title: Using targeted active-learning exercises and diagnostic question clusters to improve students' understanding of carbon cycling in ecosystems.
abstract: In this study, we used targeted active-learning activities to help students improve their ways of reasoning about carbon flow in ecosystems. The results of a validated ecology conceptual inventory (diagnostic question clusters [DQCs]) provided us with information about students' understanding of and reasoning about transformation of inorganic and organic carbon-containing compounds in biological systems. These results helped us identify specific active-learning exercises that would be responsive to students' existing knowledge. The effects of the active-learning interventions were then examined through analysis of students' pre- and postinstruction responses on the DQCs. The biology and non-biology majors participating in this study attended a range of institutions and the instructors varied in their use of active learning; one lecture-only comparison class was included. Changes in pre- to postinstruction scores on the DQCs showed that an instructor's teaching method had a highly significant effect on student reasoning following course instruction, especially for questions pertaining to cellular-level, carbon-transforming processes. We conclude that using targeted in-class activities had a beneficial effect on student learning regardless of major or class size, and argue that using diagnostic questions to identify effective learning activities is a valuable strategy for promoting learning, as gains from lecture-only classes were minimal.
authors.affiliation: Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, CA 92106, USA. AprilMaskiewicz@pointloma.edu
authors.forename: April Cordero
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Maskiewicz
authors.forename: Heather Peckham
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Griscom
authors.forename: Nicole Turrill
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Welch
mesh_terms: D001695:Biology / Q000193:education*; D057486:Carbon Cycle; D032882:Comprehension; D003479:Curriculum; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods*; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities