Teaching Philosophy

Challenging students

Using evidence-based practices in the classroom creates a setting where students can improve skills needed to succeed after graduation. I accomplish this by creating learning goals that focus on science practices outlined in the National Research Council's Framework for K-12 Science Education and that focus on skills employers look for in college graduates as determined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. In my course, students analyze and interpret data, construct explanations, communicate information, and engage in argument from evidence. Students use primary literature data to construct new knowledge and then predict outcomes to novel experiments.

To assess student achievement, exam-level summative questions are used. Students must use the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning framework to predict outcomes of novel experiments using course content as evidence to support their choices. All course materials are allowed on the exam questions, and student collaboration is integrated into portions of the exam. Learning how to form an argument based on data is a critical skill all scientists should have. It is the foundation for all research. It is a component of everything from basic science literacy to diagnosing a patient. Additionally, scientists are not independent, isolated professionals. Everything we do, we collaborate. Lab groups design and complete research projects; medical teams diagnose and tend to patients; teachers design and share curriculum to best serve students. Collaboration is an important component of succeeding as a scientist. The goal of the exams is to give students a simplified example of real-life scientific work.

Failure and revision

Over the semester, I give students multiple opportunities to practice and work with the course content. My open education resource (OER) textbook was written specifically with my classes in mind; the reading and self-check quizzes prepare the students for the active learning assignments, where they apply their knowledge from the reading. They then review and evaluate their work with answer videos before moving to practice CER questions presented in a low stakes format and again review their work with answer videos. This scaffolding prepares them for the CER exam questions.

On their first submission of the exam questions, students receive immediate feedback on their claim and evidence sections. The feedback guides them toward the correct answer. They are able to revise these sections, which are critical for success on the reasoning section. The feedback at every level of the content (self-checks, answer videos, exam responses), provides space for mistakes and misunderstandings. Making mistakes is a part of the learning process, and even when answers are incorrect, important knowledge has still been retrieved, making connections between old and new information. When those initial errors are corrected through feedback, the correct answer is solidified.

Flexibility

My undergraduate course uses a hyflex modality, meaning students can attend in person or online synchronously. This course design improves access for students experiencing geographical, caregiving, health-related, or other challenges that make attending face-to-face courses difficult. Along with modality choice, assignments do not have strict due dates. A suggested schedule is provided and recommended frequently, and students must complete certain assignments before accessing the exam, so structure is still present. Through trial and error, I found that too much flexibility was detrimental for students who struggled with time management. The current structure balances flexibility with clear expectations so that unexpected life events don't derail student success, but students are still held accountable for their learning. The goal is to make the learning process accessible and achievable for all — ideally to the point where formal accommodations are already built into the course design rather than added on afterward.

Transparency

Students are more willing to engage with challenging work when they understand why it matters. I am transparent with my students about the reasoning behind course design choices: why assignments are structured the way they are, what skills they are practicing, and how those skills connect to their futures. When students understand that the work they are doing in class mirrors what scientists actually do — interpreting data, communicating findings, working in teams — the content becomes relevant rather than abstract. I make a point of connecting course activities to skills employers identify as critical for college graduates: problem solving, teamwork, and communication. Students who understand the purpose behind the work are more likely to engage with it seriously, and that engagement is what leads to real learning. Transparency also extends to how I present myself as an instructor. I share who I am outside of the classroom, and I ask students to do the same. When students see their instructor as a person and feel seen as people themselves, it builds the trust that makes a learning community work. That sense of community, the feeling that everyone in the course is working toward something together, is what makes the other principles possible.