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Creative teaching design in STEM: Using graduate learning outcomes to distribute students' existing knowledge in first-year biology practical work groups

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journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-04, 04:33 authored by Julia SavageJulia Savage, Jillian HealyJillian Healy
In Australia, a significant number of students enrol in first-year university biology without the benefit of high school biology. In order to help students support each other, the authors of this paper (a central unit academic developer and a biology coordinator of first-year biology) created a classroom activity that facilitated the distribution of the more experienced students of biology throughout the practical work groups. An important feature of this creative design for forming groups, called the GLO Activity in this paper, was the embedding of two of the University’s key teaching and learning priorities within the activity. These were the University’s eight graduate learning outcomes (GLOs) and, inclusive education practice. We discuss creative pedagogies in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) and their link to supporting students in their first year of university study. We explain our scholarly thinking behind the GLO Activity and evaluate its impact. Finally, we reflect on how we, the educators, found satisfaction in thinking deeply to create a new learning structure for a biology practical class that solved one teaching challenge but also met a number of the University’s curriculum principles.

History

Journal

Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice

Volume

16

Article number

ARTN 2

Location

Wollongong, N.S.W.

Open access

  • Yes

ISSN

1449-9789

eISSN

1449-9789

Language

English

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2019, University of Wollongong

Issue

3

Publisher

UNIV WOLLONGONG