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- End-of-Year Event 2009
April 29, 2009
Talks
9am—11am
Overview of CWSEI, Carl Wieman
Adventures in Problem-Based Classroom Learning, Kimberly Voll, Computer Science
Poster Session
11am—1:30pm
Faculty and Science Teaching & Learning Fellows have put together about 40 posters on what’s happening in the Earth & Ocean Sciences, Physics & Astronomy, Computer Science, Life Sciences, Chemistry, Statistics, and Mathematics CWSEI programs. These present ways to implement: teaching strategies that engage students with the material, measuring conceptual understanding, TA development, improving students’ ability to apply learning to novel situations, and many other educational improvements.
Earth & Ocean Science
EOS-SEI Long-Term Plan, Metadata and Faculty Survey - Sara Harris
Service course curriculum in Earth & Ocean Sciences - Francis Jones
Exit Survey of 4th Year Students – Survey Goals and Structure - Josh Caulkins
How does student engagement change with instructional technique? - Erin Lane
Student Attitudes in Earth Science Survey - Erin Lane
Climate Science/Oceanography Misconceptions - Erin Lane, Roger Francois, and William Hsieh
Using student feedback surveys in EOSC 114, “Natural Disasters” - Francis Jones & Roland Stull
Do You See What I See Pre/Post Assessment - Erin Lane and Greg Dipple
Development of a New Course: EOSC 355, "The Planets" - Francis Jones & Catherine Johnson
Computer Science
Adventures in Problem-Based Learning (CPSC 221: Data Structures & Algorithms) - Kimberly Voll
PeerWise - students sharing and evaluating their multiple choice questions - Paul Denny
Physics & Astronomy
Physics Lab Diagnostic & Teaching by Building from Student Invention - James Day and Doug Bonn
Electricity and Magnetism Concepts: Learning Gains and Retention - Jim Carolan
Making Physics Relevant in Physics 100 - Georg Rieger and Sandy Martinuk
Life Sciences
Student Satisfaction and Skill Development Study — Harald Yurk & Gülnur Birol
Mathematics
The Basic Skills Test in Mathematics — Costanza Piccolo & Carl Wieman
Statistics
CWSEI Projects in the Department of Statistics — Bruce Dunham, Rebekah Mohr, & Eugenia Yu
Afternoon Workshops & Discussion Session
Using Clickers Effectively1:30 – 3:00pm – Workshop led by Sara Harris, Earth & Ocean Sciences
Curious about clickers? Not sure how to use them most effectively? Clickers can be a useful tool for student learning, but success depends on good implementation. This workshop will give you practical experience to help you (1) articulate why you might choose to use clickers in YOUR class (or not), (2) write thought-provoking clicker questions, and (3) respond to student answers in real time. We will also discuss logistical issues and effective planning.
Invention Activities: Stimulating Students to Transfer Their Learning to Novel Situations
3:00 – 4:30pm – Workshop led by Doug Bonn, Physics & Astronomy, and George Spiegelman, Microbiology & Immunology
Work by researchers at Stanford has suggested a novel model for student exercises that increases the ability of students to transfer their knowledge to new situations. We have adapted the model, in which students are asked to invent mechanisms, or methods of analysis, and tried them out here at UBC. The results are interesting, as are the experiences. We'll explore the background to these activities and demonstrate examples from Physics and Astronomy and from Biology. We will also describe and have the participants work on creating an invention activity.
Improving Learning by Reducing Unnecessary Demands on Working Memory
3:00 – 4:00pm – Discussion led by Carl Wieman
The short term working memory is that portion of the memory that remembers and processes all the new information that is provided in a one hour lecture. This working memory has very limited capacity, and any additional tasks required of it reduces its effectiveness to process material. I will briefly discuss the background research on the working memory and its limits, and some commonly used teaching practices that are known to increase demands upon the working memory. Then there will be an extended discussion as to what techniques can be used in lecture to reduce unnecessary demands on working memory and thereby improve student learning.