Flipping the Microbiology Laboratory

Dave WestenbergMissouri S&TMarch 14, 2014

Presentation Outline• The microbiology lab course• Challenges• Why “flip” the course?• Learning to flip• Judging the flip

Please Ask Questions

Microbiology Lab at Missouri S&T

• 2 Days per week• 2 Hours per day• 2 Sections in Fall• 3 Sections in Spring

Microbiology Lab Learning Objectives

• Lab safety• Aseptic technique• Microbiology techniques• Written and oral communication

Challenges• Shorter lab period (3 -> 2 hours)• Multiple sections• Demonstrating techniques• Students preparation• Student attention

Challenges

Why “Flip” the course?• Everything I know about teaching I

learned from K-12 teachers.• Save precious lab time• Consistent content delivery• Better student preparation• Better student learning?

Expected Project Outcomes• Effective student preparation• Extensive student-student and

student-instructor interaction• Appropriate student application of

laboratory techniques

Microbiology Lab 1.1• Recorded lectures• Recorded demonstrations• Quizzes• Same lab exercises

Lessons learned• Better preparation but …• More student interaction but …• i.e. Cool tool but … • Need to re-think the entire course.

Microbiology Lab 2.0• Projects vs. Activities• Incorporate experimental design• Recorded “lectures”• Recorded demonstrations• Quizzes

Assessing the flipped class

Biology Scholars Program

• Goal: Develop faculty expertise in evidenced-based science education reform

• Three components– Research – practices SoTL– Writing - publishing science education research– Leadership - undergraduate reform

• Applications required; multiyear residency

• 7 life sciences professional societies and Carnegie Foundation for Advancement of Teaching

www.biologyscholars.org

Outcomes: Research Residency

• Locate and use science education and science research literature

• Frame appropriate questions regarding student learning in the biological sciences

• Design projects to determine outcomes in terms of student learning

• Design methods for collecting data concerned with student learning and other outcomes

• Analyze and interpret student surveys and learning data

• Understand the importance of and necessary steps required for IRB approval

• Identify appropriate venues for publishing studies

Expected Project Outcomes• Effective student preparation• Extensive student-student and

student-instructor interaction• Appropriate student application of

laboratory techniques

# Question Almost never Seldom Sometimes Often Always # Avg

1 I learn about the world outside of school. 1 5 12 6 3 27 3.19

2My new learning starts with problems about the world outside of school.

3 7 12 4 1 27 2.74

3I learn how science can be part of my out-of-school life.

1 5 8 8 5 27 3.41

4I get a better understanding of the world outside of school.

- 4 12 7 4 27 3.41

5I learn interesting things about the world outside of school.

- 5 7 12 3 27 3.48

6What I learn has nothing to do with my out-of-school life.

6 5 9 7 - 27 2.63

Learning about the world

# Question Almost never Seldom Sometimes Often Always # Avg

1I learn that science cannot provide perfect answers to problems.

- 1 7 12 7 27 3.93

2 I learn that science has changed over time. - 1 - 10 16 27 4.52

3I learn that science is influenced by people's values and opinions.

1 6 4 10 6 27 3.52

4I learn about the different sciences used by people in other cultures.

5 10 6 2 4 27 2.63

5I learn that modern science is different from the science of long ago.

1 1 3 12 10 27 4.07

6 I learn that science is about creating theories. 1 1 10 10 5 27 3.63

Learning about science

# Question Almost never Seldom Sometimes Often Always # Avg

1It's OK for me to ask the teacher 'Why do I have to learn this?'

8 5 7 2 5 27 2.67

2 It's OK for me to question the way I'm being taught. 9 6 6 4 2 27 2.41

3It's OK for me to complain about teaching activities that are confusing.

7 10 4 2 3 26 2.38

4It's OK for me to complain about anything that prevents me from learning.

7 3 6 8 3 27 2.89

5 It's OK for me to express my opinion. 2 2 6 12 5 27 3.59

6 It's OK for me to speak up for my rights. 3 2 4 7 10 26 3.73

Learning to speak out

# Question Almost never Seldom Sometimes Often Always # Avg

1 I help the teacher to plan what I'm going to learn. 14 10 1 2 - 27 1.67

2I help the teacher to decide how well I am learning.

8 12 4 3 - 27 2.07

3I help the teacher to decide which activities are best for me.

14 11 2 - - 27 1.56

4I help the teacher to decide how much time I spend on learning activities.

