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Effective Instruction in the Teaching Laboratory

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The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. ... You may want to give a short (five- to ten-minute) quiz at the beginning of labs. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Effective Instruction in the Teaching Laboratory


1
Effective Instruction in the Teaching Laboratory
  • The Vital Role of the Teaching Assistant
  • David R. Mills
  • Instructor Manager of Process Engineering Labs
  • Department of Chemical Engineering
  • Auburn University
  • www.eng.auburn.edu/drmills

2
Types of Laboratories
  • Physical Sciences
  • Biological Sciences
  • Computer/Software
  • Engineering
  • Material Science
  • Mathematics
  • Social Sciences
  • Some differences but many similarities. . .

3
  • The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the
    rational mind is a faithful servant. We have
    created a society that honors the servant and has
    forgotten the gift. Albert Einstein

4
Typical Goals of Lab
  • Develop intuition and deepen understanding of
    concepts
  • Apply concepts learned in class to new
    situations
  • Experience basic phenomena
  • Develop critical, quantitative thinking
  • Develop experimental and data analysis (or
    programming) skills
  • Learn to use scientific apparatus and/or
    computers

5
Typical Goals of Lab
  • Learn to estimate statistical errors and
    recognize systematic errors
  • Develop reporting skills (written and oral)
  • Practice collaborative problem solving
  • Exercise curiosity and creativity by designing a
    procedure to test a hypothesis
  • Better appreciate the role of experimentation in
    science
  • Test important laws and rules

6
Lab Instructor Responsibilities
  • Management
  • Preparation procurement of apparatus and
    materials
  • Organizing time, space, groups
  • Teaching
  • Guide students through the process with just the
    right amount of help
  • Accomplish pedagogic goals

7
Preparing for Lab
  • Know exactly what the students are supposed to
    learn and why they have to learn these things
  • Preview texts and lab manuals used in the lab and
    lecture
  • Meet with the lecturer to discuss the lab
    component attend lectures so you can plan the
    corresponding lab work
  • Read and study the theory on which the
    experiments are based
  • Research the relevance and history of the
    experiment

8
Preparing for Lab
  • Find out where supplies are stored and who
    orders course materials
  • Perform the laboratory exercises as if you were a
    student
  • Plan how you will guide students in preparing
    their lab reports
  • Make any necessary handouts
  • Know safety rules and give to students in
    writing and verbally, and enforce them LAB
    SAFETY IS YOUR FIRST PRIORITY!

9
Lab Safety
  • You should be trained by instructor
  • Safety and Hygiene Manual MSDS in all labs
  • Be an example to students
  • Make sure all appropriate PPE is used
  • Know fire, weather procedures
  • Liability
  • Contacts
  • Risk Management Safety Office

10
Famous Lab Accidents
11
Famous Lab Accidents
12
If you are not careful your students may end up
like this!
13
Seriously many accidents that can occur in
teaching laboratories!
  • Glassware accident requiring skin graft
  • Caustic in eye with permanent corneal injury
  • Acid in eye with personal scarring

14
First Day of Lab get off to a good start
  • Start on time from the very first meeting don't
    cancel the first lab, even if the syllabus does
    not schedule an experiment
  • You may want to give a short (five- to
    ten-minute) quiz at the beginning of labs. If
    students not prepared for lab STOP. If you dont
    nip this in the bud it will continue all
    semester
  • You can always get more lenient as the semester
    progresses, but you can never get tougher

15
Pre-Lab Talk
  • Provide information necessary for students to
    conduct the lab (5-15 minutes)
  • Introduce new methods and terminology
  • Write key terms on the board and illustrate your
    points with graphs, drawings, or other visual
    examples
  • Introduce and demonstrate how to use new
    equipment or how to do a new type of analysis or
    calculation

16
Pre-lab talk
  • Review relevant background material
  • Reveal interesting historical or current "real
    world" aspects of the experiment.
  • Discuss the purpose, hypotheses, methods, and
    potential results of the lab activity
  • Thoroughly discuss all safety precautions and
    concerns

17
During Lab
  • Give enough information, but not too much!
  • It is a fine art to guide students without either
    simply giving the answer or seeming to be
    obstinate and obscure

18
During Lab
  • Circulate throughout the classroom
  • Check with students to see how the lab is going.
  • Ask questions that help you ascertain whether
    students understand the lab material
  • If results from the lab exercise are not as
    expected, encourage speculation on reasons for
    the deviations

19
Get All students Involved
  • Some techniques to encourage involvement
  • Let a team of students demonstrate the experiment
    (or set up the materials) for their peers
  • Ask a student team to assist with instruction
    during the lab. Rotate this responsibility for
    each lab assignment
  • Ask students to work in groups or pairs, rotating
    the different responsibilities each week

20
Suggestions to keep things moving
  • Students should be able to complete the lab
    within the allotted time period
  • Inform students approximately how long each task
    requires so they can pace themselves
  • Make an announcement as to when students should
    start cleaning up
  • Both student and instructor preparedness is
    critical

21
Follow-Up Discussion at the End of the Lab Period
  • Students often appreciate an enhanced
    understanding of lecture material.
  • Wrap-up discussions during the last fifteen to
    twenty minutes of class aid understanding,
    encourage the students to make the connections to
    lecture
  • Discuss and review how the lab activity (and its
    results) fit into the "big picture."

22
Follow-Up Discussion at the End of the Lab Period
  • Make sure lab handouts or worksheets are properly
    completed
  • Check that observations are reasonable and
    conclusions are based on the data
  • Encourage students to share their discoveries
    with the class
  • Did experimental observations differ among
    groups?

23
Follow-Up Discussion at the End of the Lab Period
  • How do student observations relate to scientific
    theory?
  • What theories apply and how were those theories
    developed (history)?
  • How do theories apply to lecture material and to
    real life?
  • How would such a discovery affect other systems?
  • Discuss the Lab Write-up

24
Ways to get students to take lab write-ups
seriously
  • Explain to the students why writing a lab report
    is important
  • Writing is a critical tool for understanding and
    sharing ideas- very important in the workplace
  • Lab write-ups are an ideal place to practice
    skills honed in writing classes.
  • The report helps place the lab activity into the
    "big picture."
  • Utilize the lab write-ups to help improve the
    students' understanding through thoughtful
    grading comments
  • Emphasize Academic Honesty

25
Summary for great Lab Instruction
  • Good lab instructors are both great teachers AND
    great managers. Pay attention to both aspects.
  • Get students to understand the importance of the
    days activities by first clearly explaining the
    significance of the activity. Make experiments
    and practical problems relevant.
  • Offer just enough help, forcing students to solve
    problems on their own.
  • Be alert for potential problems. ALWAYS address
    safety issues before turning students loose on
    experiments, no matter how benign the exercise
    may seem
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