abstracts

ABSTRACTS=20

Plenary=20 Speakers

Chief Paul White Eagle, Grassy,=20 MO

"The Origin of = Life: =20 Looking from the inside and seeing its many spectrums as known and = taught=20 by Native Peoples."

Thursday evening = public=20 presentation=20 Ballroom.

=20 Chief Paul White Eagle (Paul Smith) is an artist, writer and = storyteller=20 who lives on AhNiYvWiYa Tribal Lands in Grassy Missouri and serves = as=20 leader of his people. He has spoken to conferences = throughout the=20 United = States, to=20 Tribal organizations, schools, and community organizations. = He has=20 taught in public schools, community colleges, universities, = and in=20 private classes at his painting studio. He served as the only = Native=20 American President of the New Mexico Art League and is a current = member of=20 the Cat Ranch Art Guild in Marble Hill, MO.

=20 Paul was trained in the traditional ways, ancient dances, = ceremonies and=20 medicines of his People. He has spent many years teaching, = training=20 , and passing on to his people the ancient ways which were lost to = many=20 when they acculturated into American Society. He says that = his small=20 Tribe has never acculturated or changed any of their traditional = ways, but=20 has learned to keep them while living in the modern = society.

Doris =93Dori=94 Helms, Ph.D., = Provost, Clemson=20 University

"Revolution and = Evolution in=20 the Biology Classroom"

Friday luncheon = program,=20 Ballroom.

Dr. = Helms is the=20 Vice President and Provost at Clemson University since 2001. = Shejoined Clemson University in 1973 as an Assistant Professor of = Zoology.=20 She later served as Department Head and Professor of Biology, then = Associate Dean of the College of Sciences. Under her direction, = Clemson's=20 biology program achieved recognition as a leader in preparation of = science=20 teachers. She is a recipient of the prestigious Charles R. Townes = Award=20 for support of mathematics and science education.

She = has long=20 been active in the College Board=92s Advanced Placement Biology = program and=20 currently serves on the NSF funded panel to follow up an NRC task = force=92s=20 recommendations that major changes be made in the College = Board=92s Advanced=20 Placement program in Biology. To address the needs = of=20 current AP Bio students, the expectations of their parents, and = growing=20 changes in undergraduate education in biology = that=20 focus more on learning through investigative, collaborative, and=20 analytical activities, this College Board panel is proposing major = changes. The recommendations are not yet public, but Dr. Helms = will share=20 the preliminary results of this national initiative and its = potential=20 impact on undergraduate college and university education in=20 biology.

Sherryl Broverman, Ph.D., Biology = Department,=20 Duke University

"How Much Can One = Course=20 Multi-task: Scientific, Multidisciplinary and International=20 Education?"
Friday = dinner=20 program. =

= =20 Dr. Broverman will give an overview of the NSF-funded SENCER = program=20 (Science Education for New Civic Engagements and = Responsibilities), as=20 well as describing her own work which developed out of = SENCER,=20 developing linked classes with a university in = Africa.

Workshops = (alphabetical order=20 by first presenter)

=93Implementing = Independent=20 Research Projects for Undergraduates Using Adult and = Embryonic=20 Zebrafish=94

Melissa Daggett, = Missouri Western = State=20 University

Friday=20 8:30 =20 University Room

Zebrafish have = become an=20 accepted model organism for testing pharmaceuticals and potential=20 environmental toxins. The advantages of using zebrafish include = ease of=20 culturing and maintenance, as well as the availability of = protocols on the=20 Internet for performing various scientific investigations. The = zebrafish=20 system also offers an opportunity to engage undergraduate students = in the=20 process of scientific inquiry. The goal of this workshop will be = to=20 highlight the basic materials and skills needed to guide students = through=20 a semester long research project in which students work = independently to=20 write a research proposal, design an experiment, collect and = analyze data,=20 and finally generate a poster that they can use to present their = research.=20 Participants in this workshop will have the opportunity to observe = and=20 collect data from living zebrafish ranging from approximately 48 = hours to=20 1 week of age.

=93Biological=20 ESTEEM: Excel Simulations and Tools for Exploratory, Experiential=20 Mathematical Biology: Implementing NRC Bio = 2010=92s=20 Recommendations for More Mathematics in Undergraduate Biology=20 Education"=20

John Jungck and = Anton=20 Weisstein, Beloit=20 College and Truman State University, MO

Saturday = 9:45 Missouriana=20 Room

=20 In 2003 NRC made eight major recommendations for the improvement of = undergraduate=20 biology education in its publication: BIO2010: Transforming Undergraduate = Education for=20 Future Research Biologists = < http://www.nap.edu/books/0309085357/html/> . = The first=20 two of these recommendations both emphasized the need for more = attention=20 to the inclusion of more mathematics:

=93it = is important=20 that all students understand the growing relevance of quantitative = science=20 in addressing life-science questions. Thus, a better integration = of=20 quantitative applications in biology would not only enhance life = science=20 education for all students, but also decrease the chances that=20 mathematically talented students would reject life sciences as too = soft.=94=20 =85 =93Most biology majors take no more than one year of calculus, = although=20 some also take an additional semester of statistics. Very few are = exposed=20 to discrete mathematics, linear algebra, probability, and modeling = topics,=20 which could greatly enhance their future research careers. These = are often=20 considered advanced courses; however, many aspects of discrete = math or=20 linear algebra that would be relevant to biology students do not = require=20 calculus as a prerequisite. While calculus remains an important = topic for=20 future biologists, the committee does not believe biology students = should=20 study calculus to the exclusion of other types of mathematics.=94=20

Explicit=20 strategies for implementing these recommendations were the subject = of a=20 follow-up conference entitled =93Meeting the=20 Challenges: Education Across the Biological, Mathematical and = Computer=20 Sciences=94 < http://www.maa.org/mtc/ > = and a book=20 published by the Mathematics Association of America entitled: = Math=20 & Bio: Linking Undergraduate Disciplines (ISBN = 0-88385-818-5).=20

=20 We, members of the BioQUEST = Curriculum=20 Consortium, were funded to develop modules to address these = challenges=20 through a new initiative: Biological = ESTEEM=20 (Excel Simulations and Tools for Exploratory, Experiential=20 Mathematics). The recommended areas: =93discrete=20 mathematics, linear algebra, probability, and modeling topics=94 = will be=20 illustrated through materials that we have developed in = biochemistry,=20 bioinformatics, biometrics, developmental biology, ecology, = evolution,=20 genetics, microbiology, and physiology. All materials are easily = run on=20 economical microcomputers (PCs and Macs) equipped with Microsoft = Excel and=20 a web browser. Biological ESTEEM modules will be freely=20 downloadable from the =93Digital Classroom Resources=94 site in = the=20 Mathematics NSDL (National Science Digital Library). Participants = will=20 have the opportunity to try several modules and will receive a CD = copy of=20 over twenty modules available for classroom and laboratory review. = Discussion of strategies for the adoption, adaptation, and = implementation=20 of these curricular materials in general biology classes as well = as in=20 upper level undergraduate biology courses will be = emphasized.

Support for this = project was=20 provided by three NSF grants: DUE-0232823 (National Dissemination=20 BEDROCK), CFDA No. 47.076 (MAA NSDL), and EPIC (Engaging People in = Cyberinfrastructure), the HHMI Digital Scholars program, matching = funds=20 from Beloit=20 College, and generous contributions from members of the BioQUEST Curriculum = Consortium.

= =20

"An = Interdisciplinary Biology=20 Course that Uses Tablet PC's in a New High Tech = Classroom"

Dave Starrett, = Southeast Missouri = State=20 University

Saturday = 9:45 Kent = Library 311=20 (Building next to UC, behind waterfall)

Tour the new high = tech=20 classroom at Kent Library (adjacent to the University Center) and = see how=20 tablet PC technology is being used to teach a University Studies = (general=20 education) biology course for majors and non-majors. Each = participant will=20 work with a tablet PC and use several interactive = programs. =20 DyKnow software integrates all the tablets so students and = teachers can=20 share information, see screens, and keep a notebook. = The=20 concepts we'll be looking at are related to testing theories of = evolution=20 and include a game about natural selection, a phylogenetic tree = drawing=20 program, and others.

