Abstracts of Presentations
Concurrent Workshop Sessions I
8:15-9:45 am
Friday, October 10, 2003
Easy Ways to do Physiology Labs with Products from iWorx/CB Sciences.
Steve Andre, iWorx/CB Sciences
Physiology teaching kits and Labs on CD/Labs on Line from iWorx/CB Sciences
make it easy to do human and animal physiology experiments includes
cardiovascular,
neuromuscular, and respiration exercises. Teaching kits include all
the hardware
(except computer), software, and courseware needed to do over 45 experiments
and multiple exercises. Data collection and analysis can easily be
accomplished
with the "click" of a button or two. Users can also
complete experiments
of their own design with the same "click and play" ease.
The same types of experiments can be done without the need for any hardware,
besides a computer, in lab with Labs on CD or over the Internet with Labs on
Line. With Labs on CD/Labs on Line products from iWorx, students record and
analyze data just as they would with a physiology teaching kit. Animations,
illustrations, and digital movies compliment each lab exercise in
Labs on CD/Labs
on Line.
Participants in this workshop will be able to collect and analyze data with
Labs on CD/Labs on Line and do the same with iWorx physiology
teaching kits.
Investigative Activities and Cases from Microbes Count!
Ethel Stanley and Margaret Waterman, Beloit College and Southeast
Missouri State
University
Interactively investigate new activities from Microbes Count! (2003). In the
first two activities, we will use online bioinformatics tools to
track the source
of the West Nile virus in the 1999 New York outbreak and explore
evolution using
HIV patient data. The investigative case - The Farmer and the Gene
- will also
be introduced. All materials will be made available to participants.
The Non-target Effects of Bti Toxin on Aquatic Insects.
Julie J. Shaffer and William W. Hoback, University of Nebraska at Kearney
The use of chemical insecticides to manage problem insect species
has resulted
in the mortality of non-targeted species including vertebrates
creating unexpected
ecological problems. Recent advances in molecular biology have
allowed for the
development of natural insecticides. One such insecticide designed to control
mosquito larvae is a toxin from the bacterium Bacillus
thuringiensis israelensis
(Bti). Bti toxin exhibits specific activity against dipteran
larvae. This toxin
can be purchased commercially and used in the classroom to
demonstrate the concept
of non-target killing . In this laboratory exercise, students test
the sensitivity
of various aquatic insect larvae to the effects of Bti toxin.
Students compare
survivorship of mosquito larvae and other aquatic insect larvae to
several concentrations
of Bti toxin to determine lethal concentration and non-target killing. This
exercise is appropriate for classes such as general biology,
environmental biology,
and microbiology. It teaches students about the use of natural insecticides
and is safe and inexpensive.
Poster Session I
9:50-10:20 AM
Friday, October 10, 2003
Developing a Three-Tiered Test to Diagnose Misconceptions in
College Biology
Students.
Barbara Gaddis and Sandra Berry-Lowe, CU-Colorado Springs
Even after successfully completing science courses, many college
students exit
the classroom with the same misconceptions with which they entered. Exposure
to correct scientific principles generally decreases misconceptions, but does
not eliminate them, as misconceptions continue to be held by college seniors,
graduate students, community college professors, and pre-service
teachers. Based
on review of the literature and surveys of college biology faculty,
the authors
developed a computer-based three-tiered diagnostic test to assess
misconceptions.
The development of this test, the assessment of misconceptions
through clicker
interactive technology, and preliminary research results will be described.
This project was supported by NSF.
Improving Information Literacy for Biology Majors.
Vaughn Gehle, Southwest Minnesota State University
The biology major at Southwest Minnesota State University requires a capstone
presentation on any aspect of biology. To eliminate the too
frequent "Disease
of the Week" and "Why I like Biology" presentations,
we instituted
a requirement that students locate and integrate at least two peer-reviewed
research papers into their presentations. This led to the discovery that our
students were information illiterate: they could not locate research papers
and didn't know what to do with the papers once found. Our remedy
was a revamping
of our curriculum to include two seminar courses and more extensive writing
of lab reports. The first seminar course is targeted at sophomores
and teaches
how to find and access scientific databases, how to distinguish between news,
review, and research articles, and how to read research articles. Lab courses
that students would typically take between sophomore senior years reinforce
those learned skills by requiring students to write numerous lab reports that
incorporate supporting literature citations. The final seminar
course, populated
by seniors, teams each student with a faculty mentor who helps the
student narrow
their topic, critically evaluate the published literature, and
prepare a poster
presentation. The presentations are given to all faculty and
students enrolled
in both seminar courses. Our current method of assessing the quality of these
presentations will be discussed. These curricular changes, instituted three
years ago, appear to have improved the information literacy of our
students.
Using Baker's Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a Model for
Molecular Genetics.
Laura Salem, Rockhurst University
Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Baker's yeast) is an ideal eukaryotic organism for
biological studies. The power of yeast genetics has become legendary and is
the envy of those who work with higher eukaryotes. The complete sequence of
its genome has provided important tools for bioinformatics. Although yeasts
have greater genetic complexity than bacteria, they share many of
the technical
advantages of molecular genetics of prokaryotes. This poster will
present experimental
advantages and techniques involving the use of Saccharomyces in the
laboratory.
