Readings to Improve Teaching
In order to improve my teaching, I have drawn on many different resources, including books, journals, and the Internet. Several key resources are listed below.
1.) American Society of Microbiology: This professional organization not only keeps me in touch with my profession (I began my career as a Medical Technologist), but it provides a wealth of teaching ideas and suggestions. These resources include potential case studies found on their website and in the monthly journal Microbe. Additionally, the online journals Focus on Microbiology Education and Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education have provided many practical examples, ideas, and suggestions to enhance my teaching, specifically of the Microbiology course (BIOL 150). My classroom use of the Think-Pair-Share assessment technique, and the use of case studies, has been heavily influenced by these journals.
2.) Journal of College Science Teachers: This journal, published by the National Science Teachers Association, has also provided a wealth of teaching ideas and suggestions. This resource is helpful in a broader sense than the Focus on Microbiology Education, but I have found that I can adapt ideas from both journals.
3.) Books
In the spring of 2007, I felt that my students in BIOL 405, Cell and Molecular Biology, were not engaged in the material, resulting in lack of enthusiasm and an inability to achieve the desired learning goals. This frustration has resulted in the addition of the following books to my 2007 summer reading list.
"Teaching and Learning Through Inquiry: A Guidebook for Institutions and Instructors." Edited by Virginia S. Lee. 2004. Stylus Publishing, LLC, Sterling, VA. (ISBN: 978-1-57922-081-5)
This quote was found in the front of the book “The action of thought is excited by the irritation of doubt, and ceases when belief is attained.” (Charles Saunders Pierce, “How to Make our Ideas Clear”, 1978.)
This book describes the continuing process of inquiry-guided learning at North Carolina State University, and contains specific examples of techniques that have worked at NCSU. My reflection on this book is on-going: my initial impressions are that inquiry-guided, active learning holds great potential, but that it will take time to implement these ideas in my classroom.
My first goal is to reformat the Immunology class to include inquiry-guided, active learning activities. I will begin with this class, since it is my area of expertise, and therefore is the easiest in which to make new (uncertain) changes. I will also implement select active learning strategies in my other classes throughout the semester.
"The Power of Problem-Based Learning: A Practical "how to" for Teaching Undergraduate Courses in any Discipline." 2001. Duch BJ, Groh SE, and Allen DE, editors. Stylus Publishing, Sterling, VA.
This book describes the active learning initiative at the University of Delaware. It includes a number of practical examples, as well as practical, specific advice on how to implement problem-based (inquiry-guided, active) learning in a course. The specific examples given in this book are very helpful, especially as I deal with questions of how to write case-studies, how to assess critical thinking skills, and how to cover the same amount of course content.
"The Art of Changing the Brain: Enriching the Practice of Teaching by Exploring the Biology of Learning." 2002. Zull, James E. Stylus Publishing, Sterling, VA.
This book was recommended to me during Faculty Development Colloquium in August 2007. The book describes the learning cycle in which information is first sensed, integrated, and then acted on. In this cycle, the learner first experiences information in a sensory manner (i.e. by hearing a lecture). Information is then processed in the abstract potions of the brain – time is needed to process the new information at this stage. The information then needs to be acted upon in a concrete manner – by creating and verbalizing a hypothesis, by writing an essay, by asking or answering a question, etc. This theory suggests that students need lectures, but they also need time to process and respond to information.
This idea of the learning cycle is very intriguing as I watch my students struggle with integration of their various classes. It has clarified, for me, the importance of using many different methods of active learning: case studies, group models/drawings, writing essays or critiques, etc. I am therefore seeking to incorporate more active learning, and more reflection, into my courses – particularly during traditional lecture time.
This book also reminded me that everyone – students and teachers – has pre-existing ideas regarding topics. These pre-existing ideas may be wrong, but as a teacher, I cannot change a learner’s pre-existing ideas simply by stating that they are wrong. The learner must confront a situation where their pre-existing ideas are shown to be lacking in some way. Therefore, as a teacher, it is better to build on a learner’s pre-existing knowledge, rather than fighting it. This was a very helpful reminder for me as I struggle to fit all the necessary information into a semester. This idea reinforced, for me, the importance of active learning as a way to access and build on a learner’s pre-existing networks of knowledge.
My 2008 reading list included the following books:
"Tips for the Science Teacher." 2002. Hartman NJ, and Glasgow NA. Corwin Press, Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA.
This book was read in the spring of 2008. I began reading it for tips on assessment, but discovered some interesting ideas about teaching scientific thinking and learning skills.
Regarding textbooks – students often have difficulty reading and understanding science textbooks; often they don’t understand the structure of the textbook. For example, they don’t see the conceptual categories of classification, comparison/contrast, enumeration, sequence, and generalization.
"Teaching Tips: Innovations in Undergraduate Science Instruction." 2004. Druger M, Siebert ED, Crow LD, editors. NSTA Press, Arlington, VA.
This book was read in the spring of 2008, and is a collection of “teaching tips” from experienced professors. These teaching tips range from first-day “ice breakers” to activities for pre-service elementary education science teachers and teaching graphing in the classroom. This book was fantastic; it is filled with great ideas that are easy to understand. There were several ideas that I gleaned from this book and have used in subsequent courses: pathogen portfolios, the Magic School Bus stories for exams and assignments, weekly thought questions (microthemes), and the use of jello to teach differences in air masses.
"Introduction to Rubrics: An Assessment Tool to Save Grading Time, Convey Effective Feedback, & Promote Student Learning." 2005. Stevens DD, & Levi A. Stylus Publishing, Sterling, VA.
This book was read in the fall of 2008, and was helpful in its discussion of the design and use of grading rubrics. In the spring of 2008, I experimented with involving students in the creation of a grading rubric for the major writing assignments in Cell and Molecular Biology (BIOL 405). Based on the success of that assignment, I began formalizing my rubrics. This book provided a specific rationale for using/sharing rubrics: they save grading time, and provide immediate, detailed student feedback. This book also benefited me by providing examples of rubrics that have worked for other teachers, as well as a detailed explanation regarding the creation of rubrics. Additionally, my previous rubrics were all “scoring guides” with only a statement of required components for an assignment. This book provided the rationale for including various “scale levels” (with positive labels) and very specific criteria listed in each level; the levels make it easier for students to interpret what is required for full point value. The book also recommended including the “task description” with each rubric so that students – and support staff – have an immediate reminder of the specific assignment.
"Peer Review of Teaching: A Sourcebook." 1999. Chism NVN, with contributions by Stanley CA. Anker Publishing Company, Inc., Bolton, MA.
This book includes the rationale for setting up a peer-review system (including teaching portfolios, and peer-review of classrooms), while also providing specific examples and checklists. It would be a good resource book while revamping the current Columbia Union College* employee evaluation system (performance appraisal system). The ideas and rationale included in the book are just as applicable in 2008 as in 1999.