Course Portfolio

Heather Reynolds - COAS E105 - The City as Ecosystem

Introduction

“The City as Ecosystem” is a 3-credit, one-semester Biology topics course (E105), offered
through the College of Arts and Sciences (COAS) as part of the COAS general education
curriculum. Topics courses are meant to introduce students to the ways of thinking and problem
solving of a field of study through focus on a central question, issue, or theme. I designed this
topics course to provide a foundation in the science of ecosystem ecology and to explore its
applications to the creation of sustainable cities. Active learning is an integral part of the course;
both service-learning and class discussions alternate with traditional lectures and assigned
readings. The challenge addressed in this portfolio was to take active learning another step, by
incorporating it into the lecture component. This course was first offered in Fall, 2001. In Fall,
2002 I conducted a simple study within the course by comparing three active-learning, treatment
lectures based on a “learning cycle lecture model” to three traditional, control lectures. Student
learning and engagement for each lecture group were assessed through quiz and exam questions
and end of semester supplemental student evaluations.

Course Background

Student Composition

Enrollment (capped at 60 students) averages about 50 students (38 in 2001, 52 in the study year)
and includes a broad range of years (Fig. 1) and majors (Table 1).

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Number of students

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10
8
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Figure 1. 2002 enrollment by year.

Table 1. 2002 enrollment by major.
7 Telecommunications 1 Computer Science
7 Exploratory/Undecided 1 English Education
6 Unreported 1 Environmental Education
3 Art 1 History
3 Biology 1 Individualized
3 Political Science 1 Informatics
2 Communications 1 Psychology
2 Criminal Justice 1 Religious Studies
2 English 1 Spanish
2 Finance 1 Spiritual Ecohumanism
1 Anthropology 1 Sustainable Human
Environmental Interaction
1 Biochemistry
1 Business
1 Comparative Literature

Course Goals and Rationale

This course has three primary student learning goals:

(1) To understand the scientific method and the principles of ecosystem ecology, with a
focus on basic concepts of energy flow, matter cycling, and biodiversity, and applied
concepts of global change and sustainability.
(2) To understand cities as a kind of ecosystem, and to show how applied ecosystem science
can make cities, and by extension the entire biosphere, more sustainable.
(3) To develop quantitative, oral and written expression, teamwork, and critical thinking
skills, and to foster a sense of civic ethic and environmental stewardship.

Explosive human population growth, with its accompanying resource consumption and waste
production, has inevitably led to environmental change on a grand scale. Humans have
transformed nearly half of the Earth’s habitable land to urban and agricultural systems, altered
atmospheric chemistry, and accelerated rates both of species extinctions and invasions into
previously unoccupied habitat. Recent estimates indicate that humanity’s demands on the
biosphere have exceeded regenerative capacity since the 1980s. Thus, we are currently
overshooting the Earth’s carrying capacity for our species.

As centers of population density, it is vital that cities lead the way in sustainable use of the
Earth’s resources. To do this, however, cities will need to move away from the current linear
model involving high throughput of nonrenewable energy and “cradle-to-grave” flow of matter
from raw material to product to waste. Instead, sustainable cities will move toward a more
cyclical model based on natural ecosystem processes, involving lower throughput of renewable
energy and “cradle-to-cradle” flow of materials, minimizing waste, pollution, and loss of habitat
and biodiversity.

Building sustainable cities thus requires an awareness of the problems of our existing approaches
and an appreciation of the potential for change that is firmly rooted in an understanding of
ecosystem ecology. “The City as Ecosystem” addresses the scientific and environmental literacy

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necessary to push forward the frontier of sustainability and takes an active learning approach to
the application of ecological understanding in the local community through service-learning.

Course Content and the Broader Curriculum

By introducing the fundamentals of ecosystem ecology, human-environment interactions, and the

scientific method, and by developing critical thinking, writing, collaborative and quantitative
skills, this course lays the foundation for subsequent lecture or laboratory work in biology or
other natural sciences, including environmental sciences. In addition, the course's focus on the
application of science towards solving human-environment problems allows students to explore
new contexts for basic information and skills learned in other courses.

As COAS course, "The City as Ecosystem" reinforces many of Indiana University's liberal
learning goals, including skills in oral and written communication and comprehension, critical
thinking, ethical perspectives, the scientific method, quantitative reasoning, and development of
historical, political and cultural consciousness. More generally, "The City as Ecosystem"
contributes to COAS’ goal of producing students with "the knowledge, skills and experience
essential for a full, rich and rewarding life" and for "contributing to a better world."

Teaching Methods and Rationale

This course is organized as a series of lectures and discussions complemented by service-

learning projects.

∞Lectures are meant to provide fundamental background information on the key concepts that
comprise the learning objectives for this course (ecosystem concepts of energy flow,
biogeochemical cycling and diversity; the scientific method; global change; and sustainability).

