Our first in a series of guest blog posts from students in the GCCUT program course GRAD 599. GRAD 599 is a self-directed learning experience, providing structure and context for professional development opportunities in teaching, such as workshops, seminars, webinars, symposia, and other relevant programming.

By Katy Serafin

While my formal teaching experience is limited, as a PhD student in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, I have sat through tens of years of undergraduate and graduate classes as a student in each of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) areas. I have also had numerous non-formal teaching experiences such as guest lectures at science camps, stakeholder meetings and presentations at science conferences. One challenge I have faced, and have seen others face in the classroom and in public, is presenting material in an engaging, relevant and understandable way.

Details, details, details

As a researcher, I spend my days picking apart datasets, and evaluating and re-evaluating when I think I may have done something incorrectly. In a field where details matter it is often hard to convey the message behind the details without overwhelming your audience.

I know, for example, an explanation of how the coastline changes to a graduate level class would be very different than one to a group of eighth-graders at a STEM camp. But how much detail is too much detail? When do students become overloaded and bored?

A study tracking 17,000 post-secondary education students in the United States and Puerto Rico showed sixty percent of students enrolled in a STEM discipline switched to a non-STEM field or left without a degree [1]. Many of those students who transferred out of a STEM field stated that both the atmosphere and teaching methods in intro STEM classes were ineffective and uninspiring [2].

Less is more

Tyler DeWitt’s Ted talk, “Hey Science Teachers – Make it Fun” describes how science can be fun and inspiring if we learn to become effective communicators. DeWitt’s talk focuses on a classroom experience he had teaching middle-schoolers, but his suggestions pertain to communicating science in general. His major point is, when teaching, we need to stop worrying about details all of the time because students can face information overload memorizing facts without ever realizing the bigger picture. They also often read sentences they do not understand because the language is too technical.

DeWitt states, “Sometimes you have to lie in order to tell the truth.” What this really means is sometimes the details just do not matter—it is recognizing when they do that is important. DeWitt also conveys science can be fun, relevant, and inspiring if we make connections for the students. His approach is to use story telling.

“Sometimes you have to lie in order to tell the truth”

The power of a story

So let me tell you a story. I research how big waves combine with high tides to generate flooding and erosion on the coast. Why do I study this you ask? I grew up vacationing on the beaches of North Carolina with my family and friends. I spent my summers playing in the waves, cartwheeling in the sand, and smelling the salty air. I watched the coast change dramatically as waves ripped through the island during hurricanes and wondered if the place we loved would ever be the same. My passion for my research is intrinsic—I am studying a place I have always and will always have a deep connection to. However, not everyone will have that type of connection to the science I study or the science I will teach. So, in order for others to see the science in another light, we as educators need to tell stories. We need to create analogies that make sense and help students understand the bigger picture. Only then will they want to learn the details.

1. Waldorp, M.M. The Science of Teaching Science, Nature, 523, pp 272–274, (2015).

2. President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Engage to Excel: Producing One Million Additional College Graduates with Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (White House, 2012).
   Link to graphic: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-294152666/stock-photo-charming-language-teacher-is-telling-interesting-stories-to-his-attentive-students-during-a-break.html?src=0CQJag4EiUpjyKTQzxspag-1-78

Disclaimer: The content of this blog belongs to the guest author. Content may not reflect the viewpoints or practices of the OSU Graduate School.