Teaching Tips: Small things with Large effects (Extracts from a Noyce add-on class)

1. Teaching Tips: Small things with Large effects (Extracts from a Noyce add-on class) THE “NOTES” section of this PowerPoint has explanatory text. Paul Heideman College of William & Mary 7 July 2011 NSF Noyce Conference, Washington DC

2. From: a one-credit Noyce Add-on class “How Students Learn” (Biology 455) Format: - Readings, - Discussion - In-class exercises

3. Why Metacognition (understanding one’s own learning) may help students be better self-teachers and learners

4. Why Metacognition (understanding one’s own learning) may help students be better as self-teachers and learners Potentially true for: - Noyce Scholars & - their students

5. Why • Workshop Exercise 1 • Can a child learn addition if they do not have fluent recall with understanding of the concepts of numbers 1 to 5, +, and = ? • (in other words, if they memorize that 1 + 1 = 2, and 2 + 2 = 4, but do not understand the concept of 1, 2, +, =, or 4?) • Yes/no because… 2. Can a student learn genetics if they do not have fluent recall with understanding of the concepts of allele, gene, genotype, and phenotype? • Yes/no because…

6. Why • Ex. 1 • Can a child learn addition if they do not have fluent recall with understanding of the concepts of numbers 1 through 5? • (in other words, if they memorize that 1 + 1 = 2, and 2 + 2 = 4, but do not understand the concept of 1, 2, +, =, or 4?) 2. Can a student learn genetics if they do not have fluent recall with understanding of the concepts of allele, gene, genotype, and phenotype? Most of my college freshmen respond: ‘yes, if the student can answer questions correctly’

7. Why • Exercise 2 Learn the following: Tribnagtion occurs in snignups whenever the grulton is skortenated.

8. Why • Exercise 2 Learn the following: Tribnagtion occurs in snignups whenever the grulton is skortenated. Catch my eyes when you have this memorized

9. Why • Exercise 2 Learn the following: Tribnagtion occurs in snignups whenever the grulton is skortenated. Exam question (choose the correct answer) 13. Tribnagtion occurs: (a) in grultons whenever the snignup is skortenated. (b) in snignups whenever the grulton is skortenated. (c) in skortens whenever the snignup is grultoned. (d) NONE of the above is a correct situation for tribnagtion.

10. Why • Ex. 1 Learn the following: Tribnagtion occurs in snignups whenever the grulton is skortenated. Exam question (choose the correct answer) 13. Tribnagtion occurs: (a) in grultons whenever the snignup is skortenated. (b) in snignups whenever the grulton is skortenated. (c) in skortens whenever the snignup is grultoned. (d) NONE of the above is a correct situation for tribnagtion. This is an in-class exercise to get us (my class) thinking about learning.

11. Learning is fluent recall with understanding (a “Fish-understanding” of learning) Redrawn from “Fish is Fish” by Lionni, 1970

12. Learning is fluent recall with understanding Figure 1.2 (a “Fish-understanding” of learning)

13. Metacognition • Concept for students • Thinking about how you think

14. Metacognition • Concept for students • Thinking about how you think • Thinking about your own learning & • Understanding your own learning

15. ! ? ! ? Metacognition • Concept for students • Thinking about how you think • Thinking about your own learning • Understanding your own learning …and because division is non-commutative, you know that X …afdkjaskdfjalskfd

16. Learning • Workshop Exercise 2 How do you know that you have learned … (fluent recall with understanding)

17. Learning • Workshop Exercise 2 How do you know that you have learned … (fluent recall with understanding) Addition, but not Tribnagtion (which as you know, will occur in snignups whenever the grulton is skortenated.) an in-class exercise to get us (my class) thinking about learning.

18. Learning • Workshop Exercise 3 Stages of memory (or types of memory/kinds of memory) • Recognition memory (know it if you see it)

19. Learning • Workshop Exercise 3 Stages of memory (or types of memory/kinds of memory) • Recognition memory (know it if you see it) • Effortful recall (slowly, with concentration, from a trigger word)

20. Learning • Workshop Exercise 3 Stages of memory (or types of memory/kinds of memory) • Recognition memory (know it if you see it) • Effortful recall (slowly, with concentration, from a trigger word) • Fluent recall (easily from a trigger word) • Automatic recall (without trying)

21. Learning • Workshop Exercise 3 Stages of memory (or types of memory/kinds of memory) • Recognition memory (know it if you see it) • Effortful recall (slowly, with concentration, from a trigger word) • Fluent recall (easily from a trigger word) • Automatic recall (without trying)

22. Learning • Workshop Exercise 3 Stages of memory • Recognition memory • Effortful recall • Fluent recall • Automatic recall • Write down at least four things you have learned, • at least one from each kind of memory. • (When you have the four things, explain to your neighbor how you know which category of memory you have for each.)