∞Discussions are used in two ways: (1) to discuss Bloomington environmental data as a case
study in the application of ecosystem principles towards making one city more sustainable, and
(2) to discuss readings from the popular text "From Naked Ape to Superspecies: A Personal
Perspective on Humanity and the Global Eco-Crisis" in order to facilitate student understanding
of the global-scale context of environmental problems and sustainable solutions. Discussions
also hone oral and written expression and teamwork skills. For Bloomington discussions, the
class is divided into teams, and each team is assigned to create a “fact sheet” for one
Bloomington discussion topic. Each of these topics complements the lecture sections on
fundamental ecosystem concepts (energy flow, biogeochemistry and biodiversity). Fact sheets
are one page summaries of Bloomington environmental data and sustainability initiatives on the
topic at hand, with at least five questions for class discussion. Students are asked to draw from
internet, media, and print sources as well as conversations with Bloomington citizens, officials,
and community groups. For the popular book discussions, students are asked to read one to
several chapters and submit a question for class discussion based on the reading.

∞Service-learning is meant to deepen student understanding of course learning objectives by

providing opportunities to put theoretical concepts (ecosystem theory, scientific method,
sustainability) into actual practice. Service-learning projects are also a way for students to

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develop quantitative, oral and written expression, teamwork, and critical thinking skills, make a
tangible contribution to sustainability and to cultivate a civic ethic. Service-learning class
periods have been built into the syllabus to provide structured time for service-learning projects,
including an orientation session with community partners. The Assistant Instructor (AI) and I
alternate among teams during these periods to provide assistance with service-learning projects.

Service-learning projects partner student teams with city groups that have service needs in
environmental studies related to sustainability (e.g. measurement and monitoring of biodiversity;
indicator species; green space; air, water, and soil quality; emissions or natural gas fluxes; energy
use). Students are asked to develop hypotheses that direct their measurements towards deeper
understanding of environmental patterns. As an example, students might hypothesize that
biodiversity within green spaces is driven by green space size, proximity to forest edge,
environmental heterogeneity, etc. Another hypothesis might be concerned with the relative
sensitivity of stream fauna versus flora to water pollutants (e.g. fertilizer runoff, toxic
chemicals). Projects culminate in class presentations (oral or poster) and short summaries
tailored towards public education, allowing students a way to articulate their contributions to
sustainability.

Measuring and comparing ecosystem processes develop quantitative and methodological skills
with sampling techniques (e.g. transect, quadrat) and instrumentation, sample analysis (e.g.
inorganic nitrogen), information acquisition and evaluation (from print, media, and on-line
resources), working with units of measurement, data manipulation and presentation (computer
spreadsheets, tables, graphics), and application of simple statistics. Discussions of readings,
group work, and class presentations develop oral expression skills. Writing assignments
(service-learning project prospectus and summary, minute papers and reflections) develop
writing skills. The key social skill of collaboration is fostered as student teams work with city
service-learning partners towards a common goal. Finally, all of these skills are developed in the
context of the scientific method – posing hypotheses, designing observations or experiments to
test the hypotheses, reevaluating hypotheses, and communicating conclusions. Thus, students in
this course will gain direct experience with the critical thinking skills that scientists use to gain
information about the natural world. Furthermore, students will learn first hand about how
science can be directly applied to problems faced by society.

A variety of assignments are employed to engage students in lecture and discussion material, to
probe student understanding or to facilitate connections between theory and
application/experience (Table 2). My intention is that the diversity of teaching methods and
course activities complement one another in reinforcing course learning objectives and
accommodating a diversity of student learning styles. While I believe that lecture and assigned
reading are essential ways of communicating fundamental principles and basic information to
students, I also firmly believe in the power of active learning. Class discussions and service-
learning projects are thus included as major active learning components of the course.

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Table 2. Assignments & Exams