Experiments utilizing genetic, molecular, and biochemical approaches will be
addressed.
The NASA Astrobiology Academy.
Morgan Perrone, Crystal Gammon, Anne Dekas, and Steve Mitchell,
NMSU, Washington
University, Harvard, and U of Maryland-College Park
The NASA Astrobiology Academy is a unique summer institute of higher learning
whose goal is to help guide future leaders of the U.S. Space
Program. It provides
research opportunities in state-of-the-art Astrobiology laboratories coupled
with broad-based views into the inner workings of the space
program. The Academy
is an intense summer experience with little free time. A significant portion
of the student's time will be spent as a group or a team working on projects,
listening to and debating lectures, and traveling together. These
avenues help
to develop the leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking skills
that are important
to our nation's future in space. In addition to the rich
intellectual environment,
students will be assigned to a Principal Investigator to work independently
on a technical project. The mentor relationship that evolves gives the RA's
insight into the trials and rewards of primary scientific research.
The Academy
students also tour each NASA center in California as well as local
space industries
and academic programs. Overall, the Academy provides the students
with an unhindered
view into the space program.
Student Projects in a Team-taught, Mixed-Major Field Course.
Lynn Gillie, Robert Erdman, and Todd Egan, Elmira College
A travel/field course in Marine and Island Ecology can be used to introduce
science majors and non-science majors to biological diversity and ecological
field methods. Mini-projects in botany and zoology have been useful tools in
guiding and assessing student learning. Students are grouped
according to interest,
with no more than one science major per group. Some examples of
projects completed
include analysis of vegetation profiles in different habitats, kite diagrams
of intertidal community diversity, and construction of behavioral
time budgets.
Students design the project, then meet with the instructors for revisions to
the proposal. After data collection and analysis, students present results to
their peers. The success of a mixed majors/non-majors course that
uses projects
will be discussed.
Investigations: An Animal Model of Diabetes.
John J. Rutter, Truman State University
An understanding of the pathophysiological conditions that arise as a result
of disease states provides valuable insight into the processes that serve to
maintain homeostasis. As a supplement to lecture inclusion of such material,
we have developed an investigative laboratory exercise that centers around an
animal model of diabetes. Briefly, a hyperglycemic (high blood
sugar) condition
can be induced in rats via a single injection of streptozotocin.
This compound
selectively destroys the ß-islet cells in the pancreas that
produce insulin;
as such, this treatment produces symptoms that arise in Type 1
diabetes in humans.
In spite of the metabolic imbalances that arise as a consequence of
this disease
state, the animals can be kept viable for a period of several weeks following
administration of the toxin, enabling students to measure a variety
of end points
reflective of the early stages of diabetes.
The Use of Service Learning to Meet Learning Objectives in General Biology
Courses.
Lisa Felzien, Rockhurst University
Service learning involves working with students to provide service
to the community
that requires students to meet learning goals related to
coursework. The three
major components of effective service learning experiences are
developing clear
learning objectives, completing a meaningful project in the
community, and reflecting
on what was learned from the project. Service learning was used in a general
biology course to show students the importance of promoting
scientific education
within the community and to help students learn about challenging
course topics
by having them teach others about those topics. Students were
required to develop
learning objectives, design and complete a community service
exercise, and write
reflection papers to assess their learning and development.
Undergraduate students
worked with community students of either grade school or high
school ages, providing
learning experiences relating to the topic of photosynthesis. Undergraduates
worked in groups of four, and collaborations between groups were required to
complete the projects. Information gathered through reflection papers showed
high student satisfaction in the areas of contributing to the
learning of others,
of contributing to their own learning, and of supporting the mission of the
university.
Plaque Assay and Nucleic Acid Analysis of Lytic Coliphages from
Creek Water
and Domestic Sewage.
Omokaro Obire and Michael Lockhart, Rivers State University of
Science and Technology,
Port Harcourt, Nigeria and Truman State University, Kirksville
Assessment of water quality in agricultural and industrial
waterways generally
focuses on chemical and bacteriological indicators. Many pathogenic bacteria
harbor phages (bacterial viruses) which establish a symbiotic relationship in
the host known as lysogeny. In contrast, the lytic phages infect and destroy
the host bacterium by producing a high number of viral progeny and lysing the
host cells similar to that of viral infections of plants and
animals. The occurrence
of lytic phages in coliform bacteria is predicted to shorted their lifespan
and reduce their numbers in the environment and act as a natural biological
control. In this study, we assessed the presence and concentration of lytic
viruses of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis in Bear Creek
(Missouri)
and domestic sewage in a rural lagoon (near Kirksville, MO). We
used the plaque
assay method to quantify the number of phages in water samples. Phage DNA was
isolated and the relative sizes, in base pairs, of phage genomes
were analyzed
by gel electrophoresis. A characterization of the lytic phages of
coliform bacteria
isolated from creeks and sewage should lead to identification of phages which
could be used in the biological control of pathogenic bacteria
which frequently
contaminate agricultural water sources. This work was supported by
Truman State
University, Kirksville, MO, USA and Rivers State University of
Science and Technology,
Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Concurrent Paper Sessions I
10:30-11:15 AM
Friday, October 10, 2003
Limitations of Simulations: Objectives Met Only With Genuine Labwork, With
a Focus on Animal Dissection.
John Richard Schrock, Emporia State University
The main arguments made by the animal rights and computer community against
animal labwork are summarized. Objectives not met by simulations are detailed
and include: A)experience base to make concepts
"meaningful," B)genuine
interactivity, C)use of the sense of touch or
"palpation," D)learning
how to observe, E)understanding abnormality and imperfection in anatomy and
development, F)test truthfulness, G)open ended experiments beyond
those programmed
into a simulation, H)confirmation that science results are genuine
and universal,
I)real consequences that command the students’ attention and
generate excitement,
J)greater "respect" for complex internal anatomy as soft,
wet machinery,
K)normalization of students’ attitude to blood, feces, etc.,
L)recruitment
into the medical or academic profession, and M)the economics of reality-based
labs over most computer simulations.
Seeing Plants as Doing Plants: How to Teach Students to See
Plants by Using
Taxonomy.
Suzanne L. Martin, Moberly Area Community College
Using the example of plant taxonomy, this paper shows how learning science in
a deep way can take place by non-science majors in the lower tiers
of the college
population by embodying assumptions about the subjective,
experiential, evaluative,
communicative, communal nature of science in the action of learners. As Heinz
von Foerster stated, students who wish to learn to see plants must learn how
to act. Students don’t see what the instructor sees--no matter
how botanical
terms are described or illustrated. The students don’t
"get the point"
until they have a framework of experience. In the context of field
and lab activities,
introductory botany students experience seeing as a result of a
process of interaction
with plants. In order to act, they learn through experience and
through conversation
that plant morphology terms are created for convenience in identifying plants
and that the terms are constructs rather than intrinsic properties
of plants—that
the plants "don’t read the text." The students gain an insight
into science as a way of seeing and as a system for communication rather than
a collection of facts. In the process, how they see and interact
with the world
changes.
Microbial Ecology Activities from Microbes Count!
Ethel Stanley, Beloit College
Learn more about new models and simulation activities from Microbes
Count! (2003).
In this session, several activities featuring microbial ecology
will be introduced.
This includes demos of wine fermentation, control of a resistant
mold, microbial
growth in Biosphere 2, and development of hypoxia zones. (Windows
and Mac compatible)
Concurrent Paper Sessions II
11:20-12:05 AM
Friday, October 10, 2003
Gardens as Classrooms: Using Gardens for Teaching and Research.
Steve Carroll, Truman State University
High-quality natural areas are not always conveniently located or
easily accessible
during the one to three hours typically available for labs. One solution to
this predicament is to teach all labs indoors, but another is to use existing
gardens, or to plant new gardens, in order to create your own study sites. I
will describe how my students and I have used a variety of gardens
for teaching
and research. These gardens have included (1) a planting of alternative crops
(e.g., sesame, amaranth) at the Truman State University farm that is used by
students in Ecology, Economic Botany, and other classes; (2) a small prairie
garden that has been used by students conducting independent
research on pollination;
(3) a prairie planting on public school property that will serve as the site
of a prairie festival for the city’s second-grade classes; and
(4) a 19th
century medicinal garden that was designed and planted as an
independent research
project by a Truman student who has since gone on to graduate
school in landscape
design. This last garden will be the site of the Friday evening
social. I will
show slides of these and other gardens and will encourage discussion of how
we can improve our teaching and research by using gardens that are already in
place; gardens that we may choose to install; or gardens that
students can help
design and plant.
Integrating the Scientific Method into Anatomy and Physiology
Laboratories.
Karyn Turla, Friends University
Many students learn the scientific method through prescribed labs where the
experimental setup is described for them, the reagents they will need to use
are listed, and the actual experimental design is laid out for them step by
step. The students can get an idea of what the scientific method is, but do
not obtain a full appreciation for the complexities of the scientific method
by using this approach. I have developed a lab in my Anatomy and Physiology
course that to my surprise was challenging and very educational for
the students.
The lab exercise is designed to get the students to test parameters
that affect
the rate of diffusion and osmosis; a subject that is relatively
simple for these
junior level students. However, in this lab the students receive only a list
of equipment and reagents available to them. They are required to
develop four
experiments; two to test factors affecting diffusion and two to test factors
affecting osmosis. For each experiment, they are to define the
variables, describe
their experimental setup, collect data and discuss their results in
a lab report
that mimics the format of a research paper. The students seem to
struggle with
the lab, many stating that they have never had to design an
experiment before.
Many students begin to appreciate the importance of defining all
the controlled
variables when they conduct an experiment without an important
variable controlled.
