Refined Teaching Methods, Systems Thinking, and Experiential Approaches Enhanced Students Learning through COVID-19

Autor/inn/en	Ortez, Osler; Hall, Alyssa; Sindelar, Meghan
Titel	Refined Teaching Methods, Systems Thinking, and Experiential Approaches Enhanced Students Learning through COVID-19
Quelle	In: Natural Sciences Education, 52 (2023) 1, (12 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Ortez, Osler) ORCID (Sindelar, Meghan)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2168-8273
DOI	10.1002/nse2.20101
Schlagwörter	College Students; Pandemics; COVID-19; Teaching Methods; Systems Approach; Experiential Learning; Academic Achievement; Instructional Design; Emergency Programs; Educational Change; Distance Education; Electronic Learning; Student Attitudes; Problem Solving; Synchronous Communication; Instructional Effectiveness; Class Size; Group Activities; Discussion (Teaching Technique); Flipped Classroom; Skill Development; Nebraska + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Collegestudent; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Systemischer Ansatz; Experiental learning; Erfahrungsorientiertes Lernen; Schulleistung; Lesson concept; Lessonplan; Unterrichtsentwurf; Hilfsprogramm; Bildungsreform; Distance study; Distance learning; Fernunterricht; Schülerverhalten; Problemlösen; Unterrichtserfolg; Klassengröße; Gruppenaktivität; Flipped classrooms; Flip teaching; Inverted teaching; Kompetenzentwicklung; Qualifikationsentwicklung
Abstract	The Soil Nutrient Relationships course serves juniors and seniors with a major or minor in agronomy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Pre-pandemic enrollment averaged 65 students. In 2021 and 2022, course enrollment was 42 and 55, respectively. The course was adjusted to a flipped design in 2017. Moving into 2021, the Soil Nutrient Relationships course underwent a major overhaul by changing the content source materials and organization of lab activities while maintaining the flipped delivery format. While responding to the COVID-19 pandemic limitations, the redesign was intended to focus limited face-to-face meetings (in person or web-conference) on problem-solving activities. This paper reports on course redesign emphasizing changes for and since the pandemic. Surveys were used in both 2021 and 2022 to assess students' learning and reception to the course design. In surveys, students responded that they gained knowledge in all course learning objectives and increased both problem-solving and systems approach skills. The overall responses were similar between 2021 and 2022; however, one difference was that students placed a higher value on the in-person discussion and lecture in 2022 relative to Zoom discussion or video lecture in 2021. Despite working on similar problem-solving activities, 81% responded that discussion helped with problem solving skills when done via Zoom in 2021 while 88% responded that in person discussion helped with problem-solving skills in 2022. Smaller group sizes used in 2021 seemed to improve student opinions of learning; this is the one change that instructors plan to use in the future. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01