Assignment or Description
Exam
Quiz on the Short quiz at beginning of class on the assigned reading for the day’s lecture.
Reading Intended to encourage background preparation, freeing up class time to focus
(8, 2%) on complex concepts and active learning.
Homework Q’s on Answers to homework questions on the assigned reading for the day’s lecture,
the Reading due at beginning of class. Intended to encourage background preparation,
(8, 2%) freeing up class time to focus on complex concepts and active learning.
Minute Paper Brief, in-class assignment designed to probe student understanding of lecture
(8, 4%) or discussion material. Essentially is a short quiz for which students answer
questions based on previous lecture material. Full credit is given as long as the
student is present to take the quiz and makes honest attempt to answer each Q.
Reflection Brief, in-class assignment for which students answer one to several questions
(3, 3%) designed to:
• Generate feedback on service-learning
•Foster connections between theory (class) and application (service-learning
experiences)
•Encourage exploration of the social, moral & civic dimensions of course
material
Discussion Q’s Questions, issues, ideas or perspectives on popular text readings:
(2, 4%) •Questions about concepts that are confusing
•Issues that are agreed or disagreed with
• New ideas or perspectives drawn from connections to other readings, to
lecture material, to current or past events/issues, or to student’s personal
experiences
•One “Q” per chapter, each “Q” need not be longer than 1 paragraph
•Typed and due at beginning of popular text discussions
•Sharing question in discussion is a plus!
Fact Sheet Handout summarizing Bloomington environmental data & sustainability
(1, 10%) initiatives drawn from internet, media & print sources as well as conversations
with Bloomington citizens, officials, groups:
•Relevant information provided in an attractive & informative fashion
(figures, tables, photos, phrases)
•Information from at least 4 different credible sources
•References properly cited in the text
•Includes 1 discussion question for class discussion
•Team effort: team hands in a typed copy of complete fact sheet (1-page
maximum, double-sided is OK). Each team member’s contribution needs to be
clearly specified.
•Team initiates discussion by presenting information from handout
Midterm Combination of multiple choice, short answer & essay questions covering
Examination lecture and discussion material from the first half of the course.
(1, 20%)
Final Examination Combination of multiple choice, short answer & essay questions covering
lecture and discussion material. Cumulative, with emphasis on 2nd half of
course.
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(1, 25%) lecture and discussion material. Cumulative, with emphasis on 2nd half of
course.
Service-learning Description of service-learning project divided into sections containing:
Prospectus •(1) Background on community partner, study system & desired service
(1, 5%) •(2) Question(s)/Hypothesis(es)/Prediction(s) to be addressed
•(3) Methods used to address hypothesis(es) and fulfill service
•(4) Statement of project's contribution to fundamental scientific
understanding and to society
•(5) References (at least 5, from credible sources)
• References properly cited in the text
•Team hands in a typed copy of the whole prospectus (1-2 pages, double-sided
is OK). Each team member’s contribution needs to be clearly specified.
Service-learning Summary of service-learning project for the poster session:
Poster •Goal is to educate an intelligent but not necessarily expert public audience
(1, 20%) about the aspect of Bloomington's environment studied & its relationship to
public well-being
•Letter-size version will be added to the course website
•Includes Title, Introduction (background and
question(s)/hypothesis(es),/prediction(s)), Methods, Results, Discussion and
Conclusions, Future Directions, Reflection, Acknowledgements, References
(at least 10, from credible sources), Related links (optional)
•Properly cites references in the text
•Liberal use of figures & photos (drawn, scanned in or downloaded - with
sources credited)
•Minimal text - keeps paragraphs short and makes use of bulleted phrases
•Teams will:
-bring a 2’ x 3’ banner-size POWERPOINT hard copy to
the poster session
-hand in an MS-WORD letter-size document of the final
poster as a computer file
-Clearly specify each team member’s contribution

Course Materials and Rationale

Textbook: Environmental Science: Working with the Earth (G. Tyler Miller)
Popular book: From Naked Ape to Superspecies: A Personal Perspective on Humanity and the
Global Eco-Crisis (David Susuki and Holly Dressel)
Readings: A variety of journal articles, reports, and book chapters

The environmental science textbook presents the fundamentals of ecology with emphasis on
ecosystems and applied issues and is thus a resource to aid in understanding of course learning
objectives (fundamentals of ecosystem processes and application to sustainability). The popular
book comprehensively assesses the state of the world’s environment, provides analysis of the
complex cultural and social forces that complicate our ability to find easy solutions to our
environmental challenges and synthesizes our best prospects for a sustainable future. Its
engaging, personal style and focus on global-scale issues helps to draw students into course

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material while providing a broader context for the course learning objectives. Readings provide
additional information on ecosystems and their benefits to humans, threats to these ecosystems,
and sustainability. The diversity of styles and contexts of these readings assists students in
understanding course learning objectives from a variety of perspectives.
These course materials are intended as either essential reinforcement of lecture content (all
readings) or as essential preparation for class discussions (the popular book).

Pedagogical Challenge

After the first offering of this course in Fall 2001, I felt that the course goals were in large part
met by the teaching methods employed (average course grade: 85%). Lectures and readings
served to introduce students to the concepts while discussions and service-learning allowed
students the practical experience of applying theoretical concepts to real world situations, thus
promoting true internalization of the concepts and an appreciation of their utility. I felt that
discussions and service-learning projects were effective in developing students’ quantitative, oral
and written expression, teamwork and critical thinking skills, and that service-learning projects
were effective in fostering students’ sense of civic ethic and environmental stewardship. Student
teams did an impressive job (average grade of 88%) creating and delivering PowerPoint
presentations on their projects to classmates and service-learning community partners. Written
summaries of service-learning projects for the course website were more variable in quality
(average grade of 73%), but still very good overall. Examples of service-learning summaries can
be viewed on the course website at: http://www.bio.indiana.edu/courses/E105-Reynolds.

A major challenge for me, and for many who teach large classes to nonmajors, lies in
incorporating active learning into the lecture component. During the Fall 2001 course offering, I
felt that lectures quickly became dry and inaccessible to students. I was aware of the impressive
amount of facts and information necessary as background for students to function in the class;
however, I fear that too much time was spent packing in content that simultaneously
overwhelmed and bored students. This problem seemed particularly acute for lectures covering
biogeochemical cycling (e.g. carbon cycle, hydrological cycle, nitrogen cycle). This
fundamental ecosystem concept is central to understanding the consequences of human activities
for ecosystem functioning on local to global scales. An understanding of biogeochemical
cycling is also critical to the transformation of cities from linear, resource-guzzling, and waste-
producing models to more cyclical, efficient, and sustainable models that run on renewable, non-
toxic sources of energy and resources.