I have found that once the students have gone through this lab, they have a
better understanding of the scientific method, and how to conduct
an appropriately
controlled experiment.
A Web-Based Resource for the Teaching of Evolutionary Biology
as an Applied
and Investigative Laboratory Science.
Joanna R. Vondrasek, Janis Antonovics, and Doug Taylor, University
of Virginia
Recently, evolutionary biology has developed into a vibrant,
investigative science
with great relevance to societal issues. The teaching of
evolutionary biology,
however, is still largely taught as a theoretical, dialectical
discipline. Rarely
is it taught as an experimental, analytical science of applied relevance on
par with physiology or molecular biology. As part of an NSF
Curriculum Development
Grant, we have created a website intended to be a resource for instructors of
undergraduate evolutionary biology classes. The website includes a complete
sample syllabus of laboratory and recitation exercises designed to actively
engage students in the practice of evolutionary biology. In addition, we have
collected and listed numerous evolution-based laboratory and field exercises
from other sources. Examples of the resources available on the website will
be presented.
Teaching Biology Courses in the Face of Poverty and Ignorance.
Omokaro Obire, Rivers State University, Nigeria and Truman State University,
USA.
I teach courses in virology and environmental microbiology to undergraduate
and graduate students at Rivers State University in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
The typical biology course provides four hours of lecture and one laboratory
period each week. The bi-semester system is modeled after the
American System.
In many developing countries the policy makers are opportunists and
barely literate.
The education of children and college students is low on the list
of priorities.
The most basic educational aids such as books and facilities are generally of
low quality and in many cases lacking. The college preparedness
among students
is highly varied and many of the successful ones have ‘cheated’ to
gain admission to university. I will share my own experiences and
some creative
ways we manage to teach science courses with limited funding,
limited facilities,
unreliable utilities, student unrest, and political instability.
Concurrent Paper Sessions III
2:00-2:45 PM
Friday, October 10, 2003
Can a New Dog Learn Old Tricks?: A Junior Faculty Member puts NSF’s
Recommendations for Science, Math, Engineering, and Technology
(SME&T) Education
to Task.
Peter White, Colby-Sawyer College
In a 1996 report, Shaping the Future: New Expectations for
Undergraduate Education
in SME&T, the National Science Foundation assembled several
specific recommendations
for curricular and pedagogical improvement in SME&T
disciplines. These recommendations
included (italics added) 1) incorporating new knowledge into lower
level courses
more rapidly and more thoroughly, 2) introducing SME&T concepts
by examining
current issues for which students have a personal context, 3)
organizing courses
(or course modules) to address real world problems, and 4)
developing curricula
that expose students to key interdisciplinary connections stressing concepts
as much as facts. Just as these recommendations parallel the theme
of ACUBE’s
47th Annual Meeting, they also constituted the framework for two
seemingly unrelated
courses taught by the presenter in the past year; Process of
Discovery, a required
course for all students with high freshman and sophomore
enrollment, and Cellular
Pathophysiology, an upper-level elective for biology majors. For
both courses,
classical case-based learning was used to introduce and explore
current issues
and concepts. The successes and limitations of this approach will be the main
focus of the session. Curriculum design, specific examples of course content,
and qualitative and quantitative student feedback will also be discussed.
Development of a Research-Based Course for Undergraduates in RNA, DNA, and
Protein Extraction, Purification, and Characterization.
Tom Tauer, Coe College
Undergraduates are enrolling in courses that discuss molecular biology at a
greater depth than ever before. It is imperative that these
students are provided
the opportunity to conduct research using the molecular biology
they have studied.
Some undergraduate courses expose the students to various molecular biology
techniques, but are ‘canned’ exercises that do not reflect the true
inquiry-based learning/hypothesis-driven experimentation that
research encompasses.
I have developed a course that incorporates the extraction, purification, and
characterization of RNA, DNA, and protein for undergraduates. The
course incorporates
biology, physics, chemistry, statistics, and computer concepts, in addition
to introductory bioinformatics. I will discuss the course
curriculum, expenses,
and outcomes.
Unclassifying Classical Physiology Laboratories.
Gregory M. Grabowski, Travis McGrady*, Megha Patel*, Inna Shcherbinina*, and
Anthony Smykla*, University of Detroit Mercy; *Undergraduate
research assistants
As physiology lectures become more focused on the cellular basis of
homeostasis,
physiology laboratory manuals remain steeped in classical laboratories that
focus on decades old concepts of organ-based homeostasis. The challenges of
a cellular based physiology laboratory include time limitations, expense, and
specialized equipment. These challenges are especially difficult to overcome
when investigating the physiologic role of second messenger systems, however
these can be met using a colormetric assay for determining
phosphate concentrations
in 1.5 ml centrifugation tubes and a spectrometer set at 750 nm.
Using phosphotyrosine
as a substrate, homogenate from organs (rat liver, heart, muscle, lung, and
kidney) or various Xenopus tadpole stages can be assayed for phosphotyrosine
phosphatase activity within a three hour laboratory session. Phosphate freed
from phosphotyrosine is precipitated with molybdate to form a color complex.
