Seminar: Changing learning by using student ideas to drive instruction

Date/Time:	Friday, 30 Oct 2015 from 4:10 pm to 5:10 pm
Location:	1414 Molecular Building
Cost:	Free
URL:	http://www.gdcb.iastate.edu/
Contact:
Phone:	515-294-3911
Channel:	Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
Categories:	Training, development
Actions:	Download iCal/vCal | Email Reminder

Identifying what students don't understand when they are learning biology can help improve student learning experiences in the classroom. Concept assessments, due to their rigorous development process, can be useful in diagnosing student difficulties and leveraging change.

---

Knight will discuss the process of creating such concept assessments, and describe some of their potential applications. In addition, being able to describe and understand student interactions during learning opportunities can also provide clues to designing better classroom environments.

Using audio recordings of student in-class discussions, we have been able to track their use of reasoning and questioning, and determine how these interactions can be influenced by both instructors and peer coaches. Our findings provide clear and powerful evidence that concept assessments can provide catalysts for change, and that instructional behavior in the classroom has a direct effect on student interactions, and thus likely impacts their learning.

About the Presenter:
Jenny Knight, Associate Professor, Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder

Registration is not required

This event is coordinated by Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Promoted by The Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT)