Kathleen M. Fisher
Professor of Biology
Syllabus: Biology 452, Biology 496
Spring 2005
Date |
Topic |
Guest Speakers |
January 20 |
Pipeline Workshop: Bahia |
Drs. Donna Ross & Doug Fisher, Hoover High students |
January 27 |
Nature of Science |
Anne Kern (tentative) |
February 3 |
Prior Knowledge |
|
February 10 |
Naive Conceptions |
Dr. Cheryl Mason (tentative) |
February 17 |
Pipeline Workshop: TBA |
|
February 24 |
Conceptual Change |
|
March 3 |
Analogies & Conceptual change |
|
March 10 |
Body Cognition: Perception & Action |
Dr. Fred Goldberg (tentative) |
March 17 |
Pipeline Workshop: Assessment(?) |
|
March 24 |
Student Interviews |
|
March 31 |
Spring Break |
|
April 7 |
Interview Verbal Reports |
Dr. Kathy Williams (tentative) |
April 14 |
TBA |
Dr. Kathy Williams “ |
April 21 |
Knowledge Representations |
Dr. Eric Riggs (confirmed) |
April 28 |
Teaching in Multicultural |
Guest TBA |
May 5 |
Life as a Science Teacher |
Science Teachers TBA |
Each week students will read a paper from the literature and write an original paper (1-2 pages) in which the student briefly describes how he or she would apply the main idea of the paper in teaching a concept in her or his area of expertise.
The ‘laboratory’ will be independent and will involve three components. a) Students will observe an experienced (and preferably outstanding) teacher in middle or high school for 30 hours, and submit a weekly report of two key observations. b) Students will ‘map out’ one key concept that was included in the paper that was each week. c) Before or during spring break, students will interview 2 younger students of similar ages about a concept of their choice, using props to elicit and/or challenge students’ thinking. The results will be presented in class and summarized in a 1-2 page paper that includes:
• Evidence that the chosen concept is difficult for students
• Explanation for nature of questions and choice of props
• Summary of results
Transcripts of the interviews should be attached.
In this course you should acquire an understanding of
• how prior knowledge influences learning,
• the value of eliciting students’ prior knowledge,
• how to build on what students already know,
• how to challenge students’ common alternative conceptions,
• how to promote conceptual change, &
• strategies for teaching science in multicultural classrooms,
• the importance of process in both science & teaching/learning.