Absorbencies are contrasted with known phosphate standards, which
are standardized
to the protein concentration of each sample. Assays are also run in
the presence
and absence of metavanadate (phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibitor). Students
learn to standardize data and utilize controls for determining
second messenger
activity under various physiologic states, and the professor avoids
using expensive
materials and equipment, as well as avoiding safety problems associated with
using phosphate isotopes. (Funded by FGIP #425)
Introducing Epidemiology in Microbiology Labs Using a Model of a Smallpox
Epidemic Started by a Bioterrorist.
Alicia Wilson, AKL Informatics
Bioterrorism has become an increasing concern and is of particular interest
to nursing students. A Stella model of a smallpox epidemic has been developed
with an instructional interface for students taking nursing microbiology. In
the case presented in this model, a terrorist enters a community with 200,000
people who may be unvaccinated, vaccinated recently or vaccinated many years
ago. By "turning" knobs in the interface on the computer
screen, students
can explore the effects of varying the vaccination status of these
people. Some
serious risks of vaccination are discussed. In addition, there are
2000 people
in the community who have severely impaired immune systems and should not be
vaccinated with the live vaccine used for protection against
smallpox. The effects
of the vaccination status of the rest of the community on the
smallpox mortality
in the immune suppressed group provides a dramatic demonstration of
herd immunity.
The effects of efficient isolation (or quarantine) are also
explored. This lab
exercise provides some basic introduction to epidemiology,
especially the idea
of the SIR model. Actual literature values were used to create the model when
they were available, although smallpox was eradicated before AIDS,
modern chemotherapy
for cancer patients, kidney dialysis and organ transplantation
created a substantial
group of people with seriously impaired immune systems. Although the focus of
the lab is biomedical, social and ethical issues can be considered
during class
discussion. In addition, the 30% mortality rate for unvaccinated people with
smallpox makes the lab results memorable.
Poster Session II
2:50-3:20 PM
Friday, October 10, 2003
Concurrent Workshop Sessions II
3:30-5:00 PM
Friday, October 10, 2003
IOptimize Integrated Learning System (utilizing the power of onsite-online
interface in Teaching and Learning).
Abour H. Cherif, Stefanos Gialamas and Lin Stefurak, DeVry University
In this presentation we will present DeVry University’s Model
of iOptimize
Integrated Learning System utilizing the power of onsite-online interface. In
addition we will present the necessary elements for designing, and
implementing
this Integrated Learning System. Finally we will share our
experience on re-designing
more than 300 course, training more than 1600 faculty and academic
administrators,
preparing more than 11,000 students, and adopting technology that is reliable
and powerful enough to implement the DILS. The DILS was developed
based on the
review of related literature, action research within DeVry
University, the continuing
assessment of the effectiveness of various teaching and learning strategies,
and the continuing assessment of the effectiveness of the Integrated Learning
System within DeVry University. We will explain how we use the knowledge and
information from all these sources to develop the iOptimize
Integrated Learning
System.
For example, the related literature indicates the following
categories of modes
of educational delivery: (1) Face to face delivery mode of learning; (2) Face
to face with Internet access delivery mode of learning; (3) Online delivery
mode of learning; (4) Closed circuit system mode of delivery of learning. (5)
Hybrid delivery mode of learning; (6) Independent project mode of learning;
(7) TV/Textbook independent delivery mode of learning; (8)Team Work
Independent
Project. The iOptimize Integrated learning System comes under the
Hybrid Delivery
Mode of Learning.
The literature review also indicated that "Hybrid",
"Blended",
and "Optimize" are three most frequently used terms in literature
for teaching learning materials using more than one mode of
delivery. However,
there is no consistency in literature on the meaning for and the use of each
of these terms. For example, a literature review has indicated that
the meaning
of "Hybrid Course" has several interpretations to
different professionals
based on the goals and the objectives in the minds of those who used the term
in their research studies and/or educational institutions.
Furthermore, literature
review also indicated that there are Institutional Initiatives as
well as Individual
Faculty Initiatives to design and implement one type of another of the hybrid
mode of delivery.
In summary we will present a model of instruction that integrates onsite and
online modalities in supporting the various components of teaching
and learning.
We believe this model corresponds to the emerging dominant reality
of the workplace,
which combines onsite and online modes of interaction directed at
the accomplishment
of organizational objectives. Moreover, we believe this model will optometry
support student learning, by combining once a week onsite classes
with support
of faculty and fellow students through online interaction
throughout the week.
To accomplish implementation goal of the Integrated Learning
Experience in DeVry
University a user-friendly common course management system for all online and
onsite courses has been designed, developed and implemented. Key to
the effective
implementation of this Paradigm is the preparation, training and development
of faculty and their academic leaders. In addition, preparing
students to understand,
and accept the DeVry University Integrated Learning Experiences is
a necessary
condition for the success of this University-wide initiative. The cornerstone
of the course conversions, and faculty training and support, is the
delineation
of the relative and complementary strengths of the onsite and
online modalities
as applied to the components of the teaching and learning process.
