Robert A. Bear 532.6611 Portfolio Purpose ... - k-state.edu
Transcript of Robert A. Bear 532.6611 Portfolio Purpose ... - k-state.edu
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Robert A. Bear
Division of Biology
Principles of Biology (BIOL 198)
Kansas State University
532.6611
Table of Contents
Portfolio Purpose
What are the goals of this portfolio?
What are some of the questions to be explored?
What are some of the questions for readers to consider?
Course Design
What is Principles of Biology?
Who takes Principles of Biology?
What do students learn in Principles of Biology?
Teaching Methods
How do students learn in Principles of Biology?
How are students evaluated in Principles of Biology?
Assessment of student learning
Exams
Pre-post assessment test
Reflection
What I learned about the pedagogy of Principles of Biology.
What I learned about my teaching.
What I learned about writing exams.
What I learned about coordinating Principles of Biology.
Appendix A
Course syllabus Spring 2007
Appendix B
Power Point presentation
Appendix C
Copies of exam 1 and 6 along with a statistical analysis of each question
Appendix D
Interaction memos
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Portfolio Purpose:
What are the goals of this portfolio?
My goals for participating in the Peer Review of Teaching Program were to further
develop my teaching skills and to enhance the learning environment in Principles of
Biology. I believe comments and suggestions from individuals from outside of my
discipline would be helpful for developing my teaching skills and enhancing the learning
environment for students. In addition, to observe instructors in other disciplines would be
beneficial for my own teaching. Besides teaching one section (W/F 9:30), I was the
overall coordinator for Principles of Biology for the Spring of 2007, and one the
responsibilities of the coordinator was to ensure that the instructional staff (13 faculty, 15
GTAs and 18 practicums) were prepared to teach the material, and this was done by
holding weekly prep meetings, by drafting a weekly newsletter, and by editing the
manual key. The course coordinator was also responsible for writing exams and
administrating the policies for the course. I would also like to use the portfolio as a means
of reflecting on my role as coordinator this past spring.
What are some of the questions to be explored?
I wanted my peer and mentor to focus on the overall pedagogy of the course. This is a
Biology course taught using the Studio Model not the traditional lecture and lab model
used in most science classes.
Here are some of the specific questions I had for my peer and mentor about this course:
Are the short intro and wrap-up lectures effective?
Are the reading assignments for the class periods effective?
Are the wet lab activities effective?
Are the computer tutorials effective?
Are the interactions between the instructors (faculty, GTAs and practicums) and students
effective?
Here are some of the questions I had for myself as coordinator:
Are the staff members prepared enough to help students?
Are the exams written in an effective manner?
What are some of the question for readers to consider?
While reviewing this portfolio, I would like the reader to think about how the studio
model is used to teach an introductory science course. Are there any more pedagogical
tools we could use to help students learn? (This may be technology-based or some other
type.)
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Course Design:
What is Principles of Biology?
Principles of Biology (PoB) is a multi-section introductory course that covers the breadth
of the science of biology (see Appendix A). During the semester students are introduced
to a wide range of topics, are provided with some knowledge of each of these areas, and
are shown how this collection of information is part of a single unit known as biology.
The format for this course is the studio model. It allows students to actively learn
material by investigation and then application of that information in a problem-solving
format. In each class, students work in pairs or as a group performing a variety of
laboratory activities and/or computer-based activities. Also, there is a short introduction
and wrap-up lecture presented by the instructors of the course. These activities are
designed to help the students learn and understand the objectives for each class period.
(See http:/www.ksu.edu/biology/pob for more information about this format.)
One of the pedagogical challenges of the course is ensuring that the students do the pre-
class exercise and come prepared to class each day. This is most likely true for every
course at this University. Another pedagogical challenge to the course is the
misconception on the part of the students that they will be passively given the
information in class. Once students realize that they are responsible for their own
learning, they understand that the teachers are there to help guide and support them
through their own learning process. After coordinating this course for one semester, I
realized another challenge was the variation in teaching methods, preparedness and
enthusiasm exhibited by the instructional staff.
The advantages of teaching this course using the studio model are numerous. First and far
most important, the students are actively learning the material; they are engaged with the
material not passively sitting and taking notes. The student teacher ratio is very low (1:15
in most cases). This allows the staff to develop close professional connections with the
students, thereby enhancing student learning. The material is presented in a number of
ways, and this allows us to accommodate students with different learning styles. This
way, students can cater the various activities done in class to their learning style.
Who takes Principles of Biology?
The majority of the approximately 600 students taking PoB in any given semester are
from the college of Arts and Sciences (Table 1), and these students are fulfilling a “life
science with a lab” requirement. For Biology majors, PoB is a core requirement. For
students who are in other colleges such as the College of Agriculture, PoB is a
prerequisite for courses in their department. The combination of non-majors and majors
is one of the challenges with teaching this course. This is evident in the motivation of the
students, with majors generally being more motivated. There is variation in how prepared
students are for taking biology: some last took a life science class in 10th
grade, some
have already taken advanced courses in genetics, marine biology, and botany. Another
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challenge to this course is the misconceptions students have about the course. We have
developed a web page (http://www.ksu.edu/biology/pob/BIOL198FAQ.htm) for students
to visit in order to dispel these myths.
