Welcome to Step 3: Planning the Research Lesson
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Teams keeping project logs should record the following information:
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Teams keeping project logs should record the following information:
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CONSTRUCT VALIDITY LESSON PLAN
Step 1: 10 minutes
o Break students into groups and distribute group worksheets (direct students to introduce selves to group members)
o Describe basic task:
- students will be creating “mini” tests of depression (as they define it) and proposing research studies to determine if their tests actually do a good job in measuring depression
o Additional directions
- Take individual notes so that you have the information (you will be handing in the group worksheet) – accommodations for the “recorder”
- Be sure everyone reads their definition out loud
- Your group definition does not have to be “the perfect” definition, given time limit
- You will have about 10 minutes to complete this step
Step 2: 10 minutes
o Instruct groups to finish definitions and begin writing items
o Items should related to their definitions/essential characteristics of a depressed person
o Review Likert scale anchors
o Remind them to spend about 10 minutes to complete step
Step 3: 30 to 40 minutes
o Instruct groups to finish writing items and begin to propose research studies to determine if their tests actually measures depression
o Remind them:
- Unlimited resources – funding, people from a variety of settings (e.g. clinics, university, whatever), ages, diagnoses, etc.
- Think about your definitions of depression, what you know about depression as you think about what results you might expect
o Monitor groups progress; if groups seem to be going well, let them continue
o If groups struggling, off track call groups attention
- Pick some examples to review
Step 4: 15 minutes
o Call for groups attention and provide instructions for final method
o Distribute additional measures
o Think about how you might use these tests to provide evidence of the ability of your test to measure depression well
- Hint: think about the statistical methods we have covered in class to this point
Step 5: 10 minutes
o After all groups have completed the task, if time, discuss some of the definitions and methods
o Have group members describe as worksheets are displayed on visualizer
o Save 5 minutes at end (if possible) for writing exercise:
- What was the most difficult part of this exercise?
- What was the most important thing you learned from today’s lesson?
- What is still confusing?
Lesson Design
Previous attempts to teach construct validity have been lecture-oriented—the instructor explains construct validity and the logic behind validity studies. After fairly complete exposure to the topic, students still do not grasp the concept. This is particularly obvious when students try to explain how to determine a test’s validity. For example, one way to determine a test’s validity is to administer it to different groups of people and then infer from their performance the level of the test’s validity. Scores for depression should be “higher” for a group of clinically depressed patients than for a comparable group of non-clinically depressed individuals. If so, we conclude the test is a valid measure of depression. If the scores between the groups are similar, then the test is not a valid measure of depression. Students have difficulty explaining how to use test scores with different groups to determine the validity of a test.
Rather than just explain the concepts to students, we created a lesson in which students develop a test of depression, and then devise ways to determine its validity. Students first define a construct (i.e., in this case, “depression”). We decided on “depression” because most students are likely to have encountered the concept in other classes and in everyday life. After defining the concept, students develop several items they believe measure the construct, and then propose ways to test the validity of the test. We do not expect them to sail through the activity without difficulty. The lesson is designed so that the instructor can observe where students do have difficulty understanding the concepts. In this way the lesson makes students’ thinking more visible and open to analysis. The instructor can intervene with additional examples, explanation and discussion when needed.
Predictions
Students will work in small groups to develop a paper and pencil test of depression and determine ways to evaluate the construct validity of their test.
Major steps in the lesson:
1. Students read their individual definitions of depression and use these to develop a group definition.
• Expect students to share their definitions and combine or integrate ideas into a group definition.
• Definitions may not be sophisticated or comprehensive given the short time period (10 Minutes).
• Do students recognize they have invented a “construct?”
2. Based on their definition, each group creates test items to measure the characteristics of depression
• Students develop Likert scale items. May be challenging to form good questions in this format.
3. The group proposes research studies to determine the validity of their test
• This is the most difficult part of the lesson. Students need to examine the logic of construct validity studies in order to propose an appropriate study.