An Introduction to Working with Nucleic Acid and Protein
Databases.
Brent Buckner and Diane Janick-Buckner, Division of Science, Truman
State University
An ever increasing number of organisms’ genomes have been
completely sequenced.
These genomic sequences are incredible resources of data and
information which
can be utilized in the primary research and educational efforts of nearly all
of the contemporary subdisciplines of biology. It seems essential
that scientists,
educators and students, especially biology majors, be able to
access, manipulate
and understand the sequence information available in gene and
protein databases.
Participants of this workshop will learn the basics of navigating
and searching
select databases at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).
Participants will learn how to search for, and retrieve, a sequence
of interest
(i.e., a query sequence) using Entrez (a retrieval system for
searching databases)
and to perform a variety of BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search
Tool) searches
including: nucleotide-nucleotide BLAST searches (blastn), pairwise nucleotide
BLAST searches and translated BLAST searches (blastx uses a nucleotide query
to search the protein database and tblastx uses a nucleotide query to search
the translated nucleotide database). Emphasis will be placed on
concise explanations
of how these programs work and on how the data outputs are interpreted. The
workshop leaders will then assist the participants in performing
the same type
of searches with a query sequence of the participants’ choosing. Lastly,
time will be spent helping participants plan integration of these skills into
their existing curriculum.
AMCBT's/ACUBE's Golden Anniversary Ideas! Memories!
Accomplishments!
Margaret Waterman, Southeast Missouri State University
ACUBE will soon be celebrating its fiftieth anniversary as an
organization dedicated
to excellence in college biology teaching. In this session, you are invited
to brainstorm and help shape this major event. In what ways can the spirit of
ACUBE (formerly known as the Association of Midwest College Biology Teachers)
be represented? What kinds of memorabilia exists? What speakers,
exhibits, stories,
presentations, and themes might be appropriate? How can we
publicize this important
meeting to bring ACUBE more public attention? A panel of four ACUBE members,
some newer, some of long standing, will be present to share their
perspectives
on the organization and to facilitate the brainstorming.
Concurrent Paper Sessions IV
9:00-9:45 AM
Saturday, October 11, 2003
Bioscience by Design.
Bob Aron, Bashar Hanna, and Abour H. Cherif, DeVry University
The purpose of this presentation is to describe the instructional technology
which DeVry University is using for its new bioscience curriculum.
The healthcare
and biotechnology industries are demanding specialized engineering
technologists
and informaticists. DeVry has programmatic strength in engineering technology
and information technology. Recently, DeVry acquired the Ross
University medical
and veterinary schools, recognizing the growth in demand for
medical professionals.
Healthcare, medicine and medical technology is a new biomedical concentration
for DeVry. Courses in the biosciences are core to all the DeVry
biomedical programs.
DeVry uses a learning model that emphasizes problem solving and application,
not at the expense of theory, but ensures that graduates are
immediately employable,
as well as equipped for advancement in their careers. This
application orientated
approach extends to the course and lab design from two
perspectives: (1) learning
has objectives with applied outcomes; (2) labs and learning
activities are highly
integrated into the curriculum. This instructional design approach
affords highly
efficient instructional methods without compromising quality or
safety. Examples
of DeVry’s new Chemistry and Biology course will be introduced.
Biological Andragogy.
Marya Czech, Lourdes College
With the steadily increasing number of nontraditional age (25+
years) students
in the ranks of undergraduates comes the task of meeting the diverse learning
needs of yet another population. Adult learners are highly motivated, serious
about their studies, but often lack solid study skills and are too
far removed
from their secondary school background to bring a significant repertoire of
fundamental knowledge to their biology courses. After sharing
descriptive studies
and strategies, the presenter would like to engage other educators
in conversation
about the andragogical needs of science learners:
How are frameworks like Gardner's "Multiple
Intelligences" applicable
to the science learning of adults? How can a
"constructivist" framework
be effectively implemented with adult learners? Can textbooks
change shape and
size? Can publishers decrease the size of texts and increase the
depth of learning?
Can ancillaries be developed with attention to the needs of adult
learners?
Shut Up and Let the Students Learn: A Flexible No-Lecture
Teaching Strategy
that Deepens Student Understanding.
Neil Sabine, Indiana University East
A set of active learning strategies that place the responsibility
for mastering
course content mostly on students will be presented. The principal components
of instruction are directed readings, group discussion,
question-answer sessions,
and daily evaluations. Formal student-teacher interactions are
limited to question-answer
sessions where the instructor only answers questions posed by the students.
Students are evaluated over the material they were responsible for
immediately
after the instructor interview ends. The presentation will focus on
presenting:
1) a mini-model of the learning environment, 2) the important components and
flexible nature of the classroom format. Faculty generally
preferred this learning
environment to lecturing but their effectiveness was related to the amount of
overall teaching experience they had and the amount of teaching
experience they
had in this learning environment.
NASA Ames Astrobiology Academy 2003: Astrobiology at Deep Sea
Vents.
