Learning by Doing: Science in a Large General Education Class

Details Learning by Doing: Science in a Large General Education Class Learning by Doing: Science in a Large General Education Class

Dec 2007

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007aas...211.0604l&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #211, #06.04; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 39, p.736

Computer Science

Learning

Scientific paper

Teaching science in a large (150+ students) class can be a challenge. This is especially true in a general education science class that is populated by non-science majors, athletes, and students with math phobias, as well as students with a variety of learning disabilities.
To illustrate Newton's Laws, we used The Egg Fling: knocking a pie pan from under a raw egg which then falls straight down into a container of water. Newton's Laws are projected on an overhead in constant view of the students, and an ELMO is used to give a live, big-screen view to engage even those in the back of the large lecture room. Students make predictions, watch the demo, then refine or correct predictions as we discuss which laws are illustrated. The Laws are later related to students’ science fiction books and the GEMS Moons of Jupiter activity.
Reading classic science fiction books allows students to see how our understanding of the universe and our technology have changed over the last 150 years, also adding a writing component to the class.
Student preceptors are critical to the success of this approach, leading small group discussions that could not easily be done with the whole class. Preceptors receive training before they lead activities or discussions with groups of 10 to 15 peers.
Students do live sky observations and informal measurements to track the motion and phases of the Moon against the background stars, but use technology (Heavens Above and Starry Night) to track and understand the rising and setting of the Sun and its relation to the reason for the seasons.
Using a combination of live demonstrations with technology, short assessments, and student preceptors makes teaching a large group possible, effective, and fun.

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