Teaching Biology = With NASA: A=20 Trip Through a Cell and "Biology Will Grow on You! Let the = NASA ERC=20 Show You How"

Jackie Wortmann, = NASA Educator = Resource Center,=20 Southeast Missouri State University
Friday=20 8:30 Program Lounge=20 (3^rd floor of UC)

This is a two part = workshop.=20
Using a=20 unique indoor planetarium, the StarLab, the NASA Educator Resource = Center=20 will demonstrate a biological cell that will fill a room. This = cell
can=20 be used as a teaching device, an enhancement to your teaching, and = as a=20 testing feature. Included will be a quick trip through the stars=20 observing
constellations based on Native American mythology. = Can you=20 find the home fire? Note: the portion of the workshop that = takes=20 place inside the StarLab requires crawling through a short tunnel = and=20 sitting on the floor for 20 minutes.

In the second half = of this=20 workshop, we'll explore NASA's special interest in biology. = You=20 can't send people to space without considering their health and = what they=20 eat. This session features what the NASA ERC has to offer biology=20 educators including pre-service educators. Biology with a = twist! =20

=93iWORX for = Physiology=20 Laboratory Teaching=94

Ed Sachs, = Iworx

Friday 8:30 Indian=20 Room

Exhibitor Workshop=20 demonstrating software for teaching physiology.

Papers (in=20 alphabetical order by first author)

=93Weaving = Science into our=20 Lives=94

Christine Bezotte,=20 Elmira=20 College

Friday 1:45, Indian=20 Room

Non-science majors = often avoid=20 science requirements until the =93last -minute=94 before = graduation=85fear of=20 information and dislike of the subject is often their = reasons. To=20 overcome these common obstacles we developed a course that = integrates the=20 sciences with business and arts. The Science and Art of = Fiber. This=20 course is unique in its survey of plant and animal fiber = composition,=20 production and management. The course is a merging of the fiber = sciences=20 [biology and chemistry] with artistic expression [processing, = pattern=20 design and implementation], integrated with small business = practices=20 [management and marketing] to create and market original pieces of = fabric.=20 Students also learn life skills [fiber processing, spinning, = dyeing, and=20 needle arts] not often taught in our modern world. This course = involves=20 extensive hands-on learning of an interesting life=92s skill, = natural fabric=20 making. Students gain an understanding and appreciation of how = Biology and=20 Chemistry play intricate roles in the production of our = clothing. =20 The interdisciplinary topics are; 1) Investigating the = composition=20 and characteristics of natural and synthetic fibers, 2) Examining = the=20 chemistry of dyeing and soaps, 3) Learning the skills of = processing,=20 designing and creation of natural fabrics, and 4) Understanding = the=20 processes of developing, maintaining and marketing a cottage=20 industry. Students interact in laboratory and classroom = activities=20 through workshops, journals, fabric production, learning needle = arts and=20 marketing of product. The paper discusses how =93Science and Art = of Fiber=94,=20 is a non-threatening course for non-majors to fulfill Science = requirements=20 while affording the opportunity to learn important life skills.=20

=93Integrating = Service=20 Learning Into General Biology=94

Lisa Felzien and = Laura Salem,=20 Rockhurst=20 University

Friday 10:30 University=20 Room

Service learning in = biology is=20 designed to enhance the understanding of biology among = undergraduate=20 students. In addition to increases in content knowledge, the = goals=20 for service learning also include improving interpersonal skills = and=20 attitudes about learning. In the general biology course at = Rockhurst=20 University, students engage in creative application of course = material by=20 interacting with local high school students. The three major = components of effective service learning experiences are 1) = developing=20 clear learning objectives, 2) completing a meaningful project in = the=20 community, and 3) reflecting on what was learned from the = project. =20 Students were required to develop learning objectives on a = biological=20 concept of their choice, teach concepts to their high school = audience, and=20 write reflection papers to assess their learning and = development. =20 Student learning was assessed by analyzing performance on exam = questions=20 relating to the service learning project content. = Information from=20 reflection papers and student surveys were used to assess changes = in=20 student attitudes and interpersonal skills.

"What's=20 This History and Culture Stuff Doing in My Microbiology=20 Class?"

Christina=20 Frazier, Southeast Missouri State University

Friday 10:30 Indian=20 Room

= =20 The concepts of disease and epidemiology are excellent ways to = make=20 microbiology more interdisciplinary while at the same time help = put the=20 content of microbiology into meaningful contexts. We=92ll = explore some=20 of the many connections that can be made.

=93Integrating = Teaching,=20 Research and Service at a Local Nature=20 Center=94

Lynn Gillie, = Elmira = College

Saturday = 8:45 = University=20 Room

Our job as faculty = requires=20 work divided among the areas of teaching, research, and = service. A=20 more efficient approach for both faculty and students is to = integrate=20 these areas into one related enterprise. Using the = facilities of a=20 local nature center, undergraduate students can experience the = linkages=20 among their education, a scientific research program and the = broader=20 community. Students benefit from working in a diverse = natural area=20 for class work as well as long-term summer research. The = nature=20 center and community benefit from donation of volunteer time and = special=20 programs from students and faculty. For example, Tanglewood = Nature=20 Center has been instrumental in providing an outdoor classroom and = research site for my students=92 projects. In return, I = participate in=20 the summer camp programs that the Tanglewood staff organizes for = local=20 elementary and middle-school students. The benefits of = interactions=20 among teaching, research and service will be discussed.

"CleveLabs⁼⁹⁹=20 Laboratory Course System "

Maria Grobelny, = Cleveland Medical = Devices,=20 OH

Friday 1:45 University=20 Room

The goal of = CleveLabs is=20 two-fold: to expose students to real, state-of-the-art = medical=20 equipment and actual medical applications, while minimizing the = lab=20 instructor=92s overall cost and preparation time.

CleveLabs was = designed to=20 integrate innovative technology with hands-on learning through = interactive=20 software that educates students on electrophysiology and=20 bioinstrumentation. Over 20 lab sessions are laid out in a = concise,=20 easy-to-follow format. They include background information, = setup=20 movies, and data acquisition and analysis sections. The labs = utilize=20 the BioRadio^=AE 150, a lightweight programmable = wireless=20 monitor, for viewing and recording physiological signals through a = wide=20 array of electrodes and transducers.

Exposing = students to a=20 wide range of physiology applications increases interest and = prepares=20 students to solve real-world problems. Lab sessions include = basic=20 physiology, advanced physiology, and clinical applications.=20 Additionally, custom lab sets can be created. Advanced = laboratories allow students to expand their understanding of a = particular=20 physiological signal. In addition, examples of abnormal = clinical=20 data for several disorders are available.

CleveLabs comes with = pre-written lab procedures, coursework, and questions, reducing = the class=20 prep time for the instructor, yet because the software allows for = the=20 design of custom labs, flexibility for the instructor or for=20 student-designed research is maintained. The easy to use, = all-in-one=20 equipment minimizes the overhead time typically associated with = hardware=20 setup, equipment troubleshooting, and data management, while = maximizing=20 cost savings. Overall, CleveLabs offers a sophisticated = teaching=20 tool while minimizing cost and setup efforts.

