Scientific Teaching

Author(s): Jo Handelsman, Diane Ebert-May, Robert Beichner, Peter Bruns, Amy Chang,
Robert DeHaan, Jim Gentile, Sarah Lauffer, James Stewart, Shirley M. Tilghman, William B.
Wood
Source: Science, New Series, Vol. 304, No. 5670 (Apr. 23, 2004), pp. 521-522
Published by: American Association for the Advancement of Science
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3836701
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ED U C AT I O N
Scientific
Jo Handelsman,l* Diane Ebert-May,2Robert Beichner,3 Peter Bruns,4
Amy Chang,5 Robert DeHaan,6 t Jim Gentile,7 Sarah Lauffer,
James Stewart,8 Shirley M.Tilghman,9 William B.Wood10
SincepublicationoftheAAAS 1989re-
port "Sciencefor all Americans"(l),
commissions, panels, and working
groupshave agreedthatreformin science
educationshouldbe foundedon "scientific
teaching,"in whichteachingis approached
withthe samerigoras scienceat its best(2).
Scientificteachinginvolvesactivelearning
strategiesto engagestudentsin the process
of science and teachingmethodsthathave
been systematicallytested and shown to
reachdiversestudents(3).
Giventhe widespreadagreement,it may
seem surprisingthat change has not pro-
gressedrapidlynor been drivenby the re-
search universitiesas a collective force.
Instead3reformhasbeeninitiatedby a fewpi-
oneers,whilemanyotherscientistshaveac-
tively resistedchangingtheir teaching.So
why do outstandingscientistswho demand
rigorousproof for scientific assertionsin
theirresearchcontinueto use and,indeedde-
fendonthebasisofthe intuitionalone,teach-
ing methodsthatarenot the most effective?
Manyscientistsarestillunawareof the data
and analysesthatdemonstrate the effiective-
ness of active learningtechniques.Others
maydistrustthe databecausetheysee scien-
tistswho haveflourishedin the currentedu-
cationalsystem.Still othersfeel intimidated
by the challengeof learningnew teaching
methodsor may fear that identiElcation as
teacherswill reducetheircredibilityas re-
searchers(3).
This Policy Forumis needed because
most scientistsdon'treadreportsbut they
do readScience.In addition,reportsgener-
ally do not offera guideto learninghow to
1HowardHughes MedicalInstituteProfessor,Department
of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison;
2Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State
University; 3Department of Physics, North Carolina
State University; 4Howard Hughes Medical Institute;
5AmericanSociety for Microbiology;6National Research
Council; 7Dean of Natural Sciences, Hope College;
8Department of Curriculumand Instruction,University
of Wisconsin-Madison; 9President, Princeton Uni-
versity; °Department of Molecular Cellular, and
Developmental Biology, University of Colorado at
Boulder. For complete addresses, see SOM.
*To whom correspondence should be addressed.
E-mail:joh@plantpath.wisc.edu.
tPresent address: Division of Educational Studies,
Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
www.sciencemag.org
| | | | course serves science ma-
POLICY
FORUM
widerangeof institutionsdemonstratedbetter
problem-sollring ability,conceptualunder-
Teaching standing,and successin subsequentcourses
comparedwith studentswho had learnedin
traditional,
passiveformats(3).
These results are neither isolated nor
discipline-specific.At the University of
Oregon, Udovic showed dramaticdiffer-
do scientificteaching,as we do with sup- ences betweenstudentstaughtbiology in a
portingonlinematerial(SOM)(3) andtable traditionallectureandthose taught"Work-
(see page 522). Wealso presentrecommen- shop Biology,"a series of active, inquiry-
dationsfor movingthe revolutionforward. based learningmodules(6). Similarlyim-
pressiveresultswereachievedby Wrightin
Implementing Change in Lectures a comparisonof activeandpassivelearning
Activeparticipation in lecturesanddiscovery-strategiesin chemistry (7). Others have
basedlaboratories helpsstudentsdevelopthe taught cross-disciplinaryproblem-based
habitsof mindthatdrivescience.However, coursesthatintegrateacrossscientificdis-
mostintroductory coursesrelyon "transmis- ciplines, such as Trempy's,"The World
sion-of-information"lectures _
Accordingto Microbes" ,
at
and "cookbook" laboratory ex- _ 9 - i Oregon State University,
ercises techniquesthatarenot _ l _ > which integrates science
highlyeffectivein fosteringcon- l_ |1 | 1 > math,andengineering. The
ceptualunderstanding or scien- _
tific reasoning.Thereis mount-
ingevidencethatsupplementing
or replacinglectureswithactive _j
learningstrategiesandengaging
studentsin discoveryandscien-
tific processimproveslearningand knowl-
edgeretention(3).
Introductory classesoftenhavehigh en-
rollments, frequently approaching 1000
studentsin biology courses.This need not
be an impedimentto scientific teaching.
