Scientific Teaching Series

Welcome to Stanford’s Scientific Teaching Workshop Series!

Want to connect and exchange ideas with other aspiring faculty? Would you like to discuss strategies for equitably engaging all students in their learning? Interested in exploring research-based strategies for structuring classes, lab meetings, research talks, and seminars? Join us for Stanford’s 2020-2021 Scientific Teaching Workshop Series!

The broad goals of the workshop series include…

• Building community among current and future science faculty
• Exploring the core tenets of Scientific Teaching – inclusion, active learning, assessment, and effective lesson planning
• Initiating rich discussions about engaging all learners in meaningful science learning
• Developing concrete plans for implementing research-based strategies in future classes, lab meetings, research talks, and seminars

This series of seven, highly interactive workshops is a web-based adaptation of Stanford’s popular Scientific Teaching Summer Institute. Participants may attend one workshop or all seven, though we strongly encourage repeated attendance across all seven workshops. Workshop sessions will take place via Zoom.

What former participants from Stanford are saying…

I always thought active learning methods require significant up-front work, but through this institute, I was given tools that I could easily integrate into a class to increase student participation and learning!

They gave concrete examples of teaching strategies and science backing up why they work-- that [collection of resources] is gold!

The summer institute showed me how to be better aware of my students and their needs (intellectually, emotionally, and culturally) and how to address those needs.

I was really inspired by the instructors, particularly their experience and engaging attitudes.

It's made me more aware of all the circumstances in which these principles can be applied and made me want to turn conference presentations and lab meetings into better learning experiences.

Scientific Teaching does not attempt to provide particular solutions to teaching challenges, but rather charges instructors to apply their analytical skills to gain insights into effective approaches for engaging students in learning, designing assessments that gauge student conceptions, and promoting equity and access to science learning for all students.

We look forward to learning with you in Fall, Winter, and Spring 2020-2021!

Co-sponsored by the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE) and the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL).

Presenters:

Professor Kimberly Tanner is a tenured Professor of Biology at San Francisco State University (SFSU). Her laboratory – SEPAL: the Science Education Partnership and Assessment Laboratory – investigates what is challenging to learn in biology, how biologists choose to teach, and how to make equity, diversity, and inclusion central in science education efforts. As a Science Faculty with an Education Specialty (SFES), she is engaged in discipline-based education research, directs multiple grant-funded K-16+ biology education reform efforts, and is deeply engaged in faculty professional development. Dr. Tanner is an Elected Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences and the American Society of Cell Biology (ASCB). She received the 2012 national Outstanding Undergraduate Science Teacher Award from the Society for College Science Teachers, the 2017 Bruce Alberts Science Education Award from ASCB, the 2018 SFSU Distinguished Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the 2018 UC San Francisco Audacious Alumni Award. Trained as a neurobiologist at UCSF with postdoctoral studies in science education at Stanford, Dr. Tanner is a proud first-generation college-going student.

Professor Jeff Schinske is department chair and professor of biology at Foothill College where he conducts research on equity and inclusion in science classrooms. He leads two federal grant programs: The Scientist Spotlights Initiative, which supports the development and dissemination of inclusive biology curricula, and CC Bio INSITES, which empowers community college biology faculty to conduct and publish education research. Jeff has authored numerous high-profile biology education research articles, is co-Editor-In-Chief along with Kimberly Tanner of the journal CBE-Life Sciences Education, and serves as lead biology curriculum reviewer for C-ID, California’s statewide course articulation system. Jeff is a frequent featured speaker in the areas of discipline-based education research and STEM equity, and was the 2018 recipient of the national Outstanding Undergraduate Science Teaching Award from the Society for College Science Teachers.