14 7 6 - - 27 1.70

5I help the teacher to decide which activities I do.

17 8 2 - - 27 1.44

6 I help the teacher to assess my learning. 12 6 5 4 - 27 2.04

Learning to learn

# Question Almost never Seldom Sometimes Often Always # Avg

1 I get the chance to talk to other students. - - 6 13 8 27 4.07

2I talk with other students about how to solve problems.

2 2 2 11 10 27 3.93

3I explain my understandings to other students.

- 4 4 10 9 27 3.89

4 I ask other students to explain their thoughts. 3 2 7 8 7 27 3.52

5 Other students ask me to explain my ideas. 1 2 8 11 5 27 3.63

6 Other students explain their ideas to me. 2 1 7 10 6 26 3.65

Learning to communicate

AcknowledgementsAmerican Society for MicrobiologyBiology Scholars ProgramApril Rocha and Daniel RoushCERTIMini-Grant ProgrameFellows ProgramEdTech – Amy Skyles, Julie Phelps

Thank You!

Program Features• Three themes

– Science education research– Science education publishing– Educational leadership

• Applications & institutional support required

• Intensive, multi-day kick-off institute

• 1 year virtual residency w. 5 year tracking – Follow-up meetings– E-discussions – E-mentoring– Personal benchmarks

Satisfaction (3 Cohorts)The outcomes have all been positive. I have gained new tools with which to pursue my research and have a network of scholars with whom I can share and learn from in this pursuit.

The ASM Scholars experience gave me the confidence to take an initial attempt at SoTL and turn it into a part of my research program.

Before NowI feel part of a community of teachers

3.00 4.56

I am a good teacher

3.92 4.32I am satisfied with the teaching materials that I create

3.60 4.24

Learning (3 Cohorts)Describe your practice of SoTL:I think about what I want to know about my students and their learning and apply methods to answer those questions.

I develop assessment instruments to use in my classroom in an attempt to determine how changes I make in my teaching style affect student learning.

Before Now

Assessing student learning and revising teaching methods accordingly

2.75 4.08

Developing learning goals that reflect the nature of science

3.17 3.96

Developing learning goals based on students’ understanding of material

2.71 3.88

Identifying and solving teaching challenges

3.33 4.21

Including regular formative assessment in courses

2.84 3.02

Drawing on knowledge and experience of colleagues

3.30 4.18

Application (3 Cohorts)I used a mixed methods approach to assess student learning in an advanced molecular biology course; one tool was a written grant proposal to assess higher order thinking skills.

I have asked students to write reflective journals weekly. I have scored these to see how their thinking about the lab becomes more or less scientific over the course of a semester.

Which of the following have you done due to your participation as an ASM Scholar? Please check all that apply.Gained IRB approval to conduct classroom research   20 80%Sought "human subjects" approval from my students   18 72%Identified a teaching problem to resolve through classroom research   23 92%Identified literature related to a teaching problem   23 92%Identified a research method or approach to address the teaching problem   19 76%Conducted research on some aspect of my teaching   23 92%Gathered and interpreted data about my teaching   24 96%Changed my teaching due to the results of my research   19 76%

Application (3 Cohorts)Completing one 4-year study on active learning; working on one study involving high school teachers and students; and starting a project to revise the curriculum and assess learning in an intro biology course.

I have revised my course to include active learning experiences and online discussions of scientific readings.

Before NowMeasuring student learning 2.64 4.16I am interested in publishing my findings about student learning

2.92 4.48

I regularly experiment with new teaching approaches

3.44 4.48

Giving and receiving constructive feedback about teaching

2.92 3.96

I can mentor other teachers and teachers-in-training

2.92 4.48

Overall Impact (3 Cohorts)If anything, I am a more fierce advocate of SoTL and feel strongly that SoTL must be seen on par with traditional, disciplinary, discovery-based scholarship, especially for tenure and promotion.

I am so centered on student learning that I rarely take time to administer the teaching evaluations!

Which of the following have you done due to your participation as an ASM Scholar?

Presented about teaching and learning to my department/ campus colleagues   21 84%Served as a reviewer or panelist about teaching and learning   9 36%Received a teaching award or similar honor   6 24%Had teaching recognized in a tenure or promotion review   5 20%Gave a presentation about teaching and learning at a professional meeting   20 80%Submitted a manuscript for publication about teaching and learning   8 32%Published findings from a study of my teaching   5 20%Attended other teaching and learning events (courses, seminars) for professional development   22 88%