USING CASE-BASED STUDIES AS TEACHING TOOLS FOR NON-SCIENCE MAJORS

A National Science Foundation grant obtained for 2002-2003 has enabled the redesign of three laboratory science courses required for early childhood through eighth grade preservice teachers in Texas. To date, four case studies have been presented in two of the classes, Life/Earth Science and Physical Science. Though the cases vary in content, they contain a unifying concept of energy change. Through the incorporation of inquiry and case-based instruction in these classes, it is hoped that teachers will have an improved understanding of science that will enhance attitude and efficacy. One objective of this presentation is to report initial assessment of the effectiveness of using case studies in the courses. Means of assessment include pre- and post content tests each semester, and the Science Teacher Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (STEBI-B). Another objective of the talk is to present the final case study designed for Concepts of Science, a methods class scheduled for the Fall 2004 semester. In this newest case, the first author will use original foraminiferal research from Nueces Bay, Texas, to tie together concepts previously covered in the Life/Earth and Physical Science courses. Research in the bay shows that foraminiferal abundance increases in areas of higher productivity, and that there is a high incidence of shell dissolution due to low oxygen/pH levels. Using the foraminiferal case study as an introduction, teachers will be shown how to incorporate case-based learning in their own classrooms, and how to tailor a laboratory exercise to complement the case presentation.