• Students will need to connect their prior understanding of validity studies to their test of depression.
• Anticipate that some groups will not understand the logic behind the validity studies. The instructor will monitor groups and intervene if they are struggling. May address the entire class to explain some of the sticking points.
4. The instructor gives the groups some additional tests (measures) and instructs them to decide how
they could use the tests to determine whether their test of depression is valid.
• Students will need to apply prior knowledge of statistical methods and recognize the extent to which scores on the measures would be related to one another—depending upon whether the tests measure or do not measure depression.
5. Class discussion to review some of the groups’ tests and methods use to determine validity and, time
permitting, individual writing exercise
• The instructor uses the end of class to help consolidate students’ understanding of construct validity and the logic of validity studies.
• Students reflect on their own understanding at the end of class—what they got, didn’t get, what’s confusing.
Contact: Bill Cerbin
Previous Logs: Step 1 | Step 2 |
SPECIALIZATION & EXCHANGE LESSON PLAN
Our lesson plan consists of two parts and an assessment piece.
Part 1: Gains from Trade Demonstration
The Free Trade Experiment will be used in class after students have had an initial introduction to the ideas of comparative advantage, specialization and exchange. In the experiment, students are given an initial allotment of assorted candy. They are asked to place a personal monetary value on the candy: how much is it worth to them, or how much would they be willing to pay for the candy. These values are recorded.
They then undergo three different “trade scenarios.” In the first, students are free to trade within their “row.” Once trading has ceased, they again put a value on their new assortment of candy. These values are recorded.
In the second trade scenario, students are allowed to trade with anyone in the room if he or she chooses, however, each trade outside of the row must first be approved by the instructor who will “tax” the trade by taking some of the candy away. Once trading has ceased, students are asked to place a value on their new assortment. The values are recorded.
In the last trade scenario, students can trade with anyone in the room and there is no tax placed on the trade nor do students need to seek instructor approval. Students then record the value of their final assortment.
The experiment is then followed with a few questions to get at the important points:
1) Report the amount of money you would have been willing to pay to consume or keep the candy you had at each stage.
Trade Amount willing to pay
Initial allotment (1)
Trade A (2)
Trade B (3)
Trade C (4)
The instructor will present these values in the following class to demonstrate that although the actual amount of candy has not changed, the value placed on it has increased on average. This illustrates a net gain from trade.
2) In this experiment we are mimicking situations in “the real world”.
a) Trade A represents, or is like:
b) Trade B represents, or is like:
c) Trade C represents, or is like:
This question challenges the student to recognize that the value they placed on their candy allotment increased as trade opportunities increased. What does that mean about the value of international trade?
3) In a sentence or two, name two things that were demonstrated, or that you learned, from the trading experiment.
This question simply challenges the student to acknowledge any aspect of the trade scenario that they observed, i.e. “making deals”, willingness to trade, the impact of preferences, etc.
Part 2: Mini Case Studies on Free Trade (Winners and Losers Demonstration)
Here we will present several more complicated cases in which there is an obvious “adjustment” due to trade. This will contrast to the previous experiment where, presumably, students will observer there is only one, positive outcome from trade: a better, more valuable, assortment of candy.
Here is one example:
Steel Tariff Case Study: The Adjustment Issue
In November of 2002, the Bush administration proposed a plan to eliminate all tariffs on manufactured goods among World Trade Organization members by 2015. Below are excerpts from one of the articles about this proposal:
“Leading the News: U.S. Proposal Seeks Tariff Cuts For WTO Members”, Neil King Jr., The Wall Street Journal, 11/26/2002
The Bush administration will offer a bold proposal to eliminate by 2015 all tariffs on manufactured goods among World Trade Organization members, an idea sure to stir opposition from big developing countries such as India and Brazil. The proposal, to be put forward today by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and Commerce Secretary Donald Evans, reflects the interests of a large part of the U.S. manufacturing sector, which wants to beat down high tariffs in other parts of the world. It will face serious fire, however, from some very vocal and hard-hit U.S. manufacturers, including textile and footwear makers and parts of the steel industry.
In the complex give and take of global-trade talks, the U.S. proposal will automatically put huge pressure on lesser developed countries, which typically have far higher tariffs on such goods than the U.S. or Europe. Countries such as India, Pakistan, Indonesia and Brazil rely on high tariffs to protect many parts of their economy from foreign competition. For dozens of other smaller countries, tariffs provide the largest share of government revenues.
There is a clear inducement for developing countries to play along. U.S. textile and clothing tariffs now average around 20%. The proposal would slash that to at least 8% by 2010, further opening a market that already is set to be freed of import quotas by 2005. U.S. manufacturers, meanwhile, would get a leg up in many parts of the world where tariffs are now much higher than in the U.S.
a) Identify two different groups that will benefit from this proposal to reduce tariffs, and briefly explain why.
b) Identify two different groups that will lose from this proposal to reduce tariffs, and briefly explain why.
c) Evaluate this quote from the above article: “The study concludes that a zero-tariff push would create "the grand political bargain needed to beat powerful protectionist interests in both rich and poor countries."
The intent of the case studies is to help students see that there are “gainers” and “losers” in the trade process. This acknowledges their concern about job loss (the most common hesitation about free trade), while asking them to also see that there are gains which balance those losses out. In addition, the political aspect of government intervention into trade is introduced.
The case studies will be presented as small group activities where members will read and discuss the cases. The instructor will provide questions for the groups to answer which will encourage them to recognize the different perspectives given in the cases.
Assessment
We decided to assess the lessons in part by using pre and post questions. Assessment will occur in both a class with traditional lessons, and in a class with the LSP lessons. This will help us evaluate whether the LSP lessons improve achievement of the learning goal.
We plan on having several levels of questions. After the first lesson we will use basic questions on trade such as the following:
Exhibit 5: Potatoes and wheat output (tons per day)
Country Potatoes Wheat
United States 4 2
Ireland 3 1
1. In Exhibit 5, the United States has an absolute advantage in producing:
a. potatoes.
b. wheat.
c. both wheat and potatoes.
d. neither wheat nor potatoes.
2. In Exhibit 5, the opportunity cost of wheat is:
a. 1/2 ton of potatoes in the United States and 1/3 ton of potatoes in Ireland.
b. 2 tons of potatoes in the United States and 3 tons of potatoes in Ireland.
c. 2 tons of potatoes in the United States and 1 ton of potatoes in Ireland.
d. 4 tons of potatoes in the United States and 3 tons of potatoes in Ireland.
3. If the countries in Exhibit 5 follow the principle of comparative advantage, the United States should
a. buy all of its potatoes from Ireland.
b. buy all of its wheat from Ireland.
c. buy all of its potatoes and wheat from Ireland.
d. produce both potatoes and wheat and not trade with Ireland.
4. What terms of trade would be beneficial to both countries in Exhibit 5?
a. 1 ton of wheat trades for 3 tons of potatoes.
b. 1 ton of wheat trades for 2 tons of potatoes.
c. 1 ton of wheat trades for 1½ tons of potatoes.
d. 1 ton of wheat trades for 2⅓ tons of potatoes.
5. Which of the following is true when countries specialize according to their comparative advantage, and then trade?
a. It is possible to increase world output of all goods traded.
b. No one will be harmed by international trade.
c. One country is likely to gain from trade, while others will lose.
d. It is possible to increase output of all products in each county.
6. When economists illustrate gains from specialization and trade using a production possibilities model, what assumptions are made?
a. Opportunity costs are different between producers.
b. All land, labor and capital is fully employed when producers specialize and trade.
c. Producers are able to negotiate terms of trade that are beneficial to both.
d. All of the above
e. Only a. and c. are correct.
