Reforming BIOL 1108 Nancy L. Pencoe

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Reforming BIOL 1108 Nancy L. Pencoe
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• Reforms to be tested in selected BIOL 1108
  sections - Spring 2006
• PLTL (peer led team learning) workshops
• Structured in-class group activities/ discussions

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• Goal of PLTL
• To introduce students to key biological concepts
  starting with very concrete, hands-on problems
  and progressing to more abstract ones.

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• How PLTL works
• Students (9-10) meet with a peer leader outside
  of class for 2 hours/week.
• Students work as a team to solve problems
  designed to foster critical thinking and problem
  solving skills.
• Peer leaders are trained to promote discussion
  rather than provide answers.

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• Goal of in-class group activities/ discussions
• To provide a learning experience that targets
  diverse learning styles.

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• Implementation of reforms
• Two sections of BIOL 1108 will be divided into 2
  groups.
• Group 1 (120-130 students)
• Traditional teaching
• Group 2 (60-70 students)
• Traditional teaching PLTL in-class group
  activities/discussions

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• Evaluation of reforms will be based on
  comparisons of
• pre-test vs. post-test improvement
• academic success (completion of course with A, B,
  or C)