Pursuing an Academic Career Virtual Event Series

Linking goals, assessment and teaching strategies to promote effective learning: March 9, 2012


Note: This webinar has already taken place. See the References, resources, and the presentation from this virtual event.

2 pm Eastern | 1 pm Central | 12 pm Mountain | 11 am Pacific (1 hr)

Leader: David McConnell, North Carolina State University

Registration deadline: March 2, 2012.Registration for this event is now closed.

This presentation will discuss the relationship between situational factors, learning goals, teaching activities, and student feedback and assessment and how the interaction of these components can be structured to ensure student learning. We will describe how research on learning informs the development of activities to promote student learning in and out of class. Participants should leave the presentation with information necessary to design effective lessons that can be assessed and modified to maximize student conceptual learning.

Jump down to: References, resources, and the presentation from this virtual event

Goals for participants are to:

  • Become familiar with some results from basic research on student learning
  • Identify the principle features of course design necessary to support student learning
  • Describe different types of activities that correspond with multiple levels of Bloom's Taxonomy
  • Learn how to create formative and summative assessment exercises to specific learning objectives

Time - 2 pm Eastern | 1 pm Central | 12 pm Mountain | 11 am Pacific
Duration - 1 hour
Format - Online web presentation via Blackboard Collaborate web conference software with questions and discussion. Participants will receive an email with instructions detailing how to log into the event approximately one week prior to the event.
Registration - There is no registration fee, but registration is required to save a space. Space is limited to 80, so please be sure you can commit before registering. Registration closes when the spaces fill or March 2, 2012, whichever comes first. Please complete the registration form if you are interested and able to participate. Registration for this event is now closed.

Please email Rachel Beane (rbeane AT bowdoin.edu) if you have any questions about this event or Monica Bruckner (mbruckne AT carleton.edu) if you have technical questions.

Presenter

David McConnell is an Professor of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences at North Carolina State University. McConnell's research focuses on assessment of learning processes in large general education geoscience classes. His current work examines the affective domain that involves the attitudes, feelings and emotions that may hinder or promote learning.

References and Resources

Presentation:

Course Design:

Teaching Methods:

  • Pedagogy in Action -This site provides an introduction to a range of effective teaching methods that go beyond lecture. The site describes the methods, points to the research about its effectiveness, provides hints and tips for using it well and ends with a collection of classroom activities that exemplify the teaching methods. There are also subsets of this site focused on geoscience-specific teaching methods and activities.

Assessment and Research on Learning:

  • Understanding What our Geoscience Students are Learning: Observing and Assessing - Find activities for evaluating student learning, information on how to use different assessment methods in different learning environments, and information on researching teaching and learning.
  • The Affective domain includes factors such as student motivation, attitudes, perceptions and values. Teachers can increase their effectiveness by considering the affective domain in planning courses, delivering lectures and activities, and assessing student learning.
    • Assessment Tools for the Affective Domain - Several assessment tools designed for measuring some aspect of the affective domain are listed on this page. For each assessment tool, you will find information about what is measured and how the author uses it. You will also find the tool itself.
  • Pedagogy in Action - Assessment Module - This website is the homepage for part of SERC's resource collection on assessment. This collection provides both basic and in-depth information about assessment and how to apply assessment techniques in the classroom.
  • Developing questions using Bloom's Taxonomy - this site from Starting Point guides readers in how to ask questions at different levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. While aimed at developing questions for Gallery Walks, these tips are applicable to a broader range of uses.
  • Assessing Quantitative Reasoning in Student Writing - Carleton's Quantitative Inquiry, Reasoning, and Knowledge Initiative (QuIRK) has developed an innovative tool for assessing quantitative reasoning in student writing. In addition to providing evidence for program evaluation, assessment results guide professional development efforts. The pages in this section describe QuIRK's assessment methodology for those interested in implementing a similar assessment program.