Using Sakai to Research and Enhance Small Group Teaching in Plant Sciences

University of Cambridge, UK

SummerYear 3

Choose 1Astrophysics

Chemistry

Experimental & Theoretical Physics

Geological Sciences

Materials Science & Metallurgy

History & Philosophy of Science

Anatomy Option A

Anatomy Option B

Biochemistry

Genetics

Neuroscience

Pathology

Pharmacology

Physiology

Plant Sciences

Psychology

Zoology

Biological & Biomedical Sciences (dissertation-based)

Physical Sciences

SummerYear 2

Choose 3Chemistry A

Chemistry B

Geological Sciences A

Geological Sciences B

Materials Science & Metallurgy

Minerals Science

Physics

Advanced Physics

History & Philosophy of Science

Mathematics

Animal Biology

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Cell & Developmental Biology

Ecology

Experimental Psychology

Neurobiology

Pathology

Pharmacology

Physiology

Plant & Microbial Sciences

Choose 3

Year 1

Choose 3

Choose 1

Chemistry

Geology

Materials & Mineral Sciences

Physics

Biology of Cells

Evolution and Behaviour

Physiology of Organisms

Elementary Mathematics for Biologists

Mathematics

Quantitative Biology

CMI Teaching and Learning Project Aims

To develop learning approaches and resources to enhance the effectiveness of small group teaching in 2nd yr Plant and Microbial Sciences:

Improve learning outcomes

Engage students better

Enhance student recruitment and

retention

Using evidence to inform practice in small-group teaching

• Multi-method study being carried out to identify areas where development should take place

• Analysis shows what is needed to support small-group teaching

• Support can be provided with online tools via SAKAI

CamTools – an integrated learning environment

Using CamTools for

Research

Resources Tool

Group development of

reports

Progress information

Share documents

Map of deadlines and

dates for meetings

WIKIAnnouncements

ToolSchedule

Research wiki

Research Approach:

Identification of desirable practices

Development of resources

Implementation of resources and practices

Analysis of effectiveness of interventions

Multi-method research approach

Literature Review

SurveyStudent Focus

GroupsTutor

Interviews

Literature Review

Syllabus Tool

Sharing Learning

Objectives

Syllabus tool

Survey – dual scale

The left scale relates to practices and this is for you to show how frequently things happen

The right scale is for you to show how much you value the activity.

Survey

Exemplar essays

embedded in WIKI tool

Self-tests embedded in WIKI for use

outside tutorial time

No exemplar answers

Too much recall of facts

during tutorials

Exemplar essays

Survey

Exemplar Essays

embedded in WIKI tool

Self-tests embedded in WIKI for use

outside tutorial time

No Exemplar answers

Too much recall of facts

during tutorials

Self-tests

Student focus groups

Where a small group of students is led in a discussion to identify and evaluate learning practices

Prior experience of learning and dispositions towards specific teaching and learning strategies

Experience of teaching and

learning in supervisions

Experience of and attitudes towards

assessment

Student Focus Groups

Lecture notes in

WIKI

Hyperlinks to other

relevant pages

WIKI is searchable

Need transparency in

course structure

Animations

VideoConcept maps

Podcasts3D

structures

Additional resources for difficult topics

Student Wiki

Lecture notes

Student Focus Groups

Lecture notes in

WIKI

Hyperlinks to other relevant

pages

WIKI is searchable

Need transparency in

course structure

Animations

VideoConcept maps

Podcasts3D

structures

Additional resources for difficult topics

Additional resources in WIKI

Electronic jigsaw

Flash animations

Video streams

Concept map

Podcasts

Narrated powerpoint presentations

3D structures

Flash Animations

3D structures

Characteristics

• Transformative

• Integrative

• Irreversible

• Linked to areas of troublesome knowledge

e.g. Photoinhibition

Threshold concepts

Concept map

Threshold concepts

Concept Maps

Interviews with Tutors

• To identify successful tutorial activities for each lecture topic

• To highlight areas where extra resources are likely to be useful for students and tutors

• To get ideas for new types of resources

Tutor Interviews

Fully editable tutor WIKI

Easy access to relevant papers

and media

Access to lecture notes

and slides

Need bank of suggested

tutorial activities

Tutors’ wiki

Using SAKAI to enhance teaching and learning

Plant Sciences Pedagogy Project

Lever to encourage further change in teaching practices at the University of Cambridge

CamTools Demonstration Sitesakai@plantsci.cam.ac.uk

Josh Jacobs

Lori Breslow

Warren Seering

Patrick Carmichael

Harriet Truscott

Rhiannon Williams

John Norman

Keith Johnstone

Fran Tracy

Katy Jordan