=93Six Degrees of = Separation:=20 An Exercise to Improve Student Appreciation of the = Scientific=20 Literature=94

W.W. Hoback = and=20 K.M. Skinner, University of = Nebraska,=20 Kearney

Friday=20 3:30 Indian=20 Room

Science advances = through=20 cumulative additions to scientific knowledge and paradigm shifts = that=20 begin with seminal papers. However, many students perceive = older=20 literature as unimportant and out-dated. To show students = why older=20 papers are relevant, we developed an exercise using the new Google = Scholar=20 search engine ( http://www.scholar.google.com/=20 ). Students chose =93classic=94 ecology articles which were = between 30=20 and 125 years since original publication. Students then = conducted=20 Google Scholar searches for the number of times selected articles = were=20 cited and noted the types of journals in which the article was = cited.=20 Students tabulated their data and composed an essay = reporting their=20 findings and discussing why classic papers are still cited. = From=20 this exercise, students gained an appreciation of what types of = papers=20 become classics and the reasons that they are still cited today. = The=20 exercise also reminded students of the difference between = peer-reviewed=20 publications and secondary literature. Although we used this = exercise in a graduate level ecology class, this exercise should = be widely=20 adaptable to any field of science and even other disciplines that = use=20 scholarly works. This exercise can be extended as a class = project by=20 making a tree connecting modern papers to a classic reference. = This=20 is accomplished by selecting modern papers and searching the = literature=20 cited to track backwards until a targeted classic paper is cited.=20

=93Experiences = with an=20 Interdisciplinary Biology-Mathematics Course - Follow-up=20 Report=94

John Koelzer and = Chad Scholes, = Rockhurst=20 University

Friday 1:45 Riverboat=20 Room

This presentation = will=20 describe the speakers=92 experiences with teaching an = interdisciplinary=20 biology and mathematics course at Rockhurst University. This = course=20 presented the students with a broad range of mathematical biology = models=20 and applications of these models to real world problems. The = course,=20 entitled Mathematical Modeling in Biology, was described in = a=20 presentation given at the 2004 ACUBE Conference before it was = initially=20 taught in the spring semester of 2005. The speakers, one a = biology=20 teacher and the other a mathematics teacher, will present an = overview of=20 the course and will highlight the successes and problems = encountered in=20 teaching the course for the first time. Because Calculus I = was the=20 only mathematics prerequisite for the course there was a heavy = reliance on=20 technology to solve differential equations and to develop = mathematical=20 models. Students used Mathematica and a simulation = package=20 called Populus as vehicles for exploring mathematical = concepts in=20 biology as well as tools for developing biological models. = The=20 presenters will describe several of the topics covered in the = course and=20 will demonstrate how, using Mathematica and Populus, = computer technology was used to develop the underlying concepts.=20

=93Exploring=20 Scientific Knowledge, Opinions, and Methods Through a Community = Survey=94

Kirt Moody, Columbia = College

Friday 1:45 Missouriana=20 Room

Biological science = intersects=20 deeply with the human condition through practices such as = medicine,=20 agriculture, and natural resource management. As a result, = many=20 scientific concepts addressed in biology curricula are = inextricably=20 connected to social and cultural phenomena (politics, economics,=20 legislation, tradition, etc.), and therefore, to public = opinion. =20 This project required first-year Biology majors to plan, design, = deliver=20 and interpret a survey of community understanding. The topic = chosen=20 was "Biodiversity" and the target audience was the campus=20 population. In addition to engaging in active learning about = an=20 important biological concept, students discussed and explored the=20 following interdisciplinary issues:

=20 Impacts of emergent sociopolitical meaning on scientific=20 research

=20 Sampling constraints (size, replication, randomization) in = scientific=20 methodology

=20 Experimental design, statistical analysis, and strong = inference

=20 Geographic scaling (local, regional, national, global)

=20 Environmental prioritization and decision-making

This interactive = presentation=20 will explore the process and outcomes of this project, and examine = possible applications across other topics and contexts.

=93Learning how = to learn: A=20 study skills tutorial for the sciences=94

Shawn E. = Nordell,=20 St.=20 Louis=20 University

Saturday 8:45, = Indian=20 Room

Many college = freshman find=20 that the study skills that were sufficient for their high school = studies=20 are not adequate for college level courses. This is = particularly=20 often observed in the sciences where the amount and depth of = material=20 covered is often much greater than what students previously = covered in=20 their high school science courses. Many college students = will ask=20 their instructors how best to study for their exams. And = many=20 college instructors are at a loss to explain how to best = =91learn=92 the=20 material. Using examples from disciplines such as = biology, art=20 and literature, I will present a multidisciplinary, interactive = approach=20 to assisting students with a variety of learning styles to develop = adequate study skills for the sciences. These study skills = allow=20 students to gauge their level of understanding, and to further = develop=20 critical thinking skills working independently or in groups. =

"ACUBE at its=20 50th"

Ethel Stanley,=20 President-Elect, Beloit = College

Friday 5 = Indian=20 Room

=93Cross-disciplinary=20 projects between biology and psychology courses=94

Glena G. Temple, = Viterbo University

Friday 3:30 = University=20 Room

In=20 a variety of classes over the last two years, Glena Temple = (Biology=20 Department) and Debra Murray (Psychology Department) have = completed joint=20 class projects between two courses from both disciplines. = Groups are=20 assigned in these courses so that each group has students from = both=20 disciplines. These groups must complete a multi-week = activity=20 investigating an issue at the interface of biology and psychology. = At the=20 end of the activity, the group must present their results to both = classes=20 (either in person, or through a joint class webpage). = Examples=20 of these student projects include genetic basis of behavior = disorders and=20 cellular and molecular basis of drug addiction. Long-term = goals of=20 this project include: 1) Strengthening students = understanding=20 of the connections between the two disciplines, 2) Increasing the=20 presentation and communication skills of both groups of students, = 3)=20 Strengthening ties between the two departments, 4) Increasing the = number=20 of minors in both disciplines. Specific details of these = projects,=20 examples of student projects and data on student perceptions of = the=20 activity will be presented.

=93Ecology = of=20 Infectious Disease: A New Piece of the Ecosystem=20 Puzzle=94

Margaret Waterman = and Ethel=20 Stanley, Southeast Missouri = State=20 University and Beloit College

Saturday = 8:45 Riverboat=20 Room

Join us for a = discussion of=20 Ecology of Infectious Disease in biology curricula, as well as of=20 teaching resources for this interdisciplinary topic. = Our=20 health and the health of all organisms is inextricably linked to = the=20 changing social and ecological systems on Earth. There is = perhaps no=20 more important interdisciplinary topic for biologists to = teach. =20 Ecology of Infectious Disease (EID) is an important area for=20 decision-making by citizens and is likely to be of great interest = to=20 students of all ages.

Ecology of = Infectious Disease=20 is an emerging body of knowledge. EID is transdisciplinary, = meaning=20 that it is a synthesis of theory and methods from multiple fields = relevant=20 to EID. Researchers studying disease work with = scientists=20 studying the evolution of disease as well as the ecology of = pathogens and=20 disease in normal ecosystems. Methods of examining the = impacts on=20 humans are provided by historians, sociologists, economists and=20 demographers.

While few curricular = materials=20 currently support the teaching of Ecology of Infectious Disease, = some=20 texts include disease examples in the ecology chapters. = Usually=20 these are limited to human impact on ecosystems or on emerging=20 diseases. We will present some examples of the ecology of = infectious=20 disease, e.g., the impacts of toxoplasmosis on California sea otters and the = subsequent=20 ecological impacts on kelp forests. See also our poster on = Investigative=20 Case Based Problem Spaces for Teaching Ecology of Infectious=20 Disease.

=93The = customer is=20 always right=85.right?: Adoption of a new liberal education model = and its=20 impact on biology instruction at a small, liberal arts=20 college.=94

Peter White, = Colby-Sawyer=20 College

Friday 10:30 Riverboat=20 Room

Colby-Sawyer College = is a=20 four-year, coeducational institution with a commitment to liberal=20 education as the basis for lifelong learning. Recent = curricular=20 changes at CSC reflect the interdisciplinary approach to college = teaching=20 and learning, as traditional core requirements have been replaced = by a=20 more flexible Pathway Program. Influenced by Freshman = Interest=20 Groups (FIGs) and similar developments, the Pathway Program = utilizes a=20 central theme through which to view a number of pre-selected = courses,=20 known as Stepping Stones, from a range of disciplines. = Pathway=20 themes taught by biology faculty have included such courses as = =93Light=94,=20 =93Science, Technology and Culture=94, =93Science and Religion=94, = and =93The Mind=20 and the Brain=94. This paper session first summarizes the = recent=20 history in the development of such interdisciplinary models of = education=20 and examines the =91freedom vs. force=92 concept of course = selection in a=20 liberal education model. More specifically, however, the = session=20 explores the changes in pedagogy and resources in the natural = sciences=20 department in response to the new liberal educational model. = Lower=20 level (100) biology courses, such as Introduction to Cell = Biology=20 and Interactions in Biology, often serve as Stepping Stones = for=20 non-science based pathways. The impact this has had on their = instruction will be discussed. Initial student feedback on = the=20 Pathway model has been quite positive. Faculty feedback from = the=20 natural sciences department will be presented, although = participants in=20 this session are encouraged to share their own similar = experiences. =20

