33
www.monash.edu.au Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects Using peer-assisted learning (PAL) to enhance student understanding of the threshold concept of ‘evolution’. Gerry Rayner School of Biological Sciences

Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

  • Upload
    indra

  • View
    50

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects. Using peer-assisted learning (PAL) to enhance student understanding of the threshold concept of ‘evolution’. Gerry Rayner School of Biological Sciences. Background. Monash University Teaching and Learning Fellowships First awarded 2010 - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Citation preview

Page 1: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

Using peer-assisted learning (PAL) to enhance student understanding of the

threshold concept of ‘evolution’.

Gerry RaynerSchool of Biological Sciences

Page 2: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

2

Background

• Monash University Teaching and Learning Fellowships

• First awarded 2010• In the area of Peer Assisted Teaching and Learning• Open to any Monash staff member• Up to $30K budget• Implement a PAL activity and research its effects• PVC Prof. Marnie Hughes-Warrington

Page 3: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

3

Rhetorical question…

• Is science education letting our students down?

• e.g. While scientific consensus supporting modern evolutionary synthesis is nearly absolute…..

Page 4: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

4

Acceptance of evolution

• scientific consensus supporting modern evolutionary synthesis nearly absolute

Page 5: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

5

Australia?

2009 Nielsen poll

• 25% of Australians believe "the biblical account of human origins" over Darwinian evolution.

• Only 42% believe in a wholly scientific explanation for the origins of life

• 32% believe in an evolutionary process guided by ‘God’ – bet hedging?

Page 6: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

6

PAL – foundations and context

PAL consistently shown to promote generic skills (e.g. McMaster et al. 2006) and enhance deeper learning…

…across a range of disciplines (Springer et al. 1999; Kieran and O’Neill 2009).

Aligns with Vygotsky’s ‘Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)’ - more capable peers collaborate on concepts, knowledge, skills enhance understanding of broader group and refine their own!

Page 7: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

7

Project rationale

• Understanding evolution transforms the way students ‘observe’ biology requires sophisticated integration of knowledge

Project aims1. Student perspectives and understanding of

evolution (large cohort & broad diversity)2. Integrate ‘evolution’ readings with lectures &

practicals scaffold PAL to refine, enhance student understanding

3. Evaluate student perceptions of effectiveness and value of PAL in this context

“Provides a conceptual framework that unifies every disparate aspect of the life sciences into a single coherent discipline”(NatAcadSci 2008)

Page 8: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

8

PAL context

Focus on lectures and practicals (6 weeks) associated with aspects of evolution:

1. Plant diversity and evolution

2. Animal diversity and evolution

3. Ecology and evolutionary biology

4. Evolution – history and mechanisms

Page 9: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

9

PAL timeline of activities

Lectures

Practicals

Plant diversity & evolution. Endosymbiosis, protists, evolution and radiation of land plants

Plant diversity / evolution

1. Paired PAL

Animal diversity & evolution. Principles and patterns of animal evolution

Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12

Ecology and evolutionary biology

Evolution, evolutionary research, mechanisms

PAL activities

Page 10: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

10

1. Paired PAL - plant evolution (Wk 9)

With your lab partner, discuss the following questions about plant evolution and diversity1. Briefly summarize your present understanding of evolution.2. Present four major steps in the evolution of land plants, from ‘bryophytes’ through to ‘angiosperms’. 3. What aspects of plant evolution do you find puzzling or problematic?4. What questions about plant evolution remain unanswered?5. What are the three most important things about plant evolution that you would tell someone?

Page 11: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

11

PAL timeline of activities

Lectures

Practicals

Plant diversity & evolution. Endosymbiosis, protists, evolution and radiation of land plants

Plant diversity / evolution

1. Paired PAL

Animal diversity & evolution. Principles and patterns of animal evolution

Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12

Ecology and evolutionary biology

Evolution, evolutionary research, mechanisms

Animal diversity / evolution

2. Quad PAL3. Survey – value of PAL, comparative value of paired vs. quad PAL.

PAL activities

Page 12: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

12

2. Quad PAL task - animal evolution (Wk 10)

Form a quad group and discuss the following questions about animal evolution and diversity

1. How would you describe evolution?

2. Provide a brief explanation of animal evolution.

3. Are there aspects of animal evolution that you find puzzling or problematic?

4. What are the three most important things about plant evolution that you would tell someone?

Page 13: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

13

Post Quad PAL survey (Week 10)

To what extent do you agree with the following statements?

1. Discussions with my lab partner(s) improved my understanding of plant (animal) evolution

2. Quad group discussions were more beneficial to my understanding of evolution than with my lab partner.

Page 14: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

14

Perspectives on PAL (week 10)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Stronglydisagree

Response

% F

req

uen

cy

plant evolution: mean = 3.95

animal evolution: mean = 4.00

"Discussions with my lab partner improved my understanding of:.."Discussions in a pair / quad improved my understanding of:

Page 15: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

15

Increased diversity and sophistication of ‘evolution’ language and terminology

Week 9 Week 10

‘Adaptation’

‘Complexity’

‘Transition’

‘Descent with modification’

‘Natural selection’

‘Mutation’

‘Increasing complexity’

‘Common ancestor’

‘Random processes’

‘Population biology’

‘Convergence’

‘Divergence’

‘Bottlenecks’

Page 16: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

16

Comparative value of paired vs. quad PAL

"Larger group discussions were more beneficial to my understanding of evolution than with just my lab partner(s) (2-3)"

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

Response

% F

req

uen

cy

Mean = 4.05

Page 17: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

17

PAL timeline of activities

Lectures

Practicals

Plant diversity & evolution. Endosymbiosis, protists, evolution and radiation of land plants

Plant diversity / evolution

1. Paired PAL

Animal diversity & evolution. Principles and patterns of animal evolution

Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12

Ecology and evolutionary biology

Evolution, evolutionary research, mechanisms

Animal diversity / evolution

2. Quad PAL3. Survey – value of PAL, comparative value of paired vs. quad PAL.

PAL activities

4. Quad PAL on a specific ‘evolution’ question. 5. Development and submission of digital response. 6. Assessment - tutors & peers.7. Comprehensive survey

Page 18: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

18

5. Quad PAL project (Week 12)

Group discussion, concept-mapping etc. of an ‘evolution-related’ question.

• Evolution / radiation of terrestrial plants

• Adaptations / evolution of terrestrial insects

• Evolutionary significance of mesoderm in multicellular animals

• Evolutionary implications of endoskeletons vs exoskeletons

• Allopatric speciation - processes and mechanisms

Page 19: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

19

5. Quad PAL project (Wk 12)

Quad used prior knowledge, discussion and online resources (+ rubric), to develop a digital response (i.e. a 1 slide ppt).

Quad uploaded their digital response as an attachment to a Blackboard Discussion posting

- marked by tutor (grading form)

- ‘rated’ by other students

Page 20: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

20

6. Assessment rubric for digital response

Criterion Performance Indicators

Needs Improvement Meets Expectations Good Exceptional

Required elements

(1 point)Several required elements were missing.

(2 points)All but 1 of the required elements are included on the poster.

(3 points)All required elements are included on the poster.

(4 points)The poster includes all required elements as well as additional information.

Labels

(1 point)Labels are too small to view OR no important items were labelled.

(2 points)Many items of importance on the poster are clearly labelled with labels that are a suitable size

(3 points)Almost all items of importance on the poster are clearly labelled with labels that are a suitable size.

(4 points)All items of importance on the poster are clearly labelled with labels that are a suitable size

Graphics - relevance

(1 point)Graphics do not relate to the topic OR several borrowed graphics do not have a source note.

(2 points)All graphics relate to the topic. One or two borrowed graphics have a sources noted.

(3 points)All graphics are related to the topic and most make it easier to understand. Some graphics have a note about their source.

(4 points)All graphics are related to the topic and make it easier to understand. All borrowed graphics have a note about their source.

Aesthetics / attractiveness

(1 point)The poster is distractingly messy or very poorly designed. It is not attractive.

(2 points)The poster is acceptably attractive though it may be a bit messy.

(3 points)The poster is reasonably attractive in at least 2 of design, layout, or neatness.

(4 points)The poster is exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness

Grammar

(1 point)There are more than 4 grammatical or spelling mistakes on the poster.

(2 points)There are 3-4 grammatical/spelling mistakes on the poster.

(3 points)There are 1-2 grammatical/spelling mistakes on the poster.

(4 points)There are no grammatical/spelling mistakes on the poster.

Page 21: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

21

Species wide - shows divide

“In Allopatric speciation, gene flow is interrupted when a population is divided into geographically isolated sub populations.”

