39E-11

C. A. REITMEIER, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, 110 MacKay Hall, Ames, IA 50011

Surveys of alumni and employers of food science graduates indicated that students would benefit from additional practice in written and oral communication and teamwork. The objective of this work was to increase student interaction in The Experimental Study of Food, a 3-credit food science course with 2 hours of lecture and 3 hours of laboratory each week. Design of a more effective learning environment was developed in Project LEA/RN (Learning Enhancement Action/Resource Network), an educator development effort based upon core elements of adult learning theory: critical reflection, purposeful discussion with colleagues, accountability, and action. Thirty-four dietetics, food science and nutritional science students participated in the revised course during spring semester 1999. In-class activities in 3-member groups and 15-minute lectures replaced traditional 50-minute lectures. Pop quizzes and out-of-class assignments replaced 50-minute written examinations and a group laboratory research project (design, execution, oral report and written report) replaced individual projects and reports. Students reported ratings (1=not useful to my learning to 5=extemely useful to my learning) of 3.81 for out-of-class assignments, 2.88 for pop quizzes, 4.34 for group projects, 3.45 for laboratory notebooks and 3.45 for laboratory experiences. The overall course was rated 3.67 (1=very poor to 5=very good), the rating of the instructor's teaching effectiveness was 3.85 (1=almost never effective to 5=almost always effective), usefulness of the outside assignments was rated 3.70 (1=almost always useless to 5=almost always useful), and the usefulness of in-class activities was rated 3.76 (1=almost always useless to 5=almost always useful). Explanation of the new learning strategies was crucial for acceptance of the changes. The average class score of 85.6% was better than previous semesters (81.5% in 1998 and 81.5% in 1997). Increased interaction improved students' abilities to solve problems in food science and to articulate oral and written critiques of research results.