Posters =96=20 Friday 10 and 2:45, Party Room

=93An=20 interdisciplinary exploration of global climate = change=94

Kerry M.=20 Skinner, University of Nebraska at Kearney

Faculty=20 from four departments in the College of Natural and Social = Sciences=20 at the University of Nebraska at Kearney developed an = interdisciplinary=20 course on the topic of global climate change. The course was = designed as a pilot effort to address the ideals of Science = Education for=20 New Civic Engagement and Responsibility (SENCER). The goals = of this=20 one-credit course were for students to learn to (1) gather and use = information and arguments from both the natural and social = sciences, (2)=20 better evaluate arguments and policies based on scientific and = political=20 ideas, (3) understand the capabilities and limitations of = individual=20 disciplines in resolving complex public issues, (4) foster = effective=20 communication across disciplinary lines, and (5) encourage = participation=20 in both public and personal decision-making regarding this = problem. =20 The issues surrounding the topic of global warming were examined = through=20 the perspectives of the disciplines of Biology, Chemistry, = Geography, and=20 Political Science. Major topics covered included the = chemistry=20 of greenhouse gases, the methods for investigating historical = variation in=20 global temperatures, the impacts of global climate change on = ecosystems,=20 how political policy comes about, the economic concerns of various = nations, and the obstacles to ratifying the Kyoto = Protocol. =20 Using this information to support their arguments, students worked = in=20 teams to develop a policy recommendation for the United States = regarding=20 the actions needed to address global climate change.

=93Web=20 Page Construction as an Alternative Form of Testing in Plant=20 Biology=94

Lucinda Swatzell, = Southeast Missouri State=20 University

Students=20 who take lower level (100-200) biology courses often do so to = satisfy=20 requirements for a minor or for an interdisciplinary degree. = A=20 variety of students in a course is an asset to an interactive = learning=20 environment, but true assessment can be difficult. The best = way to=20 assess learning in one discipline may not apply or truly test = learning in=20 another. For example, the art student with a botany minor is = better=20 prepared to express learned material visually, but the standard = practice=20 for testing in the sciences is through detailed factual recall and = information integration toward application, such as = problem-solving. =20 One challenge in teaching and assessing interdisciplinary students = is fair=20 and applicable assessment, which requires options for student = expression=20 of the same material, but in a variety of formats. One additional = format=20 is web page construction. Because web pages, by nature, are=20 informative and concise, web page construction requires a grasp of = knowledge and concepts, and the ability to relate information=20 meaningfully. The method allows the student some freedom as = to how=20 information is presented, but the output can be readily assessed = just as=20 easily as an essay or short answer. To demonstrate this, we = present=20 several types of web pages, constructed by students who were = struggling to=20 express their learned information in a standard format, but were = able to=20 do so much more readily in this formation. A checkpoint for=20 assessment is presented for comparison to a standard essay = format.=20

=93Are=20 group quizzes useful in enhancing student learning?

Glena=20 G. Temple and Jennifer A. Sadowski, Viterbo University, = WI

In this poster, we = will=20 present data on the use of group quizzes in biology courses at=20 Viterbo University. As a = means of=20 creating a cooperative learning environment and enhancing small = group=20 discussions, students work together in teams to answer questions = on=20 frequent quizzes throughout the semester. Over the last = year, data=20 was collected on the use of group quizzes in a variety of courses=20 including majors, non-majors, upper level and introductory biology = courses. At the end of each semester, the students were = surveyed on=20 their perceptions of group quizzes in the course. The = majority of=20 students in the courses surveyed agreed that they prefer group = quizzes=20 over individual quizzes. In addition, the majority of = students agree=20 that they learned from their group members when discussing group = quiz=20 questions. Students in upper-level courses for biology = majors=20 generally had a more positive experience with group quizzes than = students=20 in non-majors introductory courses. A detailed analysis of = these=20 results will be presented.

=93Planting the = seed: =20 Traveling with students in the Caribbean=94

Conrad Toepfer, = Brescia University,=20 KY

Students at many = small,=20 liberal arts colleges in the Midwest come from areas = relatively=20 near campus and often have not traveled outside of their immediate = region. Courses with extensive travel may be the best way to = open=20 their eyes to the rest of the world. While one trip is not = likely to=20 completely change their worldview, it can start the process. = The=20 U.S. Virgin Islands offer an opportunity to expose students to a = wide=20 variety of historical, cultural, and scientific topics. = While USVI=20 is a territory of the United States, it = has had a=20 rich history of pre-Columbian people and seven different owners in = more=20 modern times. A week-long =93immersion=94 course = was=20 developed in 1999 to demonstrate the link between biology and = literature=20 in an island environment. Over three separate offerings, the = course=20 has evolved into an interdisciplinary course, Caribbean Culture, = with=20 additional coverage of historical and cultural topics. = This=20 presentation will summarize topics presented in the course, point = out some=20 of the most interesting interdisciplinary moments, and share some = stories=20 of students in their first major travel experience.

=93Interdisciplinary teaching=20 approaches in Invertebrate Zoology. Stress analysis of dried sea = urchin=20 tests: a Geodesic Dome.=94

Robert L. Wallace,=20 Ripon = College,=20 WI

A central theme in = biology is=20 the analysis of form (structure) and function. While I focus on = this=20 concept throughout my Invertebrate Zoology course, I also promote = studies=20 that make the class a model for the liberal arts and sciences. To=20 accomplish this I periodically assign brief (ca. 0.5=961.5 hr.) = studies of=20 selected problems that the class works on as a whole or in small = groups.=20 Each of these exercises is designed to promote both = interdisciplinary=20 studies and the development of the student=92s analytical skills. = In=20 formulating these activities I also privilege exercises that lead = to the=20 consideration of other disciplines in the liberal arts. Here I = present a=20 simple laboratory problem that invites students to explore the=20 architectural attributes of the dried sea urchin test=97a natural = form of R.=20 Buckminster Fuller=92s Geodesic Dome. This assignment requires = that students=20 use the 3P=92s as outlined by BioQUEST^=AE = (Problem-posing,=20 Problem-solving, and Peer Persuasion). However, in a general = discussion it=20 also allows for an exploration of the Dome as an element in Art, = Culture,=20 and History.

=93Ecology of = Infectious=20 Disease: A New Piece of the Ecosystem = Puzzle=94

Margaret Waterman = and Ethel=20 Stanley, Southeast Missouri = State=20 University and Beloit College

This poster presents = Investigative Case Based Learning (ICBL) methods, problem spaces = and=20 resources for Ecology of Infectious Diseases (EID) teaching. = Because=20 the ecology of infectious disease is interdisciplinary, ICBL = promises to=20 be a valuable teaching strategy.

Our health and the = health of=20 all organisms is inextricably linked to the changing social and = ecological=20 systems on Earth. There is perhaps no more important=20 interdisciplinary topic for biologists to teach. Ecology of=20 Infectious Disease is an emerging body of knowledge, with earliest = papers=20 approximately 20 years old. Few curricular materials = currently exist=20 to support the teaching of Ecology of Infectious Disease. = While some=20 texts include some disease examples in the ecology chapters, they = are=20 often examples of human impacts on ecosystems. EID is also = sometimes=20 treated as emerging diseases in the virology chapters.

ICBL is a = variant of the=20 Problem Based Learning (PBL) methods used in medical schools which = use=20 brief cases to initiate collaborative learning. Unlike PBL, = ICBL=20 provides a problem space with resources for research-like = experiences, and=20 the ICBL approach engages students in scientific investigations in = the=20 field, in labs, and on computers. ICBL is student centered. = As=20 students analyze the case they generate their own questions for = further=20 learning. They may then design their own investigations or = carry out=20 instructor-designed investigations.

