Active learning creating video tutorials
Purpose
The Teach 2 Learn (TE2LE) project aims to teach BSc and MSc students in biology cross-disciplinary transferable skills through the application of an innovative pedagogical practice. To stimulate their creativity and develop their collaborative, communicative and pedagogical skills, students will create video tutorials to teach their peers key scientific concepts (bioSKILLS) such as laboratory practices, field work methods, statistic, scientific writing and Health Safety and Environment (HSE).
This project aims to help students solidify their comprehension (Bauerle et al, 2009), to develop their ability to communicate ideas by learning to balance accuracy and simplification in their explanation, and to becomeeffective and creative communicators who recognize the value of interdisciplinary activities (Bronson and Merryman, 2010; DeHaan, 2009). Further, TE2LE aims for students to reveal, correct and learn from their own misconceptions, viewed as opportunities for productive learning (Harteis et al., 2008).
The collection of video tutorials on different bioSKILLS produced during the project will contribute to the development of digital platforms.
Project plan
TE2LE was initiated during this spring semester 2016 and will be further implemented during different courses conducted at the Department of Biological Sciences of the University of Bergen (BIO) and at The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS).
Project’s Implementation
Phase 1. Attending their courses, students learn several different bioSKILLS e.g. laboratory practices (bioLAB), field work methods (bioFIELD), statistical skills (bioST@TS), courses on scientific writing (bioWRITE), scientific communication (bioCOM)…
Phase 2. Alongside their classes, student volunteers are divided in groups of two to three students per group and, under the scientific, pedagogical and technical supervision of the TE2LE team, each group produces a four-minute video tutorial answering a given question within a bioSKILL.
Innovative Pedagogical Practice’s Evaluation
The impact that this innovative pedagogical practice has on the students’ perception of learning (both learning outcomes and personal development) is systematically evaluated through written questionnaires given to students before and after the TE2LE activities.
Further, an evaluation of the pedagogical value and of the clarity of each video tutorial is assessed both through intra-groups collaborative evaluation and finally during a public event at the end of the semester. Feedbacks from the public is then collected and evaluated.
Project Team members
Anne-Laure Simonelli (PhD in marine biology) has currently a postdoctoral research position under the PRIME project (How implementation of PRactice can IMprove relevance and quality in discipline and professional Educations) at the Centre of Excellence in Biology Education (bioCEED). She is the project leader of TE2LE. Simonelli is supporting and supervising students, providing them the necessary scientific and pedagogical guidance during the production of video tutorials. She is also responsible for the entire evaluation process and for the dissemination of the results.
Jonathan Soulé is chief engineer at the Centre of Excellence in Biology Education (bioCEED) and responsible for practical aspects of teaching activities at the Department of Biological Sciences, UiB. During the TE2LE activities, Soulé provides technical assistance to students during classes and during preparation of their video tutorials. In addition, Soulé is responsible for development of the platform bioST@TS.
References
Cynthia Bauerle, Anthony DePass, David Lynn, Clare O’Connor, Susan Singer, and Michelle Withers and Charles W. Anderson, Sam Donovan, Shawn Drew, Diane Ebert-May, Louis Gross, Sally G. Hoskins, Jay Labov, David Lopatto, Will McClatchey, Pratibha Varma-Nelson, Nancy Pelaez, Muriel Poston, Kimberly Tanner, David Wessner, Harold White, William Wood, and Daniel Wubah (2009). VISION AND CHANGE IN UNDERGRADUATE BIOLOGY EDUCATION A CALL TO ACTION. FINAL REPORT OF A NATIONAL CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE WITH SUPPORT FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. Editors: Carol A. Brewer and Diane Smith. Directorate for Education and Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education and the Directorate for Biological Sciences, July 15–17, 2009, Washington, DC.
Bronson, P., & Merryman, A. (2010, July 10). The creativity crisis. Newsweek. Retrieved from www.newsweek.com/2010/07/10/the-creativity-crisis.html.
DeHaan, R.L. (2009). Teaching Creativity and Inventive Problem Solving in Science. CBE – Life Sciences Education, 8, 172-181.
Harteis, C., Bauer, J., and Gruber, H. (2008). The culture of learning from mistakes: How employees handle mistakes in everyday work. International Journal of Educational Research, 47, 223-231.