Motivating Tomorrow's Scientists to be Students of Teaching and Learning

Science graduate students and others who are early in their science career are focused on learning about their chosen discipline area. Many will become tomorrow???s college teachers, and yet few will engage in organized experiences that help them enhance their teaching skills prior to being thrust into the classroom. This project was aimed at characterizing the level of understanding of teaching and learning principles by these scientists-in-training. The project was based on a semester-long graduate-level course aimed at stimulating student contemplation and reflection on issues related to teaching and learning. Teaching philosophies and reflections on teaching and learning were obtained at the beginning and end of the semester. Conclusions are consistent with the findings of others that teachers in the sciences are likely to view teaching through the lens of knowledge transmission. Novice science teachers often approach teaching based upon their own experiences as a student engaging in the learning process. Based on these findings, an internet-based module was developed which is aimed at challenging novice science teachers to articulate their beliefs and assumptions about teaching and learning and to move toward translating such beliefs into the practice of effective teaching. The module is designed to encourage early career scientists and potential teachers to reflect on teaching and learning in a similar manner as they might reflect on their science discipline.published or submitted for publicationis peer reviewe