Morgan Perrone, Crystal Gammon, Anne Dekas, and Steve Mitchell,
NMSU, Washington
University, Harvard, and U of Maryland-College Park
An apparatus comprised of multiple metal and tile plates with
varying compositions
was designed and assembled to be sent to a deep sea hydrothermal vent aboard
the Russian MIR deep sea submersible. The apparatus spent two days
on the ocean
floor in the Snake Pit area (along the Mid-Atlantic rift zone near
the Azores)
accumulating biological material and corroding. After a retrieval dive, the
apparatus was returned to the surface and preserved for analysis at
Ames. Analyses
used to identify and characterize microbial corrosion included
diamidophenylindole
(DAPI) DNA staining, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), and scanning
electron microscopy (SEM). Results were uncertain, as DNA staining
offered evidence
of widespread microbial colonization. SEM and EDS did not confirm
the presence
of life on the metal surface. The project also featured a
substantial outreach
program, made available on various Space Grant websites. This program focused
on grades 5-9 and the Girl Scouts. For teachers and students,
lesson plans involving
the group project and astrobiology in general were created. In addition, an
Astrobiology badge program was created for Girl Scouts. Overall,
the experiment
and outreach has provided an excellent learning experience for the
Academy students.
Concurrent Paper Sessions V
10:00-10:45 AM
Saturday, October 11, 2003
iBench: Instruction in Basic Equipment Needed for Chemistry and Biology.
Tom Tauer, Coe College
Introductory biology and chemistry students typically have little experience
with the equipment they will be using in the college laboratory. A
pre-lab instructional
activity that actively engages students will allow students to make
more effective
use of scheduled time in the lab. Properly designed computer modules are an
ideal method for learning about and "virtually practicing" with new
equipment. Unfortunately, current computer-based instructional activities in
this area fail to intellectually engage students. We are developing a suite
of online modules, named iBench, which will introduce students to
relevant concepts
and equipment before entering the introductory biology/chemistry laboratory.
These modules are designed to be intellectually, as well as
physically, interactive
and allow students to "virtually practice" with each
piece of laboratory
equipment. I will demonstrate and discuss our progress with iBench.
Utilizing Technology to Link Alums with Undergraduate Learning.
Austin Brooks, Wabash College
In recent years technology has provided instructors with a new
arsenal of teaching
strategies. For the biology teacher these include lectures that are not only
extremely well illustrated but often include animations, movie
clips and vicarious
visits to biologically interesting locales via the World Wide Web.
Laboratories
as well have been impacted by new technologies. Data sharing
between lab teams
is now very easy, as a result of campus networks. Document cameras allow lab
instructors to demonstrate delicate dissections as well as common laboratory
techniques. Digital photomicrography can provide students with an
accurate record
of their laboratory observations. Simulations and case studies likewise are
enhancing learning for our students. On-line discussion boards are, for some
students, yet another way to become involved with a particular class. For the
past several years I have been using, with good success, on-line discussion
boards to engage the student who is reticent to participate in
classroom discussions.
Last fall I invited a group of Wabash alumni doctors to participate
in my Freshman
Tutorial, "Images of the Physician in Literature and
Film." The alumni
response was very positive and the course was enriched as a result
of the alumni-undergraduate
interaction. Most often the main contact alums have with their alma mater is
through the advancement or admissions offices. There are too few
opportunities
for alums to become involved with the academic life of the college and share
their experience with undergrads. In this session various aspects of creating
and administering an on-line discussion board involving Wabash alumni doctors
and college freshman will be described.
Shut Up and Let the Students Learn: Changes in Student
Perceptions and Performance
in an Active Learning Environment.
Neil Sabine, Indiana University East
A set of active learning strategies that place the responsibility
for mastering
course content mostly on students will be presented. This session will focus
on 1) data on student perceptions of and academic performance in
this learning
environment, 2) perceptions and performance of faculty teaching in
this learning
environment, and 3) presenting opportunities and obstacles
associated with this
learning environment. Data gathered over multiple sections of upper and lower
level biology indicates that most students in this learning environment were
strongly motivated to perform well, rated the overall learning
experience very
favorably, and believed they learned more in this learning environment than
they would have if they had been lectured to. Faculty generally
preferred this
learning environment to lecturing but their effectiveness was related to the
amount of overall teaching experience they had and the amount of
teaching experience
they had in this learning environment.
Hierarchy Theory: An Underutilized Helpmate for Understanding
Complex Concepts
in Undergraduate Biology Courses.
