Saundra Yancy McGuire, Ph.D.Asst. Vice Chancellor for Learning, Teaching, & Retention

Professor, Department of ChemistryPast Director, Center for Academic Success

Louisiana State University

Teach STEM Students How to Learn: Metacognition is the Key!

2004-2005 National College Learning Center Association

Frank L. Christ Outstanding Learning Center Award 

Outline  

• Examples of Results of Teaching Students Metacognitive Strategies

• Definition of Metacognition • Exercise Demonstrating Efficacy of

Metacognitive Strategies• Bloom’s Taxonomy & The Study Cycle• Impact of Teaching Metacognitive

Strategies During Class Sessions• Conclusion

The Story of Four Students• Robert, first year chemistry student 42, 100, 100, 100 A in course• Dana, first year physics student 80, 54, 91, 97, 90 (final) A in course• Aaron, first year biology student

78, 92 A in course• Cici*, first year chemistry student

55, 60, 105** A in course

* Learned strategies from chem instructor** Due to bonus points

Date of Final Exam: December 14, 2005Meeting with Student No. 1: December 12, 2005Meeting with Student Nos. 2 & 4: December 2, 2005Meeting with Student No. 3: December 8, 2005

The final was worth 100 points with a 10 bonus question.

Four Students in Professor Isiah Warner’sFall 2005 Analytical Chemistry Class

Class Average Student 1 Student 2 Student 3 Student 4

Test 1 76 65 67 70 83Test 2 52 67 65 46 55Test 3 72 61 68 68 65Final 78 107 88 88 90

How’d They Do It?

They became expert learners by using metacognition!

They learned to think about their own thinking, and they studied to LEARN, not just to make the grade!

Metacognition*The ability to:• think about one’s own thinking• be consciously aware of oneself as a

problem solver• monitor and control one’s mental

processing (e.g. “Am I understanding this material?”)

• accurately judge one’s level of learning

*term coined by Flavell in 1976

Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L., Cocking, R.R. (Eds.), 2000. How people learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

Why don’t most students know how to learn or how to study?

According to data from the entering class of 2010...*

• It wasn’t necessary in high school- 63% of 2010 entering first year students spent less than six hours per week doing homework in 12th grade. - More than 48% of these students said they graduated from high school with an “A” average.*

• Students’ confidence level is high- 71.2 % believe their academic ability is above average or in the highest 10 percent among people their age

*2010 Higher Education Research Institute Study

Center for Academic Success

Transform Learning. Maximize Performance.

Approximately how many hours per week did you have to study to make A’s and B’s in high school?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

62%

17%14%

0%0%0%

7%

1. 0 – 42. 5 – 93. 10 – 144. 15 – 195. 20 – 246. 25 – 297. 30 or more

What did most of your teachers in high school do the day before the test?

What did they do during this activity?

What grade would you have made on the test if you went to class only on the day before the test?

How do you think most students would answer the following questions?

Help students identify and close “the gap”

current behavior current grades

Appropriate behavior desired grades

Faculty Must Help Students Make the Transition to College

Reflection Questions• What’s the difference, if any, between

studying and learning? Which, if either, is more enjoyable? Why?

• For which task would you study harder?– Make an A on the test– Teach the material to the class

Cause of Fast and Dramatic Increase?

It’s all about the strategies, and getting them to engage their brains!

Counting Vowels in 45 seconds

How accurate are you?

Dollar BillDiceTricycleFour-leaf CloverHandSix-PackSeven-UpOctopus

Cat LivesBowling PinsFootball TeamDozen EggsUnlucky FridayValentine’s DayQuarter Hour

How many words or phrases do you remember?

Let’s look at the words again…

What are they arranged according to?

Dollar BillDiceTricycleFour-leaf CloverHandSix-PackSeven-UpOctopus

Cat LivesBowling PinsFootball TeamDozen EggsUnlucky FridayValentine’s DayQuarter Hour

NOW, how many words or phrases do you remember?

What were two major differences between the first attempt and the second attempt?

