~ 25 years ago– Why grad students coming into my lab so good in physics courses, but do not know how to do physics?

A scientific approach to teaching science and engineering, and what it says about how to use technology

Carl WiemanDepartment of Physics and School of EducationStanford University

Approaching the teaching and learning of science as a science

Doing controlled experiments.Different ways of teaching andmeasuring results.

Find what works and why—DATA!

Undergraduate science courses.Started in physics, now similar research & results from all sciences and engineering

Give students same tasks, compare responses.

Most revealing measures of learning– looking at decisions scientists make in “simple” relevant situations. What they decide and why.

Measures learning of flexible useful knowledgeVery different from results on most course examsMost course exams– primarily memorized procedures & facts

• I. Different teaching methods produce large differences in learning

• II. Guiding principle for effective teaching methods

• III. How technology can support/enhance instructor use of effective teaching methods

General results

I. Compare learning

More than 1000 published studies. My favorite examples…

Traditional lecture (instructor telling/ students listening)

vs.

“Scientific teaching”(students practicing/instructor coaching)

Example #1. Learning in the classroom Two nearly identical 250 student sections intro physics—same learning objectives, same class time, same test ( given right after 3 lectures).

Experienced highly rated traditional lecturer(good teacher by current university measures)

versus

New Ph.D. in physics, trained in principles and methods of scientific teaching

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 1205

101520253035404550

Test score

nu

mb

er o

f st

ud

ents

experienced highly rated, trad. lecture

new Ph.D. scientific teaching

Distribution of test scoresave 41 ± 1 % 74 ± 1 %

Entire distribution shifted up. Learning x 3R. G.

Science Mag. May 13, ‘11Deslauriers, Schelew, Wieman

9 instructors, 8 terms, 40 students/section.

Same instructors,changed teaching methods changed learning!

Am. J. Physics May ‘11

Apply concepts of force & motion like physicist to make predictions in real-world context?

average, traditional Cal Poly instruction

1st year physics

Ex. #2. Learning gain from entire course

CS1* CS1.5 Theory* Arch* Average*0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

24%

14%

25%

16%

20%

10%11%

6%3%

7%

Standard Instruction Peer Instruction

Fai

l R

ate

Example #3. U. Cal. San Diego, Computer ScienceFailure & drop rates– Beth Simon et al., 2012

same instructors, different teaching methods, 1/3 the failure rate

Scientific Instruction

What is happening in these classes?

21 3 When switch is closed, bulb 2 will a. stay same brightness, b. get brighterc. get dimmer, d. go out.

“Answer individually with clicker, then discuss with students around you.Come up with reasons for right answer and why the others are wrong. Revote with clicker.”

Students are solving tasks

Instructor is circulating, listening in, coaching, then leads follow-up discussion.

II. Research provides fundamental principle—

Effective learning of sci & eng (and likely most everything else) requires practice of the desired thinking processes, with guiding feedback on how to improve.

Learner completing carefully designed tasks, getting timely and targeted feedback. (requires MANY hours intense practice—brain changed)

Tasks incorporating components of expert thinking

• concepts and mental models + selection criteria• recognizing what information is needed to solve, what irrelevant• appropriate approximations and simplifications + criteria for using• does approach/answer/conclusion make sense- ways to test• moving between specialized representations

(graphs, equations, physical motions, etc.)• …

Some components of science & engineering expertise

Knowledge important, but only as integrated part with when and how to use.

CBE—Life Sciences EducationVol. 13, 552–569, Fall 2014

“The Teaching Practices Inventory: A New Tool for Characterizing College and University Teaching in Mathematics and Science”

Carl Wieman* and Sarah Gilbert†~10 min to completeFully characterizes teaching practices in course, extent of use of practices shown to enhance learning (“effective teaching practices” score)

Fill out anonymously, see how you compare (ETP 40+ good, 50+ great)http://www.cwsei.ubc.ca/resources/TeachingPracticesInventory.htm

Widespread adoption of effective research-based methods? measure practices being used

III. Technology valuable if (and only if) used to support this basic principle for learning

1. Move simple information transfer outside of class. (reading, video, … online quizzes on reading)

2. Enhanced communication tools, 1-many• “clickers”Stimulate individual reflection--Prepare to learn/discuss.Tells instructor level of student mastery more targeted and effective feedback

• Online/technology enhanced discussions student-student, student-instructor

(often simpler is best)

Highly Interactive educational simulations-- phet.colorado.edu Free, online, used 100 M/yr, grades 6-16, phys, chem, bio, …Enhanced visualization, interaction (individual feedback), conceptual models/reasoning

laserballoons and sweater

3. Technology enabled novel types of learning activities and feedback

circuit construction kit

circuit construction kit

build circuits, measure, see behavior, electrons move, bulbs light,…

~impossible to measure & teach with traditional media

When person does not know answer:What strategies for figuring out?What questions do they ask?How do they interpret and act uponevidence/data?

“Use any circuit elements andmeasurement tools to figure out the hidden circuit”

Using “CCK blackbox” to study inquiry/discovery skills (S. Salehi, E. Kuo, E. Bumbacher, CW)

See consistent quantifiable differences over large range of expertise– nonsci intro students to Stanford Physics ProfsInquiry strategies distinct from content knowledge.

Next– generalize and find ways to teach

typical “novice”typical “expert”

Summary:

Effective learning/teaching of science and engineering requires explicit active practice of the desired thinking, with guiding feedback.

Many studies from higher ed science & eng. courses demonstrate the superiority of teaching methods based on this principle.

Technology can support & enhance teaching, but only if aligned with this principle.

to learn more: see “research” and “resources” tabs athttp://www.cwsei.ubc.ca/