The subject of my inquiry was thus to investigate a lecture model that maximizes student
learning and engagement, with a focus on biogeochemical cycling. The challenge is in finding
the right balance between theory and application, concept and example, and amount of and
experience with content. Rather than take a simple approach of trial and error, I decided to
conduct a systematic study of the learning environment.

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 Strategies

Learning Cycle Lecture Model

Alternation of “mini-lectures” with activities such as short film snippets, games, discussions and
work with live material (e.g. viewing leaf litter and decomposers thru microscopes) could serve
to introduce and then engage students in key ideas or concepts, enhancing the learning process.
The modified “learning cycle” lecture model of Brewer and Zabinski (1999) encapsulates this
approach. A “learning cycle” lecture consists of engagement, exploration, elaboration and
assessment sections interspersed with mini-lectures that provide key background content. The
lecture begins with engagement; introducing the lecture theme in a way that provokes interest
and draws on student background knowledge or beliefs. Engagement often takes the form of a
provocative question, perhaps in combination with a simple activity (e.g. observation).
Engagement is followed by a mini-lecture to provide key background information (concepts,
terms, etc.). An exploration period then provides opportunity for experiential work with the
background information, involving active learning activities such as mini-experiments, games,
and discussions, usually conducted in groups. A second mini-lecture could then occur, followed
by an elaboration period (similar to exploration) that builds on students’ developing knowledge.
If desirable, additional rounds of mini-lectures and elaboration periods could occur. The lecture
ends with some form of short assessment (e.g. quiz, minute paper, question and answer), to both
gauge student comprehension and emphasize key concepts; recognizing assessment as an
integral part of the learning process.

Assigned Reading and Homework

Out of class assignments in reading (e.g. course text, journal articles), film viewing, or internet
exploration is one strategy to promote assimilation of key background information - freeing up
class time for more active learning that concentrates on particularly complex issues or concepts.
An associated challenge is timely compliance, so that students do indeed come to class with
some level of the expected background preparation. Homework questions, due at the relevant
class period, are one possibility that I made use of in this study. Grading such questions on a
simple credit/no credit basis helped to keep instructor grading burdens down. Another approach
is beginning class with a short assessment based on the homework background assignment,
perhaps as an alternative engagement exercise. Such assessments could also be graded on a
credit/no credit basis.

PowerPoint Presentations

Use of a presentation graphics package such as Microsoft PowerPoint can be helpful in achieving
an active learning lecture model. This is not to discount “old-fashioned” visual aids, such as
chalk- or dry erase boards, overheads, or demonstrations. Any of these aids may be used
effectively, and the most engaging lecture style may well be achieved with some combination of
them. I focus on PowerPoint here because of its multimedia flexibility, helpful in
accommodating a range of learning styles and in creating a seamless learning cycle lecture
model.

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 Study

Hypothesis

Student learning and engagement, as assessed by minute papers, exam questions, and student
evaluations, are enhanced by active learning within a learning cycle lecture model.

Materials and Methods

Study System –. The study was conducted during the Fall 2002 offering of E105, “The City as
Ecosystem,” taught Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-3:45 pm at Indiana University,
Bloomington. This was the second offering of this class, with an enrollment of 52 students, up
from Fall 2001’s class size of 38 students. At the beginning of the semester, consent forms were
administered to students by a representative from Instructional Consulting. The consent forms
provided a brief description of the study and assurances of student confidentiality, explained that
participation was voluntary and could be withdrawn any time without penalty, and closed with a
statement of informed consent to be signed by the student. Consent forms were collected by
Instructional Consulting and returned to the instructor only after final grades were assigned.

Course Schedule –. Lecture, service-learning, and discussion periods as well as assignments,

exams, and special events (guest speaker, presentation tutorial, student presentations) were as
given in Table 3.

Lecture Visuals –. Microsoft PowerPoint was used to create text and visuals for all lecture
periods. PowerPoint presentations are easier to create and alter, more environmentally friendly,
and more conducive to creation of a seamless learning cycle lecture model. This contrasts with
the previous year’s approach to lecture visuals, which made exclusive use of overheads.

Pre-Treatment –. Students were exposed to each of the various components of the learning cycle
lecture model – engagement, lecture, active learning (e.g. discussion groups) and assessment – in
the weeks prior to application of the actual experimental treatments. This allowed students to
gain familiarity with each component, facilitating smooth application of treatments and helping
to factor out bias toward (or against) novel teaching methods.

Experimental Design –. With commencement of the study in the 9h week of class, 3 control and
3 treatment lectures were applied over six weeks at a frequency of 1 control or treatment lecture
per week (see Table 3). Each of these six lectures was on an aspect of biogeochemical cycling
(carbon cycle, hydrological cycle, nitrogen cycle, phosphorus and sulfur cycles, toxins). Control
and treatment lectures alternated, with the identity of the initial lecture (control vs. treatment)
determined by coin toss.

Both control and treatment lectures used PowerPoint presentations, with similar amounts of text
and figures and a 5-10 minute assessment period (minute paper, see Table 1) at the conclusion of
lecture. However, treatment lectures used the learning cycle lecture model, with engagement,
mini-lecture, and exploration (active learning), components prior to assessment. Active learning
involved relatively simple activities: group discussions, “one-sentence summaries,” and group

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discussions followed by whole-class discussion (Table 4). In contrast, control lectures took a
passive learning, straight lecture format.

