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astro300_f11:day3 [2011/08/28 22:37] – a_leeastro300_f11:day3 [2013/08/30 03:38] (current) – a_lee
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-======AY 300 - Fall 2011: Third Day Lesson Plan======+======AY 375 - Fall 2011: Third Day Lesson Plan======
  
-=====Preface===== 
  
-Today's class will discuss ethics, continue talking about good lecturing and board work techniques, and effective group strategies.+ 
 +Discuss ethics, continue talking about good lecturing and board work techniques, and effective group strategies.
  
 ==== GOALS ==== ==== GOALS ====
-    * Review the ethics policies of UC Berkeley.  
     * Understand the role of group work versus lecturing.     * Understand the role of group work versus lecturing.
     * Review the role of TALC, The Astronomy Learning Center.     * Review the role of TALC, The Astronomy Learning Center.
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 During this (and after), open the floor up for general questions and sharing about how sections are going. We will do this every week for the rest of the semester.  During this (and after), open the floor up for general questions and sharing about how sections are going. We will do this every week for the rest of the semester. 
  
-=====Ethics Case Studies (15 min)=====+=====Teaching Math (45 min)=====
  
-Make sure everyone has finished the online Ethics course. +Math Anxiety 
 +   * 93% of adults identify as being bad at math 
 +   * Different components: general dislike of math, fear of boardwork/working with peers, test anxiety
  
-Quickly touch on the main points from the Ethics course (extended blurbs below). +What to do to counter it: 
 +   * Never assume a math step is obvious 
 +   * Write all steps on the board 
 +   * Don't erase 
 +   * Explain in words 
 +   * Group work 
 +         * Have students write on the board as much as possible, and explain in groups to the class or each other. 
 +         * Try out conceptual math 
 +         * Get students to think about whether or not their answer makes sense on a qualitative scale before moving to a                    
 +         quantitative one 
 +         * Make the fraction of your class that is equation-based similar to that of exams 
 +         * Emphasize office hours/TALC
  
-Finish up with a class discussion of several case studies of situations that have arisen in C10. These could include a subset of the following (perhaps put each on a power point slide and project it). Some comments from the author are given in parentheses at the end: +Lecture tutorials: 
-     - The final exam was this morning, and all the GSIs have just finished grading. You are back in your office when one of your students knocks on your door. They are very distressed about the final, and is standing next to you at your desk. The conversation goes something like this: "I think I am going to fail the class. I know the final is curved, but I don't know if that cuts it. How much does HW and lab count towards the grade again? *sigh* I don't know what happened, is there *pause* //anything// *pause* I can do?" You assure the person they probably are fine and quickly look at the final grades and see this person is getting a 'C'. (//As the head GSI, I was able to access the final grades at this point. A normal GSI would not have been able to do that...//) +   * Developed as an activity for large lecture classes-- lecture the first ~30 minutes, complete the activity in  
-     - You have decided that Facebook-friending your students is OK. This is the 21st century and social networking is here to stay. When you're on Facebook one day, one of your students opens up a chat window. It is friendly at first, and somehow gets into him asking for help on one of the homework problems. You take the time to help him. Once that is done, he starts to talk more freely and begins sharing personal stories, including how he came out to his parents recently, etc. (//Friendship with students, establishing boundaries, etc//) +   partners for the last ~20. 
-     - One on cheating +   * However, written with lots of useful techniques for section
-     - Another+
  
-Ask the class to think about what should have been done and (if possible) how the situation could have been avoided. +====Do Lecture tutorial example=== 
 +   * What did you notice about the activity and implementation? 
 +   * Scaffolding 
 +   * Don't spend excessive amounts of time with any one group 
 +   * Get them to read the problem aloud-- can solve many issues 
 +   * Emphasize the need to work together 
 +   * Push students to keep them attentive
  