The first four questions test the “mechanics” of gains from specialization and trade. The last two questions get at the larger ideas we want to consider: 1) the big idea of "gains from trade"...hitting on gain for country vs. world, incentive to trade, and recognizing that there is some adjustment (sometimes someone feels a negative impact), and 2) addressing the assumptions we make in a production possibilities model when we make the argument for gains from trade. This came up as we considered that the "adjustment" made in an economy from a trade situation assumes a movement back to a point on the production possibilities curve. The benefit of underscoring this detail is that it sets up the discussion about job tradeoffs: although some people may lose jobs, other jobs are created. In turn it begins to address the issue that we think students have a hard time with--that they want the benefits that come with free trade (lower prices) but have a hard time accepting a family member's job loss because of trade. Therefore, they view the concept of free trade as something positive, but the practice as something negative. (The choices in this multiple choice question allow the student to pick only the obviously correct answers.)
Later, after the second lesson, we plan to have deep-thinking questions that will help students think about trade at the international level including both the production and the consumption side. This will also tie in with current topics like outsourcing.
Contact: Lisa Giddings
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Supplementary Materials: PowerPoint Slides
Design of the lesson
Students were assigned a variable to research related to human population or environmental impact in the United States, France and Tanzania. They prepared a powerpoint slide containing the data from these three countries. The students with human population variables were asked to predict what would happen to that variable if malaria or heart disease were cured in each country. The students with environmental impact variables were asked to predict what would happen to that variable in each country based on projected populations in 2050.
The slides were then projected in class and the results discussed. Students were then given some specific questions to discuss in class including
· How does treating malaria in a developing country differ from treating heart disease in a developed country? Answer: treating malaria allows more children to survive, who in turn produce more children leading to an increase in population. Treating heart disease primarily prolongs the life of people past their reproductive years and has less of an impact on population growth.
· Does consumption correlate with quality of life? Answer: yes and no. Consumption values measured in hectares/person for Tanzania, France, and the US are 1, 7 and 12 respectively. Based on factors such as infant mortality, life expectancy, literacy, etc, one could make the argument that increased consumption in France leads to a better quality of life than in Tanzania. However, there are diminishing returns, and it is unlikely that the quality of life in the US is twice as good as in France, even though we consume twice as much.
· Do both population size and consumption impact environmental impact? Answer: yes, impact = population size x consumption.
Outline
1. Background preparation. Students learned about “models” during the semester.
2. Prior to the Research Lesson class period. We compared several environmental and population statistics between the United States, France and Tanzania. Groups of students were given a specific topic to research, several groups were given the same topic (see table on powerpoint slide for a complete list). 5 minutes to assign groups topics
3. Outside of class. The groups of students researched their topic (using links provided on powerpoint slide) and prepared a single powerpoint slide (a “digital poster”, based on the instructions and example powerpoint slide). The slide contained the data for the three countries on the assigned variable, and a brief summary statement discussing the impact of any differences on population growth in that country. These were submitted to the instructor the day before the Research Lesson class period. Up to 1 hour out of class to research topic and prepare powerpoint slide
4. Day before the Research Lesson class period. The instructor chose the best of the “digital posters” to present in class, ideally one for each topic (two examples are shown on page 11). About an hour of instructor time to put the slides together into one file
5. Research Lesson class period. The instructor presented some background information on the three countries and then presented the selected student “digital posters”. For each variable the students needed to explain what they predicted the impact would be on the population level, quality of life, and the environment. 20 minutes to present and discuss data slides
6. Research Lesson class period. The instructor presented some specific questions for the class to discuss, which highlighted the link between medicine, population growth and the environment. 40-60 min to present specific questions to groups, give them time to discuss their answers and then share them with the class.
Design to help students achieve learning goal.
Students are bombarded with messages from 5th grade about how humans have a negative impact on the environment. By the time they reach college and we lecture to them on the topic again, you can literally see their brains shut off. Students in the US are also isolated from many environmental and health issues that are current problems in much of the world. This can lead to the perception that overpopulation is not a problem because nothing bad has happened yet.