The ICBL cases are = usually=20 designed or selected by the instructor and are realistically = complex and=20 multidisciplinary. The recent loss of oak forests and the = subsequent=20 effects on ecosystems in California, for example, might = be the=20 subject of a case for EID. The situation might be told from = a lumber=20 company=92s point of view, from that of visitors to a park, from a = plant=20 pathologist=92s perspective. Whoever tells the story needs = to know=20 some ecology. Cases about EID can be written from different=20 perspectives: the people affected, those seeking to control = the=20 disease, land use planners, developers, growers using techniques = that=20 affect biodiversity, etc.

The ICBL problem = spaces=20 provide contexts for introducing methodologies relevant to EID, = such as=20 modeling, statistics, or GIS. For example, a satellite image = dataset=20 on photosynthesis in the Chesapeake = Bay might be used to = investigate=20 human health impacts of an algal bloom. Modeling the life cycle of = Pfiesteria might follow. Bioinformatics tools can be used to = investigate Pfiesteria spread and evolution.

=93Teaching=20 microarrays, A case involving pathogenic Pasteurella=20 multocida=94

Mark=20 Wissel and Marcia Cordts, Univ. of Kansas Medical Center = and Univ.=20 of Iowa

Microarray=20 technology integrates computer science, statistics and engineering = with=20 studies of diverse biological systems. With the increasing use of = whole=20 genome microarray technology to address key questions in = biology, it=20 is imperative for undergraduates to understand this = technology. Yet,=20 arguably, the development of available teaching materials to teach = about=20 microarrays in an engaging manner has not kept pace. This = poster=20 provides a 2-day example lesson on a study involving microarray = technology=20 suitable for an undergraduate general microbiology or introductory = biology=20 course. The teaching activity described in this poster = will=20 help students to understand, in general terms, what a whole genome = microarrray is and how microarrays can be produced. = Using this=20 introduction to microarrays, students then are challenged to = work=20 through a specific experimental question that could not previously = be=20 addressed using pre-array approaches. Day 1 is an = introduction to=20 the study (Pasteurella multocida is harvested from lab = media or=20 infected chickens)¹ and Day 2 gives a manageable = amount of=20 example microarray data from the study and asks the student to use = the=20 data to make conclusions about how Pasteurella multocida=20 establishes infection.

In=20 addition to teaching about this powerful new technology, this = teaching=20 activity allows students to practice application of concepts such = as gene=20 regulation, microbial growth, and pathogen virulence that are=20 traditionally introduced in the undergraduate microbiology=20 syllabus.¹ Infect=20 Immun. 2002 Dec;70(12):6871-9

Workshops

=93Implementing = Independent=20 Research Projects for Undergraduates Using Adult and = Embryonic=20 Zebrafish=94

Melissa Daggett, Missouri Western State = University

Zebrafish have become an accepted model = organism for=20 testing pharmaceuticals and potential environmental toxins. The = advantages=20 of using zebrafish include ease of culturing and maintenance, as = well as=20 the availability of protocols on the Internet for performing = various=20 scientific investigations. The zebrafish system also offers an = opportunity=20 to engage undergraduate students in the process of scientific = inquiry. The=20 goal of this workshop will be to highlight the basic materials and = skills=20 needed to guide students through a semester long research project = in which=20 students work independently to write a research proposal, design = an=20 experiment, collect and analyze data, and finally generate a = poster that=20 they can use to present their research. Participants in this = workshop will=20 have the opportunity to observe and collect data from living = zebrafish=20 ranging from approximately 48 hours to 1 week of age.

=93Biological ESTEEM: = Excel=20 Simulations and Tools for Exploratory, Experiential Mathematical=20 Biology: Implementing = NRC Bio=20 2010=92s Recommendations for More Mathematics in Undergraduate = Biology=20 Education"=20

John = Jungck and Anton=20 Weisstein, Beloit College

In = 2003=20 NRC made = eight major=20 recommendations for the improvement of=20 undergraduate biology education in its publication: = BIO2010: Transforming Undergraduate = Education for=20 Future Research Biologists <=20 http://www.nap.edu/books/0309085357/html/> . The = first two of these=20 recommendations both emphasized the need for more attention to the = inclusion of more mathematics:

=93it is important that all = students=20 understand the growing relevance of quantitative science in = addressing=20 life-science questions. Thus, a better integration of quantitative = applications in biology would not only enhance life science = education for=20 all students, but also decrease the chances that mathematically = talented=20 students would reject life sciences as too soft.=94 =85 =93Most = biology majors=20 take no more than one year of calculus, although some also take an = additional semester of statistics. Very few are exposed to = discrete=20 mathematics, linear algebra, probability, and modeling topics, = which could=20 greatly enhance their future research careers. These are often = considered=20 advanced courses; however, many aspects of discrete math or linear = algebra=20 that would be relevant to biology students do not require calculus = as a=20 prerequisite. While calculus remains an important topic for future = biologists, the committee does not believe biology students should = study=20 calculus to the exclusion of other types of mathematics.=94=20

Explicit strategies for implementing these = recommendations were the=20 subject of a follow-up conference entitled =93Meeting the=20 Challenges: Education Across the Biological, Mathematical and = Computer=20 Sciences=94 < http://www.maa.org/mtc/ > = and a book=20 published by the Mathematics Association of America entitled: = Math=20 & Bio: Linking Undergraduate Disciplines (ISBN = 0-88385-818-5).=20

We, members of the = BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium, were funded to develop = modules to=20 address these challenges through a new initiative: Biological ESTEEM (Excel Simulations and = Tools for=20 Exploratory, Experiential Mathematics). The recommended areas: = =93discrete mathematics, linear algebra, = probability,=20 and modeling topics=94 will be illustrated through materials that = we have=20 developed in biochemistry, bioinformatics, biometrics, = developmental=20 biology, ecology, evolution, genetics, microbiology, and = physiology. All=20 materials are easily run on economical microcomputers (PCs and = Macs)=20 equipped with Microsoft Excel and a web browser. Biological = ESTEEM=20 modules will be freely downloadable from the =93Digital Classroom = Resources=94=20 site in the Mathematics NSDL (National Science Digital Library).=20 Participants will have the opportunity to try several modules and = will=20 receive a CD copy of over twenty modules available for classroom = and=20 laboratory review. Discussion of strategies for the adoption, = adaptation,=20 and implementation of these curricular materials in general = biology=20 classes as well as in upper level undergraduate biology courses = will be=20 emphasized.

Support for this project was provided by three NSF = grants:=20 DUE-0232823 (National Dissemination BEDROCK), CFDA No. 47.076 (MAA = NSDL),=20 and EPIC (Engaging People in Cyberinfrastructure), the HHMI = Digital=20 Scholars program, matching funds from Beloit College, and generous = contributions from members of the=20 BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium.

&nbs= p;=20

"An Interdisciplinary Biology Course that Uses Tablet = PC's in a=20 New High Tech Classroom"

Dave Starrett, Southeast Missouri State = University

Tour the new high tech classroom at Kent Library (adjacent = to the=20 University Center) and see how tablet PC technology is being used = to teach=20 a University Studies (general education) biology course for majors = and=20 non-majors. Each participant will work with a tablet PC and use = several=20 interactive programs. DyKnow software integrates all = the=20 tablets so students and teachers can share information, see = screens, and=20 keep a notebook. The concepts we'll be looking at are = related=20 to testing theories of evolution and include a game about natural=20 selection, a phylogenetic tree drawing program, and others.=20

Teaching Biology With NASA: A Trip Through a = Cell and=20 "Biology Will Grow on You! Let the NASA ERC Show You = How"

Jackie Wortmann, NASA Educator Resource Center, Southeast = Missouri=20 State University

This is a two part workshop.
Using a unique indoor planetarium, the = StarLab, the NASA=20 Educator Resource Center will demonstrate a biological cell that = will fill=20 a room. This cell
can be used as a teaching device, an = enhancement to=20 your teaching, and as a testing feature. Included will be a quick = trip=20 through the stars observing
constellations based on Native = American=20 mythology. Can you find the home fire? Note: the portion of = the=20 workshop that takes place inside the StarLab requires crawling = through a=20 short tunnel and sitting on the floor for 20 minutes.

