Title: Effective Instruction in the Teaching Laboratory
1Effective 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
2Types 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
4Typical 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
5Typical 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
6Lab 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
7Preparing 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
8Preparing 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!
9Lab 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
10Famous Lab Accidents
11Famous Lab Accidents
12If you are not careful your students may end up
like this!
13Seriously 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
14First 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
15Pre-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
16Pre-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
17During 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
18During 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
19Get 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
20Suggestions 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
21Follow-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."
22Follow-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?
23Follow-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
24Ways 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
25Summary 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