Manyexercisesthatdepartfromtraditional
methodsare now readilyaccessibleon the
Web,whichmakesit unnecessaryforteach- A physics classroom at North CarolinaState
ers to develop and test their own (3). Universityarrangedfor traditionallectures(in-
Quantitative assessmentindicatesthatthese set) and redesignedfor groupproblem-solving
interactiveapproachesto lecturingsignifi- in the SCALE-UP program.
cantlyenhancelearning,andalthoughtime
allocated to inquiry-basedactivities re- jors and nonmajors,and outcome assess-
duces coverageof specific content,it does ments indicatehigh contentretentionand
not reduceknowledgeacquisitionas meas- studentsatisfaction(8).
uredby standardized exams(4).
Faculty are also using computersys- Students as Scientists
tems to engage students,assess learning, Scientistsof all disciplineshave developed
and shapeteaching.Studentscan be asked inquiry-basedlabs that requirestudentsto
to readand solve problemson a Web site, develophypotheses,designandconductex-
and their answerscan be analyzedbefore periments,collect and interpretdata, and
class to guide the designof lectures(3). writeabouttheirresults(9). Manyof these
Somescientistshavereplacedlecturesal- involve simple, inexpensivematerialscon-
mostentirely.Laws'scourse"Calculus-Based figuredso that they invite studentsto ask
Physics Without Lectures"at Dickinson theirown questions.In additionto labsthat
University (5) and Beichner's program, have alreadybeen tested in the classroom,
SCALE-UP,at North CarolinaState Uni- resourcesareavailableto helpteacherscon-
versity(see figure,thispage)relyon a prob- vert cookbook labs into open-endedsin-
lem-basedformatin whichstudentsworkcol- qliiry-basedlabs (3). Some schoolsprovide
laborativelyto makeobservations andto ana- introductory-level
studentswiththeopportu-
lyze experimentalresults. Students who nityto conductoriginalresearchin a profes-
learnedphysicsin theSCALE-UPformatata sor'sresearchlabratherthantakea tradition-
SCIENCE VOL 304 23 APRIL2004
521
 P O LI C Y F O R U M
al classroomlab course(3). Theseopportu- originatefromdepartnentsandbe support- bstitutes on Undergraduate Education,the
nities are challengingfor instructors,but ed by deansandotheracademicadministra- Council of GraduateSchools' Preparing
teachstudentsthe essenceof investigation. tors. Science departmentsshould incorpo- Future Faculty program, the American
rate educationaboutteachingand learning Society for MicrobiologyConferencefor
How Universities Can Promote Change into graduatetrainingprogramsand should Undergraduate Educators, andWorkshops for
Researchuniversitiesshouldprovideleader- integratetheseinitiativesintothe education- NewPhysicsandAstronomy Facultyaresteps
ship in the reformmovement.Facultyand al environmentand degree requirements. towardthisgoal(3).
administrators should collaborateto over- This could include,for example,develop- Finally,therewardsystemmustbe aligned
come the barriersand to createan educa- mentof peer-reviewed instructional
materi- withtheneedforreform.Tenure,sabbaticals,
tionalethosthatenableschange.Weneedto als based on the student'sthesis research. awards,teachingresponsibilities, andadmin-
informscientistsabout educationresearch Fundingagencies have a responsibilityto istrativesupportshouldbe used to reinforce
and the instructionalresourcesavailableto promotethis strategy.NationalInstitutesof thosewho areteachingwith testedandsuc-
themso thattheycanmakeinformedchoic- HealthandtheNationalScienceFoundation cessful methods,learningnew methods,or
es. Wemustadmitthatcitingourmost suc- should,for example,requirethat graduate iIltroducingand analyzingnew assessment
cessful studentsas evidencethatour teach- studentssupportedon traininggrants ac- tools. This approachhas succeededat the
ing methodsare effectiveis simplynot sci- quiretrainingin teachingmethods,just as Universityof Wisconsin-Madison, whichhas
entific.Instead,we needto applyinnovative the NIH has requiredtrainingin ethics. rewrittentenure guidelines to emphasize
metricsto assess the outcomesof teaching. Universitiesneed to providevenues for teaching,grantedsabbaticals basedon teach-
Controlledexperimentsand meta-analyses experiencedinstructorsto sharebest prac- ing goals, and requireddepartments to dis-
thatcomparestudentachievementwithvar- tices and effectiveteachingstrategies.This tributeat least 20% of merit-basedsalary
ious teaching strategiesprovide a com- will be facilitated,in part,by formingedu- raisesbasedon teachingcontributions (3).
