Title: Exploration of Preservation and Packaging Methods Lesson Study Authors: Peg Maher, Lisa Kobs, UW La Crosse Contact: mmaher@uwlax.edu, lkobs@uwlax.edu Discipline: Food Science & Food Safety Submission Date: June 2, 2017 (report of study conducted in April 2017) Course Name: Food Science and Safety
Course Description: The Food Science and Safety (NUT 400) 3-credit class is one of three core courses in the Nutrition Minor. Because of other hands-on activities in this upper-level course, the student number is kept to 24-30 depending on room capacities. The food preservation and packaging units, which are scheduled near the end of each semester, are currently delivered in a lecture only format over 1-2 class periods, with no associated active learning components. There are two sections offered each semester, one in the Monday-Wednesday-Friday (55 min) format and one in the Tuesday-Thursday (85 min) format.
Abstract: In the required Food Science and Safety course of the Nutrition Minor, student engagement in food preservation and packaging (P&P) content with the traditional lecture approach is lacking. To goals to increase student engagement with and learning of P&P, two instructors developed and evaluated an active learning approach to compare with the traditional lecture approach. Nine active learning stations were designed for students to view content on posters and conduct various activities and answer questions related to the content at each station. Student perception of how each learning format increased their interest in P&P was lower with the active learning approach. Student perception of how each learning format helped them learn P&P was also lower with the active learning approach. Content test scores did not demonstrate significantly improved student learning with the active learning approach. Because multiple suggestions for improvement of the active lesson format were identified by instructor, CATL observer, and student participants, the lesson study will be repeated with modifications.
Exploration of Preservation and Packaging Methods Lesson Study Final Report