Kelly Foss

Memorial’s Department of Biology and the Centre for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL) are being acknowledged for their efforts to integrate active learning in the introductory biology class.

The 2018 Canadian Association for University Continuing Education (CAUCE) has chosen them to receive a program award in their Credit Over 48 Hours category.

The award recognizes excellence in university continuing education programs in Canada and aims to nurture the concept of scholarship of practice inherent in the program development process. It will be presented at their annual conference in Halifax on May 29.

CAUCE judged the submission based on a number of factors, including the value or service the program provides, the uniqueness of the program, the degree of complexity in developing it and its innovative delivery, as well as how it enhances the profile of continuing education.

As part of a classroom research study, the group discovered increasing active learning in a large classroom also increased student attendance and understanding of course concepts.

Encouraged by these results, and to address the challenges in the large-size, first-year biology course, the group deployed a series of videos, games, reflection questions and quizzes aimed at providing a flexible learning environment and bridging the knowledge gap for biology students. Students were encouraged to access the tutorials as needed, either as an introduction to a topic or to supplement existing materials.

At the end of the term the team conducted surveys and focus groups with students and begun analyzing the results of the data to determine whether the tutorials made a difference to students’ learning. 

Upon completion of the analysis, the group will disseminate a report and communicate the results of the project. They will also share the resources they developed by making them available in an open format for others to use or repurpose.

Find out more about the program here.

With files from Courtenay Alcock.