-  * Some topics covered in the online course: 
-    * Diversity 
-      * Berkeley is a minority-majority school 
-      * Unlikely to be a major issue (especially in an intro astronomy course since the classes tend to be pretty diverse).  However, be aware that we all have unconscious biases and try to make an effort to be open and inclusive.  For example, try to equally call on males/females, different races, //etc.// 
-    * Disabled Students 
-      * Berkeley allows students with documented learning disabilities (or physical disabilities affecting their ability to learn) to have extra time (and occasionally a 'quiet' or private room, //etc.//) on quizzes and examinations.  Students must have their disabilities diagnosed or approved by the Disabled Students' Program, or DSP. 
-        * For examinations, this is typically dealt with by the professor.  If a student comes to you about a disability-related problem, tell them to contact the professor and/or Head GSI. 
-        * In Alex's class, students take quizzes in section twice during the semester. Alex usually lets DSP students know that taking the quiz normally has turned out successfully in most cases, since it is designed to last well under the allotted time. However, if students insist on it, then you must accommodate them. If possible, the exam may be extended in situ, or a small group can repair to another room. Otherwise DSP can help with arranging for a proctored exam with additional time  (Most general solution: borrow another GSI's quiz and give it in your office during office hours.) 
-        * If a student in your section is having major difficulties with the course but seems intelligent and really is trying, consider talking to him/her about being diagnosed for a learning disability. Obviously this is something to be dealt with delicately. 
-        * [[http://dsp.berkeley.edu/sbin/dspACCESS.php?_page=dspFAQ|FAQ for faculty and staff about DSP]] 
-    * Sexual Harassment 
-      * Should be common sense - don't get involved.  Power difference -> potential for serious problems. 
-      * [[http://ccac.berkeley.edu/policies.shtml|Policies on Sexual Harassment]] - Title IX: Sex Discrimination and Harassment (UCB Equity Standards and Compliance) 
-      * If you see something between your students that you think might qualify as harassment, you're not required to do anything (as I read the policy), but keep in mind that you're the authority figure in the room. You can report instances of harassment, but that's a fairly severe step. A reasonable start might be talking to the parties involved informally and individually. You should probably find someone with experience in dealing with such situations. 
-         * One person we suggest is Colette Patt (colette@berkeley) who "works directly with the dean on issues associated with diversity in science" and is supposed to be an excellent resource for harassment-related issues as well diversity issues. 
-  * Tons of information can be found on [[http://gsi.berkeley.edu/ethics/documents/Maggie_AnnotatedResources.pdf|this]] list of resources (all of which are mentioned during the Ethics Course). 
-  * It is very unlikely that a serious issue will come up as long as you use basic common sense.  If it does, know where to turn for help! 
- 
- 
- 
-=====Lecturing and Board Work Continued (25 min)===== 
  
 =====BREAK (5 min)===== =====BREAK (5 min)=====
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 =====Group Work Strategies (45 min)===== =====Group Work Strategies (45 min)=====
  
-=====Planning Section (remaining time)=====+   - (5 min) Comment on the use of group work and active learning. (Cite research.) 
 +   - (5 min) Ask the class what are pitfalls of group work ("Think back to group work that went poorly. Why did it fail?"). Make a list on the board and tie into some of the strategies below.  
 +   - (10 min) Go over some of the tried-and-true group work strategies.  
 +   - (25 min = 10 min + 15 min) Give each group (of 3 or 4 people) one group work strategy. Have them brainstorm (10 min) how they would incorporate the activity into a section. Have them think of the types of questions that would be asked, the activities done at each group table, etc. Then have each group share with the class (15 min). 
  