Due to time constraints, one control lecture had to be dropped, and thus the study ended with two
control lectures and three treatment (active learning) lectures. Also, the first set of minute papers
were inadvertently returned to students before scoring for this study, reducing replication to one
control lecture (versus three treatment lectures) for the analysis of minute papers.
Assessment –. Minute papers are normally graded on a credit/no-credit basis, with full credit
given for honest attempts to answer each question. For the purposes of this study only, the 6
minute papers from control and treatment lectures were graded based on accuracy of answer,
using an answer key made up by the instructor. In addition to minute papers, student learning and
engagement were assessed through final exam questions and end of semester student evaluations.
Performance on multiple choice and short answer final exam questions on material covered in
control versus treatment lectures was quantified. At the end of the semester, students filled out a
supplemental evaluation form in addition to the standard teaching evaluation form administered
by Indiana University Bureau of Evaluative Studies & Testing (IU BEST). This one-page,
supplemental form asked students to rate their level of learning and engagement for each of the 6
experimental lectures, using the same 5 point agreement scale (Strongly Agree, Agree,
Undecided, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree) used by BEST. The supplemental evaluation also
solicited written impressions of each of the 6 experimental lectures.

Analysis –. Results were analyzed qualitatively, via construction of bar graphs comparing scores
and evaluation rankings across replicate control versus treatment lectures and/or versus various
active learning exercises. Where the data permitted, means and standard errors of treatment
groups were included.

Results

Thirty-six students consented to be included in the study and 34 of those consenting filled out
supplemental evaluation forms at the end of the course. Within this pool, this study detected no
effect of active learning lectures on student understanding, as gauged by performance on final
exam and minute paper questions. There were no differences in scores on final exam questions
covering material from control versus treatment lectures, for either the class as a whole (Fig. 1)
or when comparing performances of students categorized by final grade in the course (Fig. 2).
Minute paper scores were similarly unresponsive to active learning lectures (Figs. 3, 4).

Student perceptions of their own understanding or engagement were also unresponsive to active
learning lectures (Fig. 5). In contrast, when asked to rank specific activities in terms of
promotion of understanding and engagement, active learning activities were ranked higher than
standard lectures, especially for engagement (Figs. 6, 7).

Reflection

This study raises obvious questions. Why was student performance so unresponsive to active
learning lectures? Is active learning overrated or was the study flawed? Given the number of
different learning activities happening in this class in addition to the actual treatment lectures

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(Table 2), was the signal of active learning simply muted? Or, were the particular kinds of active
learning exercises applied in this study ineffective? My overall feeling is that active learning is
an effective pedagogical tool, but that its signal was muted by a number of factors in this study.

(1) Effectiveness of treatment lectures. Only one active learning activity, with a duration
time of about 10 to 30 minutes, was planned into each treatment lecture. Thus, the
learning cycle lecture model was reduced to only one cycle per 75 minute lecture,
consisting of engagement (a provocative question), a “mini-lecture” of 40-60 minutes, an
exploration of 10-30 minutes (the active learning exercise), and a 5 minute assessment
(“minute paper”). The minute paper, a form of active learning in itself, also appeared at
the end of control lectures. Thus, the only difference between control and treatment
lectures was in beginning with a provocative question, and including a 10-30 minute
active learning exercise. Especially given the low replication, this difference may simply
not have been enough to produce a strong active learning signal:noise ratio. The
disparity in student rankings of control versus treatment lectures (Fig. 5) versus specific
activities (Figs. 6, 7) lends support to this interpretation. That is, the data suggests that
students perceived active learning as valuable but that perception of treatment lectures
was not driven by the active learning exercises buried within them.

(2) Replication. As mentioned above, replication of control versus treatment lectures was
low, another potential contributor to a low ratio of signal to “noise,” such as random
variation in class makeup from day-to-day or unevenness in lecture complexity. For
example, very few students attended one of the treatment lectures that fell just before
Thanksgiving break. Also, it was apparent from student comments on evaluations that
many students had substantial exposure to some aspects of a control lecture (on the
hydrological cycle) in primary or secondary school. This is reflected in the high final
exam and minute paper scores on this topic regardless of final course grade (Figs. 2, 3),
and boosted average control lecture performance. Increased replication helps to damp out
this sort of noise. Class background could be gauged via pre-testing and lecture
complexity can be subsequently adjusted, but this strategy was not employed here.

(3) Number and variety of class activities. It is possible that the large number and variety of
class activities and assignments outside of lecture (Table 2) dampened any effect of
treatment lectures on student performance by boosting performance on control lecture
topics. For example, readings and homework questions, preparation and/or discussion of
fact sheets, or service-learning projects may have compensated for the lack of active
learning in control lectures. Detecting a treatment effect would likely be enhanced in an
otherwise uniform environment. Faced with such a conflict between scholarly and
pedagogical goals, however, my preference is to create the best overall course experience
for the student.