1. We knew what the task was

2. We knew how the information was organized

What we know about learning• Active learning is more lasting than passive learning -- Passive learning is an oxymoron*

• Thinking about thinking is important– Metacognition**

• The level at which learning occurs is important – Bloom’s Taxonomy***

*Cross, Patricia, “Opening Windows on Learning” League for Innovation in the Community College, June 1998, p. 21.** Flavell, John, “Metacognition and cognitive monitoring: A new area of cognitive–developmental inquiry.” American Psychologist, Vol 34(10), Oct 1979, 906-911.*** Bloom Benjamin. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive Domain. New York: David McKay Co Inc.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001 http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Bloom's_Taxonomy

Evaluation

Synthesis

Analysis

Application

Comprehension

Knowledge

Making decisions and supporting views; requires

understanding of values.

Combining information to form a unique product; requires creativity and

originality.

Using information to solve problems; transferring abstract or theoretical

ideas to practical situations. Identifying

connections and relationships and how

they apply.Restating in

your own words;

paraphrasing, summarizing, translating.Memorizing verbatim

information. Being able to remember, but not

necessarily fully understanding the

material.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Louisiana State University Center for Academic Success B-31 Coates Hall 225-578-2872 www.cas.lsu.edu

Identifying components; determining

arrangement, logic, and semantics.

Graduate School

Undergraduate

High School

This pyramid depicts the different levels of thinking we use when learning. Notice how each level builds on the foundation that

precedes it. It is required that we learn the lower levels before we can effectively use the skills above.

When we teach students about Bloom’s Taxonomy…

They GET it!

At what level of Bloom’s did you have to operate to make A’s or

B’s in high school?

1 2 3 4 5 6

21%

35%

3%3%

13%

25%

1. Knowledge2. Comprehension3. Application4. Analysis5. Synthesis6. Evaluation

At what level of Bloom’s do you think you’ll need to be to make

an A in college?

1 2 3 4 5 6

7% 6%

15%

23%

35%

14%

1. Knowledge2. Comprehension3. Application4. Analysis5. Synthesis6. Evaluation

How do we teach students to move higher on Bloom’s Taxonomy?

Teach them the Study Cycle*

*adapted from Frank Christ’s PLRS system

4Reflect

4Reflect

The Study Cycle

1 Set a Goal (1-2 min) Decide what you want to accomplish in your study session

2 Study with Focus (30-50 min) Interact with material- organize, concept map, summarize, process, re-read, fill-in notes, reflect, etc.

3 Reward Yourself (10-15 min) Take a break– call a friend, play a short game, get a snack4 Review (5 min) Go over what you just studied

*Intense Study Sessions

Attend

Review

Study

Attend class – GO TO CLASS! Answer and ask questions and take meaningful notes.

Preview before class – Skim the chapter, note headings and boldface words, review summaries and chapter objectives, and come up with questions you’d like the lecture to answer for you.

Review after class – As soon after class as possible, read notes, fill in gaps and note any questions.

Assess your Learning – Periodically perform reality checks• Am I using study methods that are effective?• Do I understand the material enough to teach it to others?

Preview

Center for Academic SuccessB-31 Coates Hall ▪ 225.578.2872 ▪www.cas.lsu.edu

Assess

Study – Repetition is the key. Ask questions such as ‘why’, ‘how’, and ‘what if’.• Intense Study Sessions* - 3-5 short study sessions per day• Weekend Review – Read notes and material from the week to make

connections

Center for Academic Success

Transform Learning. Maximize Performance.

Concept maps facilitate development

of higher order thinking skills

And there are many different forms of concept maps…

Center for Academic Success

Transform Learning. Maximize Performance.

Chapter MapTitle of Chapter

Primary Headings

SubheadingsSecondary Subheadings

Center for Academic Success

Transform Learning. Maximize Performance.

Compare and ContrastConcept #1 Concept #2

How are they similar?

How are they different?

LSU Analytical Chemistry Graduate Student’s Cumulative Exam Record

2004 – 2005

9/04 Failed10/04 Failed11/04 Failed12/04 Failed1/05 Passed2/05 Failed3/05 Failed4/05 Failed

2005 – 200610/05 Passed11/05 Failed12/05 Passed best in group1/06 Passed2/06 Passed3/06 Failed4/06 Passed last one!5/06 N/A

Began work with CAS and the Writing Center in October 2005

Dr. Algernon Kelley, December 2009

“Without these strategies, I probably would have gotten a C in chemistry. You showed us the first week a way to get an A in the class and I knew that was going to be my only way to achieve that A. I was planning on just studying before the test.

