Investigating Instructional Influences on the Productivity of Clicker Discussions

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Intellectual merit: This project integrates research and education by characterizing student discussions and testing how changes in pedagogy impact productivity of these discussions. Faculty teaching different sections of Introductory Biology at the University of Colorado are prompting their students to discuss reasoning, providing models of productive discussion, training discussion facilitators, or holding individuals and groups accountable for their discussions. The responses by faculty and multiple small groups of students are audiotaped wirelessly and transcripts scored to assess the quality and effectiveness of discussions under these different settings. The results are helping determine which learning techniques have resulted in more productive discussions. Outcomes of this project include the refinement of coding tools applicable to clicker discussions, a database of hundreds of coded student transcripts, and a vetted and disseminated "Guide to Productive Clicker Discussions." Broader impacts: This project provides needed information to develop a platform for a better instructor-student learning partnership in introductory biology, and possibly other courses. The dissemination of the "Guide to Productive Clicker Discussion" and other deliverables also will allow additional individuals and institutions to benefit from the project. Moreover, students less likely to pursue science as a career (e.g., those from underrepresented groups), benefit from more widespread implementation of a discussion-oriented style using clicker questions because this style engenders a culture in the classroom of interacting productively through sharing ideas and justifications and promoting the establishment of inclusive peer groups.