The impact of blended learning pedagogy on students’ perception and performance in undergraduate biology Dr. Julia Yajuan Zhu & Dr. Bina Rai
Challenges in Teaching Biology • Lack of motivation to study Bio • Wrong perception about Bio course • Diverse pre‐univ Bio background Our Solution: Blended Learning (including flipped classroom, lecture, lab, virtual lab, classroom activities, real‐life examples etc.)
Blended Learning & Bloom’s Taxonomy Face‐to‐face teacher/student interaction Online‐learning (flipped classroom)
Paradigm Shift Roles & Expectations Students MUST take responsibility: ownership of learning Teachers MUST take facilitation A BETTER WORLD BY DESIGN.
Materials & Methods
10.012 Introduction to Biology Learning Objectives Time Commitment 1. Describe the key concepts in A half-term subject, from week-8 to cellular biology and genetics. week-14. 2. Apply these fundamental concepts to explain the function and regulation It takes 12 hours per week , divided of living systems. as follows: 3. Describe common laboratory • 1h of flipped classroom techniques and methods of data • 1h of standard lecture analysis used in cellular biology and • 2hx 2 cohort classes genetic research. • 6h of self-study (reading and 4. Interpret biological experimental problem sets etc.). data using qualitative and quantitative analysis.
Weekly Schedule of Blended Learning with Flipped Classroom Approach for Teaching “Introduction to Biology”. Lecture 1 (Flipped) Cohort 1 Lecture 2 Cohort 2 Flipped: Students are provided with In-class Hands-on In-class Hands-on video recording, Standard Lecture Activities Activities power point slides and keywords list. Methods of Assessment During Lecture 1: At start of Cohort 1: Online MCQ Individual quiz Peer group Individual quiz (1 st Attempt) (2 nd Attempt) discussion for 5 min Contribute to Final Grade
Use Blackboard to Organize Course Material
Lecture 1 (Flipped) Flipped Classroom + Online MCQ “Mix” in PPT + “YouCam” + “Wacom” PowerPoint Lightboard Traditional Slides + Keywords List
Course Material of Lecture-1 (Flip)
Lecture 2 Standard Lecture • 1h/week • 250 students/lecture • Using Clicker Questions • Using Think‐Pair Share • Demonstrations • Guest Lecture
Cohorts 1 & 2 In-class Hands-on Activities Real Lab Virtual Lab (StarCellBio) MIT https://starcellbio.mit.edu/
Cohorts 1 & 2 In-class Hands-on Activities Virtual Lab (StarGenetics) Case Studies MIT University of Buffalo http://star.mit.edu/genetics/ http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/collection/
Quiz (Cohort-1, before & after discussion)
Results-I: Students’ Perception
General Feedback about Course Overall Rating The course has stimulated my interests to learn more about the subject. 4.0 /5 The course has improved my knowledge in the subject. 4.1 /5 The course is well organized and structured. 4.0 /5 The course work load is manageable. 4.0 /5 The modes of assessment reinforce the learning of the course materials 4.0 /5 Overall, I would rate this course as: Very Good/Good/Average/Below Average/Poor 4.0 /5 The course actively involved me in learning experiences. 4.1 /5 After going through all the classes and assessments (quizzes, tests, assignment, design projects, exams, etc.) I am confident that I have achieved the measureable outcomes of the subject. 4.0 /5
Course Feedback _ Strengths “It is good that they give us a lot of resource as “ Well structured and catered to the interests well as case studies and real experiments to of the general student population that have let us understand better, this really enhance the not learnt about the subject before. Provides a learning experience and should be kept for good insight into a subject that we otherwise future batches. The videos were good too just would not have an opportunity to learn about.” that it should be slightly more comprehensive.” “Very interesting and engaging subject, taught well.” “Highly interactive course. Online Quizzes and Flip Classrooms are interesting and helpful.”
