Tools and Resources

 

Tools from other FIRST Teams

Archbold - These are primarily field exercises and include activities such as "How and Why Walk", animal activity patterns and gradient analysis.

Hancock - Primarily list of online resources.

San Diego - Active-, collaborative- and cooperative learning and assessment strategies and links. Rubrics are in "Assessment Strategies" and "Carousels" and other in-class activities are in "Active Learning Strategies".

MSU/Kellogg Biological Station
Streams and Teams - an inquiry-based lab for Cell and Molecular Biology [LBS 145](Doug Luckie). We have a VHS copy of the movie for those who have a slow network connection or would rather view the "big screen" version. Contact David to borrow it. See also the companion article: Wilterding, J. H. and D. B. Luckie (2002). "Stream"-lined education. Journal of College Science Teaching 31(2): 303-307. This is available online, check your library's website.

 

Other Resources

Evolution Simulation Software (J. Herron, UW - "Frogpond" demo'ed at Feb. '03 meeting)

Discussion on Piaget, constructivism and learning theory from NARST-L email list

Educational Research References

National Institute for Science Education - College Level One (CL1) (University of Wisconsin)

Field Tested Learning Assessment Guide (FLAG)

Collaborative Learning - Small Group* Learning
* but not necessarily small class

Learning Through Technology (LT2)

Online Books from National Academies Press
These books are readable as either html or Open Book (page image) formats.

Science Teaching Reconsidered: A Handbook (1997)

How People Learn (2000)

Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology (1999)

Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards (2000)
Primarily geared toward K-12 but also discusses assessment.

Scientific Research in Education (2002)
Effectively a proposal for the creation of a National Institute for Education. Most importantly though, describes what high quality research in education should look like.

VARK: a guide to learning styles. (University of Hawaii)
Information on learning styles (Visual, Aural, Read/Write and Kinesthetic) and a learning styles questionnaire.

Case Studies in Science (SUNY Buffalo)

The Problem-Based learning site (University of Delaware)
Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional method that challenges students to "learn to learn," working cooperatively in groups to seek solutions to real world problems. These problems are used to engage students' curiosity and initiate learning the subject matter. PBL prepares students to think critically and analytically, and to find and use appropriate learning resources.

The Clearinghouse for Decision Case Education. (University of Minnesota)
This Web service was developed to help educators, students and other interested individuals learn more about decision case education. Here you will be able to share ideas on this new and exciting field of study, order case study materials, as well as locate teaching aids and other relevant resources from around the world.

IHMC CMap Tools (Inst. for Human and Machine Cognition, Univ. of West Florida)
Software to do concept maps, both for individual and collaborative use. Also a really good introduction to and overview of concept mapping.