Jon Gering, Truman State University
Hierarchy theory emerged in the 1960s as a bridge between the
physical and biological
sciences. A fundamental concern of (and motivation for) hierarchy theory was
to simplify and explain complex systems such as middle-number
phenomena in ecology,
evolutionary interactions, and the intricacies of metazoan
architecture. Although
it successfully explained the nuances of large businesses
management, its utility
within the biological sciences has never been fully realized. For
example, only
two hierarchical systems are mentioned in most introductory biology
textbooks:
the hierarchy of biological organization (atoms ‡ molecules
‡ organelles
‡ cells, etc.) and the taxonomic hierarchy (species ‡ genus ‡
family, etc.). But these are organizational hierarchies; they do not capture
the full potential of hierarchy theory to explain the function and behavior
of biological systems. The thesis of this presentation is that
hierarchy theory
– when properly integrated with standard biological pedagogy – can
serve as a useful helpmate in students’ efforts to understand
the function
of biological systems. I’ll demonstrate the utility of hierarchy theory
in clarifying typical biological topics such as DNA replication and
translation,
ecosystem function, and biogenesis; and its importance for
understanding recent
developments in macroevolutionary theory, community ecology, and
developmental
biology.
Biographies of Keynote Speakers
Opening Address
8:00-9:00 PM
Thursday, October 9, 2003
When the Exotic Becomes Invasive: Familiar Questions Wit'
Stwange Anthers.
Dr. Michael Kelrick, Division of Science, Truman State University
Michael Kelrick is a Professor on the Biology faculty at Truman
State University.
He has a B.A. in Geological Sciences from Harvard University, and his Ph.D.
in Biology/Ecology from Utah State University, Logan. Michael has a diversity
of teaching and research interests and responsibilities, including ecology,
field experiences, evolutionary biology, biometry and introductory biology.
Michael writes this about his summer experiences: "Recently liberated by
the end of my 16th year of university teaching, I look forward to
spending the
remainder of the summer in the backcountry of the central Colorado Rockies,
monitoring exotic plant species in the Snowmass/Maroon Bells Wilderness with
a small group of students attending the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory.
This visceral experience will provide the psychic recharge necessary to power
me through the next school year. My return to the withering humidity of the
heartland in late August will be assuaged by the tomatoes waiting warmly for
me in my garden."
Luncheon Program
1:00-1:45 PM
Friday, October 10, 2003
The Challenges Ahead in Educating 21st Century Biologists
Dr. Judith Dilts, Dr. Burnell Landers Chair of Biology and Professor, William
Jewell College
Dr. Judith A. Dilts is Dr. Burnell Landers Chair of Biology and Professor at
William Jewell College, where she serves as chair. Dilts earned her doctorate
at Indiana University in genetics. Recipient of both advising and
teaching awards,
she teaches genetics and microbiology, courses in general
education, and tutorials
in the Oxbridge Honors Program. Dilts has an active undergraduate
research program
studying the molecular biology of bacterial endosymbionts in paramecia, and
has had students present the results of their research at national meetings.
Dilts was, for six years, a biology councilor for the Council on
Undergraduate
Research, and has served as a consultant for biology, general education, and
the sciences for a number of colleges. Active in PKAL since 1990, Dilts has
served as Scientist-in-Residence, was Dean of the eight F21
Leadership Institutes,
and co-directed and presented the leadership initiatives at the PKAL Summer
Institutes. Dilts' session abstract: A recent NRC report, BIO2010:
Transforming
Undergraduate Education for Future Research Biologists, builds on research in
biology and how students learn to make specific recommendations for
the education
of 21st century biologists. The report highlights the need not only
for involving
students in biological research, but also for a biology curriculum
that integrates
concepts from the other sciences in a significant way. The focus of
this session
is how biology departments might meet the challenges inherent in
such curricular
demands.
Dinner Presentation
8:00-9:00 PM
Friday, October 10, 2003
Kirksville's Harry Laughlin (1880-1943): Applying Classroom Genetics for
the 'Betterment' of Humanity.
Dr. Philip Wilson, Penn State College of Medicine
Philip K. Wilson, M.A. (Johns Hopkins), Ph.D. (London) is a
historian of science
and medicine in the Department of Humanities at Penn State's
College of Medicine
in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Resonant of current academic and popular concerns,
he is interested in the historical perspectives of how the nature-vs- nurture
controversy has shaped humanity. His survey of the nature side of
this controversy
appeared as a five-volume edited series, Childbirth: Changing Ideas
and Practices
in Britain and America, 1600 to the Present (Garland, 1996), and he
is currently
preparing a monograph on Perfecting Heredity: Eugenics as Panacea for Disease
in Early 20th-Century America. His previous publications include
Surgery, Skin
& Syphilis: Daniel Turner's London (1667-1741) (Amsterdam and
Atlanta: Rodopi
Press, Wellcome Institute of the History of Medicine Series, 1999).
Wilson has
previously taught at Yale University, the University of Hawaii, Truman State
University, and Shimer College, and he continues to serve as the consultant
biomedical and health editor for Encyclopaedia Britannica. Currently, he is
in the midst of a three-summer Templeton Foundation Fellowship in
Oxford where
he and 34 other scholars around the globe are exploring the
historical and current
intersections between science and religion. His Templeton research project,
Glaciers, God, and Geography: Neuchatel's Arnold Guyot (1807-1884)
at Princeton,
explores this 19th-century earth-scientist's success in
incorporating both science
and religion into his pursuits to understand the history,
composition, and meaning
of both the earth and its human inhabitants.
Last updated September 11, 2003