But when you stressed how important it was to preview and review and study 2 hours a day or so, I was in shock, but I followed the guideline and got myself an A. So, I would like to thank you, because without these strategies, I probably would have done terribly in Chemistry.”Fall 2009 First semester chemistry

student

The Impact of Using Metacognitive Strategies

“…Personally, I am not so good at chemistry and unfortunately, at this point my grade for that class is reflecting exactly that. I am emailing you inquiring about a possibility of you tutoring me.”April 6, 2011“I made a 68, 50, 50, 87, 87, and a 97 on my final. I ended up earning a 90 in the course, but I started with a 60. I think what I did different was make sidenotes in each chapter and as I progressed onto the next chapter I was able to refer to these notes. I would say that in chemistry everything builds from the previous topic”

May 13, 2011Semester GPA: 3.8

… and from a Spring 2011 student

“…I am happy to report to you that many of my students are using the study cycle and all of the outcomes are positive.  In summary, students who were failing all of their classes, including my course and in their final semester before being removed from the university are now the top students in their respective classes.   I am so proud of these students.  Many of the students stated to me that they will continue to use the study cycle.....”October 15, 2010

Algernon Kelley, Xavier University Chemistry Instructor

… and from the perspective of a faculty member who learned metacognitive strategies as a student

The story of General Chemistry I in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011:what happens when we teach metacognitive strategies to an

entire class?*

*Cook, Elzbieta and Saundra McGuire. 2011. “Is less more? How much, when and how to teach learning strategies in General Chemistry courses”. Poster presented at the spring national meeting of the American Chemical Society, Anaheim, CA.

What was done in 2008 and 2009 in General Chemistry I

In 2008 and 2009, students lacking math skills (Math ACT score < 24) were allowed to take Gen Chem I.

However, they had to

• co-enroll in College Algebra

• enroll in a 1-credit hour supplemental chemistry course (Chem 1200), in which study and learning strategies, as well as problem solving skills, were taught throughout the semester in a weekly 75 minute review session.

Gen. Chem. I Results for Students with MATH ACT score < 24

2006Before CHEM 1200

%ABC

%DFW

2007

46

54

47

53

54

46

47

53

CookCombined Instructors Cook

Combined

Instructors

2008 2009

Performance in Gen Chem I based on Chem 1200 attendance

1200 (≥75% sessions)

ABCDFW

ABCDFW

15.7129.8432.9818.32 3.14 −

78.5321.47

33.0526.8715.78 8.96 8.10 7.25

75.6924.31

12.0124.2043.9512.73 5.10 1.91

80.2519.75

1200 (≥75% sessions)(N = 191; 86%) (N = 157; 64%)

No-1200

29.8225.0621.55 6.02 8.77 8.77

76.4423.55

No-1200

What was done in 2010 and 2011?

• No students with ACT math scores < 24 were allowed in Gen Chem I

• No Chem 1200 was offered.

• But, study and learning strategies were taught in one 50-min class immediately after the results of Exam 1 were announced.

Aug. 23: 657 students were enrolled at the start of the course

Sept. 25: 632 students took Exam 1:• 123 (19.5%) students failed Exam 1 • 86 students failed Exam 1 but stayed in the course

Sept. 27: 461 students attended McGuire’s talk; 156 did not

Oct. 20: 617 students took Exam 2

Attended AbsentExam 1 Avg.: 72.35% 70.11%

Improvement on Exam 2: 230 (50%) 55 (35%)Decline on Exam 2: 127 (27.5%) 70 (45%)No change on Exam 2: 104 (22.5%) 31 (20%)

Fall 2010 chain of events…

Fall 2010 chain of events…

Aug. 23: 657 students were enrolled at the start of the semester

Sept. 25: 461 students attended McGuire’s talk; 156 did not

Oct. 20: 617 students took Exam 2

Attended Absent Exam 1 Avg.: 72.35% 70.11%

Exam 2 Avg.: 76.01% 68.74%

Exam 1 to Exam 2 Change +3.66% -1.37% +

Net change: +5.03%

One 50-min presentation on study and learning strategies resulted in an improvement of over 1/2 of a letter grade

