practical perspectives on science education

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Practical Perspectives on Science Education Practical Perspectives on Science Education A useful compilation of articles on science education—based upon 55 years of teaching experience—that offers numerous proven teaching tips that will be valuable to science educators by Marvin Druger Managing Editor Susan Ernst American Society of Agronomy, Inc 677 S Segoe Road, Madison, WI 53711 www.agronomy.org 2010 Copyright © 2010 by the American Society of Agronomy, Inc ALL RIGHTS RESERVED UNDER THE U.S COPYRIGHT LAW OF 1976 (P.L 94-553) Any and all uses beyond the “fair use” provision of the law require written permission from the publisher and/or author(s); not applicable to contributions prepared by officers or employees of the U.S Government as a part of their official business ISBN: 978-0-89118-174-3 American Society of Agronomy, Inc 677 S Segoe Road, Madison, Wisconsin 53711 USA Printed in the United States of America Contents Section 1: Perspectives In General A Realistic Perspective on Science Education Our Mission in Education 13 It All Depends: A Perspective on Science Teaching at All Levels 17 The Status of College Science Teaching 21 Reform in Undergraduate Science Education 27 Are Standards the Answer? 31 Teaching Versus Research—An Ongoing Issue at the College Level 35 The Concept of Creative Scholarship 39 Teacher Education and Leadership: Keys to the Future of Science Education 43 Take Me to Your Leader: A Perspective on University Administrators 45 A Study of the Role of Research Scientists in K–12 Science Education 49 Grant-Free Projects in Science Education 59 The Concept of FYST: An Association for First-Year Teachers 63 A Summer Biology Program for High-Ability Students 67 What’s Next in Science Education? 75 Section 2: Perspectives In The Classroom Some Thoughts on College Teaching 83 Inner Guidelines for Undergraduate Teaching 87 Education for Life: A Perspective on Teaching Introductory College Science 91 Development of Specialists for Teaching Introductory College Science Courses 95 Humanizing the Introductory College Biology Course 99 Creating a Motivational Learning Environment in Large, Introductory Science Courses 107 Being There: A Perspective on Class Attendance 113 A Perspective on Exams and Grading: Some Tricks of the Trade 117 Decorum in the Large Lecture Class 121 Improving Our Teaching: Practice Makes Perfect 125 20 Practical Tips for College Science Teachers: How to Get Off to a Good Start 129 Lessons from Teaching Failures 135 Preface & Acknowledgments Promoting learning and a desire to learn are challenges for all teachers The process is unimaginably complex, especially in science and mathematics I have taught science for 55 years, mainly introductory biology at Syracuse University One day, I was thinking about the goals of education Suddenly, the overall mission of teaching came to me I was so excited that I wrote an essay in less than an hour, and it is published in this book That broad mission is to provide meaningful, motivational experiences that enrich the lives of students and help them identify their unique traits and where they fit in life Each part of this mission can be elaborated upon, but this statement provides the broad essence of what an education should be all about This book contains essays about different aspects of college science teaching They represent my personal reflections, based upon my experience in teaching more than 40,000 students in my career Most of the articles were published in the Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education under the heading of “Druger’s Notebook on Science Education.” Hopefully, the articles will stimulate your thinking about science education, and will help contribute to the accomplishment of the overall mission This book would not have been possible without the encouragement, support, and expertise of Susan Ernst, Managing Editor of the Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education Her talents, dedication, friendship, and perseverance made it happen I also want to thank my wife, Pat, for her love, support, and technical assistance My three children and my seven grandchildren provided a family environment that enabled me to be reflective about science teaching and about life Also, I want to thank the many thousands of students and many faculty colleagues who I have had the privilege to interact with over the years They provided the teaching perspectives that serve as the basis for the articles in this book vi About the Author… Photo credit: Steve Sartori, Syracuse University Marvin Druger officially retired on August 15, 2009 He is now professor emeritus of biology science education and his contact information at Syracuse University remains the same (mdruger@ syr.edu) and Marvin has a Ph.D in zoology (genetics) from Columbia University and has taught biology to more than 40,000 students over a span of 55 years He has served as president of three national science education organizations: The Society for College Science Teachers (twice), the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science (now the Association for Science Teacher Education), and the National Science Teachers Association He also served as secretary and chair of the Education Section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Marvin contributed a number of articles about science education to the Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education and other publications, most of which are reprinted in this book These articles are based upon his many years of teaching experience and provide many practical teaching tips and insights about science teaching that will be useful to science educators Besides following his wife around all day, he has two other books in progress One book is The Misadventures of Marvin, which will be published in the spring 2010 by Syracuse University