Maximization of learning outcomes through minimalization

Posted by Sabina Weronika Jaros, on Nov. 27, 2022, 10:56 p.m.
Pedagogy
ConstructiveAlignment InstructionsLaboratory LaboratoryExperiments
Content
LaboratoryCourses LaboratoryNotebook
Context/Topic
STEM-CPD@EUni

Sabina Weronika Jaros

Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, Poland

Challenge and goal

Our notes are an invaluable source of information we can refer back to at any time. However, the requirements for keeping a laboratory notebook are often unspecified or completely ignored during laboratory classes. Therefore, designing a well-organized laboratory notebook is essential for: (a) monitoring teaching progress, (b) verifying teaching outcomes, (c)  personalizing teaching methods for the needs of students and teachers, (d) connecting fundamental chemistry concepts to techniques used, (e) waste generation measurements, (f) sustainable time management, (g) and higher satisfaction of students and teaching personnel.

This user case is dedicated to designing homogeneous requirements regarding the documentation of students’ experimental work, improving collaboration between teaching groups in monitoring learning outcomes, better time management, and minimalizing the resource used.

Goals

  • Development of high-quality documentation of students’ experimental work – laboratory notebooks
  • Improvement of collaboration between teaching groups in monitoring  learning outcomes
  • Sustainable time management and minimizing the resource use

Topic of the user case

Development of high-quality documentation of students’ experimental work – laboratory notebooks

 

Local context (specific)

Collaboration is an inherent part of our research at the Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Wrocław. The researchers in our Faculty work on solving complex sustainable development issues using interdisciplinary approaches and internal or external collaboration. We do so by carefully collecting and analyzing data in a well-organized manner through laboratory notebooks and managing our time.

Unfortunately, the didactic situation is the opposite. Cooperation between teaching groups is limited and hampered by the lack of common sustainable development strategies and by unspecified requirements for the documentation of students' experimental work in the form of laboratory notebooks at various courses.

Local CPD goals

  • Designing the well-maintained laboratory notebook principles for monitoring teaching progress, verifying teaching outcomes, connecting fundamental and green chemistry concepts to techniques used, waste generation measurements
  • Promoting good practice from the very first laboratory session
  • Improving communications between teaching groups and teaching Staff, and students
  • Sustainable time management during laboratories, improvement of planning, gathering and analyzing skills by students and teaching staff

 

Needs defined in STEM-CPD Roadmap

Competences
3 choose an appropriate assessment method for their course
8 develop critical thinking by students
11 stimulate discussion
30 make/produce short MOOCs
Attitudes
3 inspire a positive attitude in their class.
5 be interested in their students' progress.
1 be reflective teachers and reflect about their courses / lectures.
11 organize / attend meetings of their own teaching team to discuss / reflect on the teaching methods and on the effect of those on students' learning.
8 discuss teaching with their colleagues.
Activities
5 following online courses / MOOC about teaching and learning.

CPD activities at the local university

  • Interview and questionnaires distributed to academic teachers
  • Designing of a new micro-MOOC

Teaching and learning materials

Designed for this purpose micro-MOOC

Sustainable implementation

 

Expected impact of the CPD User Case

  • Promoting good practice from the very first laboratory session
  • Improving communications between teaching groups and  teaching Staff, and students
  • Sustainable time management during laboratories, improvement of planning, gathering and analyzing skills by students and teaching staff

Plans for eventual continuation of the CPD within the same topic

 

Developing confidence in sound course design, learning facilitation, and use of technology in facilitative teaching (type P1-1, P1-3, P1-4)

This CPD scenario describes a User case in which lecturers develop their competence in sound course design and how to facilitate student’s deep learning and development of higher cognitive skills and how to use specific digital tools in teaching for a pedagogical goal and develop attitudes in supporting student development and enabling students’ well-being in a learning process and inclusivity and reflecting on own teaching practice and knowledge sharing.
The approximate duration of a User case that follows this scenario is several weeks.
In this CPD scenario the participants are using a very short open online course, a micro mooc (μmooc) and professionalize in a close connection to their own teaching practice (at their workplace).

Competences
Constructive alignment
Deep learning
Use of digital tools for a pedagogical goal
Attitudes
Pastoral interest
Reflection
Knowledge sharing
Activities
Learning facilitation (person-centered)
Learning environment
μMOOCs
Workplace
Time
Several weeks
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