CAREER: Investigating knowledge for effective active-learning instruction in large undergraduate biology courses and how this knowledge develops

主动学习教学是指在大量的课堂时间内让学生参与旨在帮助他们学习的工作的教学方法。研究表明，与传统的讲授方式相比，主动学习教学能促进学生的科学学习。积极学习也与科学课程中人数不足的少数群体的保留率增加有关。然而，研究也表明，在积极学习的课堂上取得的学习成果在不同的教师之间有很大的差异。这种差异可能是因为教授大学科学课程的教师是训练有素的科学家，但可能没有正式的教学培训。教师的教学效果很可能受到他们对课程材料的知识以及他们对教学和学习的知识的影响。因此，我们需要更好地了解什么样的教学知识是重要的，以促进有效的主动学习教学本科科学课程。 这种需求在具有挑战性的情况下尤其重要，例如有大量学生的生物课。此外，了解教师高效教学所需的教学知识，将提高我们帮助教师充分发挥学生主动学习潜力的能力。为了提高对教师知识的理解，这对规划和促进主动学习至关重要，本计画将阐明在大型本科生物学课程中，教师的知识与学生的概念学习增益有正相关。这些研究将包括100名教师，他们在有50名或更多学生的本科生物学课程中使用主动学习。研究者将通过教学前和教学后的访谈（包括刺激回忆法）来获取教师的知识。他们将使用定性内容分析法分析在访谈中展示的教师知识，该分析法基于教师知识和学生概念转变的理论框架，以及先前的实证工作。调查人员将使用分层线性模型来研究教师的知识和学生的概念学习收益之间的关联，以及这种关系是由教学实践介导的程度。第二组调查将开发纵向案例研究，以描述新手主动学习教师如何开发教学知识。这些调查将检查教师的知识和做法，它们之间的关系，以及影响知识发展的因素。通过研究教师的知识，教学实践和学生的学习主动学习的教师，本研究预计将确定：教师的知识，是与有效的主动学习教学;新手教师的知识，专业发展可以建立在;和新手遇到的挑战，因为他们开发更多的专业知识，主动学习教学。该项目的教育计划将应用通过研究所学到的东西来设计基于证据的工具，这些工具将支持当前和未来的生物学教师在课堂上使用主动学习。该项目小组将实施和评估视频俱乐部的生物学研究生在格鲁吉亚大学的专业发展计划的有效性。此外，他们将创建资源，将添加到策划，在线视频收集称为知识库的设想主动学习教学在科学教育，以支持教师在发展所需的知识，有效地使用主动学习。教师早期职业发展（CAREER）计划是一个国家科学基金会（NSF）范围内的活动，支持早期-职业教师谁有潜力作为学术研究和教育的榜样。该项目由NSF的教育人力资源理事会核心研究计划和改进本科STEM教育计划支持。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Active-learning instruction refers to teaching methods that engage students during a significant amount of class time in work designed to help them learn. When compared with traditional lecturing, studies have shown that active-learning instruction can enhance students' science learning. Active learning is also associated with increased retention of underrepresented minorities in science courses. However, studies also show that the learning gains achieved in active-learning classrooms vary substantially across different instructors. This variation may result because instructors who teach college science courses are highly-trained scientists but may not have formal training in teaching. How effectively instructors teach is likely to be influenced by both their knowledge of the course material and their knowledge about teaching and learning. Thus, we need to better understand what knowledge about teaching and learning is important for facilitating effective active-learning instruction in undergraduate science courses. This need is especially important in challenging situations, such as biology classes with large numbers of students. In addition, understanding the knowledge about teaching and learning that instructors need to be highly effective would enhance our ability to help instructors to fully realize the potential of active learning for their students.To advance understanding of instructor knowledge that is essential for planning and facilitating active learning, this project will elucidate instructor knowledge that is positively associated with students' conceptual learning gains in large undergraduate biology courses. The studies will include 100 instructors who use active learning in undergraduate biology courses that have 50 or more students. The investigators will elicit instructor knowledge using pre- and post-instruction interviews, including a stimulated recall approach. They will analyze instructor knowledge exhibited in interviews using qualitative content analysis grounded in theoretical frameworks of instructor knowledge and student conceptual change, as well as prior empirical work. Investigators will use hierarchical linear modeling to examine the associations between instructor knowledge and student conceptual learning gains, as well as the extent to which this relationship is mediated by instructional practices. A second set of investigations will develop longitudinal case studies to characterize how novice active-learning instructors develop knowledge for teaching. These investigations will examine instructor knowledge and practices, the relationship between them, and the factors that influence knowledge development. By examining instructor knowledge, instructional practices, and student learning among active-learning instructors, this research is expected to identify: instructor knowledge that is associated with effective active-learning instruction; novice instructors' knowledge that professional development can build upon; and the challenges novices encounter as they develop more expertise in active-learning instruction. The project's education plans will apply what is learned through the research to design evidence-based tools that will support current and future biology instructors in using active learning in their classrooms. The project team will implement and assess the effectiveness of a Video Club professional development program for biology graduate students at the University of Georgia. In addition, they will create resources that will be added to the curated, online video collection called the Repository for Envisioning Active-Learning Instruction in Science Education to support instructors in developing the knowledge needed to effectively use active learning.The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a National Science Foundation (NSF)-wide activity that supports early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education. This CAREER project is supported by NSF's Education & Human Resources Directorate Core Research Program and its Improving Undergraduate STEM Education Program.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.