Press This book describes many of the “stupid” things that Marvin has done in his lifetime that readers can relate to and laugh at (His wife said, “It’s a very fat book.”) A second forthcoming book is a sequel to his poetry book for children of all ages, Strange Creatures and Other Poems The new book, entitled Even Stranger Creatures and Other Poems, will consist of a collection of new poems about life that children and adults can enjoy The poetry books are available directly from Marvin (mdruger@syr edu) or the Syracuse University Bookstore (bookstor@syr.edu) Marvin expects to stay active in science education and is currently directing a Saturday science enrichment program for high school students; supervising the Project Advance Biology Program, whereby his college biology course is taught in the high schools by high school teachers for college credit; and teaching an orientation class for first-year college students Marvin has contributed to science education in countless ways during his long career, and he continues to so vii Other Books of Interest Books by Marvin Druger Strange Creatures & Other Poems This book reflects on our everyday experiences and our environments Each poem carries a thoughtful message about life and the world around us Softcover, 109 pages To order: mdruger@syr.edu; bookstor@syr.edu Coming soon: Even Stranger Creatures & Other Poems This book will consist of a collection of new poems about life that children and adults can enjoy To order: mdruger@syr.edu; bookstor@syr.edu The Misadventures of Marvin This book will be published in the spring of 2010 by Syracuse University Press The book describes memorable and humorous episodes in Marvin’s career and life Books published by ASA–CSSA–SSSA Case Studies A compilation (48 reprints) of the case studies published in the Journal of Natural Resources & Life Sciences Education (www.jnrlse.org), 1992-2005, a publication of ASA Softcover, 336 pages Item Number: BPNLE To order: books@agronomy.org; www.societystore.org Genetics: A Laboratory Manual, 2nd edition Students will learn the experimental aspects of genetics through 15 three-hour laboratory exercises with bacterial, plant, and animal organisms 2009 Moisture-resistant soft cover with spiral binding, 112 pages ASA and CSSA ISBN: 978-0-89118-561-1 Item Number: B21723 To order: books@agronomy.org; www.societystore.org Soil Science: Step-by-Step Field Analysis Readers will learn both new procedures and tips for improved performance in the field, without a lot of background theory and with a focus on usefulness for real-life applications Water-resistant softcover with coil binding, 255 pages, 2008; SSSA ISBN: 978-089118-849-0 Item Number: B60915 To order: books@agronomy.org; www.societystore.org Soil! Get the Inside Scoop Written for children ages 9–12, this full-color book explores how soil is part of our life—the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the houses we live in, and more Along the way, readers learn about different kinds of soil and meet the scientists who work with soil every day Softcover, 32 pages, 2008; SSSA ISBN: 978-089118-848-3 Item Number: B60913 To order: books@agronomy.org; www.societystore.org viii A Realistic Perspective on Science Education A fter 55 years of teaching science, I have reached the conclusion that we can a much better job in science education at all levels We are constantly reforming science education, but we never seem to be able to get it “right.” Maybe that’s because there is no “right” way to things in science education Much of what we is based upon common sense, for which sophisticated names have been invented such as “constructivism,” authentic assessment,” “self-efficacy,” “inquiry teaching,” “active learning,” “pedagogical content knowledge,” “cooperative learning,” and so forth We have new words to describe common-sense concepts Generalizations are rare, since what happens in one classroom setting is different from what happens in another classroom setting The concept of “wait time” seems to have universal applications (Rowe, 1986) If a teacher waits at least three seconds for a student response after asking a question, rather than answering the question immediately, there are positive outcomes for the student and the teacher For example, more students volunteer responses and answers tend to be more accurate Also, the teachers tend to ask fewer questions and increase the quality of their questions However, many education research findings are not generalizable, or they are simply obvious This is true for many “innovations” in science teaching Having students build their own knowledge from what they already know, that is, constructivism, seems obvious Indeed, any good teacher would use this concept intuitively I don’t want to belittle the value of educational research We need to know more about what’s going on However, education researchers sometimes get caught up in insignificant debates, for example, whether a study is qualitative or quantitative, or whether a research instrument is a survey or a questionnaire These debates sometimes cause the researcher to lose sight of the goal of the research, namely to find out something important Also, if research does produce some new ideas, they often get lost in the application Finding generalizations through educational research is extremely difficult, considering the complexity of the human mind and of human behavior Every teacher, every student, Reprinted from J Nat Resour Life Sci Educ 38:209–214 (2009) Practical Perspectives on Science Education Copyright © 2010 by the American Society of Agronomy, 677 S Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA Practical Perspectives on Science Education every classroom setting, every lesson, is different and unique So, setting standards about what constitutes good teaching and learning outcomes is dependent upon all sorts of uncontrollable variables Outcomes may depend upon class size, the topic, the mood