Most of the damage to the environment can be traced directly to human overpopulation. We want the students to collect and discuss data relevant to this issue and draw their own conclusions. We want students to discover for themselves that human population growth has a negative impact on the environment, human health and quality of life.
Prediction
Students will produce group product.
Discussion in class on questions will be limited due to classroom size and layout.
Contact: Scott Cooper
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Logic Proof Lesson Plan
The lesson was designed to build upon previous experiences in the class. It is an algorithmic process so that the students can internalize a systematic decision making process.
We predict that there will be a variety of student-responses. There may be some who find this easy whereas others will see it as more challenging.
Lesson Plan #2
Objective: Guiding students to “practice” “doing phenomenology.”
Setup: In the center of the room a small table with a ceramic pot on it. We will call this pot the “jug.” All students are sitting in a circle and are equidistant from the jug in the middle. [Observing faculty are in the circle and participate along with the students.]
Motto for doing phenomenology: Attend, observe, interpret (the latter including language, or expressing in words)
Part 1: Intentionality. Students will be directed to observe the jug, then to recognize the perspectival character what they are conscious of. Then they will pay attention to the consciousness-of, as in noema-noesis structure. ``Then they will be directed to recognize the act of consciousness and its “eidetic structure”—otherwise known as universal essence of the act of consciousness. [Husserl] (15 min)
Part II: Perceptual consciousness. Students will be given paper and pencil and will be asked to draw the jug, first the way it appears, then upside down, then with keeping their eyes on the jug and not looking at their paper.
Reflection: They will be directed to be aware of the meaning-giving activity that takes places within the realm of perception itself, already and before any cognitive or reflective consciousness is involved. Reflect on how body-language, gesture, and language function on this fundamental level. [Merleau-Ponty](20 min)
Part III: Knowing awareness of what self-shows, the phenomenon as self-showing. Students will be given a marker. They will be asked to draw the jug with the pencil, then to draw it with the marker, then to draw it with the pencil. During this last phase I will secretly “steal” their markers. Then when I ask them to use the marker again, they will notice its absence. In this awareness of the absence they become knowingly aware that the marker was always already part of their engagement-in-the-world. The knowing awareness is then awareness that comes prior to any division of subject-object. [Heidegger] (20 min)
Part IV: Apply what has been observed, learned, and interpreted (as in: expressed in words as part of the interpretation process) to more subtle and complex phenomena, e.g. interpersonal dynamic, experience of the sacred, relationship to one’s world of meanings. [Note: This last part becomes very complex, and the goal here is simply to extend the learning of the first parts to these new areas—with the goal of simply becoming aware of what is possible. (15 min)
This lesson was designed for students experience phenomenology. That is, to go beyond what appears in the textbooks.
Some students may be resistent to parts of the activity for fear of looking silly, but overall those that embrace the experience will find it fun and informative.
Criteria for observation:
1. Are the students actively participating in the exercise?
2. Do they exhibit an interest in this activity (asking questions, active nonverbal response)?
3. Are they able to put into words what the lesson plan suggests is being learned?
4. Do they show comprehension of what the exercise is about?
Contacts: kraemer.eric@uwlax.edu, maly.kenn@uwlax.edu, ross.sher@uwlax.edu
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NOTE: Please view the Microsoft Word version of this project log. Some symbols and formatting have been lost in the text version included below.
Design of the lesson
We wanted to design a lesson study that would introduce students to the idea of a confidence interval and how the compute confidence interval can be used to give information about the population parameter (here the population mean). In designing the lesson study, we wanted to emphasis how confidence intervals for the population mean are interpreted and how they should NOT be use. For example, it is common for students to believe there is 95% chance that the population mean falls in the interval or that 95% of all elements in the population fall in the confidence interval.
Outline of the lesson
1. Pre-test on the meaning/interpretation of a confidence interval for the mean. (2-3 minutes)
2. Discussion on the derivation of a confidence interval for the population mean. (15 - 20 minutes)
3. Group worksheet investigating the computation of a confidence interval and the subsequent interpretation of the confidence interval. Below is a copy of the worksheet. Note: Every student has a different sample of size 30 pennies. ( 15 minutes)
MTH 145 – Elementary Statistics
Confidence Interval Worksheet
We’re going to use confidence intervals to estimate the true average age of a penny in the jar. Our population of pennies has σ = 12.62 years.
A simple random sample of 30 pennies from the jar gives the following ages in years:
30,40,22,25,21,30,14,14,40,5,5,29,26,34,2,10,13,9,3,3,53,36,20,5,21,3,3,8,11,30
For this sample of pennies, the average age is 18.83.
The formula for the confidence interval for estimating µ is
+ z* (σ / ),
where z* is the critical value for a level C confidence interval as explained in class.
Find a 68% confidence interval for the true average age of a penny (use z* = 1).
Find a 95% confidence interval for the true average age of a penny (use z* = 2).
How confident are you that the 95% confidence interval contains the true average age of all pennies in the jar?
What is the probability that your 95% confidence interval contains the true average age of all pennies in the jar?
If the true average age of the population of pennies in the jar is known to be µ = 19.92 years. Does your 68% CI contain µ? Does your 95% CI contain µ? .
4. Discussion of the activity and the answers students gave to the last three questions on the worksheet. In doing so, we discussed that you are not able to apply probability statements to the confidence interval and that the confidence interval for µ tells us nothing about individuals in the population, only about the population mean. (10 minutes)
5. Made the following table on the chalkboard and asked students to raise their hand if their computed intervals contained µ. Roughly 68% of the classes 68% CI contained µ while roughly 95% of the classes 95% CI contained µ. We then discussed the impact of the confidence level on the confidence interval. (5 minutes)
Interval contains µ Interval does not contain µ
68%
95%
6. Post - test on the meaning/interpretation of a confidence interval for the mean. (3 minutes)
Design to help students achieve learning goal.
The lesson study was developed to have students think about what a confidence interval for the population mean tells in the context of a problem (such as estimating the average age of pennies in the jar). In having the student answer various questions on their own during the activity, we were able as a class to discuss the various answers (correct and incorrect) to the questions on the worksheet. In the lesson study, students also investigated the meaning of a 68% CI and a 95% CI and the impact of the confidence level on the performance of a CI.
Prediction
We predict that the activity will not only help students with the computation of a CI for various confidence levels, but also with the interpretation of the constructed confidence interval. With the interpretation of the CI being difficult (in comparison to the computation of the CI), we do not think this activity alone will dispel all misinterpretation of CI, but will help students to be conscience on how they interpret CI. We believe the activity will be very successful in the objective that students will be able to compute the specified CI.
As for student interest in the lesson plan, we feel that the use of an activity will keep students engaged in the topic of confidence intervals more than a traditional lesson which consist of an entire hour of lecture.
Contact: Brooke Fridley
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LESSON PLAN ON EVALUATION FOR LESSON STUDY PROJECT
RTH 456/556 Program Design and Administration of Therapeutic Recreation
5/02/2005
Step 1: 30 minutes – small group activity
Step 2: 20 minutes – large group activity
Step 3: 35 minutes
Step 4: 5 minutes
Contact: Robin Yaffe Tschumper
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Please view our log entry in PDF format.
Contact: Dan Nordman
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Steps of Lesson:
Students were given two readings in preparation for the lesson:
They were asked to write and prepare for discussion the following questions:
Dr. Macias lectured on 19th century imperlialism, highlighting how it resulted from and was linked to industrialization, nationalism, and capitalism.
Lesson Design:
Lesson is designed to provide strong content background, linked to reading, and to reinforce and expand content background and raise new questions through large-group examination of primary source documents, including newly introduced visual documents.
Predictions:
We predicted that students would develop a basic understanding of imperialism and begin to be able to formulate questions about its impact.
Contacts: Jodi Vandenberg-Daves and Victor Macias
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