College of Sciences Picnic in need of volunteers!
Note to TAs, especially Biology TAs (pass this information along to your lab students!)
Biology
GMO Debate
A common complaint among non-majors taking introductory lab science courses is that they don't see how the subject matter applies to their lives. In BIOL 1520, Organismal Biology, students learn about the biological basis for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and then use peer-reviewed and popular media sources to debate the pros and cons of GMO foods. The "debate lab" is an effective way to engage majors and non-majors alike and integrate science with concepts from other fields.
Participating with Piazza
If you still think that Piazza is something that you order when you’re too tired to cook, you’re missing out on one of the easiest ways to engage with large numbers of students with a minimum of effort.
Active Learning in Intro Bio
Drs. Linda Green and Chrissy Spencer developed an activity to teach evolution in introductory biology when they attended the National Academies Summer Institute on Undergraduate Education this year. Watch the video to learn more.
Forming Student Groups the Smart Way
Students taking BIOL 1510 - Biological Principles this semester are giving group presentations about recent research articles that relate to the material in the course. One of the logistical challenges to implementing group projects is forming the groups themselves. Drs. Jung Choi and Chrissy Spencer are using CATME.org, a free tool developed at Purdue University, to help form groups in their class. I've asked a Dr. Choi a few questions about why they decided to use CATME.