of the teacher, the individual student, the strategy, the physical setting, the time frame, and even the weather It all depends (Druger, 2002) I am always puzzled when a student cannot seem to understand a basic science concept that seems so simple to other students I think one of the most promising and exciting areas of research involves studies that link the science of the brain and learning Such research can provide powerful tools for the teacher in the classroom (National Research Council, 2000) Bandwagons and Experiences At the present time, we are caught in a trap of our own making We have created bandwagons about teaching and learning that teachers are compelled to jump on If we give a long lecture, instead of doing an inquiry lesson, we are accused of doing it the wrong way If we not teach according to the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996), then we are accused of doing it incorrectly If students don’t pass standardized tests, we are supposedly not teaching them anything But we learn from everything that we do, and everything that we becomes part of what we are So, students learn from every experience, even if they don’t master testable information Attitudes, appreciation of the subject, motivation to learn, and other affective outcomes may be far more important for a student’s real life than memorizing subject matter to pass a test Motivating students is extremely important If we teach students to want to learn, and provide them with the skills and resources, learning will follow As one colleague stated: “Our job as teachers is to inform and motivate students, but, if we motivate them, they inform themselves.” Also, each student learns differently My 10-year-old grandson who has Aspberger’s Syndrome (a mild form of autism) fails school tests; yet he has memorized and can discuss every poem in my poetry book Strange Creatures and Other Poems (Druger, 2004), and he was escorting the family around the zoo by reading a complicated map Different learners require different approaches Yet, our modern society tends to ignore these subtle aspects and outcomes of teaching and learning We forget that we forget information, but we remember experiences Experiences make us who we are After many years of teaching about photosynthesis, I still had to check my notes each year to recall the details Yet, I vividly recall almost raising the American flag on the wrong flagpole in the Coast Guard Reserve while the troops and the base commander looked on So, the broader mission of teachers becomes clear Beyond teaching concepts and facts and skills, we want to provide meaningful, motivational learning experiences that enrich the lives of students and help them identify their unique talents and where they fit in life When I was president of the National Science Teachers Association, I met with the administrator in charge of the development of the National Science Education Standards He boasted to me that many organizations were involved in development of the standards Practical Perspectives on Science Education She responded, “I’m taking notes!” And, indeed, she was taking notes I apologized profusely and told her that she was an excellent student It seems that an effective way to handle student misbehavior in a lecture class is to simply be very direct with the students Once students think about their behaviors and realize that it is inappropriate, they will likely cooperate It is a matter of reaching into the adult component of the student’s mind I recall when some students in the front of the auditorium were talking to each other and being disruptive I asked them, “When you go to a movie, and someone is talking behind you, what you do? You say, ‘Shhhh Please be quiet.’ If someone behind you in lecture is chatting inappropriately, what you do? Nothing You are paying more than $8 for the movie and more than $85 for the lecture.” Students were cooperative from then on They simply had never thought about it that way before One day, during lecture, two students got up and arrogantly swaggered toward the exit I jumped off the auditorium stage and ran up the aisle after them I caught them outside the door I scolded both of them; one student returned and the other left When I went back into the auditorium, there was complete silence I had inadvertently left on the portable microphone on my collar From then on, students followed my stated guidelines Thereafter, I would deliberately this chase at least once during the semester to set an example So, directly appealing to students and explaining the reasoning for your class policies can resolve the problem Try it and see References Duncan, D 2005 Clickers in the classroom: How to enhance science teaching using classroom response systems Pearson Addison-Wesley, New York Kaleta, R., and T Joostein 2007 Student response systems: A University of Wisconsin system study of clickers EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research Bull 10 Meltzer, D.E., and K Manivannan 2002 Transforming the lecture hall environment: The fully interactive physics lecture Am J Phys 70:639–654 124 Practical Perspectives on Science Education Improving Our Teaching: Practice Makes Perfect W e have all had poor teaching days For whatever reason, the lesson does not work to our satisfaction It may be the subject, the mood of the class, the time of the day, distractions in our own lives, or even the weather It is days like these that lead to thoughts about how to improve our teaching Having experienced such a day last week, I want to share my perspective on how to make improvements First, we must want to improve our teaching There may be external reasons (e.g., promotion and tenure criteria or salary raises based on teaching evaluations) and/or there may be internal reasons (e.g., personal satisfaction, motivation to help students learn, personal values) Regardless of our rationale, if we don’t have a sincere interest in improving our teaching