Engaging Strategies for Large Introductory Biology Courses
Explore innovative approaches to engage students in large enrollment introductory biology courses, focusing on overarching themes, student-centered learning, and using diabetes as a unifying theme. Discover effective strategies for delivering course content, assessing students, and fostering conceptual understanding.
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Presentation Transcript
Overarching Themes to Overarching Themes to Engage Students in Large Enrollment Engage Students in Large Enrollment Introductory Biology Course Introductory Biology Course Jessica Lucas (she / her / hers) Assistant Professor, Plant Cell Biology Department of Biology, UW Oshkosh
Overview Overview 1. Overarching student-centered themes to anchor discrete topics 2. Brainstorm & actualize themes for your class.
Engaging 180+ 1 Engaging 180+ 1st styear students is challenging year students is challenging Biology 105 Unity University Studies Program 70% Pre-nursing, kinesiology 5% Biology, Chemistry majors 25% Business, Humanities Goal: Cells, Gene expression, Inheritance, Evolution Learning unifying processes of life
Overarching Themes Overarching Themes to contextualize and connect content to contextualize and connect content Novices :: superficial knowledge of materials Experts :: integrated comprehension of processes Project aim: build conceptual understanding Familiar topic to demonstrate material and
Diabetes as Overarching Theme Diabetes as Overarching Theme to entice and encourage learning to entice and encourage learning Focus on specific course objectives Starch and glucose Molecule structures Enzymatic digestion Membrane transport Cell respiration Insulin Gene expression Bioengineering Cell signaling Secretion
Factoring impacting Delivery & Assessment Factoring impacting Delivery & Assessment Focus can be placed on specific aspects Foreshadow & recall other topics Practical realities: Size of class, classroom resources, availability of polling, department culture, team teaching, concurrent sections Emotional load
Diabetes Theme Project Diabetes Theme Project Start with a Narrative Link specific learning objectives to theme Student activities / assessments
Brainstorm themes & Actualize activities Brainstorm themes & Actualize activities 1. Decide upon a theme (collaborate with 2 others) Student-centered Broad to work for entire semester Narrow to highlight connection of topic 2. Link concrete class outcomes to theme (on your own) Narrative Student activities and assessments 3. Share out themes
