Tools for Teaching & Assessing
This is a great resource for anyone interested in biology education scholarship. In this video, Dr. Dolan gives practical advice on transitioning from lab research to biology education scholarship. She provides an overview of important steps such as choosing your question and goal, designing your study, collecting data and interpreting your results, as well as specific information on useful books and journals.
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| Classroom Response System | Applications | Users |
|---|---|---|
Google Forms – web-based*, FOC *This means that students can likely use any mobile device that has an internet browser. Instructor and students need access to internet. | Pre- or post-class quizzes In-class quizzes Examples of question format: MCQs, Scale, Short answer questions.
Immediate review of answers in class Responses can be downloaded as Excel | YFM |
IVLE – web-based, FOC | Assessment function Pre- or post-class quizzes In-class quizzes Examples of question format: MCQs, True-False, Matching, Fill-in-the blanks, Short answer questions.
Responses can be downloaded as Excel
Survey function Pre- or post-class quizzes In-class quizzes
Immediate review of answers in class Responses can be downloaded as Excel | Thilo YFM |
Padlet – web-based, FOC | Functions as a wall for students to post comments, figures during lessons
Responses can be downloaded as Pdf | YFM |
Poll everywhere – web-based, FOC version with limitations https://www.polleverywhere.com/
Note that for Medical teaching, students and instructors are able to use the version with all features as the Medical school has purchased the full license for us. | In-class use, questions can be written before class and embedded in Powerpoint slides and each question revealed as the lesson goes on
Various question format possible including MCQs, labelling images, up-voting questions or comments by students, Word cloud.
Immediate review of answers in class Responses can be downloaded as Excel for users with subscription | YFM |
Socrative – web-based, FOC version with limitations
| In-class use, questions can be written before class and released one at a time by instructor Easy to make question on the spot if you want to solicit answers to an impromptu question. Question formats: MCQs, True-False and short answer questions.
Immediate review of answers in class Responses can be downloaded as Excel | Caroline Kim Lee Thilo Yunn YFM |
TeamUp – web-based discussion platform to which NUS has subscription | Students need to sign up into the forum. The instructor/lecturer can then assign the students to private or public discussion groups.
The instructor has access to all discussion groups to comment or evaluate. | Thilo |
Physical clickers – FOC from CIT
Requires students to have a physical clicker and instructor to have a dongle connected to PC/laptop used for presentation. No internet access required. | In-class use, questions can be written before class and embedded in Powerpoint slides Question formats: MCQs, True-False No possibility of short answer questions.
Immediate review of answers in class Responses can be downloaded as Excel | Thilo YFM |
Use these verbs in your assessments to target different levels of thinking.
Click here for the tool.
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Here is a quick guide to designing Assessments based on Bloom’s taxonomy: click me
Online-clickers can be used in class to increase student participation and engagement. Here are a few examples of FREE tools:
Create questions, survey etc:
1) Google: https://www.google.com.sg/forms/about/
2) Socrative: http://www.socrative.com/
Wall for posts etc:
Padlet: https://padlet.com/
I recently attended a workshop conducted by Dave Caleb at CDTL to learn how to use the iBooks Author. This is needed to write iBooks that could be interactive books for your students. I found a link to a video you can check out to get some basic ideas: iBooks tutorial. I am happy to meet to discuss how to use the programme and also ways we can use it for our students.
Here is a link to video resources you might find useful for teaching a range of biology topics: iBiology – video resource
Here’s a simple but useful tip to write your module learning outcomes.\
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