and set improvement as a goal, it is not likely to happen The next step is self-awareness We need to recognize our teaching strengths and weaknesses Obviously, student feedback is an important component, but many instructors depend solely on summative evaluation Students are surveyed at the end of a course when it is too late to make improvements that semester Evaluations must be formative as well as summative In my general biology course, teaching assistants (TAs) are required to ask for student feedback after several weeks in the course They obtain feedback on their own teaching as well as my lectures The feedback is confidential, and TAs only give me the feedback on my teaching Then I ask the TAs to reflect on what students say about their teaching and make a decision about what changes are needed Peer videotaping is an effective mechanism for self-awareness In the general biology course, TAs are asked to videotape the lesson of another TA once each semester Reprinted with permission from NSTA Publications, Vol XXX, No 7, 2001, from Journal of College Science Teaching, National Science Teachers Association, 1840 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201-3000 Reprinted from J Nat Resour Life Sci Educ 31:62 (2002) Practical Perspectives on Science Education Copyright © 2010 by the American Society of Agronomy, 677 S Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA Practical Perspectives on Science Education 125 and discuss the videotape in an attempt to identify weaknesses and strengths Although this approach can provide significant benefits, it is not a common practice among regular faculty members I believe there is no best way to teach Our goal in working with TAs is to make them aware of their own teaching style and have them consider their own weaknesses and strengths When viewing a videotape of our own teaching, it is useful to ask, “If I were a student in this class, what would I think about this teacher?” Then each of us has to decide what changes have to be made It is often very difficult to change behavior Self-awareness, however, can sometimes result in immediate changes in teaching behavior A TA once had the habit of constantly talking to the chalkboard instead of establishing eye contact with students in the class This TA had a large bald spot on the back of his head When he observed the videotape, he saw the bald spot, hated it, and from then on faced the class Self-awareness and a desire to change produced quick results Once we recognize our strengths and weaknesses and want to make improvements, how can we it? An effective way is to consider what I call the “practice cycle.” In many ways, improving teaching skills is like improving skills for a sport If we want to improve, we must practice, practice, and practice some more The practice cycle starts with setting a goal…then practice…then feedback…then reflection…then adjustment… then practice…feedback… reflection…adjustment…practice, and so on SET GOAL PRACTICE FEEDBACK REFLECTION ADJUSTMENT A new teacher may lack confidence and teaching skills The practice cycle can lead to self-confidence and better teaching skills Moreover, the new teacher will develop a repertoire of effective lessons In turn, such lessons enhance confidence A well-known biologist and personal friend once gave a major presentation at Syracuse University I noticed that he had a large yellow pad with three phrases written on it I said, “This is a major presentation Is that all that you prepared?” His response was, “I’ve been preparing for 30 years.” He had accumulated a repertoire and practiced it He did not have to prepare a lecture from scratch All he had to was to select from his vast collection the points that he wanted to convey to the audience Perhaps the most effective way to improve our teaching is to spend more time preparing for our classes We all have busy lives that include responsibilities other than teaching It is too easy to find last year’s notes and rush into the classroom unprepared 126 Practical Perspectives on Science Education I believe that teaching would improve substantially if we would spend an extra hour or two thinking about each lesson A bad teaching day can easily be overcome by thorough preparation for the next class session Then having a good class session makes us feel good and makes us realize the importance of adequate preparation Whenever the thought arises that the research project or the article or report that is due needs to take precedence over teaching students, I try to remember an important guideline, namely: Teaching students is my business Somehow, the article or report can wait Attending to helping students learn, grow, and mature comes first Practical Perspectives on Science Education 127 20 Practical Teaching Tips for College Science Teachers: How to Get Off to a Good Start Y our first few class sessions are especially important This is when you set the stage for the rest of the semester Many students feel insecure in the first class session • What is this class all about? • What sort of person is this teacher? • What does the teacher expect of me? • Is this teacher “hard” or “easy”? • Is this teacher sympathetic to my needs and interests? • Does this teacher realize that I want to learn a lot, but that I’m no genius? • Is this class going to be boring? • How well will I relate to this teacher? • Will there be many assignments? • How will I be evaluated? • What sort of exams will this teacher give? • How well does the teacher know the subject matter? • Can the teacher explain the material well and answer questions? • Can I get extra help from the teacher, if needed? These are some of the questions that may go through the minds of students during the first class session You have to be prepared to provide answers to some of these initial questions and establish a good learning atmosphere If you start off well, students will tolerate and excuse those few sessions that may not work