worthwhile Of LittleValue
Worthless
Students, (n = 23)
score = -0.39
A B C D E
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
Outstanding VeryValuable
Worthwhile Of LittleValue
Worthless
Students, (n = 28)
score = +1.14
A B C D E Excellent
Excellent Very Poor
Very Poor
Student and staff dataset The student dataset: • 54 experiments (49 chemistry, 5 physics) • surveyed in 19 different universi?es (same instrument) • 42 General Chemistry (1st year), 12 higher years • paper + web surveys • combina?on of ASELL workshopped and “other” experiments • >3100 responses overall (min = 13, max = 143, avg = 47) The staff dataset: • ~300 academics across chemistry, physics, biology and biochemistry • US, UK, Australia
ASELL Objec?ve -‐ CoP
Community of PracCce Facilitate the development of a community of prac?ce in science educa?on.
ASELL Objec?ve -‐ research
Science EducaCon Research Undertake original research into student learning in the laboratory.
• Providing an evidence base for strategic planning • Curriculum development/changes
Return w/s
surveys
Return student
data
Recycle
Published ASELL
workshop In-semester
data collection Peer
review Analysis &
write up
Reanalyse/ rewrite Retired Retired
2 years max 2 years max 0.5 - 3 yrs typical
4 wks 3 months
15 published in the Australian Journal of Education in Chemistry 2 published in Chemistry Education Research and Practice
1 published in European Journal of Physics
TOOLS,TECHNIQUES
• APCELL, ACELL, ASELL Universi?es 1999 -‐ ongoing ▫ Focus on educa?onal and pedagogical aspects for science academics ▫ Uptake interna?onally from 2007 ▫ Funded by OLT predecessors, ACDS
• ASELL Schools, 2012 -‐ ongoing ▫ Focus on inquiry … ▫ Will develop other focuses ▫ Successful funding of $2M
Four ObjecCves of ASELL
Acknowledgements
• Staff and student delegates • Deans for support & leadership • HREC at the University of Sydney
Funding Agencies AMSPP
Universities