By ER1990
Science is often accused of ‘killing’ creativity with its boundaries because science is always about the facts and not about the expression. Yet, it is built on creative ideas and thinking outside the box. Rarely, I have seen teachers to use creative methods to teach science – most of the classes would rather include watching videos or drawing diagrams of pathways or processes. Once or twice I was involved in making cellular structures out of modelling clay and I remember, to this day, that it was a lot of fun.
Recently, I discovered that some teachers use the Japanese art of paper folding – origami, to enhance the students learning experience in biology (Çelikler et al., 2017). The students are asked to make models of molecules, flowers, cells or cellular structures to illustrate the structural features. This was helping the students to learn as they were actively involved in building the models. Several resources are now available for teachers to aid in the preparation of classes involving origami folding. One developed by two former research scientists, allows to download templates which then can be used in the classroom (https://origamiorganelles.com/). However, would origami still be something that students can use and benefit from in higher education considering that scientist do not like ‘wasting’ their time on unnecessary tasks and paper, which contradicts all the principles of sustainability? It turns out that the use of origami in higher education teaching has a lot of potential. Yamanoi & Iwasaki (2015) have developed and evaluated a computer simulation software called the Origami Bird Simulator (OBS). The aim of the program was to assist students in learning about natural selection and speciation. During the study, 71% of students responded that their understanding of the topic has improved after using the OBS. Although, the study was performed with high-school students, the authors suggest that the same tool could be used to assist students at a university level. Professor Robert M. Hanson at St. Olaf College, in Northfield, Minnesota has developed a computer program called Molecular Origami. The software enables the students to learn and explore folding and arrangements of atoms in molecules and network solids based on a set of actual paper origami models. The use of this tool has been evaluated amongst the students. Most of them found the tool useful in helping them to learn but also wished they had used it during their high school education (summary of responses available at: https://www.stolaf.edu/people/hansonr/evaluation.html). A great potential of the use of origami in science has been outlined in the program entitled ‘The Origami Evolution’ (transcript available at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/origami-revolution.html). Here, the ideas of the use of origami in the drug discovery process is still quite futuristic, yet it shows the potential of combining the art of origami and computer modelling. This could be implemented in the teaching of many branches of biological sciences, mainly pharmacology and biotechnology.
Still, the traditional usage of origami seems to be the choice, if any, used in science teaching classes. For instance, Kao (2017) explored the use of origami in learning about the development of zebrafish heart. He performed the exercise with university students to help them understand how the process of the normal heart development can later guide heart repair and regeneration. He strongly believes that improving students’ engagement in the learning process will aid their understanding of the topic. Sharp (2013) used an approach of building an origami tree to understand inter-relationship between the key processes of intermediary metabolism. Unlike Kao, he was able to evaluate this approach. He found that 75% of the students participating in the exercise found the activity interesting and 95% of the students found it beneficial. An interesting interpretation of origami in science was introduced by Temple (2015). He designed a nucleic acid template which could be printed on a transparent overhead film, folded into the correct shape of DNA and reused if necessary.
It seems the use of origami in science is restricted mainly towards modelling shapes of structures and has a limited use in describing biological processes. For instance, it would be very inefficient to learn about the mechanism of cellular respiration or photosynthesis using origami models. However, with the movement toward systems biology and modelling of biological processes using computer software, the principles of origami have a great potential in aiding the teaching in higher education.
Bibliography:
Çelikler, D., Aksan, Z. & Ünan, Zl. (2017). The use of origami in the science education. In: Uluslararası Çağdaş Eğitim Araştırmaları Kongresi Tam Metin Bildiri Kitabı, Muğla.
Kao, R. (2017) Heart Origami: Student Activities for Exploring Principles of Cardiac Development. The American Biology Teacher. 79 (5): 417-420.
Sharp, D. (2013) Biochemist-tree: Using modular origami to understand the integration of intermediary metabolism. Biochem Mol Biol Educ. 41 (5): 309-314.
Temple, M.D. (2015) Twenty years later, the evolution of origami DNA. Trends in Biochemical Sciences. 40 (6): 293-295.
The Origami Revolution. (2018) PBS. 29 August, 22.00.
Yamanoi, T. & Iwasak, W.M. (2015) Origami Bird Simulator: A Teaching Resource Linking Natural Selection and Speciation. Evo Edu Outreach 8: 14.
