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Science 750: Science Teaching for Scientists (An Introduction to Science Education, Pedagogy, and Partnership)

Fall 2008, Mondays, 4-6 pm
Hensill Hall 245

“If research universities marshal their collective will to reform science education, the impact could be far-reaching…Our faculty will be experimentalists in their teaching, bringing the rigor of the research lab to their classrooms and developing as teachers throughout their careers. Classrooms will be redesigned to encourage dialogue among students, and they will be filled with collaborating students and teachers.”

-from “Scientific Teaching” by Jo Handelsman, et. al.

“I have repeatedly argued that the future of science requires that scientists take their teaching just as seriously as they take their science. This will require that we use scientific evidence to test and improve the effectiveness [of our teaching].”

– Bruce Alberts, Professor of Biochemistry, UCSF & Former President National Academy of Sciences

Instructor:Allison Busch, MA

Lecturer, College of Science of Engineering

SEPAL Senior Program Coordinator

, (415) 405-3756

Office Hours: Fridays, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, or by appointment (Hensill Hall 236)

Course Credit: 2 units seminar, to be taken concurrently with SCI 751 (2 units, fieldwork component)

Course Description: This course is designed to support SFSU graduate student scientists teaching in science classrooms and provide an introduction to issues in teaching and learning and the larger context of science education. Weekly seminars will include both instructor-driven and graduate student scientist-driven discussions of science teaching and learning.

Course Goals:

• To introduce scientists to science teaching strategies and build their knowledge of inquiry, assessment, and equity approaches in science classrooms

• To engage graduate student scientists in reflecting on their own teaching and constructing a Statement of Teaching Philosophy

• To support graduate student scientists in developing an iterative and evidence-based approach to science teaching

• To develop scientists who are hybrid professionals with the skills to bridge the communities of university research science and science teaching throughout their careers

To these ends, the course will engage graduate studentscientists in discussions, activities, and reflections that support them in: exploring teaching science as inquiry, examining issues of student diversity and equity in science, facilitating educational discussions among scientific colleagues, developing and analyzing educational assessments, and accessing the educational research literature.

Student Learning Objectives:

  • Students will learn how to promote active student participation
  • Students will learn how to use a variety of assessment techniques to reveal student thinking and help guide teaching
  • Students will learn how to design science lessons to accommodate diverse learning styles
  • Students will learn how to effectively communicate their research to non-scientists
  • Students will learn to identify dilemmas in their own teaching and strategize possible solutions
  • Students will develop professional goals for continually growing as scientist educators

Course Requirements:

• Attend weekly seminar, Mondays 4:00 – 6:00 pm. Absences must be approved by instructors prior to class.

• Prepare for weekly seminar by completing readings, leading and/or facilitating discussions, and writing reflections.

• Submit a weekly Reflective Journal entry by email

• Develop and teach a “Research Lesson” to convey your individual research project to younger students

• Participate in data collection in your classroom evidence collection project

• Come prepared for class with binder and paper for taking notes and recording observations

iLearn

Assignments, class agendas, and class handouts will be posted iLearn (ilearn.sfsu.edu). In addition, questions and comments can be posted on iLearn, which we hope can serve as a forum for a variety of discussions related to the course.

Course Components/Grading Scheme:

Attendance and class participation is essential. All absences must be approved by the instructor in advance.

COURSE COMPONENT / TOTAL POINTS / % OF GRADE
Reflection
Weekly Reflections (14 @ 10 points each) / 140 / 21.5%
Participation
Weekly Attendance and Participation (14 @ 10 points each) / 140 / 21.5%
Teaching Coaching Session (schedule, participate, reflect) / 70 / 11%
Class Projects
Research Lesson / 75 / 11.5%
Classroom Evidence Collection Project / 75 / 11.5%
Statement of Teaching Philosophy / 75 / 11.5%
Final Semester Reflection / 75 / 11.5%
TOTAL / 650 / 100%
Course Topic Sequence and Timeline

(This schedule is approximate and absolutely subject to change…)

September 8
REFLECTION / Who are we? What is good science? What is good science teaching?
  • Mystery Box: Exploring inquiry-based science teaching and learning
  • Reflections on the new intellectual frontiers for scientists in science education

September 15
INQUIRY / What does it mean to be a scientist educator? How do we provide students opportunities to develop habits of mind of scientists?
  • Discussion of reading on Scientific Teaching
  • Station Activity: Learning of Science like the Doing of Science

September 22
GOALS & LESSON PLANNING / How do we decide what to teach? What is most important for students to know?
  • Understanding by Design: Setting goals for student learning and the science education standards
  • The 5-E Model: Approaches to lesson planning

September 29
ASSESSMENT / How do we reveal student thinking about complex ideas?
  • Learning practical assessment strategies for the science classroom
  • Jigsaw Discussion of readings on Assessment
  • Delving into Bloom’s Taxonomy and question design

October 6
LESSON PLANNING & INQUIRY / How can we most effectively communicate our research to non-scientists?
  • Introducing Research Lessons and Discussions
  • Developing a first translation of your research for non-scientists
  • Check In: Debriefing classroom experiences with colleagues

October 13
ASSESSMENT / How can student ideas guide our teaching?
  • Using conceptions and misconceptions in science teaching
  • Learning analysis techniques to understand student assessment data

October 20
LESSON PLANNING & INQUIRY & ASSESSMENT / How can we most effectively communicate our research to non-scientists?
  • Sharing responses to first translations
  • Troubleshooting draft Research Lessons

October 27
EQUITY / How do we promote active student participation during science lessons?
  • Defining and thinking about equity
  • Introduction to collecting participation data in the classroom

November 3
EQUITY / How can we design science lessons to accommodate diverse learning styles?
  • Identifying your own learning style
  • Addressing learning styles in the classroom

November 10
REFLECTION / What are our most pressing teaching dilemmas and strategies for addressing them?
  • Check In: Debriefing classroom experiences with colleagues
  • WILD CARD!

November 17
REFLECTION & EQUITY / What does collecting evidence in our classroom reveal?
  • Presenting classroom evidence – ROUND 1

November 24 / NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
December 1
REFLECTION & EQUITY / What does collecting evidence in our classroom reveal?
  • Presenting classroom evidence – ROUND 2

December 8
GOALS & REFLECTION / What are our new professional goals for continually improving as scientist educators?
  • WILD CARD!
  • Revisiting Statements of Teaching Philosophy

December 15
GOALS & REFLECTION / What have we learned about science teaching? What is most pressing to learn next?
  • Reflecting and looking forward…
  • Course evaluations, wrap-up until next semester

Sci 750: Science Teaching for Scientists

Allison Busch, Instructor

San Francisco State University

Fall 2008