pelling basis for pedagogicalchoices (10), cationalresearchgroupswithinsciencede- If researchuniversitiesmarshaltheircol-
but the need for assessmentextends into partments. Thesegroupsmightbe nucleated lectivewill to reformscienceeducation,the
everyclassroom.Manytoolsto assesslearn- by hinng tenure-track facultywho special- impactcould be far-reaching. We will send
ing are available(3). Assessmentsof long- ize in education,as 47 physicsdepartments nonsciencemajorsintosocietyknowinghow
termretentionof knowledge,entranceinto havedone in the past 6 years.Otherstrate- to askandanswerscientificquestionsandbe
graduateschool, and employmentand pro- gies include incorporatingsessions about capableof confronting issuesthatrequirean-
fessionalsuccessshouldbe includedas well. teachinginto theirseminarseries,develop- alyticalandscientificiinking. Ourintroduc-
Researchuniversitiesshouldoverhaulin- ing parallelseriesaboutteaching,or estab- torycourseswill encouragemorestudentsto
troductorysciencecoursesfor both science lishing instructionalmaterial"incubators" become scientists.Our science majorswill
majorsand nonmajorsusing the principles where researchersincorporateresearchre- engagein the processof sciencethroughout
of scientific teaching.The vision should sults into teachingmaterialswith guidance theircollegeyearsandwill retainandapply
from expertsin pedagogy.The incubators thefactsandconceptsneededto be practicing
wouldprovidean innovativemechanismto scientists.Ourfacultywill be experimental-
SCIENTIFIC TEACHING EXAMPLES
satisfythe "broaderimpact"mandatein re- istsin theirteaching,bringingtherigorof the
GroupproUem-solving in lecture
searchprojectsfundedby the NSF. researchlabto theirclassroomsanddevelop-
www.ibscore.org/courses.htm Universitiesshould place greater em- ing as teachers throughouttheir careers.
httpS/yucca.uoregon.edu/wb/index.html phasison awarenessof new teachingmeth- Classroomswill be redesignedto encourage
http://mazur-www.hareard.edu/education/ ods, perhapsear-markinga portionof re- dialogueamong students,and they will be
educationmenu.php searchstart-uppackagesto supportatten- fi1lledwith collaborating studentsandteach-
Problenebased learning danceof incominginstructorsat education ers.Studentswill see theallureof scienceand
www.udeLedu/pbU workshopsand meetings. Deans and de- feel ie thrillof discovery,anda greaterdi-
www.microbelibrary.org paranent chairs at Michigan State Uni- versityof intellectswillbe attracted to careers
www.ncsu.edu/per/scaleup.html
versity and Universityof Michiganhave in science.Thebenefitswill be an invigorat-
foundthatthis strategysends a messageto ed researchenterprisefileledby a scientiEl-
http://webphysicsiupui.edu/jitt/jiK.html
all recrllitsthat teaching is valued and it callyliteratesociety.
Case studies helps with recruitingfacultywho arecom-
www.bioquestorg/lifelines/ mittedto teaching. References and Notes
http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/projects/ Distinguishedresearchers engagedin ed- 1. AMS, USciencefor all Americans:A Project 2061 re-
cases.case.htrnl ucationreformsshouldexhortfaculty,staff, port on literacy goals in science, mathematics, and
technology" (AMS,Washington, DC, 1989).
http://brighamrad.harzard.edu/education/ and administrators to unitein educationre- 2. AMS,"The LiberalArtofScience"(AAAS,Washington,
online/tcd/tcd.html form and shoulddispel the notionthatex- DC, 1990).
InquirBr-based labs 3. Supporting online material provides further refer-
cellence in teaching is incompatiblewith ences on this point.
www.pbntpath.wisc.edu/fac/joh/bbtthtm first-rateresearch.Federalandprivatefund- 4. D. Ebert-Mayet al., Bioscience47, 601 (1997).
www.bioquestorg/ ing agencieshave contributedto this goal 5. P.Laws,Phys. Today44, 24 (1991).
6. D. Udovic et al., Bioscience 52, 272 (2002).
httpi/biolo>.dbs umtedu/biol101/defaulthtm with programs such as the NSF's Dis- 7. J. C.Wrightet aL,J. Chem. Educ 75,986 (1998).
http://campus.murraystate.edu/academic/ tinguishedTeachingScholarAwardandthe 8. J.Trempyet aLMicrobiol.Educ 3, 26 (2002).
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Pro- 9. J. Handelsmanet al., Biology Broughtto Life:A Guide
faculty/terry.derting/ccli/cclihomepage.html to Teaching Students How to ThinkLike Scientists
InL"activecomputer leaming fessorsProgram,whichdemonstrate thates- (McGraw-Hill,New York,1997).
www.bioquestorg/
teemed researcherscan also be innovative 10. L Springeret aL,Rev.Educ Res.69, 21 (1999).
11. We thank C. MaKa,C. Pfund,C. Pribbenow,A. Fagen,
educatorsandbringprestigeto teaching. and J. Labovfor comments and A. Wolf for contribu-
www.dnai.org
Universitiesand professionalsocieties tions to the supplemental materials. Supported in
http:/learangelion.mit.edu/802TEAL3DJ need to createmore vehiclesfor educating part by the HowardHughes MedicalInstitute.
http://ctools.msu.edu/ facultyin effiective
teachingmethods.Forex- Supporting Online Material
ample, the National Academies Summer www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/304/5670/521/DC1

522 23 APRIL2004 VOL 304 SCIENCE www.sciencemag.org