Emily Bailes
Last year I had the tricky task of giving students a lecture on different conservation interventions to help improve biodiversity. The problem was that the interventions are very similar on the surface, with equally similar sounding names: restoration, reintroduction and rewilding. As I was teaching this topic for the first time, I wanted to be sure that the students understood my explanations of these terms before going into case studies of where they had been used. To do this, I got the students to fill in a Venn diagram. I’m sure that we all remember back to school where we were asked to sort items into categories using this diagram. It can be easy to dismiss this type of technique as unsophisticated. However, Venn diagrams can be a powerful learning tool, helping learners to breakdown complex concepts and improve their comprehension (See Dean Traylor blog for more details: //https://owlcation.com/humanities/Every-Teachers-Best-Friend-Venn-diagram-as-a-Learning-Tool// )
Most students had pencils and paper with them anyway, so I got them to get together into small groups of 3-4 and asked them to fill in one statement for each of the 7 sections of the diagram. At the end of the activity we then transferred the classes answers onto the board, so that anyone who had blanks could fill them in. This low level type of active learning can still be hugely beneficial by giving students time to pause and consolidate what they have just learnt, as well as refocusing their attention (Prince, 2004). It was also beneficial to me, because as intended, it made it clear which elements of the following case studies I needed to emphasize to further the students understanding of the concepts in the remainder of the session.
//https://owlcation.com/humanities/Every-Teachers-Best-Friend-Venn-diagram-as-a-Learning-Tool//
Prince, M (2004) Does Active Learning Work? A Review of the Research. Journal of Engineering Education 93,pp 223 - 231
Today I’d like to share with you the part of my recent first year undergraduate biology lectures that managed to get the highest level of interaction and engagement out of some otherwise extremely shy 1st year students. This was in the middle of a rather typical, modernised, but still fairly traditional style lecture, in a large lecture theatre with raked seating that takes 200 students but on this day only had around 55 attendees. Given what I knew about the group and the rather intimidating setting of the room, I expected not a whisper from the students outside of their anonymous responses to integrated polls.
I was teaching part of a lecture that introduced the topic of Crypsis, which is basically means by which animals avoid detection by other animals. The most commonly used example of which is usually camouflage. This is typically demonstrated using photographs of some of the many fascinating exotic examples of creatures that are amazing at hiding in plain sight, such as geckos and frogs etc.
I however wanted to try something a bit different and a bit closer to home. I was able to do this by running a short “Where’s Wally” style puzzle using the incredible photos of the UK wildlife photographer known only as “Villager Jim”. He has taken a very impressive array of photographs of our native Little owl Athene noctua in Derbyshire.
I got the students to view the large image of a dry-stone wall and asked them if they could spot the “animal” in the picture. I was amazed and pleased to witness a sudden eruption of enthusiastic but whispered discussion. After a minute, and no brave volunteers I gave them a clue... they were looking for a predatory bird… and slowly but surely, I got a few tentative suggestions that certain stones in the picture might be the animal in question. None of them got close in the 2 or so minutes I gave them (see if you can do better) and I put them out of their misery with a close-up photo of the diminutive Little Owl.
While I doubt I’ve taught the 50 or so students a vital lesson in how to identify little owls against a back drop of Derbyshire stone, I hope that they will remember this moment and associate this visual puzzle with crypsis. In addition to this, I found that for the duration of that lecture I was far more likely to get questions from the class and what seemed like higher levels of engagement for the following hour.
I’m not sure how easy it is to devise such puzzles for different topics and disciplines, and I know I would not have been successful if it were not for the images from a very talented photographer but I’d be very interested to hear how others might have used either visual puzzles or other similar techniques to break the lecture induced trance of their students.
James
Well, I can't say I've gotten round to using visual puzzles yet, but I fancied a go at the activity and found it rather fun. Not sure how I fared. But this must have been a fantastic way of getting students think about the relevant subject, especially with visual interaction. - Blaise (History)
I thought I should follow up to point out that I can actually relate this to visual interaction activities that I have indeed included into classes I have taught. My departmental colleagues have suggested I use such exercises as a way of training students in handling "primary sources" for both exams and research. The handling of "primary sources" is important for historical research and visual sources such as posters and photographs are examples of primary sources. Perhaps I can now think about how I could implement an exercise in the form of a puzzle activity or game - I think it would alleviate a LOT of monotony that comes with repeated routine analysis. - Blaise (History)
A really nice description of engaging students showing it's definitely worthwhile to look for these opportunities. I can't say I've used visual puzzles either but I had a similar moment where I broke up a session by putting up a picture of the Rosetta Stone and asking everyone what it was and why I had chosen to use it. It reinvigorated the group and got them thinking about the need to make documentation understandable (why I'd chosen to use the picture).
Frances Madden
I enjoyed reading your post James as it directly relates to my own findings over the previous 6 months. By this I mean, utilising a game-style activity at the beginning of the class that engages many sensory inputs. It does seem to encourage the students to become more active throughout the scheduled session. This is not new, as Poh Gek (Julie) Lim cited in 2005: “getting pupils’ attention at the beginning of the lesson is vital as pupils need to be physically, emotionally and mentally ready before engaging in a lesson”.
One example I can draw upon was when I was teaching Masters level students the camera assistant role on set. The students had just sat through a 90-minute health and safety lecture - a pretty dry, yet important, subject. When I entered the class to begin my session the students looked drained, lethargic and their motivation levels were extremely low. I had prepared a hierarchy on film set game that involved 6 x A5 sized colour cards with world famous behind-the-lens talent including the likes of Jerry Bruckheimer and Ridley Scott, all labelled with their film roles. I then split the class into small groups and asked them to come up with a running order in terms of hierarchy. This activity got the students onto their feet, engaging with each other as they became more animated debating their opinions on what job role trumped the others.
