Effective Instruction in the Teaching Laboratory

1
Effective Instruction in the Teaching Laboratory

• The Vital Role of the Teaching Assistant
• David R. Mills
• Instructor Manager of Process Engineering Labs
• Department of Chemical Engineering
• Auburn University
• www.eng.auburn.edu/drmills

2
Types of Laboratories

• Physical Sciences
• Biological Sciences
• Computer/Software
• Engineering
• Material Science
• Mathematics
• Social Sciences
• Some differences but many similarities. . .

3

• The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the
  rational mind is a faithful servant. We have
  created a society that honors the servant and has
  forgotten the gift. Albert Einstein

4
Typical Goals of Lab

• Develop intuition and deepen understanding of
  concepts
• Apply concepts learned in class to new
  situations
• Experience basic phenomena
• Develop critical, quantitative thinking
• Develop experimental and data analysis (or
  programming) skills
• Learn to use scientific apparatus and/or
  computers

5
Typical Goals of Lab

• Learn to estimate statistical errors and
  recognize systematic errors
• Develop reporting skills (written and oral)
• Practice collaborative problem solving
• Exercise curiosity and creativity by designing a
  procedure to test a hypothesis
• Better appreciate the role of experimentation in
  science
• Test important laws and rules

6
Lab Instructor Responsibilities

• Management
• Preparation procurement of apparatus and
  materials
• Organizing time, space, groups

• Teaching
• Guide students through the process with just the
  right amount of help
• Accomplish pedagogic goals

7
Preparing for Lab

• Know exactly what the students are supposed to
  learn and why they have to learn these things
• Preview texts and lab manuals used in the lab and
  lecture
• Meet with the lecturer to discuss the lab
  component attend lectures so you can plan the
  corresponding lab work
• Read and study the theory on which the
  experiments are based
• Research the relevance and history of the
  experiment

8
Preparing for Lab

• Find out where supplies are stored and who
  orders course materials
• Perform the laboratory exercises as if you were a
  student
• Plan how you will guide students in preparing
  their lab reports
• Make any necessary handouts
• Know safety rules and give to students in
  writing and verbally, and enforce them LAB
  SAFETY IS YOUR FIRST PRIORITY!

9
Lab Safety

• You should be trained by instructor
• Safety and Hygiene Manual MSDS in all labs
• Be an example to students
• Make sure all appropriate PPE is used
• Know fire, weather procedures
• Liability
• Contacts
• Risk Management Safety Office

10
Famous Lab Accidents
11
Famous Lab Accidents
12
If you are not careful your students may end up
like this!
13
Seriously many accidents that can occur in
teaching laboratories!

• Glassware accident requiring skin graft
• Caustic in eye with permanent corneal injury
• Acid in eye with personal scarring

14
First Day of Lab get off to a good start

• Start on time from the very first meeting don't
  cancel the first lab, even if the syllabus does
  not schedule an experiment
• You may want to give a short (five- to
  ten-minute) quiz at the beginning of labs. If
  students not prepared for lab STOP. If you dont
  nip this in the bud it will continue all
  semester
• You can always get more lenient as the semester
  progresses, but you can never get tougher

15
Pre-Lab Talk

• Provide information necessary for students to
  conduct the lab (5-15 minutes)
• Introduce new methods and terminology
• Write key terms on the board and illustrate your
  points with graphs, drawings, or other visual
  examples
• Introduce and demonstrate how to use new
  equipment or how to do a new type of analysis or
  calculation

16
Pre-lab talk

• Review relevant background material
• Reveal interesting historical or current "real
  world" aspects of the experiment.
• Discuss the purpose, hypotheses, methods, and
  potential results of the lab activity
• Thoroughly discuss all safety precautions and
  concerns

17
During Lab

• Give enough information, but not too much!
• It is a fine art to guide students without either
  simply giving the answer or seeming to be
  obstinate and obscure

18
During Lab

• Circulate throughout the classroom
• Check with students to see how the lab is going.
• Ask questions that help you ascertain whether
  students understand the lab material
• If results from the lab exercise are not as
  expected, encourage speculation on reasons for
  the deviations

19
Get All students Involved

• Some techniques to encourage involvement
• Let a team of students demonstrate the experiment
  (or set up the materials) for their peers
• Ask a student team to assist with instruction
  during the lab. Rotate this responsibility for
  each lab assignment
• Ask students to work in groups or pairs, rotating
  the different responsibilities each week

20
Suggestions to keep things moving

• Students should be able to complete the lab
  within the allotted time period
• Inform students approximately how long each task
  requires so they can pace themselves
• Make an announcement as to when students should
  start cleaning up
• Both student and instructor preparedness is
  critical

21
Follow-Up Discussion at the End of the Lab Period

• Students often appreciate an enhanced
  understanding of lecture material.
• Wrap-up discussions during the last fifteen to
  twenty minutes of class aid understanding,
  encourage the students to make the connections to
  lecture
• Discuss and review how the lab activity (and its
  results) fit into the "big picture."

22
Follow-Up Discussion at the End of the Lab Period

• Make sure lab handouts or worksheets are properly
  completed
• Check that observations are reasonable and
  conclusions are based on the data
• Encourage students to share their discoveries
  with the class
• Did experimental observations differ among
  groups?

23
Follow-Up Discussion at the End of the Lab Period

• How do student observations relate to scientific
  theory?
• What theories apply and how were those theories
  developed (history)?
• How do theories apply to lecture material and to
  real life?
• How would such a discovery affect other systems?
• Discuss the Lab Write-up

24
Ways to get students to take lab write-ups
seriously

• Explain to the students why writing a lab report
  is important
• Writing is a critical tool for understanding and
  sharing ideas- very important in the workplace
• Lab write-ups are an ideal place to practice
  skills honed in writing classes.
• The report helps place the lab activity into the
  "big picture."
• Utilize the lab write-ups to help improve the
  students' understanding through thoughtful
  grading comments
• Emphasize Academic Honesty

25
Summary for great Lab Instruction

• Good lab instructors are both great teachers AND
  great managers. Pay attention to both aspects.
• Get students to understand the importance of the
  days activities by first clearly explaining the
  significance of the activity. Make experiments
  and practical problems relevant.
• Offer just enough help, forcing students to solve
  problems on their own.
• Be alert for potential problems. ALWAYS address
  safety issues before turning students loose on
  experiments, no matter how benign the exercise
  may seem