In=20 the second half of this workshop, we'll explore NASA's = special=20 interest in biology. You can't send people to space without = considering=20 their health and what they eat. This session features what the = NASA ERC=20 has to offer biology educators including pre-service educators. = Biology=20 with a twist!

=93iWORX = for Physiology=20 Laboratory Teaching=94

Ed Sachs, = iWORX

Exhibitor Workshop demonstrating software for teaching=20 physiology.

Papers (in = alphabetical order=20 by first author)

=93Weaving Science into our Lives=94

Christine Bezotte, Elmira College

Non-science majors often avoid science = requirements=20 until the =93last -minute=94 before graduation=85fear of = information and dislike=20 of the subject is often their reasons. To overcome these = common=20 obstacles we developed a course that integrates the sciences with = business=20 and arts. The Science and Art of Fiber. This course is = unique in its=20 survey of plant and animal fiber composition, production and = management.=20 The course is a merging of the fiber sciences [biology and = chemistry] with=20 artistic expression [processing, pattern design and = implementation],=20 integrated with small business practices [management and = marketing] to=20 create and market original pieces of fabric. Students also learn = life=20 skills [fiber processing, spinning, dyeing, and needle arts] not = often=20 taught in our modern world. This course involves extensive = hands-on=20 learning of an interesting life=92s skill, natural fabric making. = Students=20 gain an understanding and appreciation of how Biology and = Chemistry play=20 intricate roles in the production of our clothing. The=20 interdisciplinary topics are; 1) Investigating the = composition and=20 characteristics of natural and synthetic fibers, 2) Examining the=20 chemistry of dyeing and soaps, 3) Learning the skills of = processing,=20 designing and creation of natural fabrics, and 4) Understanding = the=20 processes of developing, maintaining and marketing a cottage=20 industry. Students interact in laboratory and classroom = activities=20 through workshops, journals, fabric production, learning needle = arts and=20 marketing of product. The paper discusses how =93Science and Art = of Fiber=94,=20 is a non-threatening course for non-majors to fulfill Science = requirements=20 while affording the opportunity to learn important life skills.=20

=93Integrating Service Learning Into General=20 Biology=94

Lisa Felzien and Laura Salem, Rockhurst = University

Service learning in biology is designed to = enhance the=20 understanding of biology among undergraduate students. In = addition=20 to increases in content knowledge, the goals for service learning = also=20 include improving interpersonal skills and attitudes about = learning. =20 In the general biology course at Rockhurst University, students = engage in=20 creative application of course material by interacting with local = high=20 school students. The three major components of effective = service=20 learning experiences are 1) developing clear learning objectives, = 2)=20 completing a meaningful project in the community, and 3) = reflecting on=20 what was learned from the project. Students were required to = develop=20 learning objectives on a biological concept of their choice, teach = concepts to their high school audience, and write reflection = papers to=20 assess their learning and development. Student learning was = assessed=20 by analyzing performance on exam questions relating to the service = learning project content. Information from reflection papers = and=20 student surveys were used to assess changes in student attitudes = and=20 interpersonal skills.

"What's This = History and=20 Culture Stuff Doing in My Microbiology = Class?"

Christina Frazier, Southeast Missouri State=20 University

=93Integrating Teaching, = Research and Service=20 at a Local Nature Center=94

Lynn Gillie, Elmira College

Our job as faculty requires work divided = among the areas=20 of teaching, research, and service. A more efficient = approach for=20 both faculty and students is to integrate these areas into one = related=20 enterprise. Using the facilities of a local nature center,=20 undergraduate students can experience the linkages among their = education,=20 a scientific research program and the broader community. = Students=20 benefit from working in a diverse natural area for class work as = well as=20 long-term summer research. The nature center and community = benefit=20 from donation of volunteer time and special programs from students = and=20 faculty. For example, Tanglewood Nature Center has been = instrumental=20 in providing an outdoor classroom and research site for my = students=92=20 projects. In return, I participate in the summer camp = programs that=20 the Tanglewood staff organizes for local elementary and = middle-school=20 students. The benefits of interactions among teaching, = research and=20 service will be discussed.

"CleveLabs⁼⁹⁹=20 Laboratory Course System = "

Maria Grobelny, Cleveland Medical Devices, OH

The goal of CleveLabs = is=20 two-fold: to expose students to real, state-of-the-art = medical=20 equipment and actual medical applications, while minimizing the = lab=20 instructor=92s overall cost and preparation = time.

CleveLabs was designed = to=20 integrate innovative technology with hands-on learning through = interactive=20 software that educates students on electrophysiology and=20 bioinstrumentation. Over 20 lab sessions are laid out in a = concise,=20 easy-to-follow format. They include background information, = setup=20 movies, and data acquisition and analysis sections. The labs = utilize=20 the BioRadio^=AE 150, a lightweight programmable = wireless=20 monitor, for viewing and recording physiological signals through a = wide=20 array of electrodes and transducers.

Exposing = students to a wide=20 range of physiology applications increases interest and prepares = students=20 to solve real-world problems. Lab sessions include basic = physiology,=20 advanced physiology, and clinical applications. = Additionally, custom=20 lab sets can be created. Advanced laboratories allow = students to=20 expand their understanding of a particular physiological signal. = In=20 addition, examples of abnormal clinical data for several disorders = are=20 available.

CleveLabs comes with = pre-written=20 lab procedures, coursework, and questions, reducing the class prep = time=20 for the instructor, yet because the software allows for the design = of=20 custom labs, flexibility for the instructor or for = student-designed=20 research is maintained. The easy to use, all-in-one = equipment=20 minimizes the overhead time typically associated with hardware = setup,=20 equipment troubleshooting, and data management, while maximizing = cost=20 savings. Overall, CleveLabs offers a sophisticated teaching = tool=20 while minimizing cost and setup efforts.

=93Six Degrees of Separation: An Exercise to = Improve Student=20 Appreciation of the Scientific Literature=94

W.W. Hoback and K.M. Skinner, University of = Nebraska,=20 Kearney

Science advances through cumulative = additions to=20 scientific knowledge and paradigm shifts that begin with seminal = papers.=20 However, many students perceive older literature as = unimportant and=20 out-dated. To show students why older papers are relevant, = we=20 developed an exercise using the new Google Scholar search engine ( = http://www.scholar.google.com/=20 ). Students chose =93classic=94 ecology articles which were = between 30=20 and 125 years since original publication. Students then = conducted=20 Google Scholar searches for the number of times selected articles = were=20 cited and noted the types of journals in which the article was = cited.=20 Students tabulated their data and composed an essay = reporting their=20 findings and discussing why classic papers are still cited. = From=20 this exercise, students gained an appreciation of what types of = papers=20 become classics and the reasons that they are still cited today. = The=20 exercise also reminded students of the difference between = peer-reviewed=20 publications and secondary literature. Although we used this = exercise in a graduate level ecology class, this exercise should = be widely=20 adaptable to any field of science and even other disciplines that = use=20 scholarly works. This exercise can be extended as a class = project by=20 making a tree connecting modern papers to a classic reference. = This=20 is accomplished by selecting modern papers and searching the = literature=20 cited to track backwards until a targeted classic paper is cited.=20

=93Experiences with an Interdisciplinary = Biology-Mathematics=20 Course - Follow-up Report=94

John Koelzer and Chad Scholes, Rockhurst = University

This presentation will describe the = speakers=92=20 experiences with teaching an interdisciplinary biology and = mathematics=20 course at Rockhurst University. This course presented the = students=20 with a broad range of mathematical biology models and applications = of=20 these models to real world problems. The course, entitled=20 Mathematical Modeling in Biology, was described in a = presentation=20 given at the 2004 ACUBE Conference before it was initially taught = in the=20 spring semester of 2005. The speakers, one a biology teacher = and the=20 other a mathematics teacher, will present an overview of the = course and=20 will highlight the successes and problems encountered in teaching = the=20 course for the first time. Because Calculus I was the only=20 mathematics prerequisite for the course there was a heavy reliance = on=20 technology to solve differential equations and to develop = mathematical=20 models. Students used Mathematica and a simulation = package=20 called Populus as vehicles for exploring mathematical = concepts in=20 biology as well as tools for developing biological models. = The=20 presenters will describe several of the topics covered in the = course and=20 will demonstrate how, using Mathematica and Populus, = computer technology was used to develop the underlying concepts.=20

=93AIDS Education in the Biology = Classroom=94

Kathleen Rath Marr, Lakeland College

Awareness and understanding of AIDS is still = at issue in=20 the college classroom. Students of this generation are not = as aware=20 of the nature and impact of AIDS on human society as we as = instructors=20 would like to think they are. As part of a special topics = course on=20 Hematology, the HIV virus, its diagnosis, treatment and the impact = of AIDS=20 were explored. Students were required to research various = aspects of=20 the AIDS epidemic by utilizing campus surveys, internet and = library=20 resources to gain a better understanding of AIDS from a local to = global=20 perspective. As a student as practitioner approach, students = developed=20 education programs to facilitate AIDS awareness on the college=20 campus.

