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Instruction Across an Educational Spectrum as a Tool for Building Teaching Skills in the Biomedical Sciences
Author(s) -
Gwathmey TanYa M.,
Howlett Allyn C.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2018.32.1_supplement.lb228
Subject(s) - transformative learning , process (computing) , mathematics education , psychology , pedagogy , computer science , operating system
The ability to convey knowledge to individuals at diverse levels of education is an important skill that is requisite for effective teaching, but often lacking in science educators. Post‐doctoral scholars supported by an NIGMS‐funded Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award were first trained in current pedagogical techniques and educational philosophy through a semester‐long course, coupled with workshops on innovative and transformative instruction. These activities were essential in helping the scholars to develop skills necessary to teach in undergraduate, graduate, medical and allied health professional schools. However, in these settings, the audiences often possess a basic understanding of the foundational principles being presented, and may be capable of filling in “gaps” of information not presented by the instructor, in order to complete the learning process. In an effort to develop well‐trained teachers who are highly effective communicators of biomedical and health sciences, we developed an arrangement with several K‐12 institutions within the local area, where post‐doctoral teaching scholars provided instruction to students through the development of teaching modules that were modified for age‐appropriate instruction at high‐school, middle‐school and elementary‐school levels. These activities required scholars to communicate complex technological concepts to individuals who lacked the basic understanding of the relevant foundational principles being presented, and challenged the teaching scholars in their communication of scientific principles to lay‐person populations. Improvements in communication skills, augmentations in lecture style and testing strategies, as well as the ability to create an active learning environment were reassessed by the scholars' teaching mentors at the completion of these activities. Support or Funding Information K12‐GM102773 This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .