Science Case Network

How an RCN-UBE on Case Studies and PBL Can Help Address Vision & Change

in Microbiology Education

Margaret Waterman, Ethel Stanley, Deborah Allen, Pat Marsteller, Karen Klyczek, Mark Bergland,

Michelle Young, and Aditi Pai

ASMCUEEnglewood, CO, May 16-17, 2013

RCN-UBE Project #1062049 

Agenda Experience case based learning Addressing Vision and Change Integrating investigations into case based

learning Case methods for teaching diverse students Using cases at 2-year colleges Preparing future faculty

There wasn’t a mine runnin’ a lump of coal

Teamus Bartley: It was the saddest lookin‘ time then that ever you saw in your life. My brother lived over there in the camps then and I was working over there and I was dropping cars onto the tipple. And that, that epidemic broke out and people went to dyin’ and there just four and five dyin‘ every night dyin’ right there in the camps, every night. And I began goin‘ over there, my brother and all his family took down with it, what’d they call it, the flu? Yeah, 1918 flu. And, uh, when I’d get over there I’d ride my horse and, and go over there in the evening and I’d stay with my brother about three hours and do what I could to help ’em. And every one of them was in the bed and sometimes Doctor Preston would come while I was there, he was the doctor. And he said “I’m a tryin‘ to save their lives but I’m afraid I ain’t going to.” And they were so bad off. And, and every, nearly every porch, every porch that I’d look at had—would have a casket box a sittin’ on it. And men a diggin‘ graves just as hard as they could and the mines had to shut down there wasn’t a nary a man, there wasn’t a, there wasn’t a mine arunnin’ a lump of coal or runnin' no work. Stayed that away for about six weeks.

Source: http://www.oercommons.org/libraries/there-wasnt-a-mine-runnin-a-lump-o-coal-a-kentucky-coal-miner-remembers-the-influenza-pandemic-of-1918-1919/view

Oral history courtesy of University of Kentucky Library Oral History Project.

What do you think this case is about?

What do you already know that relates to this case?

What do you need to know to understand the case?

What might you do next?

Case Analysis

SCN Addresses Vision and Change

A Vision for Implementing Change

1. Integrate core concepts and competencies into curriculum

2. Focus on student-centered learning Authentic research experiences Innovative pedagogical practices – active

learning, multiple forms of instruction Assessment of student learning outcomes3. Promote a campus wide commitment to

change Administrative support, faculty development,

resources and tools for reform4. Engage the biology community

A Vision for Implementing Change

1. Integrate core concepts and competencies into curriculum

2. Focus on student-centered learning Authentic research experiences Innovative pedagogical practices – active

learning, multiple forms of instruction Assessment of student learning outcomes3. Promote a campus wide commitment to

change Administrative support, faculty development,

resources and tools for reform4. Engage the biology community

Case studiesand PBL

Core Concepts for Biological Literacy

EVOLUTION

STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

INFORMATION FLOW, EXCHANGE, AND STORAGE

PATHWAYS AND TRANSFORMATIONS OF ENERGY AND MATTER

SYSTEMS

Core Competencies

Ability to… apply the process of scienceuse quantitative reasoninguse modeling and simulationcommunicate and collaborate with other disciplinesunderstand the relationship between science and society

Core Competencies

Ability to… apply the process of scienceuse quantitative reasoninguse modeling and simulationcommunicate and collaborate with other disciplinesunderstand the relationship between science and society

Case studies

and PBL!

SCN and Integrating Investigations

SCN and Integrating Investigations

• Case It resources www.caseitproject.org

• Human and avian influenza cases• ELISA and PCR simulation• Sequence analysis, introduction to

bioinformatics

• Open-ended research using sequences from NCBI influenza database

SCN and Integrating InvestigationsELISA results Sequence analysis – drug resistance

SCN and Integrating InvestigationsOpen-ended investigation

•Compare influenza viruses isolated from different geographic regions, species, and times.

•Pose a question regarding these parameters, and obtain and compare sequences from the NCBI influenza database to address the question

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/FLU/

SCN and Teaching Diverse Students

Diversity : What is the problem?

Diversity : What is the solution?

CustomizeActive learningRelevantEngaging

What happened in our new curriculum….

Data-data-data!!!!

Questions relating to learning experience in the survey

Bio112mean (SD)

Bio110mean (SD)

Result of t-test

The course improves my understanding of concepts and principles in this field

3.04(1.36) 4.5(0.65) T 53=19.35

P <0.005

Course activities and assignments assist with learning the course content

3.31(1.49) 4.56(0.70) T 53=13.70

P <0.005

Exams and assignments accurately reflect the course objectives

3.80(0.87) 4.39(1.40) T 53=5.17

P <0.005

The course is intellectually challenging 3.68(0.92) 4.54(0.71) T 53=17.71

P <0.005

I can apply information and skills learned in this course

3.5(0.96) 4.21(0.92) T 53=10.59

P <0.005

The course encourages me to think critically 3.86(0.83) 4.48(0.61) T 53=16.19

P <0.005

The course motivates me to do further exploration in this area

3.59(1.05) 4.24(0.54) T 53=13.88

P <0.005

I learned a great deal from this class 3.40(1.05) 4.34(0.65) T 53=17.34

P <0.005

Did students like case based introductory course better?

Did students gain conceptual knowledge over the semester from the case study based introductory biology?

Pre-and post-class test 20 questions, very basic

concepts Yes Pre- class test 52.5% and

post -class test 63%

Retention in Bio major has INCREASED with new curriculum

Did we retain more students?

P <0.001

Challenges Community Colleges Face

Students attending community colleges come from diverse educational backgrounds, vary widely in academic skill levels, and may not be certain of their educational goals.

Community colleges serve students with diverse social backgrounds and diverse needs; students may be torn among roles as student, parent, employee, spouse and/or caretaker and may attend intermittently.

Many of the students are low-income and may lack the knowledge to navigate the post-secondary world.

Case Studies Open the Door to Success Students enter community colleges for

a single course, to upgrade a job skill, to earn a promotion, to earn an associate’s degree or certificate, or to transfer to a four-year institution.

Case studies engage students by using relevant, real world

learning experiences!

Case studies engage students by using relevant, real world

learning experiences!

Teaching Cases with Cases

Pat MarstellerDirector, Emory College Center for Science

EducationProfessor of Practice in Biology

Using cases to engage faculty and future faculty

Cases that introduce PBL and Cases Cases to guide adopt and adapt Cases to guide new case development Cases to introduce students to rules and cases

PRISMOn the first day of the PRISM summer institute as everyone

gathered for breakfast, Pat came in waving the AJC. Did you see the AJC article yesterday?” She exclaimed. “Check out this article on the front page of metro. Atlanta will tailor middle and high school to classes to gender-specific needs. What do you think?” she hands the article to Ken.

“Atlanta school plans to accommodate the biologically-based gender-specific learning styles that are currently unaddressed in the co-educational format.” Ken reads with disbelief. “They want to implement these changes next year! First at Carson middle and then 6-12!” Not only that but the superintendent plans to convert all the high schools into “small learning communities” each with a career or academic focus and “engaged pedagogy”. What do you suppose that means?

I was on the committee that recommended we address this problem.” “In fact, I’m consulting with a number of the Atlanta area districts.” Leonard Sax says with pride.

[…later in the case…]

Alan interjected:Do we have to change everything? PBL seems like it might take a lot more class time. Why, I heard a presentation last year that said that each PBL unit was 3-7 class periods long! I think traditional methods like lectures can cover a lot more material and they’ve been working for a long time. I don’t mind throwing in a few of these case things as practicums, but only after I’m certain they have the basics down. You really have to show me why this new approach is better!

Mary [a grad student]:And besides where would we find the time to develop problems and cases? I have all I can do to keep my lab running and to prep my lectures.

Rules Cases Who’s the Boss?

“We’ll never finish on time – just let “But I did all the work!” “That’s because you hogged it all!” Students work as a class and in groups to explore group dynamics, drawing on their own expertise about what works and what doesn’t.

The Class Rules Student groups get together to research group

dynamics and become experts on what works and what doesn’t in doing cases.

 

How Can SCN Help You?

What can SCN do to help you as microbiology educators?

What do you need from SCN?

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