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Title: Making the Most of Science Seminars
Although guest speakers have been a part of our curriculum for several decades, in recent years we have adopted a system that allows us to maximize the benefit of these speakers for our students. We provide learning opportunities before, during, and after a seminar to enhance students' scientific comprehension. Our system begins with students reading peer-reviewed literature relevant to a future seminar. In class, students work cooperatively to answer guided questions about the article, which serves as a basis for a discussion of the article among the entire class. This preparation facilitates students' understanding, their engagement, and their awareness of effective presentation techniques. Finally, small-group discussions with the speaker can provide students knowledge about their curriculum, awareness of additional opportunities, and insight into the nature of science. Our system thus provides a series of learning opportunities that ensure student engagement with the material multiple times, resulting in a deeper understanding of scientific research and effective mechanisms to communicate it.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1643649
NSF-PAR ID:
10194358
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
The American Biology Teacher
Volume:
81
Issue:
8
ISSN:
0002-7685
Page Range / eLocation ID:
585 to 588
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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