Post ice-age recolonisation of Chorthippus parallelus

Case study: Meadow grasshopper

Name: Chorthipippus Parallelus

• Species isolated in ‘pockets’ during Ice Age • Repopulated after the Ice Age across Europe• Field studies indicate hybridisation between remanent populations• Divergence established via DNA tests and measuring the follicle length

Allopatry in 3 steps:

1. Daughter population must form i.e. must be separated in some degree2. Daughter population must exist in this separated state in order to become a discrete new species3. Daughter population must become differentiated from the parent population i.e. they do not mate with them

Page 22: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

Page 23: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

23

ALLOPATRIC SPECIATION Allopatric speciation occurs when the gene flow of a population is interrupted due to

geographic isolation, resulting in the formation of a new species.

Allopatric speciation is known to have occurred in Cercopithecinae Monkeys (subfamily of Old World Monkeys) in Africa.

• Contraction and expansion of African rainforest was the main driving force for the Allopatric speciation• The Congo and Sanaga Rivers also played a role in the geographical isolation and speciation of these monkeys.

Guenons Monkey

Allen’s Swamp Monkey

Page 24: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

24

6. Peer ratings

Student

names

here

Page 25: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

25

7. Post-PAL Survey (Week 12 )

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

Content- & skills- development questions• This group poster project enhanced my

understanding of the processes and mechanisms of “relevant evolution question”

• This poster project helped me develop skills that I would not have learned from lectures and practicals only

• I developed more interest in the poster project than I expected

Page 26: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

26

7. Post-PAL Survey (Week 12 )

Team dynamics & assessment-related questions

• Working in a group was an effective learning experience • This poster project helped me to interact more effectively

with group members • I am happy for our group presentation to be rated by other

students• The workload was appropriate for this group project. • The assessment requirements for the group project were

clear. • We had access to the sufficient resources to complete the

project.• What improvements would you suggest?

Page 27: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

27

The value of the ‘group’ (week 12)

Working in a group was an effective learning experience

0

10

20

30

40

50

strongly agree agree neutral disagree strongly disagree

Response

Res

po

nse

fre

qu

ency

(%

)

Median = 4.0

Page 28: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

28

More equivocal about “other skills”

This poster project helped me develop skills that I would not have learned from lectures and practicals only

0

10

20

30

40

50

strongly agree agree neutral disagree strongly disagree

Response

Res

po

nse

fre

qu

ency

(%

)

Take-home message – ‘KISS’

Page 29: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

29

Effect of question on perceived value of PAL

This group poster project enhanced my understanding of the:

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

strongly agree agree neutral disagree strongly disagree

Response

Re

sp

on

se

fre

qu

en

cy

(%

)

evolution of terrestrial plants

adaptation of insects to terrestrial environments

evolution of mesoderm in multicellular animals

comparative advantages and disadvantages of exoskeletons and endoskeletons

processes and mechanisms of allopatric speciation

Choose the question carefully!

Take-home message – ‘CTQC’

Page 30: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

30

Student comments

“It was very interactive and a good change from the sometimes stressful normal practicals, so I don’t think there needs to be any improvement”

“Being able to present the poster to the class”

“It was good, I enjoyed the lab and it was a good end to the semester :)”

“I thought the exercise was great. Evolution isn’t exactly tough to get your head around. At this busy time of year with so many other things to do, it was lovely to just do some light hearted, easy work with the social aspect of a group activity to close off a long semester. Thanks”

Page 31: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

31

Student comments - suggestions

“Smaller groups sizes please”

“Smaller groups to allow each member to participate and learn”

“Maybe giving the question for research prior to the tutorial for further development and research”

“Discussion of posters, or presentation of posters at the end of lab”

Page 32: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

32

In Summary

1. Value of PAL group size, but….2. Care required in question choice and wording3. Don’t be too ambitious – e.g. ‘other skills’…4. Digital response - opportunities for creativity

and visual expression of knowledge and understanding

5. Further info required on value of online ratings6. Enormous potential for PAL- have recently

implemented PAL in BIO1022 around ‘feeding and nutrition’.

Page 33: Monash Peer Assisted Learning Projects

www.monash.edu.au

33

Acknowledgements

• Office of the PVC• Drs Juliey Beckman and Tricia Wevill• The first year students

Questions?