=93Exploring Scientific Knowledge, = Opinions, and=20 Methods Through a Community Survey=94

Kirt Moody, Columbia College

Biological science intersects deeply with = the human=20 condition through practices such as medicine, agriculture, and = natural=20 resource management. As a result, many scientific concepts = addressed=20 in biology curricula are inextricably connected to social and = cultural=20 phenomena (politics, economics, legislation, tradition, etc.), and = therefore, to public opinion. This project required = first-year=20 Biology majors to plan, design, deliver and interpret a survey of=20 community understanding. The topic chosen was "Biodiversity" = and the=20 target audience was the campus population. In addition to = engaging=20 in active learning about an important biological concept, students = discussed and explored the following interdisciplinary = issues:

Impacts of emergent = sociopolitical meaning=20 on scientific research

Sampling constraints (size, = replication,=20 randomization) in scientific methodology

Experimental design, statistical = analysis,=20 and strong inference

Geographic scaling (local, = regional,=20 national, global)

Environmental prioritization and = decision-making

This interactive presentation will explore the process = and outcomes=20 of this project, and examine possible applications across other = topics and=20 contexts.

=93Learning how to learn: A study skills = tutorial for=20 the sciences=94

Shawn E. Nordell, St. Louis = University

Many college freshman find that the study = skills that=20 were sufficient for their high school studies are not adequate for = college=20 level courses. This is particularly often observed in the = sciences=20 where the amount and depth of material covered is often much = greater than=20 what students previously covered in their high school science=20 courses. Many college students will ask their instructors = how best=20 to study for their exams. And many college instructors are = at a loss=20 to explain how to best =91learn=92 the material. Using = examples=20 from disciplines such as biology, art and literature, I will = present a=20 multidisciplinary, interactive approach to assisting students with = a=20 variety of learning styles to develop adequate study skills for = the=20 sciences. These study skills allow students to gauge their = level of=20 understanding, and to further develop critical thinking skills = working=20 independently or in groups.

"ACUBE at its 50th"

Ethel Stanley, President-Elect, Beloit College

=93Cross-disciplinary projects between = biology and=20 psychology courses=94

Glena G. Temple, Viterbo = University

In a variety of classes over the last two = years, Glena=20 Temple (Biology Department) and Debra Murray (Psychology = Department) have=20 completed joint class projects between two courses from both=20 disciplines. Groups are assigned in these courses so that = each group=20 has students from both disciplines. These groups must = complete a=20 multi-week activity investigating an issue at the interface of = biology and=20 psychology. At the end of the activity, the group must present = their=20 results to both classes (either in person, or through a joint = class=20 webpage). Examples of these student projects include = genetic=20 basis of behavior disorders and cellular and molecular basis of = drug=20 addiction. Long-term goals of this project include: = 1) =20 Strengthening students understanding of the connections between = the two=20 disciplines, 2) Increasing the presentation and communication = skills of=20 both groups of students, 3) Strengthening ties between the two=20 departments, 4) Increasing the number of minors in both = disciplines. =20 Specific details of these projects, examples of student projects = and data=20 on student perceptions of the activity will be presented. =20

=93Ecology of Infectious Disease: A New = Piece of the=20 Ecosystem Puzzle=94

Margaret Waterman and = Ethel Stanley,=20 Southeast Missouri State University and Beloit = College

Join us for a discussion of Ecology of = Infectious=20 Disease in biology curricula, as well as of teaching = resources for=20 this interdisciplinary topic. Our health and the health of = all=20 organisms is inextricably linked to the changing social and = ecological=20 systems on Earth. There is perhaps no more important=20 interdisciplinary topic for biologists to teach. Ecology of=20 Infectious Disease (EID) is an important area for decision-making = by=20 citizens and is likely to be of great interest to students of all = ages.=20

Ecology of Infectious Disease is an emerging = body of=20 knowledge. EID is transdisciplinary, meaning that it is a = synthesis=20 of theory and methods from multiple fields relevant to = EID. =20 Researchers studying disease work with scientists studying the = evolution=20 of disease as well as the ecology of pathogens and disease in = normal=20 ecosystems. Methods of examining the impacts on humans are = provided=20 by historians, sociologists, economists and demographers. =20

While few curricular materials currently = support the=20 teaching of Ecology of Infectious Disease, some texts include = disease=20 examples in the ecology chapters. Usually these are limited = to human=20 impact on ecosystems or on emerging diseases. We will = present some=20 examples of the ecology of infectious disease, e.g., the impacts = of=20 toxoplasmosis on California sea otters and the subsequent = ecological=20 impacts on kelp forests. See also our poster on Investigative Case = Based=20 Problem Spaces for Teaching Ecology of Infectious = Disease.

=93The customer is always right=85.right?: = Adoption of a new=20 liberal education model and its impact on biology instruction at a = small,=20 liberal arts college.=94

Peter White, Colby-Sawyer College

Colby-Sawyer College is a four-year, = coeducational=20 institution with a commitment to liberal education as the basis = for=20 lifelong learning. Recent curricular changes at CSC reflect = the=20 interdisciplinary approach to college teaching and learning, as=20 traditional core requirements have been replaced by a more = flexible=20 Pathway Program. Influenced by Freshman Interest Groups = (FIGs) and=20 similar developments, the Pathway Program utilizes a central theme = through=20 which to view a number of pre-selected courses, known as Stepping = Stones,=20 from a range of disciplines. Pathway themes taught by = biology=20 faculty have included such courses as =93Light=94, =93Science, = Technology and=20 Culture=94, =93Science and Religion=94, and =93The Mind and the = Brain=94. This=20 paper session first summarizes the recent history in the = development of=20 such interdisciplinary models of education and examines the = =91freedom vs.=20 force=92 concept of course selection in a liberal education = model. =20 More specifically, however, the session explores the changes in = pedagogy=20 and resources in the natural sciences department in response to = the new=20 liberal educational model. Lower level (100) biology = courses, such=20 as Introduction to Cell Biology and Interactions in = Biology,=20 often serve as Stepping Stones for non-science based = pathways. The=20 impact this has had on their instruction will be discussed. = Initial=20 student feedback on the Pathway model has been quite = positive. =20 Faculty feedback from the natural sciences department will be = presented,=20 although participants in this session are encouraged to share = their own=20 similar experiences.

Posters

=93An=20 interdisciplinary exploration of global climate=20 change=94

Kerry=20 M. Skinner, University of Nebraska at Kearney

Faculty=20 from four departments in the College of Natural and Social = Sciences at the=20 University of Nebraska at Kearney developed an interdisciplinary = course on=20 the topic of global climate change. The course was designed = as a=20 pilot effort to address the ideals of Science Education for New = Civic=20 Engagement and Responsibility (SENCER). The goals of this = one-credit=20 course were for students to learn to (1) gather and use = information and=20 arguments from both the natural and social sciences, (2) better = evaluate=20 arguments and policies based on scientific and political ideas, = (3)=20 understand the capabilities and limitations of individual = disciplines in=20 resolving complex public issues, (4) foster effective = communication across=20 disciplinary lines, and (5) encourage participation in both public = and=20 personal decision-making regarding this problem. The issues=20 surrounding the topic of global warming were examined through the=20 perspectives of the disciplines of Biology, Chemistry, Geography, = and=20 Political Science. Major topics covered included the = chemistry=20 of greenhouse gases, the methods for investigating historical = variation in=20 global temperatures, the impacts of global climate change on = ecosystems,=20 how political policy comes about, the economic concerns of various = nations, and the obstacles to ratifying the Kyoto = Protocol. =20 Using this information to support their arguments, students worked = in=20 teams to develop a policy recommendation for the United States = regarding=20 the actions needed to address global climate = change.

