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Scenarios, Stakeholders, Autonomy, and Choice
Using Role-Play to Facilitate Transformational Learning Experiences
Journal of College Science Teaching—May/June 2020 (Volume 49, Issue 5)
By David Green and Mary Kay Cassani
A role-play activity is presented that was designed for a STEM education learning experience to enrich science literacy, collaboration, and critical-thinking skills in undergraduate science courses. During the roleplay, learners assumed the roles of critical stakeholders involved with Everglades restoration activities. After conducting research and relating academic content to relevant, real-world contextual situations, learners participated in a mock town hall event. Open deliberation and debates stimulated interest and engagement. Emergent benefits from this roleplay activity included collaborating effectively, forming evidence-based perspectives, and using metacognitive strategies.
A role-play activity is presented that was designed for a STEM education learning experience to enrich science literacy, collaboration, and critical-thinking skills in undergraduate science courses. During the roleplay, learners assumed the roles of critical stakeholders involved with Everglades restoration activities. After conducting research and relating academic content to relevant, real-world contextual situations, learners participated in a mock town hall event. Open deliberation and debates stimulated interest and engagement.
A role-play activity is presented that was designed for a STEM education learning experience to enrich science literacy, collaboration, and critical-thinking skills in undergraduate science courses. During the roleplay, learners assumed the roles of critical stakeholders involved with Everglades restoration activities. After conducting research and relating academic content to relevant, real-world contextual situations, learners participated in a mock town hall event. Open deliberation and debates stimulated interest and engagement.
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Geoscience Education and Motivated Reasoning
Learning About Climate Change
Journal of College Science Teaching—May/June 2020 (Volume 49, Issue 5)
By Emily Fisher and Nan Crystal Arens
Individuals use information selectively, in ways that support group beliefs or one’s psychological needs—this is motivated reasoning. Motivated reasoning is revealed in correlations between (1) opinions/knowledge and (2) individual cognitive preferences, such as need for closure, belief in a just world, and authoritarianism. We ask whether motivated reasoning around climate change persists after a 14-week college-level geoscience course, using a quasi-experimental design that compared students in nonmajor geoscience classes focusing on climate (N = 134) with students in similar courses that did not address contemporary climate change (N = 94). At the beginning of the course, students completed surveys that assessed cognitive preferences, political affiliation, general science and climate science knowledge, and opinions on anthropogenic climate change. At the end of the course, students’ knowledge and opinions were reassessed. Correlations among variables indicated tendencies toward motivated reasoning at the beginning of the class. However, at the semester’s end, evidence of motivated reasoning diminished: Fewer correlations between psychological variables and climate change knowledge and opinions reached significance, and those that did were less robust at the end of the semester. The effect was similar for both courses, demonstrating that a semester-long science course, irrespective of topic, may reduce motivated reasoning around climate change.
Individuals use information selectively, in ways that support group beliefs or one’s psychological needs—this is motivated reasoning. Motivated reasoning is revealed in correlations between (1) opinions/knowledge and (2) individual cognitive preferences, such as need for closure, belief in a just world, and authoritarianism.
Individuals use information selectively, in ways that support group beliefs or one’s psychological needs—this is motivated reasoning. Motivated reasoning is revealed in correlations between (1) opinions/knowledge and (2) individual cognitive preferences, such as need for closure, belief in a just world, and authoritarianism.
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Designing Environmental Science Curriculum With PhotoVoice to Engage Nonscience Majors
Journal of College Science Teaching—May/June 2020 (Volume 49, Issue 5)
By Carolyn Waters and Kristin Cook
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Neglected Tropical Diseases
A Case for Promoting Innovation and Transdisciplinary Perspectives in Liberal Arts Education
Journal of College Science Teaching—May/June 2020 (Volume 49, Issue 5)
By Kevin M. Bonney
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A Framework for Effective Dissemination of Innovative STEM Curricula
Journal of College Science Teaching—May/June 2020 (Volume 49, Issue 5)
By S. Elizabeth Alter and Leo Gafney
TWO-YEAR COMMUNITY
Community College Students Rise to the Challenge
Meeting the Time Demands of Highly Structured Courses
Journal of College Science Teaching—May/June 2020 (Volume 49, Issue 5)
By Scott Freeman, Pamela Pape-Lindstrom, Anne Casper, and Sarah Eddy
High-structure course designs have reduced achievement gaps for low-income and underrepresented minority students at research universities. But do community college students have time to do the preclass preparation required for intensive active learning, given their work and family commitments? We asked introductory majors biology students at two community colleges, a regional comprehensive university, and a research university (R1) in two states to report the number of hours spent on various activities each week. Our sample included one low-structure and one high-structure course at each institution type. Community college students reported higher levels of nonacademic time commitments than students at the regional comprehensives and the R1s. The community college students in both states reported spending the same amount of time studying for their biology course as the students at the R1s; in one state, the community college students were spending more time studying than the students at the comprehensive university. Our data show that community college students commit as much time to biology as other students, demonstrating that they can readily meet the time demands of a high-structure course.
High-structure course designs have reduced achievement gaps for low-income and underrepresented minority students at research universities. But do community college students have time to do the preclass preparation required for intensive active learning, given their work and family commitments? We asked introductory majors biology students at two community colleges, a regional comprehensive university, and a research university (R1) in two states to report the number of hours spent on various activities each week.
High-structure course designs have reduced achievement gaps for low-income and underrepresented minority students at research universities. But do community college students have time to do the preclass preparation required for intensive active learning, given their work and family commitments? We asked introductory majors biology students at two community colleges, a regional comprehensive university, and a research university (R1) in two states to report the number of hours spent on various activities each week.
NSTA Press Excerpt
An Initial Engagement: Preparing a Preliminary Design
By Rodger W. Bybee
Ask a Mentor
When to Integrate Technology
By Gabe Kraljevic
Ask a Mentor
Giving Teachers Freedom of Choice
By Gabe Kraljevic
Elementary | Daily Do
How Can We Make a Room as Dark as Possible?