(4) Instructor experience. Juggling teaching and execution of a study is an ambitious

endeavor, made more challenging when teaching a new course. I feel that I was able to do
a reasonable job of applying control and treatment lectures and am satisfied with overall
student performance in the course (average course grade: 82%). However, conducting a
pedagogical study undoubtedly runs more smoothly as general teaching experience and

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 experience teaching any given course grows. For me, the largest time sink when teaching
a course the first few years is the extensive background preparation that goes into lecture
preparation. Related to this, the biggest challenge for me was to keep lectures from
dominating class time. As discussed in item (1) above, this challenge was not fully met,
and lectures did dominate class time. My instinct is that as familiarity with teaching a
course grows, the truly essential material to convey becomes clearer and clearer, and
much “chaff” is allowed to fall away, opening up more time for active learning. Thus, I
look forward to repeating this study after gaining the experience of another few years.

Future Directions

I teach this class again in Spring of 2005 and am eager to continue work incorporating active
learning into class lectures. There are a number of important lessons from this study that I will
apply in future efforts. Foremost among these lessons is planning lectures around more than one
active learning exercise, to create a stimulating alternation of lecture and activity. It might seem
challenging to plan more than one active learning exercise into any given lecture. However, from
recent observations of successful and experienced colleagues, I’ve learned that effective active
learning activities can be as simple as lecture notes with blanks left for students to fill in, short
discussions with neighbors, whole-class discussions, writing down the three most important
things learned about the topic for the day, and class voting on alternative answers to a question
posed.

In the past, I have resisted providing lecture notes in class, feeling that it might discourage
students from attending class and because providing lecture notes seemed like ‘spoon feeding’
students the material - more passive than requiring students to determine the essential messages
for themselves. However, an argument can be made that in the absence of lecture notes students
are reduced to mere stenographers, unable to fully assimilate or appreciate what they are hearing
and seeing and thus turning lectures into mindless drudgery. Likely there is truth to both
perspectives, but I have now observed two experienced colleagues use partial lecture notes to
good effect – with the process of filling in blanks or even working out short problems serving to
hold student attention and actively engage them with the lecture material. Besides leaving blanks
for students to fill in, lecture notes must be short – no more than a few pages – to be practical and
effective. The process of creating such lecture notes should thus help the instructor to pull out the
most essential ‘take-home’ messages, improving the clarity of each lecture.

More complex active learning lecture activities typically take more preparation, and I plan to
work these in at a lower frequency. Such activities include playing video or tape segments,
games, modeling, observations (e.g. work with live material), and short presentations followed
by question-and-answer sessions with local community experts.
Another potentially powerful active learning lecture opportunity could come from bringing
discussions of service-learning projects into lecture. Service-learning projects were carefully
developed to allow students to gain experience applying concepts and principles presented in
lecture within an actual community context. It makes sense to capitalize on the experiences
student have with service-learning to create compelling classroom discussions. For example, I
could plan in lecture time to discuss service-learning data, experiences, issues, or problems for
particular lectures that connect well with each service-learning project. This active learning

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exercise would take a bit of planning, such as meeting with service-learning teams ahead of time
to obtain relevant data and evaluate how team experiences would best complement lecture
themes in a whole-class setting.

One additional change will be to “mix up” presentation styles by alternating between PowerPoint
slides, overheads, and board work within any one lecture. I have learned that any single
presentation style gets monotonous when used exclusively. This is true even for PowerPoint
slides that include breathtaking photographs, animation, or other visual splendors. Anyone who
has used PowerPoint knows that creating clear, interesting, and beautiful slides is an incredibly
time intensive process. Nicely done overheads take time too. But in my experience, the majority
of preparation time and energy goes to waste when a single presentation style is used
exclusively. Mixing up styles helps to keep a lecture lively by resetting class attention with each
shift between presentation types. Such ‘resetting’ can be overdone, of course, and it’s fair to
assume a minimum duration of ten minutes (the average human attention span) between shifts.
Again, I have observed such shifts in presentation styles used to excellent effect by experienced
colleagues.

Literature Cited

Angelo, T. A. and K. P. Cross. 1993. Classroom assessment techniques. A handbook for college
teachers. 2nd Edition. Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco.
Brewer, C. A. and C. Zabinski. 1999. Simulating genetic change in a large lecture hall: the
ultimate bean counting experience. The American Biology Teacher 61:298-302.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Jennifer Meta-Robinson, my portfolio working group members (Simon Brassell,
Maureen Ellis, Susan Brown, and Diane XXX), Joan Middendorf, and Doug Karpa-Wilson for
invaluable support, advice, and encouragement. Conducting pedagogical research is a valuable
but challenging addition to a faculty schedule, and I found that a peer working group was an
extremely effective framework within which to develop and execute this study.

Figures appear after Tables 3 and 4.

13
Table 3. Fall 2002 course syllabus. Control and treatment lectures are indicated as C1, C2, C3
(control lectures) and T1, T2, T3 (treatment lectures).

