PEARLS (Promoters of Experiential, Active, and Research-based Learning in Science) is an initiative that is promoting High Impact Practices in teaching, and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Science. Inauguration by Dr. Chris Houser. Speakers: Dr. Steven Rehse "First-Year Introductory Lab Redesign", Ms. Michelle Bondy "Peer-Assisted Learning Sessions (PALS)", Dr. Chitra Rangan "PEARLS Activities and Opportunities".

All are welcome to the December event in the PEARLS workshop series. This workshop features: Dr. Maria Cioppa, "WEDigHistory: From Canada150 to Experiential Learning", and Ms. Jaimie Kechego, "Including Indigenous Curriculum and Pedagogy". Lunch will be provided.

First-Year Seminars (FYS) are High-Impact Learning Experiences that will be offered to small groups (<24) of first-year Science students starting in 2020. Instructors offer 12 hours of contact per term on fun and interesting topics that demonstrate their expertise and passion to a group of students who might otherwise not take a course in that discipline. Research shows that faculty who offer FYS experiences are able to attract engaged students to their research groups, and find the informal learning atmosphere to be very fulfilling. Want to know more? Come to this workshop!

All are welcome to listen to the PEARL Grant Awardees Dr. Tanya Noel and Mr. Mark Lubrick. Dr. Tanya Noel will be talking about: "Students as research partners in SoTL: from concept inventories to case studies" and Mr. Mark Lubrick will be talking about: "Creating an open resource for students should really involve students"

iClickers a.k.a web based classroom response systems (CRS) or student response systems have been widely used to engage students, to improve student learning and enhance classroom experiences (Kevin M. Shea, J. Chem Edu., 2016; Solomon, E. D et al., CBE Life Sci Educ, 2018). Their simplicity and flexibility using tablets or laptops among students and faculty have led to wider applications in several disciplines including biology, physics and chemistry. The workshop will cover basic elements of this technology, and presenter will share specific examples and applications of web based classroom response system such as obtained from iClicker Reef implementation during Winter 2020 Term in the Master of Medical Biotechnology BIOC 8700 Human Physiology and Mechanism of Disease and BIOC 8730 Drugs: From Discovery to Market courses. Participants will learn about the multiple benefits of web-based CRS comprising of active learning, formative or summative assessment, immediate feedback or real time analytics, and interactive learning.

Show full description

Join the MS Teams meeting by clicking on: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MzQ5NGYxYTgtYmE0ZS00YTYzLTg2NGItNjZlYWJlZjE0N2Rh%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2212f933b3-3d61-4b19-9a4d-689021de8cc9%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22a19945be-e994-4b02-820e-62ff9e82f9f2%22%7d

Most of the undergraduates at McMaster University will take introductory psychology in their academic programs. As a course designer, the challenges are clear: how do you deliver a high quality educational experience to 5000+ students, from a variety of academic backgrounds, and maintain an academically rigorous program that motivates deep learning? Research from cognitive psychology on attention, memory and learning has informed our pedagogical decisions to develop evidence-based interventions in education. A key focus has been to promote learning that is durable – extending beyond short-term testing into long-term retention of information that remains with the student after the final exam. In this presentation, I will discuss how academic performance is significantly improved with 3 effective learning strategies (retrieval practice, interleaving and spacing) that have been established in controlled lab studies and translated to the classroom. These practices work by strengthening long-term retention and depend on instructors to implement effective instructional design and students to take an active role in their own learning.

We are at a crossroads. The urgent need for physical distancing upended most of our standard teaching paradigms, and forced a level of introspection that probably has never before occurred on such scale. Almost every instructor was forced to re-examine “what is my role at the front of the classroom when there is no classroom?” It is possible that even as early as next September it will all be relegated to memory, and we will return to more comfortable teaching practices. What a missed opportunity. Take a moment to consider the gains that you made in spite of the challenges, and let them reshape your future practices as educators. Separating wins from losses is made much difficult due to confounding variables. Here we turn to Physics Education Research best practices to see what resonates with our experiences from the frontline. Possible topics for exploration include low-latency feedback channels, hands- and heads-on learning activities, and instructor-led identity development and community building, chosen according to attendees’ interests. Before the seminar, all attendees are encouraged to reflect on one "win" they made in the rush to remote learning that they might use in post-pandemic teaching.

The Faculty of Science PEARLS network will be hosting a Mobile Summer Institute on Scientific Teaching (MoSI) at the University of Windsor from July 12-16, 2021. MoSIs are intensive multi-day workshops held for university faculty in science that that address challenges in STEM education reform unique to colleges and universities. A cohort of approximately 30 participants will attend a week-long immersive program offered by two experts from the National Institute for Scientific Teaching, USA. The MoSI’s provide immersive training for current (and future) faculty in active learning, effective assessment, backward design and inclusive practices. In addition to evidence-based teaching workshops, the mobile Summer Institutes provide instruction in peer evaluation to drive long-term reflective teaching, as well as facilitated strategic planning to develop a shared vision between administrators and mobile Summer Institute participants. The MoSI will be presented online to help science faculty who conduct field research to participate.

The Faculty of Science PEARLS network will be hosting a virtual Summer Institute (SI) on Scientific Teaching at the University of Windsor from August 15 - 19, 2022. SIs are intensive multi-day workshops held for university faculty in science that that address challenges in STEM education reform unique to colleges and universities. A cohort of approximately 30 participants will attend a week-long immersive program offered by an expert from the National Institute for Scientific Teaching, USA and our own Dr. Isabelle Barrette-Ng. The SI’s provide immersive training for current (and future) faculty in active learning, effective assessment, backward design and inclusive practices. In addition to evidence-based teaching workshops, the Summer Institutes provide instruction in peer evaluation to drive long-term reflective teaching, as well as facilitated strategic planning to develop a shared vision between administrators and Summer Institute participants. The SI will be presented online to help science faculty who conduct field research to participate.