Course Feedback_ Weaknesses “Too much of the content was touch-and-go, “Course well structured, through some weeks too brief to craft a lasting and thorough are very content heavy and some less, would be understanding of the course materials which better if the content was more balanced each was relatively disappointing. Furthermore, week to make it easier for us to memorize. ” the learning objectives did not adequately explain the depth to which we should delve into to understand the lesson material which “Too much depth within such a small amount could only be done if everything was of time.” correlated and taught with flow, instead of the abrupt manner that biology concepts are explained to us, without much linkages to other disciplines as well.
Specific Feedback on Flipped Classroom Q1: I like to watch/study the flipped lessons Q2: The flipped classroom is more engaging than outside the classroom. the traditional lecture in the lecture hall. 50 50 Students Responded Students Responded 40 40 30 30 (%) (%) 20 20 10 10 0 0 Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Disagree Agree Disagree Agree Q3: Having the lessons flipped gave me sufficient Q4: The flipped lessons helped me schedule my learning during my most alert time of the day. time to learn the fundamentals at my own pace. 50 50 Student Responded Student Responded 40 40 30 30 (%) (%) 20 20 10 10 0 0 Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Disagree Agree Disagree Agree
Specific Feedback on Flipped Classroom Q6: The flipped classroom provided me the necessary Q5: Having flip lessons over the weekend helped me background knowledge to be prepared for the cohort systematize my weekend studying, and lessened the exercise of the week. strain during the weekday. 50 50 Student Responded Student Responded 40 40 30 30 (%) (%) 20 20 10 10 0 0 Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Disagree Agree Disagree Agree Q7: The flipped classroom freed up the cohort time for Q8: I would recommend the flipped classroom to a active learning exercises. friend. 50 50 Students Responded Students Responded 40 40 30 30 (%) (%) 20 20 10 10 0 0 Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Disagree Agree Disagree Agree
Specific Feedback _ Positive Responses It is good because I can do it anytime of the Flipped lessons are the best. day and can do it when I feel like it. You don't have to waste time waiting for everyone to settle down in a LT. You don't have to squint your eyes to see Quiet interesting and engaging. Gives good what is written on the board if you aren't background knowledge before class sitting at the front. You can always rewind the video if you missed out on important slides (which allows All lectures should be flipped as taking notes much easier) conventional lectures are very boring and very distracting as there are many people talking in the lecture theatre. Having quizzes after going through flipped lessons test my level of understanding much more than clicker questions in lectures.
Specific Feedback _ Negative Responses I feel that flipped classrooms seems to be an Sometimes the flipped classroom contents additional workload to be added during the gets too heavy (on the cell signals, especially weekend which may not be ideal for learning, on particular process), and its hard to adsorb especially with the other workload to be since it is only briefly covered and good depth considered. it becomes an additional knowledge is needed. homework that needs to be done. Please give me detail and perhaps, transcript I really like it but I am afraid of forgetting to of the lecture as well. Some word is really hard do it. to hear and some points are not well elaborated
Results-II: Students’ Performance
In-class Quiz Score (before v.s. after discussion) Week 9: quiz score (n=269) Week 13: quiz score (n=233) 250 250 200 200 Number of Students Number of Students 150 150 100 100 50 50 0 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100 Percentage Score Percentage Score
In-class Quiz Response Time (before v.s. after discussion) Week 9: response time (n=269) Week 13: response time (n=233) Note: Results are presented as mean +/- STD, p <0.001.
Students Performance in Final Exam 40.00% 35.00% Year 1: No blend 2015 (no blend) Percentage of student 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% 0.00% 90‐100 80‐89.99 70‐79.99 60‐69.99 50‐59.99 40‐49.99 <40 Mark range
Students Performance in Final Exam 40.00% 2015 (no blend) Year 1 (no blend) 35.00% 2016 Percentage of student Year 2 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% 0.00% 90‐100 80‐89.99 70‐79.99 60‐69.99 50‐59.99 40‐49.99 <40 Mark range
Conclusion
Recommend
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