While it presents some difficulties, the combination of non-majors and majors can be an
advantage. This mix of students allows the students who are initially less motivated to
become more motivated to learn by their peers. Also, it gives those students who have
basic background knowledge in biology the ability to enhance their learning by teaching
their peers.
Table 1: The percentage of students enrolled in PoB from various colleges.
College Percent of students
Agriculture 12.6
Architecture 0.1
Arts and Science 64.2
Business 3.3
Education 5.6
Engineering 6.4
Human Ecology 7.5
Graduate 0.1
Technology 0.1
What do the students learn in Principles of Biology?
The main objective of the course is to introduce the students to the wide range of topics,
to provide them with some knowledge of each of these areas, and to illustrate how this
collection of information is part of a single unit known as biology. The course is
partitioned into seven modules each covering a broad area of Biology and each module
consists of four or five class periods. We attempt to accomplish our main objective by
having a list of learning objectives for each class period. The following is an example of
the learning objectives for one day:
The material in this class period is structured to allow you to:
1. Draw and label the basic structure of the atom, including protons, neutrons, and
electrons.
2. Explain the difference between ionic, covalent and hydrogen bonds, and
understand the relative strength of each type of bond.
3. Explain two important properties of water: polarity and the formation of hydrogen
bonds.
4. Describe what pH measures. Explain the pH scale and be able to calculate the
difference in hydrogen ion concentration between two solutions of different pH.
5. Describe the process of condensation (dehydration synthesis) and hydrolysis
reactions, including what goes in (the substrates) and what comes out (the
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products) of both types of reactions.
6. Describe the relationship between monomers and polymers.
7. Describe the structure of carbohydrates, and lipids [triglycerides and
phospholipids], including the monomers that make up each of these polymers.
8. Describe some of the functions/roles of carbohydrates and lipids.
9. Understand the structural components (lipids and proteins) of cell membranes and
their relationship in the fluid mosaic model of cellular membranes.
10. Understand the role of the structural components of cell membranes in membrane
function.
Teaching Methods:
How do students learn in Principles of Biology?
In order for students to learn the objectives for each class period, we use a number of
different techniques to take advantage of various learning styles (i.e. visual, auditory,
read-and-write and kinesthetic). At the start of the semester, we encourage students to
take the VARK test so they can effectively use the time in and out of class to achieve the
learning objectives. What is interesting to note is that most students are multi-style
learners. In addition, we encourage students to achieve the learning objectives for each
class period by using their learning style to prepare for exams. For example, we suggest
that read-and-write learners write out a paragraph explaining the objective and use this
material to study for the exams.
To try to reach all the different learning styles, the course relies on the following
techniques.
Pre-class reading and exercise
For each class period, there is an assigned reading from the book and a short reading
and exercise in the manual. The book contains a number of short passages with
diagrams illustrating the main points, and the manual has a number of passages with
questions for the students to consider. The assigned readings are beneficial for both
the read and write learner and the visual learner for learning the class period
objectives.
Introduction and wrap-up lectures
At the beginning and end of each class period, there are two short lectures, most often
a Power Point presentation (see Appendix B), that focus on the class objectives. The
introductory presentation explains why the material is important, covers some the
difficult concepts, and describes the various activities for the day. The wrap-up
lecture is time to review the results from wet lab experiments, to review any concepts
student had difficulty with. The wrap-up lecture can also be time to discuss with the
class why the material is important in today‟s society. As one can imagine, this is
beneficial for the auditory and visual learners.
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Studio manual and class activities
The studio manual is a record of the class period‟s activities, and it contains short
information passages, instructions for the various activities, and most importantly
questions, all of which relate to or reinforce the class period objectives. The various
class activities range from classic wet-lab experiments (testing for the presence of
biological molecules) to interactive computer tutorials and computer models. The key
active learning component of class is the manual questions. Students use all of the
available resources i.e. the book, the computer material, the wet-lab activities, their
lab partners and the instructional staff to answer these questions. In my opinion, the
interaction between students and between students and instructional staff is the major
learning component of this course. Students interacting with one another allows for
peer learning which is beneficial for the students. In addition, these interactions allow
the instructional staff to use a Socratic method of teaching whereby students answer
their own questions in order to grasp the concept or learning objective. This is
beneficial for the auditory, kinesthetic, read/write and visual learners.
Review sessions
Approximately two times a week during the regular semester, one of the faculty
members holds a review session for students. During the review session, students are
encouraged to ask questions about material covered in the module that may be
confusing. This gives the students opportunity to interact with a faculty member
outside of class. Some students comment that these sessions help them greatly, but
others report that they are more confused after the review session then they were
before. I my opinion, some students use the review sessions as a crutch. