Improving Student Engagement in a Lower-Division Botany Course

Autor/inn/en	Goldberg, Nisse A.; Ingram, Kathleen W.
Titel	Improving Student Engagement in a Lower-Division Botany Course
Quelle	In: Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 11 (2011) 2, S.76-90 (15 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1527-9316
Schlagwörter	Learner Engagement; Feedback (Response); Educational Strategies; Concept Mapping; Class Activities; Student Attitudes; Botany; Biology; Thinking Skills; Teaching Methods; Critical Thinking; Student Surveys; Creativity; Problem Solving; Student Participation; Undergraduate Students; Undergraduate Study; Lecture Method; Classification; Active Learning + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Lehrstrategie; Concept Map; Schülerverhalten; Botanik; Biologie; Denkfähigkeit; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Kritisches Denken; Schülerbefragung; Kreativität; Problemlösen; Schülermitarbeit; Schülermitwirkung; Studentische Mitbestimmung; Grundstudium; Classification system; Klassifikation; Klassifikationssystem; Aktives Lernen
Abstract	Active-learning techniques have been advocated as a means to promote student engagement in lower-division biology courses. In this case study, mini-lectures in combination with active-learning activities were evaluated as strategies to promote a culture of learning and participation in a required botany course. These activities were designed to develop critical-thinking skills, i.e. Bloom's synthesis, application, and analysis. Student attitudes toward learning, participation, and class activities were assessed with feedback surveys following each activity, at the beginning with a pre-survey and at the end of the semester with a retrospective survey. Students identified concept maps, problem-solving exercises, and the categorizing grid as helpful to their learning. Based on instructor observations, students were especially engaged in activities that allowed them to demonstrate creativity and resourcefulness. Based on the retrospective survey results, students were more conservative in their perception of personal critical-thinking skills at the end of the semester, which may be a reaction to the challenges in developing critical-thinking skills. The incorporation of mini-lectures with class activities helped to promote student engagement in the classroom and thus, was a positive instructional strategy. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Indiana University. 755 West Michigan Street UL 1180D, Indianapolis, IN 46202. Tel: 317-274-5647; Fax: 317-278-2360; e-mail: josotl@iupui.edu; Web site: http://www.iupui.edu/~josotl
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10