out well later in the semester What can you to make sure that your first few class sessions convey a positive impression to your students? Here are some tips: Reprinted from J Nat Resour Life Sci Educ 38:195–197 (2009) Practical Perspectives on Science Education Copyright © 2010 by the American Society of Agronomy, 677 S Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA Practical Perspectives on Science Education 129 Expect to be worried and nervous A bit of tension can help you to put more effort into your teaching and a more effective job Remember that your students probably feel more insecure and uncomfortable than you The first class session is often a silent, tense occasion Students are anxiously awaiting your initiative to find out the answers to some of the questions mentioned above You have the advantage of being in command of the situation You can set the direction and take the initiative in establishing a good learning atmosphere and expectations Prepare thoroughly Be sure that you thoroughly know the subject matter you will be dealing with during the first few classes You should write an outline specifying objectives, key concepts, and questions to ask students Plan the strategy you will use for teaching that first class session Students sense insecurity and lack of preparation They will be testing you during the first few class sessions to establish whether or not you know the material If they gain confidence in your subject matter competency, you have taken a major step forward in establishing a positive learning atmosphere Tell students who you are Tell students something about your background and special interests A complete autobiography is not necessary, but you want students to know that you are a real person, not just a talking statue Tell the students as much as you can about the course objectives and how you will conduct the class Tell them about assignments, exams, grading, class procedures, and your expectations of them Be sure to allow for flexibility Let students know that you are receptive to suggestions and criticisms, and that you are willing to change course procedures when such changes seem reasonable The essence of your approach should be to make your students aware that your procedures are intended to facilitate student learning Inform students about any special rules or policies For example, inform them as to what your policy is concerning class attendance, or handing in assignments on time, or making up missed exams Informing students about such rules or policies early in the semester will usually bring about the desired behavior When you establish a policy or special procedure, explain the rationale to your students Explain how the policy or procedure will help facilitate their learning Students are usually more reasonable and adult-like in their thinking than you might imagine If you don’t have a good rationale for what you do, then don’t it Explain exams, grading, and other evaluation procedures very clearly, in writing, if possible Grades are obviously of great interest to students Inform them of exactly how their final grade will be decided Then keep students informed at all times during the semester about their progress and grade status Design your exams and assignments to be consistent with your objectives Students will study in relation to how you test them If you tell students that your tests will involve problem-solving and thinking, they will study accordingly However, if you actually test for recall and memory, they will study by memorizing material, and you can forget about trying to teach problem-solving skills Be business-like and adult-like in your manner Demonstrate to your students that you expect to work in class Deal with students as adults, and they will react in the same manner 130 Practical Perspectives on Science Education 10 Give out some sort of assignment for the next class session Get the students involved in the course subject matter right away This assignment is an indication that you mean business and that you want the students to learn as much as possible Grade the first assignment with special care and thoroughness This is when you will convince students that you expect a good job on assignments and that you will spend time reading those that they will submit to you in the future This is also a good time to establish the policy that you expect assignments to be handed in on time, and that you will read and return them promptly 11 Under no circumstances should you dismiss the class early Students are entitled to a full class session, and that is what they should get, plus more, not less Prepare extra material for each class session, just in case you have a few minutes left at the end Students will quickly come to expect a full session each time in your class 12 Plan a motivating beginning, a middle core, and an ending for each class Try to relate the subject matter to the students’ experiences and backgrounds Why would they want to know about this topic? What does it mean to them? Then, the core material can be dealt with by means of lecture, discussion, demonstration, question–answer, and so forth Finally, a summary of main points is useful and ties the entire session into an integrated whole What are the few essential “nuggets” that you want students to take with them from that class session? These “nuggets” should transcend the details of the class, and serve as organizers to help students recall details 13 Learn the names of your students as soon as possible One helpful procedure is to have students fill out index cards indicating their backgrounds, interests, career goals, and other information that may be helpful to you in getting to know them Refer to students by name, and you’ll be surprised at the good rapport that results 14 Be available to students after class This procedure will establish good rapport and will help student learning Scheduling conference hours for which students sign up is an