Teaching of science can be fun and inspiring
16.12.2009
Instruction in microbiology, which is an important field in biotechnology, is largely based on scientific facts and laboratory work. The new study culture promised by Aalto University challenges its students to develop critical scientific faculty of thought and in-depth learning using new methods.
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- One must be able to trust the student's capacity to learn and take responsibility, explains Professor Katrina Nordström from the Department of Biotechnology and Chemical Technology of Helsinki University of Technology (TKK). For several years now, she has developed education to a more student centered direction.
The most important project in the development work has been the medical microbiology course (Fall 2009), the novel implementation of which was influenced by Katrina Nordström's own pedagogical studies (YOOP (a program of higher education pedagogy), TKK and Master Class, Aalto University) and the enthusiasm and encouragement of both TKK's Vice Rector Kalevi Ekman and Design Factory's Project Manager Jussi Hannula.
- I needed encouragement to venture to teach my autumn 2009 course in Design Factory's inspiring learning environment. During the course I noticed that to plunge into a new kind of work format puts the identity of both the student as well as that of the teacher to test, describes Nordström her experiences about the autumn 2009 microbiology course, which emphasized vaccine development and diagnostics.
Team work skills develop together through doing
Among other novel approaches were the group assignments by student teams, in which PowerPoint and other traditional presentation formats were forbidden. The aim was to encourage the students to produce creative presentations as well as develop team work and interaction skills needed in work life. Feedback was collected throughout the course, and the teacher made good use of it to modify the course while it proceeded.
Both the group assignments as well as course folders contributed to the course assessment. The starting point for the assessment was that each person's work was worth grading Very good! During the team work, attention was also paid to work distribution in teams and provision of peer support and feedback.
- The team work was demanding but fun. The environment of Design Factory inspired one to commit oneself to the objectives of the course, and the teacher managed to create a relaxed work and study atmosphere. In the end, however, scientific facts had to be in place, and due to this it was challenging to think how to present the contents in formats other than PowerPoint slides, students Sini Orpana and Henri Arola, who participated in the course, point out.
- The task of my own team was to demonstrate rapid diagnostics based on antibodies. During the course we built models and became enthusiastic about developing a new application. For me, the team work acted as a spark to deepen my know-how of the background knowledge related to the application. There is a chance that we could even develop the group's idea further, explains Henri Arola.
- Our task was to examine the development of malaria vaccine, and I particularly wanted to pay attention to visualization of knowledge, to make it comprehensible to those addressed. It was also interesting to think about the presentation of facts in different formats, states Sini Orpana.
In the opinion of Sini Orpana and Henri Arola, through the assignments by the teams the students commit themselves to reach the objectives in a responsible way, and during the work many of the common problems were discussed and considered. When one is forced to acquire knowledge and think about how to present it to others in a comprehensible way, the facts stay in the memory in a way that is different if one just read about them somewhere. This was the opinion of Sini Orpana and Henri Arola, and it was the opinion also of nearly all the course's 27 students, who were asked about their thoughts regarding the effects of the way the course was implemented on learning.
Learning objectives were reached in a superb manner
Based on the feedback collected, the scientific learning objectives of the course were reached better that estimated in the beginning. Teaching science in a novel kind of environment and with new methods was a great stride, in which the teachers, however, had a considerable responsibility in mediating factual knowledge to the students.
- The learning objectives of the course were challenging and required the students to find in depth about the mechanisms of immunological defences, microdiagnostics, vaccine development, epidemiology, microbial pathogenesis, safe drug production methods and medical law, Professor Nordström tells. Also the scientific level of the group works was set high and it was a joy to see how open-mindedly and diligently the students set upon their tasks.
The feedback received from the students best describes the reaching of learning objectives:
- Among other things, the significance of N and H, or surface proteins, on the functioning of a virus was something new.
- I was also able to work out the functional principles of influenza vaccine/drugs.
- Topmost in my mind still is the presentation of virus surface proteins and how virus strains are named, which the group successfully demonstrated with their virus model.
- I remember really well the modelling of quick diagnostics methods with the help of materials and possibilities offered by Design Factory.
Official feedback collected through Oodi was in line with general course feedback, where the course's general grade was 4.27 in a scale of 5.The grade the students gave for their own know-how was, in most cases, 4 and that for their group 5.
- This was the best course in the implementation of which I have had the chance to be with during my 25-year teaching career in the university level education, Katrina Nordström states. My heartfelt thanks to the students and to all who have contributed to its realization! I also wish to thank the staff of Design Factory for the agreeable and very well functioning learning environment, which provides excellent opportunities for teaching scientific knowledge and for learning!
Text: Katrina Nordström and Päivi Korpelainen
Photo: Päivi Korpelainen
