MCDB 4811: syllabus and readings


Topics, Readings & Resources Required text : How people learn: Brain, Mind, Experience and School. 2000. NAS. (available on-line at http://www.nap.edu) You will also need an iclicker – they can be purchased at the bookstore

Date	Weekly readings: links and pdfs	Tuesdays Conceptual foundations of modern biology and analysis of current curricula	Thursdays Theories of teaching/ learning in the context biological concepts taught	Assignment Due (thursdays!)

Aug 26-28	Rudolph & Stewart 1998 Wray 2007 Des Marais & Rausher, 2008	Course background and logistics private universes getting to know us/you...	What does learning (in biology) look like and what gets in the way. Starting with evolutionary biology

Sept. 2-4	Tanner & Allen 2007 Anderson et al 2002 Garvin-Doxas & Klymkowsky, 2008	Evolutionary principles: selection, mutation, randomness, gene duplication. watch: Building a family free for all humanity analysis of EBIO1030 EBIO2010 MCDB1150 MCDB1111	Discovering / changing student thinking about evolution on line: take the Biology concept inventory (BCI). in class: Concept Inventory on Natural Selectio (CINS)	Response Paper 1

Sept. 9-11	Ersatz Learning Duncan & Reiser, 2007	Cellular organization and molecular processes	Preconceptions versus instruction induced ideas

Sept. 16-18	How People Learn	Organismic functions (includes development and homeostasis)	Expert vs. Novice Knowledge	Response Paper 2

Sept. 23-25	How People Learn	Ecological / Evolutionary interactions and pathogenesis	Constructivism in Science Learning/Inquiry

Sept. 30-Oct. 2	How People Learn	Introduce Research Project/ Educational Research Questions and Designs (preliminary project ideas)	Data Collection in and out of the classroom	Response Paper 3
Oct. 7-9	How People Learn	Data Analysis Techniques (Task and Cognitive Analysis)(revised project proposal)	Developing Coding Systems (revised project proposal)	Research Project Topic & Research Question Due (describe briefly in class)
Oct. 14-16		Student understanding of Quantitative skills (graphs/equations, etc).	Interventions and outcomes / barriers	Response Paper 4
Oct. 21-23		Fostering metacognition/ uncovering implicit assumptions	Classroom dynamics	Draft Sections A&B of paper
Oct. 28-30		Learning in the laboratory (what is it, what is important)	Data Collection/Analysis Workshop
Nov. 4-6	CINS BCI	Conceptual Inventories – Development, contents, applications	Standardized Tests NAEP, TIMSS, PISA, etc. AP test / SAT / GRE	Draft Data Collection (have some data collected)
Nov. 11-13		Group report: curriculum	Group report: concepts
Nov. 18-20		Group report: assessments	TBA	Draft Analysis
Nov. 25-27	Thanksgiving Break
Dec. 2-4		Student Presentations	Student Presentations
Dec. 9-11		Student Presentations	Student Presentations	Final Project Due last day of class

Supplemental readings for the so inclined:

Evolution. 2005. D.J. Futuyama.
Evolution in four dimensions. 2005. E. Jablonka & M.J. Lamb. MIT Press.
Darwin: A very short introduction. 1982. Jonathon Howard
The Theory of Evolution. 1993. J. Maynard Smith. Canto.
The end of Science, revisted

Web resources:

Audio/ Video / Applet resources:

A private universe
foldit
genetic driftt
Sexual selection
John Maynard Smith on youtube