COAS E105 ~ The City as Ecosystem ~ Fall 2002 ~ Syllabus

Instructor: Heather Reynolds Meeting Time: JH 239 TR 2:30-3:45
Office: MYERS HALL 359 Office Hours: W 3:30-5 Phone: 855 0792 Email: hreynold@bio.indiana.edu
Associate Instructor: Rachel Hewlate
Office: MYERS HALL 359 Office Hours: M10-11:30 Phone: 855 0841 Email: rlane@bio.indiana.edu
http://www.bio.indiana.edu/courses/E105-Reynolds
E = Environmental Science NA = From Naked Ape to Super Species
Day Date Format Topic Reading
Section 1 FUNDAMENTALS
T 9/3 Lecture Introduction

R 9/5 Lecture The City as Ecosystem? E4:77-88

T 9/10 Lecture Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services E5:106-108, E6, E4:103
Quiz on the Reading

R 9/12 Lecture The Scientific Method & Applied Ecology E3:54-57, E1:3
Minute Paper

F 9/13 Keynote Living in Intimacy with the Earth (Chellis Glendinning)

(Presented at 7 pm at the John Waldron Arts Center Auditorium, 122 S. Walnut)
T 9/17 S-L Applied Ecology Service-Learning in Bloomington Statements of Need

R 9/19 Discussion Naked Ape NA:1-66 (Intro-Chap. 2)

Due by 2:30 pm: Naked Ape Discussion Qs
S-L Service-learning groups meet after Discussion
T 9/24 Tutorial PowerPoint Presentations & Posters
S-L Service-learning groups meet after Tutorial

R 9/26 Lecture The Big Picture: Global Change E9:195-198, E1,

E8:181-184, E5:114-117,
E17:429-445, E18:460-476
Due by 2:30 pm: Homework Q’s on the Reading
Due by 2:30 pm: Service-learning Prospectus
T 10/1 Lecture The Big Picture: Sustainability E1, E4:103, E11, E2
Quiz on the Reading
Section 2 ENERGY
R 10/3 Lecture Principles of Energy Flow through Ecosystems E3:65-76, E4:88-94
Due by 2:30 pm: Homework Q’s on the Reading
Minute Paper
T 10/8 S-L Service-learning

R 10/10 Lecture Conventional Agriculture E16, E9:209-221

Quiz on the Reading
Reflection
T 10/15 Lecture Sustainable Agriculture E16, E9:209-221
Due by 2:30 pm: Homework Q’s on the Reading

R 10/17 Lecture Nonrenewable Energy E19

Quiz on the Reading

Continued next page

14
 Section 3 THE ROUND RIVER
T 10/29 Lecture Biogeochemical Cycling/Gaia’s Lungs: The C Cycle E4:94-95, E9:198-200,
C1 E4:97-98
Quiz on the Reading
Minute Paper
Due by 2:30 pm: Bloomington Energy Fact Sheets

R 10/31 Discussion Cities & Energy Fact Sheets

Discussion Naked Ape NA:67-154 (Chaps. 3-5)
Due by 2:30 pm: Agriculture & Energy PowerPoint Presentations
Due by 2:30 pm: Naked Ape Discussion Qs
Reflection
T 11/5 Exam Midterm Exam

R 11/7 Lecture Gaia’s Lungs: The Carbon Cycle E4:98, E13:301-318

T1 Due by 2:30 pm: Homework Q’s on the Reading
Minute Paper
T 11/12 Lecture A Thirsty World: The Hydrological Cycle E4:95-97
C2 Quiz on the Reading
Minute Paper

R 11/14 Lecture A Thirsty World: The Hydrological Cycle E14

Due by 2:30 pm: Homework Q’s on the Reading
Due by 2:30 pm: Bloomington Carbon Fact Sheets
T 11/19 Lecture Elixers of Death: Toxins E10:224-232, E15
Quiz on the Reading

R 11/21 Lecture Fertilizing the Biosphere: The N, P & S Cycles E4:98-101

T2 Due by 2:30 pm: Homework Q’s on the Reading
Due by 2:30 pm: Bloomington Water Fact Sheets
Minute Paper
T 11/26 Lecture Air Pollution E12
C3 dropped Quiz on the Reading
Minute Paper
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
T 12/3 Lecture Reducing Waste & Pollution E15
T3 Due by 2:30 pm: Homework Q’s on the Reading
Minute Paper

R 12/5 Discussion Cities & Biogeochemical Cycling Fact Sheets

Discussion Naked Ape NA:155-223 (Chaps. 6-7)
Due by 2:30 pm: Carbon and Water Powerpoint Pres.’s
Due by 2:30 pm: Naked Ape Discussion Qs
Due by 2:30 pm: Posters (Individual portions, letter-size)
M 12/9 Due by 2:30 pm: Bloomington Toxins Fact Sheet

T 12/10 Discussion Cities & Toxins Fact Sheets

Discussion Naked Ape NA:224-279 (Chaps. 8-9)
Due by 2:30 pm: Toxins PowerPoint Presentations

