Reinventing Introductory Geology Courses for Majors and Non-Majors Using Peer Instruction and Other Inquiry-Based Learning Strategies

地质学（42）阿克伦大学地质系正在对大型课堂环境下的地质入门课程的探究式教学模式进行调整和评估。这个项目是由美国国家科学基金会赞助的关于通过FIRST（学院改革科学教学）进行研究性学习和合作学习的研讨会以及在PI课程中小规模应用研究性学习方法所产生的部门讨论的结果。我们正在开发一种基于Eric Mazur“同伴指导：用户手册”（Prentice Hall, 1997）中描述的同伴指导技术的方法。这种同伴指导的方法在改善学习和提高物理系学生的标准考试成绩方面取得了广泛的成功。阿克伦大学（University of Akron）的一个演讲厅（可容纳180名学生）安装了EduCue销售的教室通信系统（CCS）技术，该技术旨在支持这种同伴教学技术。[见www.EduCue.com]这项技术及其使用方面的必要培训正在向其他系的教员提供。每年大约有2800名学生在阿克伦大学注册地质学入门课程，其中超过三分之一（950人）是教育专业的学生。随着我们转向同伴教学，我们的目标是提高选修科学课程的非专业学生的科学素养，并为选修符合国家许可标准的课程的教育专业学生示范基于探究的学习方法。我们正在采取措施，通过仔细评估地质学学生对关键概念的记忆，确保这种学习方法能提高学生对具体地质概念的学习。一系列以探究为基础的学习模块将为针对专业和非专业学生群体的各种入门课程开发。向学生提出的概念性问题（ConcepTests）正在与各种其他经过验证的课堂评估技术一起使用，以产生日常形成性评估。这些评估被用来判断我们的教学策略的有效性。我们采用的整体评估包括测试结果的比较、书面报告、学生访谈、对课前和课后态度调查的回应，以及对地质学和教育学专业学生的纵向研究。这项评估由教育学院课程与教学研究系的教师指导。作为该项目的一部分，我们还为阿克伦大学的其他科学教师提供研讨会和教师发展讲习班，并为其他机构的在职教师和地质学教师提供研讨会、讲习班和在地区和国家会议上的演讲。此外，所有为这个项目创建的学习材料将通过部门网站和教科书出版商（麦格劳-希尔）提供给其他教师。

Geology (42) The Department of Geology at the University of Akron is adapting and assessing an inquiry-based teaching model for introductory geology courses in a large classroom setting. This project is an outgrowth of NSF-sponsored workshops on Inquiry-Based and Cooperative Learning through FIRST (Faculty Institutes Reforming Science Teaching) and departmental discussions resulting from the small-scale application of inquiry-based learning methods in the PI's courses. We are developing an approach based on peer instruction techniques described in Eric Mazur, "Peer Instruction: A User's Manual," (Prentice Hall, 1997). This method of peer instruction has been a widespread success in improving learning and raising standard test scores for physics students in a variety of institutions. One lecture theater (180 student capacity) at the University of Akron has been fitted with a classroom communication system (CCS) technology sold by EduCue that was designed to support this peer instruction technique. [See www.EduCue.com.] This technology, and the necessary training in its use, is being made available for faculty in other departments. Approximately 2800 students per year enroll in an introductory geology course at the University of Akron, over a third (950) are education majors. As we shift to peer instruction, our goals are to improve science literacy among non-majors taking a science elective, and to model inquiry-based learning methods for education majors taking courses to satisfy state licensure standards. We are taking steps to ensure that this method of learning results in improved student learning of specific geological concepts by carefully assessing the retention of key concepts among geology students. A series of inquiry-based learning modules will be developed for a variety of introductory courses aimed at both major and non-major student populations. Conceptual questions addressed to students (ConcepTests) are being used in conjunction with a variety of other proven classroom assessment techniques to generate daily formative evaluations. These evaluations are being used to judge the effectiveness of our teaching and learning strategy. The overall evaluation we are employing includes comparisons of test results, written reports, student interviews, responses to pre- and post-class attitudinal surveys, and a longitudinal study of geology and education majors. This assessment is being guided by faculty from the College of Education's Department of Curricular and Instructional Studies. As part of this project we are also offering seminars and faculty development workshops to other science faculty at the University of Akron, and seminars, workshops, and presentations at regional and national meetings to in-service teachers and geology faculty at other institutions. In addition, all learning materials created for this project will be made available to other faculty through departmental websites and textbook publishers (McGraw-Hill).