Small Group Discussions In Learning

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In small groups, workshop participants discussed the learning goals in the STEM disciplines, their views about the most important of these goals, and the types of evidence needed to establish effectiveness in terms of the most important goals. They also considered whether the desired learning goals and associated types of evidence differ across the STEM disciplines. Following the discussions, session moderator Susan Singer invited a reporter from each group to briefly describe that group's response to these questions.

James Stith reported that his group explored the following issues: Should there be different goals for students majoring in a STEM discipline and for other students, who require only a general knowledge of the subject matter?

Although professional societies have promulgated science learning goals, faculty members may not understand or even be aware of these goals.

Expert faculty members find it challenging to represent the material in their discipline to the novice learner and help him or her make the connection between representations and the real world. It is important to help students understand ...
... that a STEM field has an underlying structure and is not simply a collection of facts. What are the best ways to teach students about the nature of science, including the role of experimental methods and the relation ships between facts and theory?

Robin Wright explained that her group focused on three types of learning goals for students: (1) core concepts and ways of knowing in the particular STEM discipline; (2) skills in communication, critical thinking, and asking good questions; and (3) positive attitudes toward STEM. She reported several group observations related to these goals:

" What counts as evidence of learning outcomes differs across STEM disciplines.

" Test questions should be aligned with specific desired learning outcomes.

" Surveys can be helpful to assess the development of positive attitudes toward STEM.

" Assessment should take place not only within a single course, but also across courses, levels of education, and even lifetimes.

Brock Spencer (Beloit College) shared the following points from his group's discussion:
The goals for general education students may include more emphasis on societal issues than the goals for STEM majors.

Important goals related to student understanding of the nature of science include knowledge of experimental methods, the ability to make judgments and deal with uncertainty, the capacity to build a scientific argument based on physical evidence, and understanding the explanatory power of scientific models.

The Force Concept Inventory may be more effective in changing faculty behavior than in creating evidence of student learning. It is easier to administer than other, more labor-intensive assessments, but it also provides a less detailed view of students' thinking and learning.

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