College level science Instructors, counselors and administrators question how on-line teaching of laboratory based science courses meet goals and objectives of college degree requirements. This session will provide hands-on experience with the concerns and solutions identified in research on student completion of Course Learning Objectives in an on-line laboratory format.
Primary Audience: Instructors, academic counselors, administrators, IT personnel interested in assessing student learning objectives in, “authentic (non-virtual) on-line instruction in science laboratory based course presentation.
Session Outcomes: Participants will discuss issues and concerns of assessing student performance in course learning objectives in authentic (non-virtual) laboratory experiences which meet institutional standards for college level degree and transfer courses in laboratory sciences. Participants will engage in an active learning experience, from a student’s perspective, to assess how the laboratory materials are presented and completed in an on-line format.
Session Take-Aways: Participants will actually experience authentic laboratory instruction in the on-line format and take away information and materials that can be used to provide and assess this type of instruction at their institutions.
Measurable Learning Outcomes (LOs): Explicit Participant Learning Outcomes
1. Participants will explore specific issues related to presenting and assessing authentic (hands-on as opposed to virtual) laboratory experiences to on-line students registered in a college transfer level, laboratory based, biology class. Measured by completion of specific laboratory related exercises.
2. Participants will actively take part in performing authentic laboratory exercised in an on-line laboratory based biology class. Measured by completion of laboratory post-lab questions.
INNOVATIVE LAB (45 minutes)
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DISCUSSION (5 minutes): How do we engage and assess learners, including those with special needs, in successfully completing institutional District Learning Objectives (DLOs) and Course Learning Objectives (CLOs) in a fully-on-line learning Environment?
Approximately 16 years ago, the concept of teaching online science courses to non-science majors was discussed with the biological science faculty at Mt. San Jacinto College, a publically funded two year college in the California Community College system.
Critical Issues:
Faculty Attitudes - “Over my dead body!” You cannot teach a biology lab on-line.
Course Rigor (course credit transferability - labs required) Can student lecture and laboratory learning outcomes be achieved?
On-line/Hybrid Format - Is the on-line laboratory experience on par with the on-campus experience?
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DEMONSTRATION (10 minutes)
5 Minutes - Participant (Interactivity) Collaboration: Questions on Issues and Concerns at Institutions Represented by Participants
Discussion among participants and presenter to identify issues and concerns about on-line laboratories which they have or which they think may be crucial to the implementation of this type of laboratory course format.
5 Minutes – Demonstration of Research Methods and Statistical Analysis Comparing On-line and On-campus student success in meeting Laboratory Course Learning Objectives (CLO).
Discuss: Research Methodology
Student performance information gathered, Student Outcome
No statistically significant differences (.05) between an online or
on-campus science course when it comes to the completion of Student Learning Objectives*
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INNOVATION Apply and Practice Concept:– 30 Minutes
20 Minutes - Authentic Laboratory Experience Jigsaw Teams
Divide participants into 4 member “lab partner groups”.
Work through different “jigsaw” pieces of an actual lab experiment.
10 Minute – Reflections
Teams present findings and reflect on practical application in their own instructional context.