effective procedure When a student signs up for a conference, he/she feels a responsibility to appear The usual approach: “Drop in any time” or “See me sometime during office hours” rarely brings students to your office who need assistance or who would like to chat with you You may want to have “open office hours.” You can provide students with all your contact information, and encourage them to contact you any time they have a question or problem I have found that students not abuse this approach, and they seem to appreciate your efforts in this regard 15 Don’t spend the entire class session lecturing each time Sometimes lecturing is appropriate and effective However, this approach should be used sparingly Otherwise, students fall into the pattern of being completely passive in class They will sit in class like “lumps” and simply write down what you say without thinking about it Then, just before exams, there will be a frantic search to find out, “What did the instructor mean by this sentence?” Understanding involves brain reactions from students Brain reactions can be stimulated by oral participation in class So, even when you lecture, you should stop frequently and ask questions Then, be patient Wait a few seconds for students to respond Don’t jump in too quickly to answer the question yourself If you continually answer your own questions, the students will settle back and let you all the thinking and talking Try to draw answers from a variety of students Try to Practical Perspectives on Science Education 131 maximize discussion and interaction in class Jot down some key discussion questions in advance, so that you can use them as needed If you get students involved in questions and discussion during your first few class sessions, they will come to expect—and enjoy—this pattern of involvement Later on, you can use lectures occasionally without losing the active involvement and interest of students Remember, students are not vessels to be filled with information It is our task to stimulate their brains to work effectively in learning 16 Don’t feel that you have to know all the answers If you over-prepare your lessons, and try to have an excellent grasp of the subject matter, you will be able to answer most questions asked However, students need to know that you are also human, and that you don’t have all the answers Sometimes, you may simply forget an answer; other times, you may simply not know an answer The worst thing you can is to try to fake your way through It soon becomes painfully obvious that you don’t know what you are talking about, and the students’ faith in you declines rapidly There are many educationally beneficial ways to deal with the situation that develops when you don’t know the answer to a student’s question A good way to handle the situation is to admit that, “I don’t know.” Alternatively, you might suggest a reference, or ask a student to look up the answer, or volunteer to look up the answer yourself, or refer the question back to other members of the class Saying “I don’t know” is perfectly appropriate and realistic, as long as this response is not so frequently used as to convince students that you really don’t have a good command of the subject matter Extra preparation will help avoid this situation 17 Be encouraging to students Sometimes it takes courage for a student to offer a comment in class If you sneer at an answer, or make some sarcastic remark, you may never hear that student utter another word in class Students, especially first-year students, are very sensitive to your words, actions, and your responses to their behavior Your sarcastic remark may be perceived as a personal affront So think twice when responding to a student, and be sensitive to the student’s feelings A positive response to a student will result in a positive counter-response Praise good work Think and act positively rather than negatively An occasional “Nice work,” “Great idea,” or “Good question” can work wonders, and can bring out the best in students A comment like, “That’s a dumb question,” or “Don’t ask stupid questions” can inhibit a student’s involvement in the class, and probably inhibit learning It is especially important to be encouraging during the first few classes when students are trying to “figure you out” and establish a relationship with you This is the time when you want to make them feel comfortable in asking questions and being actively involved in class proceedings Frequently, a student will have a question in mind, but will not ask it for fear of appearing stupid Then, someone else may ask that very question The student’s “stupid” question is probably in the minds of many of the other students in the class The question may very well reflect a misunderstanding, or a step that you skipped, or an inadequate explanation Oftentimes, a “stupid” question may be a good indicator of how effectively you are teaching So you should handle “stupid” questions in a mature manner so as not to discourage students from actively participating in class If you don’t feel that the question should be handled at the time 132 Practical Perspectives on Science Education it is asked, tell the student to see you later on Do your best to make students feel comfortable in asking questions and making comments in class 18 Laugh often Teaching should not be a grim encounter between you and your students Try to relax and enjoy the humanness of the interactions between you and your students Laughing at your own mistakes emphasizes your human qualities, and students respond positively A bit of humor does not destroy the seriousness of your lesson; it enhances it 19 Don’t expect every day of teaching to be full of sunshine and happiness All you can is your very best Sometimes your best is a disaster Reasons for the disaster are not always clear You may have been in a depressed mood; the students may have been preparing for an important exam in another course; the weather may be hot and humid