guiding faculty toward access: ways to facilitate change

Guiding Faculty toward Access:Ways to Facilitate Change

Beth Harrison, Ph.D.University of Dayton

elizabeth.harrison@udayton.edu

You have a piece of paper . . .

We’re going to talk about “conceptual change”…

What it is

Why we care

Intro to the neuroscience of learning

What we can (and can’t) do tohelp conceptual change happen

What? Me change?!

RESISTANCE

Conceptual change = fundamental changes in the content and organization of existing knowledge

Vosniadou (2013)

Difficult!

ConceptsConceptions

(1) Take a minute or two to write:

What do you currently think about why it is hard for

people to change the way they think about something?

What concepts conceptions assumptions expectations do faculty have that we in DS want to change?

That’s why we care.

The neuroscience:

Our brains have ~100,000,000,000 neurons.

cell body

dendrites

axon

axon terminals

The neuroscience:

Neurons in the brain connect at synapses.

electrical impulses chemical transmitters

incomingaxon

incomingaxon

incomingaxon

incomingaxon

The neuroscience:

Neurons in the brain connect at synapses, forming neural networks.

Learning = changes in the brain.

1. Grow more dendrites: Make more connections2. Use it or lose it: Pruning3. Use it: New and/or stronger pathways (better recall)

Interlude

With someone near you, talk through what you’ve learned about the brain.

(2) Make a few notes: What’s important to you?

Learning depends on memory, on being able to retrieve knowledge stored in the brain.

Sensory Memory

Short Term Memory

is encoded into . . .

Long Term Memory

is consolidated into . . .

When we remember, we retrieve knowledge from LTM

Knowledge is stored in LTM in schemata.

Schema = an organized grouping of related material = “concept ecology”

ExpertNovice

Complex, integrated, lots of connections

Knowledge is stored in LTM in schemata. Concepts are embedded in schemata. When you learn something new, you . . .

create a new schema

modify or combine with existing schema,

create connections with prior knowledge

Interlude

With someone near you, talk through what you’ve learned about memory.

(3) Make some notes: What’s important to you?

Retrievalstrengthens neural pathways:

easier to retrieve next time

Two techniques that we use all the time:

With someone near you, explain what a “neural network” is and why we care. Try to find a simile or metaphor to illustrate.

Now switch and the other person explain “retrieval” and why we care. Try to find a simile or metaphor to illustrate.

Interlude

Retrievalstrengthens neural pathways:

easier to retrieve next time

Elaborationretrieval +

builds connections to prior knowledge

Two techniques that we use all the time:

Durable learning & conceptual change take time!

Learning is iterative• Reconsolidate: makes modifiable

Social + affective + situational + motivational factors

Draw, write, construct a model

Reflection

Identify prior knowledge, assumptions, unexamined beliefs.

Intentional reflection

Make connections

Attend to nuances in people’s ideas, figure out how to use them

Searching for info, generating and testing hypotheses underlie knowledge restructuring.

Growth mindset (Dweck, Mindset)

Bring the facts

Discovery: problem-based learning, build models, argumentation (argue opposite side), debate

Elaboration is an important and powerful tool.

Engage with others: • Explain, ask questions, discuss• Social & affective aspects

Analogies, metaphors

Examine differences

Reflection and self-awareness are also powerful tools for conceptual change.

Recognize complexity

Set goals

How can we bring about conceptual change?

Example 1: Plan for a workshop

1. List, discuss ideas, beliefs people are starting with

2. Examine relevant data, info, alternate conceptions

3. Compare their starting ideas, beliefs with the new

4. Discuss what people now understand or think

How can we bring about conceptual change?

Example 2: Problem-based learning exercise

You are planning your XXX class for the fall, and you are constructing a Design-Build-Test PBL project to begin the second week . . .

Your job is to make the PBL exercise accessible to all the students in your class.

Handout: Ideal solutions –

•Provide equitable opportunity to learn, participate, and demonstrate learning

•Are scalable: focus on your design choices for the class, not on each student’s individual needs

•Are reusable and sustainable

Handout: Ideal solutions –

•Are “un-remarkable” to the class as a whole, that is, they honor the anonymity and image of students with disabilities

•Maintain essential elements

•Maintain academic rigor

Hint: You DO know many good solutions . . .

Follow up activity:

With your team, describe a process or protocol you could use in the future to ensure that you make more accessible choices when you design your courses.

What does this exercise do?

Uses language of the discipline

Work in teams

Discovery learning based in own experience

Future plan

(4) Take a minute or two to write:

Now what do you think about why it is hard for people

to change the way they think about something?

Compare what you’ve written here with what you wrote at the beginning of the session . . . Set a goal for yourself . . .

Resources

Ho, A., Watkins, D., & Kelly, M. (2001). The conceptual change approach to improving teaching and learning: An evaluation of a Hong Kong staff development programme. In Higher Education, 42, 143-169.

Nussbaum, E. & Sinatra, G. (2003). Argument and conceptual engagement. In Contemporary Educational Psychology, 28, 384-395.

Vosniadou, S. (2013). International handbook of research on conceptual change. New York, NY: Routledge.