Performance in Gen Chem I in 2010 Based on One Learning Strategies Session

Attended AbsentExam 1 Avg.: 72.35% 70.11%Exam 2 Avg.: 76.01% 68.74%Final course Avg*.: 82.48% 72.61%Final Course Grade: B C

Even one 50-min presentation on study and learning strategies may mean an improvement of one full letter grade!

Note: 15% of the final course grade was determined by homework; students could also earn ~5% for extra credit activities.

Fall 2011 chain of events…

Aug. 22: 718 students were enrolled at the start of the semester

Sept. 23: 502 students attended McGuire’s talk; 216 did not

Oct. 11: 695 students took Exam 2

Attended Absent Entire ClassExam 1 Avg.: 71.65% 70.45% 71.30%

Exam 2 Avg.: 77.18% 68.90% 74.74%

Exam 1 to Exam 2 Change +5.53% -1.55% +3.34%

Net change: +7.08%

One 50-min presentation on study and learning strategies resulted in an improvement of over 2/3 of a letter grade

Performance in Gen Chem I in 2011 Based on One Learning Strategies Session

Attended AbsentExam 1 Avg.: 71.65% 70.45% Exam 2 Avg.: 77.18% 68.90% Final course Avg*.: 81.60% 70.43%Final Course Grade: B C

The one 50-min presentation on study and learning strategies again resulted in an improvement of one full letter grade!

Note: 15% of the final course grade was determined by homework; students could also earn ~5% for extra credit activities.

Performance in Organic Chem I Based on One Learning Strategies Session

Fall 2011

Attended AbsentExam 1 Avg.: 67.95% 74.04%Exam 2 Avg.: 71.36% 70.39%

Change +3.41% -3.65%Net Change +7.06%

One 50-min presentation on study and learning strategies again resulted in an improvement of over 2/3 of a letter grade on Exam 2

Teaching and Learning Strategies That Work SCIENCE , VOL 325 4 SEPTEMBER 2009

www.sciencemag.org

ROALD HOFFMANN1* AND SAUNDRA Y. MCGUIRE2

1Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, CornellUniversity, Baker Laboratory, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

2Center for Academic Success and Department of Chemistry,Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.

MARGINALIA

Learning and Teaching Strategies

Roald Hoffmann and Saundra Y. McGuire

September-October 2010Volume 98, Number 5

Special Note

Please visit the CAS website at www.cas.lsu.edu.

We have on-line workshops that will introduce you and your students to effective metacognitive strategies. Have fun helping your students learn how to learn!

Saundra McGuire

Additional References• Bruer, John T. , 2000. Schools For Thought: A Science of Learning

in the Classroom. MIT Press.• Christ, F. L., 1997. Seven Steps to Better Management of Your

Study Time*. Clearwater, FL: H & H Publishing. • Cromley, Jennifer, 2000. Learning to Think, Learning to Learn:

What the Science of Thinking and Learning Has to Offer Adult Education. Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy.

• Ellis, David, 2006. Becoming a Master Student*. New York: Houghton-Mifflin.

• McGuire, Saundra, 2004. Teaching Your Students HOW to Learn Chemistry. In D. Bunce and C. Muzzi (Eds.), Survival Handbook for the New Chemistry Instructor. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

• Nilson, Linda, 2004. Teaching at It’s Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing Company.

• Pierce, William, 2004. Metacognition: Study Strategies, Monitoring, and Motivation. http://academic.pg.cc.md.us/~wpeirce/MCCCTR/metacognition.htm

*Excellent student references

Acknowledgments• Dr. Elzbieta Cook, General Chem I Instructor• Faculty in the LSU Chemistry Department• Prof. Isiah Warner and the Office of Strategic

Initiatives • Sarah Baird & LSU Center for Academic Success• National College Learning Center Association• All of the students who changed their attitudes

and behaviors and showed me what was possible!

• The National Science Foundation