The activity only lasted 10 minutes but was enough to energise the students before we delved into the subject matter of the day. I found that over the remaining 1 hour 50 minutes the students’ level of engagement - peer-to-peer, teacher to student and vice-a-versa - was vastly improved including their body language, posture and attitude favouring an intention to learn. Due to this, and ever since that day, I have always come prepared with a game-style activity loosely related to the sessions subject material to encourage engagement and active learning. This, I believe, is necessary for successful learning and information retention in the longer term.
During my research into this area I came across an interesting study concerning this very topic. I have pasted a link below should you be interested:
‘Effective teaching strategies to encourage learning behaviour’
Marcus Samperi
Hi James,
Within Earth Sciences we always try to engage the students through the use of 'audience participation'. Whether this be using a short video or asking the students to draw upon previous knowledge. However very often it's proven difficult to integrate activities which are more engaging and could captivate the students interest!
As a student at Royal Holloway for the past 4 years I always appreciated the use of quirks within the lectures that peaked my interest. One example was where the lecturer explained the deformation of a pizza through describing the brittle movement of pepperoni and the ductile deformation of the softer cheese. This is something that I remember 2 years on as it was a very unique style of teaching and naturally it related to students' better interests (food).
I also remember being taught about the geology of Scotland and the lecturer using scenes from 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' to explain the topography of glacially-carved volcanic deposits in Glencoe.
I know that students love to see new and unique approaches to teaching but particularly when teaching draws upon things which are more familiar.
AB134648
If you ask a lecturer and an undergraduate science student about the purpose of practical laboratory classes, you may well get very different answers. Boud et al. (1980)1 recorded the perceptions of undergraduate students and practicing scientists towards undergraduate lab classes. They showed that scientists tended to indicate the importance of gaining practical and observational skills and familiarity with lab equipment or techniques whereas students thought that linking practical classes with theoretical knowledge were the main feature of lab classes. In reality, often students’ main aim for a lab class is to complete the given task in as short a time as possible to get the outcome required by the lecturer. Students are often unprepared for the experiment that they are asked to undertake – despite having been given the theory and protocol in advance. Johnstone (1997)2 argues that without effective “prelab” preparation, students are subject to information overload and therefore learn little.
Davidowitz and Rollnick (2001)3 investigated the use of flow diagrams as preparation for lab classes and their effect on class outcomes. Students were asked to prepare a flow diagram of the procedure of the experiment to be conducted and were not allowed to complete the lab unless this had been produced in advance. Teaching assistants indicated that overall there was an improvement in the success rate of experiments and better time management and organisation. They also indicated that those students who had embraced the task and produced a more thorough flow diagram had better outcomes than those who had only produced a hurried diagram. Student responses were also recorded with 59% indicating that it was a helpful exercise, 30% indicating that it improved understanding of the key concepts and only 6% did not find it helpful.
The use of flow diagrams or other compulsory pre-preparation tasks may therefore improve student outcomes for both their purpose and for the purpose of the teachers.
1 - Boud et al. (1980) European Journal of Science Education, 2 (415-428)
2 – Johnstone (1997) Journal of Chemical Education, 74 (262-268)
3 – Davidowitz and Rollnick (2001) Australian Journal of Education in Chemistry, 57 (18-24)
Kate Orman
This post provides a useful resource of the literature on the problem. As a teaching assistant, I had a similar experience that students who were unprepared for the lab sessions had problems completing the experiments. The introduction of compulsory preparation tasks may therefore increase students’ ability to learn and to carry out the experiments successfully.
Raisa_1
Dear Kate,
I agree with your post because I have encountered what you described when I was demonstrating. I think that the assumption that students prepare for lab practicals is wrong – most of them turn up and assume that they will follow the protocol. Therefore, I think that the idea of using flow diagrams is brilliant. I would expand on it further. I would ask the students to refer to the taught material from lectures/seminars and ask them to write down references on the flow chart to see where these fit in.
ER1990
Competition and cooperation as strategies of survival are seen in nature from microbes to humans. Unsurprisingly, the potential of such interactions to assist learning experiences has been explored for pedagogical purposes with arguments in favour of either or both strategies (Attle & Baker, 2007). This year Finland made the headlines (e.g. __https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/jan/31/school-subjects-timetable-finland__) due its decision to move away from subject-based teaching in schools, endorsing a project-based approach instead. This publicity also brought up again the story of the country’s achievements in education since the reform of its educational system in the 70s (OECD, 2010). Education in Finland is thought to be based on the principles of equality and cooperation rather than competition, testing and ranking and it has been contrasted with education systems in other western countries (Sahlberg, 2012). I would be interested to know what people think on the philosophy and politics of competition vs cooperation in education.
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