15
Table 4. Active-learning exercises used during the engagement period of treatment lectures.
Treatment Lecture
T1 – Gaia’s Lung’s: The Carbon Cycle
T2 – Fertilizing the Biosphere: The N, P, & S
Cycles
T3 – Reducing Waste & Pollution
Active-learning exercise
Discussion groups: The general question for
discussion was “Why care about increased
atmospheric carbon dioxide and what
can/should we do about it?” Class was divided
into 6 discussion groups, on agriculture, water
resources, biodiversity, weather extremes, sea
level and coastal areas, and forests. Each group
was asked to discuss their subtopic in the
context of the overall question. To structure
discussions, teams were asked to turn in a list
of the following items for their subtopic at the
end of discussion:
∞ 3 or more consequences of global
warming
∞ 3 specific links to human health and
population
∞ 3 specific effects on the individual
∞ 3 possible sinks for CO2 and how
realistic these are
∞ 3 preferred government actions to slow
global warming
∞ 1 significant thing each individual can
do to counter global warming
∞ 1 test question
One-Sentence Summary: A one-sentence
summary answers the questions “Who does
what to what/whom, when where, how, and
why? (Angelo and Cross 1993): Students were
asked to finish a one-sentence summary on
human alteration of the nitrogen cycle.
Students were first given an example of how to
construct a one-sentence summary on the
nitrogen cycle itself. Then students were asked
to complete the sentence “Humans (who) alter
(does what) the nitrogen cycle (to
what/whom)….
Discussion groups: Twelve discussion groups
were formed and each group was assigned one
of six ecoindustrial categories (each category
was assigned to two discussion groups).
Groups were then asked to
∞ Choose 1 high-waste lifestyle
component (examples of these were
solicited earlier in class)
16
 solicited earlier in class)
∞ Redesign it according to the assigned
ecoindustrial category
∞ Report to the class in one minute or
less.
The ecoindustrial categories were: zero
emissions systems, substitution, service-flow
economy, reuse, recycling, and efficiency.

17
 1

Score (Fraction correct) 0.75

0.5

0.25

No data
0

l
l1

l3

t
t1

t2

t3

ro

en
ol
ro

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tm
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C

Tr
Tr

Tr

Tr
Figure 1. Performance on final exam questions from control vs. treatment lectures.

A's
1
B's
C's
D's & F's
Score (Fraction correct)

0.75

0.5
No data

0.25

0
l
1

l3

t
t1

t2

t3

ro

en
ol

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tm
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tr

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ea
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at

at

ea
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Tr
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Tr

Tr

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Figure 2. Performance on final exam questions from control vs. treatment

lectures, by final grade.

18
 1

Score (Fraction correct) 0.75

0.5

No data

No data
0.25

t1

t2

t3

t
1

en
ol

ol

ol

en

en

en

tm
tr

tr

tr

tm

tm
on

on

on

ea
at

ea

ea
C

Tr
e
Tr

Tr

Tr
Figure 3. Performance on minute papers from control vs. treatment
lectures.

A's (10)
1
B's (20)
C's (5)
D's & F's (1)
Score (Fraction correct)

0.75

0.5
No data

No data

0.25

0
1

t
t1

t2

t3

en
ol

ol

ol

en

en

en

tm
tr

tr

tr

tm

tm

tm
on

on

on

ea
ea

ea

ea
C

Tr
Tr

Tr

Tr

Figure 4. Performance on minute papers from control vs. treatment

lectures, by final grade.

19
 5

4
Rank
3

No data
2

ol
t1

t2

t3

t
l1

en
ol

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tr
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en

en

en

tm
on
tr

tr
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tm

tm

tm
on

on

on

ea
C
ea

ea

ea
C

Tr
Tr

Tr

Tr
Figure 5. Student rankings of control lectures (white bars) versus
treatment lectures (gray bars) in terms of promotion of engagement
Figure 5. Student
(no fill)rankings of control
versus understanding lectures
(diagonal (white
fill). Ranking schemebars)
was asversus
follows:
treatment lectures (gray bars) in terms of promotion of engagement
5=Strongly Agree, 4=Agree, 3=Undecided, 2=Disagree, 1=Strongly Disagree

(no fill) versus understanding (diagonal fill). Ranking scheme was as follows:
5=Strongly Agree, 4=Agree, 3=Undecided, 2=Disagree, 1=Strongly Disagree

4
Rank

1
k

ak ers

ge ing
e

A -lea r
up 1

ce

FS Ape
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is

is

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M

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up

Li
Q
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e
o
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ut

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ra
H

ic
G

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rv
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Figure 6. Student rankings of lecture (unfilled bar) versus various active learning
exercises (filled bars) in terms of level of engagement. Diagonal fill bars indicate
active learning exercises used in treatment lectures. Ranking scheme was as
follows:
5=Strongly Agree, 4=Agree, 3=Undecided, 2=Disagree, 1=Strongly Disagree

20
 5

4
Rank

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e

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1

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Figure 6. Student rankings of lecture (unfilled bar) versus various active learning
exercises (filled bars) in terms of promotion of understanding. Diagonal fill bars indicate
Figureactive learning exercises used in treatment lectures. Ranking scheme was as follows:
7. Student rankings of lecture (unfilled bar) versus various active learning
5=Strongly Agree, 4=Agree, 3=Undecided, 2=Disagree, 1=Strongly Disagree
exercises (filled bars) in terms of promotion of understanding. Diagonal fill bars indicate
active learning exercises used in treatment lectures. Ranking scheme was as follows:
5=Strongly Agree, 4=Agree, 3=Undecided, 2=Disagree, 1=Strongly Disagree

21