 +
 +Why group work?
 +   - Group work appeals to many learning styles. Group work provides a sense of shared purpose that can increase motivation. 
 +   - Group work introduces students to the insights and values of their peers.
 +   - Life after college will involve group work.
 +   - Listening to lecture and taking notes will carry the students only so far in their development. Learning cannot be passive. 
 +   - We (as college instructors) should be encouraging and developing students' ability to do higher-order thinking.
 +
 +
 +
 +Main things to comment on:
 +   - Be sure to introduce the activity with crystal clear instructions. Ambiguity leads to either poor group work or individuals going off and doing their thing. 
 +   - The quality of the group work depends sensitively on the activity and questions asked. In this respect, I think all the worksheets on the EBRB need a considerable overhaul. I (Aaron) would like us to push for more open-ended questions and questions that actually involve group discussion. The focus on problem solving results in individual working; new strategies are needed for this, like
 +       - Only hand out one worksheet per group.
 +       - Have the students write their answers on a large sheet of paper, work entirely at one of the whiteboards, or have some sort of whiteboard at each table (I'm working on this...).
 +       - Anything else?
 +   - Good group work activities take time, often more time than just lecturing. However, the added work results in added gains for the students. 
 +   - A "Q&A" part of section can involve a lot of peer learning, if you get good at enabling the students to answer each other's questions. This requires more sophistication than just asking the smartest student to say the right answer; you have to ask the question in a way such that all of the students have a chance to grapple with the question initially posed.
 +   - "I paid all this $$ to be taught by professors and graduate students, not listen to classmates who don't know as much." Let students know that benefits of group work. They will resist at first, but proper use of group work will show the students they are learning just as much (usually more) than if you were lecturing. 
 +   - "Students don't like working in groups." Students are used to working individually. Or students might fear that some group members will not pull their weight. Again, explaining the rational for group work is key, as well as providing checks for students who do not contribute. 
 +   - Get feedback often.
 +
 +Suggestions to your students (adapted from McKeachie):
 +   - Be sure everyone contributes to discussions and to tasks.
 +   - Don't jump to conclusions too quickly. Be sure that minority ideas are considered.
 +   - Don't assume consensus because no one has opposed an idea of offered an alternative. Check agreement with each group member verbally, not just by a vote.
 +   - Set goals---immediate, intermediate, and long-term---but don't be afraid to change them as you progress. (//These should be obvious in sections.//)
 +   - For bigger multi-part tasks: Allocate tasks to be done. Be sure that each person knows what he or she is to do. Check this before beginning. 
 +
 +Also note that section size and objectives influence the best choice of strategy:
 +  * Large sections – More students to ask more and diverse questions, can have different groups do different tasks (or slightly different versions of the same basic worksheet -- to build up an H-R Diagram for example).
 +  * Small sections – easier to connect with the class as a whole, can have the whole class act as one medium-sized group (like the Interactive Lecture).
 +
 +
 +
 +Here are a slew of group work activities to try. (And guess what? Two of your assignments will be to implement one of these in your sections!)
 +
 +  - **The Interactive Lecture**
 +       * The "biggest" form of group work, where the whole class works as one big group (and you're a group member). 
 +       * Can be used with worksheets and/or demos.
 +       * Continuously call on //a variety// of students to explain answers. If you don't want to call on individual students (cold calling), you might call on particular groups ("This group, what do you think?")
 +       * This style tends to keep all students engaged and on task.
 +  - **Concept Mapping**
 +       * A concept map illustrates the connection between terms, ideas, or concepts, which creates higher-level learning. Concepts and terms are written in bubbles and lines are drawn connecting related concepts. With each line, the relation is identified. 
 +       * Students in groups can be given a partially completed concept map and a list of terms that they need to fill in the blanks with. Alternatively, students can work at filling in the relations between various concepts.    
 +  - **Jigsaw Projects**
 +       * Each group contributes to a specific part of the assignment. When members have completed their task, all groups shuffle so that one person from each original group is in each new group. Each person then shares their answer and explanation with the rest of the group.
 +       * Requires EVERY person in section to be responsible for knowing why the answer is what it is. 
 +       * Good way of covering an entire worksheet worth of questions in a short amount of time. 
 +       * Make sure you assess that groups understand why their answer is what it is.
 +  - **KWL**
 +       * Stands for "what I **K**now, what I **W**ant to know, and what I **L**earned. It happens in three parts.
 +           * (Part 1) To introduce a new topic, have the students list what they know about the topic before you start discussion. Collect these lists or have them share.
 +           * (Part 2) Using these lists, you can modify the remainder of the section to address misconceptions and erroneous understanding. Run section employing whatever demos, activities, etc. you want to use.
 +           * (Part 3) At the end of the unit, have students list what they have learned. You might ask them to identify the three most important concepts, answer some questions, or just free-write.  Collect these lists or have them share.   
 +  - **Choreographed Group Tasks**
 +       * Example: Suppose you hand out a worksheet that has six questions. Go through the first two questions of a worksheet on the board (with varying amounts of feedback from students). Then have students work on the next two questions (which are similar but different to the earlier questions) in groups. Then have the class explain to you how to solve question 5 (and do so on the board). Ask for a volunteer to do question 6. 
 +       * Students learn in different ways, so variety is a good thing.
 +  - **Activity Stations**
 +       * Break the class into a few stations (3 is ideal), where one station deals with one aspect of what you want to cover in section that day.
 +       * Have the class break into groups of three, one for each station.
 +       * Each group spends 15 minutes at each station, then rotates. 
 +       * Each station could be either a demo, hands-on activity, some worksheet questions.
 +       * Instructor must be very careful with timing so they can make it around to each group every 15 minutes to assess.  
 +  - **Open-ended Questions / Case Studies (e.g., Think Like an Astronomer)**
 +       * One thing that makes discussion difficult in science courses is that most of our questions have a single "correct" answer. Asking open-ended questions can encourage students to think about how concepts fit together.
 +       * Requires that the question is at the appropriate level of the class. Takes more time to prepare.
 +       * Anything that allows for interpretation is ripe for discussion. 
 +       * e.g., You have a sealed box (of doughnuts) in the front of the class. Have students in groups device experiments to determine what is in the box (without opening it). Then tie this into how astronomers might detect dark matter, etc. 
 +       * e.g., Give each group a budget and a catalog that includes costs of telescopes, mirrors, equipment, launching into space, etc. Have them come up with a plan to build a telescope at some particular wavelength (having to weigh whether it is in space, what resolution it will have, etc.).
 +       * e.g., Have students reproduce the thought process of famous astronomers and scientists (e.g., Hubble's discover of other galaxies and the realization of the size of the universe).   
 +  - **Send-A-Problem**
 +       * Have each group try to solve a different problem related to material covered in section/lecture. 
 +       * Each group them gives their problem and suggested solution to a different group, which then evaluates the solution and offers corrections.
 +       * That group then gives their altered solution to another group, who provides the final evaluation. 
 +       * Good for lengthy 7a/7b type problems or problems involving multiple steps. Has groups practice group thinking and comparing/discriminating among multiple solutions. 
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +=====Planning Section (remaining time)=====
  

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