All these factors and intangible ones may contribute to a disappointing class session Everyone has these bad days When these days happen, try to put them behind you and look to the future The sun will appear again 20 Teach for the future Upon completion of your course, the student should have a positive attitude about the course and the subject matter, a feeling of accomplishment, an awareness of the scope of the subject matter, knowledge about how to learn more about the subject if the need arises in the future, and a sense of having had a memorable set of experiences that contributed to the student’s growth and personal development You can add many more objectives to this list, but the ultimate effects of your course and your teaching will be manifested many years after its completion, and many years after the details of course content have been forgotten Our broad mission in teaching is to provide meaningful, motivational experiences that enrich the lives of students and help them identify their unique traits and where they fit in life You should teach with these long-term future effects in mind Practical Perspectives on Science Education 133 Lessons from Teaching Failures R eflection has become a major theme in science education Teachers are prepared to be reflective practitioners who think about their teaching practices in an effort to make improvements One thing teachers must reflect on is how to cope with teaching failures No matter how well we prepare, and no matter how carefully we choose our teaching strategies, we should expect failures in our teaching We should also expect successes What, me fail at teaching? Never! I prepare thoroughly, rehearse each class session in my mind, and am eager to convey my knowledge and enthusiasm about biology to my students How can I fail to a good job of teaching? How can I fail to get universal acclaim in student evaluations? First, I have discovered that in a large class consisting of hundreds of students, it is virtually impossible to please everyone Although the majority of students in my introductory biology course of about 670 students rate the overall quality of the course from good to excellent, about 4% rate the course as poor Open-ended evaluations are very positive, but there are always some negative comments These negative comments tend to stick in my mind My way of coping with the psychological trauma caused by the negative comments is to convince myself that every student is different and, in a large course, I should expect a variety of responses that range from poor to excellent I should think about the validity of the negative comments and use them as a basis for possible improvements Some negative student comments may reflect a student’s misconception of the stated goals of the course For example, much of my lecture content is provided to students via CDs in lab, recitations taught by graduate teaching assistants, and readings Since I have already explained the content as well as I can on the CDs, I resist teaching it in regular lectures Instead, my lectures are intended to highlight and reinforce topics, provide updates, motivate students, and extend content beyond the core taught via the CDs Then, some students complain about my “tangents” and not appreciate or want extensions beyond the core content The way I have handled this situation is to explain to the students that my “tangents” are really “enrichments,” and my story telling is intended to enrich their experiences in the course This seems to have a positive effect Reprinted from J Nat Resour Life Sci Educ 33:141–142 (2004) Practical Perspectives on Science Education Copyright © 2010 by the American Society of Agronomy, 677 S Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA Practical Perspectives on Science Education 135 Teaching methods need to be explained to students and a rationale should be provided for course policies and procedures Students may not agree with our teaching techniques, but they should know our rationale for doing what we If we not have a good rationale, then maybe we should be teaching in another way Lessons Learned I have given thousands of lectures in different settings in the span of my 50 years of teaching The lectures I remember most vividly are the ones that “bombed.” As president of NSTA, I gave a keynote lecture to the Mexican equivalent of NSTA I talked about theoretical aspects of teaching At the end of the talk, someone raised his hand and said, “But what kind of teaching programs you have in the United States that we can establish in Mexico?” I suddenly realized that I had chosen a topic that was not of great interest to the audience I neglected to ask myself the critical question, “If I were someone in that audience, what would I want to know about and why?” and teach accordingly Lesson learned…for the future On another occasion in Mexico, a Mexican colleague simultaneously translated my lecture into Spanish After the lecture, I thanked the translator for doing such a great job of translation I commented, “They even laughed at my jokes.” The translator responded: “No, I’m sorry to say they did not laugh at your jokes When you told a joke, I said to the audience: “The speaker has just told a joke Please laugh!” (I hope he was joking.) That same translator told me he had once translated for another speaker who told an inappropriate joke So, the translator told his own joke instead, and the audience laughed (I assume he was again joking.) Incidentally, these two digressions were not “tangents.” They were “enrichments.” Another memorable lecture was one that I gave in Cincinnati I reported the results of a national survey on the status of college science teaching A large audience and the press were present I was president of the Society for College Science Teachers at the time, and this was supposed to be a significant event I “bombed.” This time I confused my data, was disorganized, and did not provide a coherent picture