23. Chunking • Workshop Exercise 4

24. Try to sketch both

25. Chunking • Workshop Exercise 4

26. Working Memory & Chunks • Concept for students Working Memory: 7 spaces (30 seconds)

27. Working Memory & Chunks • Concept for students Working Memory: 7 spaces (30 seconds) One chunk (one space)

28. Working Memory & Chunks • Concept for students Working Memory: 7 spaces (30 seconds) One chunk (one space) Three chunks (three spaces)

29. Working memory capacity • Workshop Exercise 5

30. Working memory capacity • Workshop Exercise 6

33. Working memory capacity • Workshop Exercise 6

34. Working memory capacity • Workshop Exercise 5

38. Working Memory

39. Working Memory Excess Cognitive Load

40. Workshop • Exercise • 7 Excess cognitive load Know this figure for the exam

41. Information Reduction • Workshop Exercise 8 Learn: AXYITGMOVWTUSXF

42. Information Reduction • Workshop Exercise 8 AXYITGMOVWTUSXF AX

43. Information Reduction • Workshop Exercise 8 AXYITGMOVWTUSXF AX – YITGMO AX – YITGMO

44. Information Reduction • Workshop Exercise 8 AXYITGMOVWTUSXF AX – YITGMO – VW - TUSXF AX YITGMO VW TUSXF

45. Too big to be a good minute sketch; needs to be separated into about 4 (or more) sketches: 1. GnRH to LH & FSH to gametogen. & E secr. & stim Ut lining 2. E negative & positive feedback on GnRH; & neg. feedback prevents new follicle growth 3. Pos feedback to GnRH & LH surge to cause ovulation & sex behavior 4. Emb. secr. CG to Corpus luteum & P secr. & maintenance of Ut. Lining & P neg feedback suppresses follicle growth (and when no P, then reabsorb/lose cells of Ut. Lining) Terms (for a folded list) Embryo! Get ready! If Neg Feedback from E or P, then lower GnRH so lower FSH, So no new follicles develop! GnRH (master H) • Pos Feedback, • Surge of LH! • (& FSH) • high E stim Sex Behav Neg Feedback Inhibition GnRH Pos Feedback . . . . . Pituitary ‘Portal’ Blood vessels . . . . Anterior Pituitary FSH LH Follicle Stimulating Horm. (FSH) Gametogenesis You might be able to use this sketch along with ‘retrieval practice’ to get it all into fluent recall with understanding Neg Feedback, result less GnRH Luteinizing Horm. (LH) Sex Steroid Secretion Receptors (for GnRH, LH, FSH, E, P, & CG) E E E Follicle E Oocyte P Support cells Estrogen ovum (Less LH & FSH, but more LH & FSH receptors on oocyte & on support cells) M - Mature oocyte E E E Ovulation Oviduct (Fallopian Tube) Uterus (& Uterine lining) P M Corpus Luteum (CL) CL Progesterone High LH Surge - Cells separate - Mature oocyte oozes free Chorionic Gonadotropin CG

46. Information Reduction • Workshop Exercise 9 Estrogen from support cells E E Support cells for egg Developing egg cell (oocyte cell)

47. Information Reduction • Workshop Exercise 9 Your confusing text or figure here (In-class exercises: have students bring something they need to master from another class, and practice information reduction)

48. Applying Information Reduction Confused by content? Close my eyes—can I hold it in my head? Yes? A different problem (consider: failure of fluent recall with understanding?) No? I need smaller chunks Information reduction (to chunks I know)

49. Minute Sketching • Workshop Exercise 10 Objective: develop a sketch to represent any new chunk From any text or diagram, 1. List the important terms or events for the new chunk (each item on the list must be a chunk you already know) 2. Make a trial sketch or diagram that includes every term or thing on your list. Redraw to improve your sketch, keeping it as simple as possible 3. Check your sketch: can you (a) hold it easily in your mind with your eyes closed, and (b) can you sketch it (with practice) in less than a minute? (if not, then separate it into two or more sketches) 4. Test your understanding with “What if…” questions.

50. Minute Sketching • Workshop Exercise 8 Nitrogen Cycle. Convert into one or more minute sketches