=93Web Page Construction as an = Alternative Form of=20 Testing in Plant Biology=94

Lucinda Swatzell, Southeast Missouri State=20 University

Students who take lower level (100-200) biology courses = often do so=20 to satisfy requirements for a minor or for an interdisciplinary = degree.=20 A variety of students in a course is an asset to an = interactive=20 learning environment, but true assessment can be difficult. = The best=20 way to assess learning in one discipline may not apply or truly = test=20 learning in another. For example, the art student with a = botany=20 minor is better prepared to express learned material visually, but = the=20 standard practice for testing in the sciences is through detailed = factual=20 recall and information integration toward application, such as=20 problem-solving. One challenge in teaching and assessing=20 interdisciplinary students is fair and applicable assessment, = which=20 requires options for student expression of the same material, but = in a=20 variety of formats. One additional format is web page = construction. =20 Because web pages, by nature, are informative and concise, web = page=20 construction requires a grasp of knowledge and concepts, and the = ability=20 to relate information meaningfully. The method allows the = student=20 some freedom as to how information is presented, but the output = can be=20 readily assessed just as easily as an essay or short answer. = To=20 demonstrate this, we present several types of web pages, = constructed by=20 students who were struggling to express their learned information = in a=20 standard format, but were able to do so much more readily in this=20 formation. A checkpoint for assessment is presented for = comparison=20 to a standard essay format. =

=93Are group quizzes useful in enhancing = student=20 learning?

Glena G. Temple and Jennifer A. Sadowski, = Viterbo=20 University, WI

In this poster, we will present data on the = use of group=20 quizzes in biology courses at Viterbo University. As a = means=20 of creating a cooperative learning environment and enhancing small = group=20 discussions, students work together in teams to answer questions = on=20 frequent quizzes throughout the semester. Over the last = year, data=20 was collected on the use of group quizzes in a variety of courses=20 including majors, non-majors, upper level and introductory biology = courses. At the end of each semester, the students were = surveyed on=20 their perceptions of group quizzes in the course. The = majority of=20 students in the courses surveyed agreed that they prefer group = quizzes=20 over individual quizzes. In addition, the majority of = students agree=20 that they learned from their group members when discussing group = quiz=20 questions. Students in upper-level courses for biology = majors=20 generally had a more positive experience with group quizzes than = students=20 in non-majors introductory courses. A detailed analysis of = these=20 results will be presented.

=93Planting=20 the seed: Traveling with students in the = Caribbean=94

Conrad = Toepfer, Brescia=20 University, KY

Students at many small, liberal arts = colleges in the=20 Midwest come from areas relatively near campus and often have not = traveled=20 outside of their immediate region. Courses with extensive = travel may=20 be the best way to open their eyes to the rest of the world. = While=20 one trip is not likely to completely change their worldview, it = can start=20 the process. The U.S. Virgin Islands offer an opportunity to = expose=20 students to a wide variety of historical, cultural, and scientific = topics. While USVI is a territory of the United States, it = has had a=20 rich history of pre-Columbian people and seven different owners in = more=20 modern times. A week-long =93immersion=94 course = was=20 developed in 1999 to demonstrate the link between biology and = literature=20 in an island environment. Over three separate offerings, the = course=20 has evolved into an interdisciplinary course, Caribbean Culture, = with=20 additional coverage of historical and cultural topics. = This=20 presentation will summarize topics presented in the course, point = out some=20 of the most interesting interdisciplinary moments, and share some = stories=20 of students in their first major travel experience.

=93Interdisciplinary teaching approaches in = Invertebrate Zoology.=20 Stress analysis of dried sea urchin tests: a Geodesic=20 Dome.=94

Robert L. Wallace, Ripon College, WI

A central = theme in=20 biology is the analysis of form (structure) and function. While I = focus on=20 this concept throughout my Invertebrate Zoology course, I also = promote=20 studies that make the class a model for the liberal arts and = sciences. To=20 accomplish this I periodically assign brief (ca. 0.5=961.5 hr.) = studies of=20 selected problems that the class works on as a whole or in small = groups.=20 Each of these exercises is designed to promote both = interdisciplinary=20 studies and the development of the student=92s analytical skills. = In=20 formulating these activities I also privilege exercises that lead = to the=20 consideration of other disciplines in the liberal arts. Here I = present a=20 simple laboratory problem that invites students to explore the=20 architectural attributes of the dried sea urchin test=97a natural = form of R.=20 Buckminster Fuller=92s Geodesic Dome. This assignment requires = that students=20 use the 3P=92s as outlined by BioQUEST^=AE = (Problem-posing,=20 Problem-solving, and Peer Persuasion). However, in a general = discussion it=20 also allows for an exploration of the Dome as an element in Art, = Culture,=20 and History.

=93Ecology of Infectious Disease: A New Piece of = the=20 Ecosystem Puzzle=94

Margaret Waterman and = Ethel Stanley,=20 Southeast Missouri State University and Beloit = College

This poster presents Investigative Case = Based Learning=20 (ICBL) methods, problem spaces and resources for Ecology of = Infectious=20 Diseases (EID) teaching. Because the ecology of infectious = disease=20 is interdisciplinary, ICBL promises to be a valuable teaching = strategy.=20

Our health and the health of all organisms = is=20 inextricably linked to the changing social and ecological systems = on=20 Earth. There is perhaps no more important interdisciplinary = topic=20 for biologists to teach. Ecology of Infectious Disease is an = emerging body of knowledge, with earliest papers approximately 20 = years=20 old. Few curricular materials currently exist to support the = teaching of Ecology of Infectious Disease. While some texts = include=20 some disease examples in the ecology chapters, they are often = examples of=20 human impacts on ecosystems. EID is also sometimes treated = as=20 emerging diseases in the virology chapters.

ICBL is a variant of the Problem Based = Learning=20 (PBL) methods used in medical schools which use brief cases to = initiate=20 collaborative learning. Unlike PBL, ICBL provides a problem = space=20 with resources for research-like experiences, and the ICBL = approach=20 engages students in scientific investigations in the field, in = labs, and=20 on computers. ICBL is student centered. As students analyze = the case=20 they generate their own questions for further learning. They = may=20 then design their own investigations or carry out = instructor-designed=20 investigations.

The ICBL cases are usually designed or = selected by the=20 instructor and are realistically complex and = multidisciplinary. The=20 recent loss of oak forests and the subsequent effects on = ecosystems in=20 California, for example, might be the subject of a case for = EID. The=20 situation might be told from a lumber company=92s point of view, = from that=20 of visitors to a park, from a plant pathologist=92s = perspective. =20 Whoever tells the story needs to know some ecology. Cases = about EID=20 can be written from different perspectives: the people = affected,=20 those seeking to control the disease, land use planners, = developers,=20 growers using techniques that affect biodiversity, = etc. =20

The ICBL problem spaces provide contexts for = introducing=20 methodologies relevant to EID, such as modeling, statistics, or = GIS. =20 For example, a satellite image dataset on photosynthesis in the = Chesapeake=20 Bay might be used to investigate human health impacts of an algal = bloom.=20 Modeling the life cycle of Pfiesteria might follow. = Bioinformatics=20 tools can be used to investigate Pfiesteria spread and=20 evolution.

=93Teaching=20 microarrays, A case involving pathogenic Pasteurella=20 multocida=94

Mark=20 Wissel and Marcia Cordts, Univ. of Kansas Medical Center and Univ. = of=20 Iowa