of the results of my study The lesson I learned was to prepare thoroughly, identify the “nuggets” that you want to present, and not try to present everything For each lecture, focus on the few, important elements that the audience will think about in a new way The outcome of a good lecture should be the student saying, “I never thought about the topic that way before.” Recent Syracuse University commencement speakers demonstrated the importance of focusing on “nuggets.” Bill Clinton, former U.S president, was the commencement speaker in 2003 He gave a wonderful speech, and covered a lot of topics in about 20 minutes I recall enjoying the speech, but I cannot recall anything that he talked about On the other hand, Phylicia Rashad, the entertainer, was the commencement speaker in 2004 She spoke slowly and articulately for about minutes She had one message that she repeated several times: “The world should be run with a mother’s heart.” Although I forgot what Bill Clinton said, I’ll probably never forget Phylicia Rashad’s message This was a lesson in teaching that verified the importance of selecting a few important “nuggets,” instead of trying to cover many topics in a presentation 136 Practical Perspectives on Science Education I gave a third memorable lecture as newly elected secretary of the Education section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) I spoke to the section members at the AAAS meeting in Seattle I had just completed an 8-hour plane journey from Syracuse, NY, to Seattle, WA My fatigue was amplified by lack of audiovisual equipment that I anticipated being on hand I “bombed” again We can survive teaching failures, learn from them, and move on I rambled for several minutes while waiting for the meeting attendant to bring the audiovisual equipment (it never arrived) Then I proceeded to read tables and results without displaying them, and I jumped from one topic to another in a disorganized fashion My voice was clear and strong, but coherence was lacking As I proceeded, the “pocket” in my mind was thinking, “What am I talking about?” The ensuing discussion saved the day, since the audience participation redeemed an otherwise questionable presentation That night, I could not sleep well I felt depressed and disappointed about my inaugural address as the incoming secretary of the Education section I vowed that this would never happen again From then on, I would anticipate personal factors (such as fatigue) and equipment failures, and I would prepare appropriate alternative strategies in advance An important outcome from teaching failures is to realize that every lesson will not be a success, to expect failures, and to learn from each negative experience and make appropriate adjustments in the future Another outcome is to realize that we often exaggerate in our own minds the effects of our presentation I recall making an error in teaching my class about the metric system I inadvertently mixed up micrometers and nanometers I fretted about this error for a week, thinking I had seriously damaged my students’ respect for my knowledge I corrected the error in the next lecture Most students never even noticed the mistake, and those who did notice it did not think it was a big deal Reflect on Our Teaching So, we should be reflective and critical of our own teaching, but we should not be devastated by an occasional failure Oftentimes the failures were not as bad as we thought We can survive such failures, learn from them, and move on Fortunately, the few notable failures that I have mentioned are dwarfed by the many successful presentations I have experienced enthusiastic applause and congratulatory comments for many presentations But perhaps the greatest satisfaction is to observe the faces of the audience and to see that they are absorbed in the lecture and are thinking about the topic I recall observing a physics demonstration presented by an excellent teacher The face of a student in the front row was literally glowing with interest and excitement “This is wonderful!” seemed to be what he was thinking Such facial expressions are a teacher’s delight We thrive on seeing such glowing expressions of interest Practical Perspectives on Science Education 137 I once gave a lecture when I had a bad case of the flu I demand regular attendance by my students, so I felt obliged to give the lecture, despite my illness I could barely speak, but I used a microphone to have my whispered words project to the audience The attentiveness was amazing Students were at the edge of their chairs, straining to hear what I was saying “Is he going to collapse and die?” must have been in their minds I sensed this absorption of students, and I enhanced it by stopping abruptly in the middle of sentences, mopping my pale, sweaty face with a handkerchief, and occasionally taking a sip of water Despite the real reasons for attentiveness, I remember this occasion as a model for the inspirational results of a good lecture These examples of memorable lectures, both good and bad, can result in improvements if we remember them and make appropriate changes in our teaching When we have a negative teaching experience, a comforting thought is that it happens to everyone sometime or other It is also useful to tell ourselves, “This, too, shall pass,” and think to the future 138 Practical Perspectives on Science Education ... school Longmans, Green & Co., London, UK National Research Council 1996 National science education standards National Academy Press, Washington, DC Practical Perspectives on Science Education 19... rewarded Practical Perspectives on Science Education 41 Teacher Education and Leadership: Keys to the Future of Science Education R eforms have come and gone in science education We are now, once... York National Research Council 1996 National science education standards National Academy Press, Washington, DC Practical Perspectives on Science Education 33 Teaching Versus Research: An Ongoing