Abstract Detail

Broadening Participation - Recruiting and Retaining Outstanding Scientists in the Botanical Science

Haak, David [1], Freeman, Scott [2].

Closing the Achievement Gap: Evidence-Informed Teaching and Learning in Biology.

If we bring the same level of rigor to our teaching as our research, then we should design our courses based on data. Together with my colleagues, we have been working to evaluate the impact of different course designs-- from “highly-structured”, where students are required to prepare for class sessions that focus on intensive active learning exercises, followed by weekly practice exams, to “low-structure”,much closer to a traditional lecture format--on student performance in an introductory biology course for majors. I will present results from our research and address questions about wether structured interventions can close the achievement gap between students from advantaged and disadvantaged backgrounds enrolled in STEM courses. In the process of this research we have addressed interventions that promote culturally aware teaching and therein have a disproportionate benefit for high-achieving students and for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Finally, I will discuss work on metacognition and learning and how we have developed approaches for evaluating the equivalence of students and assessments when comparing measures of achievement.

Broader Impacts:

1 - Indiana University, Biology, 325 Jordan Hall, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
2 - University of Washington, Biology, Seattle, WA, 98195-1800, USA

Keywords:
Achievement Gap
Diversity
underrepresented
pedagogy research.

Presentation Type: Symposium or Colloquium Presentation
Session: SY03
Location: Versailles Ballroom/Riverside Hilton
Date: Tuesday, July 30th, 2013
Time: 9:15 AM
Number: SY03004
Abstract ID:577
Candidate for Awards:None