DESIGNING A CLASS: STRATEGIES AND WEB-RESOURCES FOR DEVELOPING STRONG LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Faculty preparing for class balance many important considerations in deciding how to spend the lecture or lab period: What content will be covered? What skills will be taught? How will the students be engaged in learning? How will their learning be assessed? What resources are available? What methods will work with the range of learning styles in the room? How much time is available to get ready? Interviews with faculty indicate that they make decisions about what to do in class based largely on their personal experience and that of their colleagues. Work by educational researchers on the design of educational materials and learning environments provides useful models for thinking about the design of a class period. Setting goals and guiding questions for a class can focus the class, clarify the expectations, and enable assessment (Wiggins and McTighe, 1998). Principles from learning science can be adapted to consider how to engage students, construct new knowledge, and foster the retrieval and use of this knowledge (Edelson, 2001).

To assist faculty in conceiving and implementing new kinds of classroom experiences, the Science Education Resource Center websites (serc.Carleton.edu) provide resources that can be used or adapted to enhance students learning experiences. The Starting Point site (serc.Carleton.edu/introgeo) provides examples of a wide range of teaching methods used in entry-level courses and includes both teaching materials and how-to information. The Teaching with Data portal (serc.Carleton.edu/usingdata) provides a full spectrum of resources for teaching with data including activities, examples, access to data, and information about effective pedagogy. The On the Cutting Edge site (serc.Carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops) has teaching information and other resources on topics including Petrology, Structural Geology, Human Health, Biocomplexity, Geology and Health, and Teaching with Visualizations. Faculty response to these sites indicates that they are a great source for ideas and for materials that can be adapted or directly incorporated in class. The sites have been developed in collaboration with faculty across the country. You are invited to review the sites, review the specific teaching materials, and contribute examples from your classes.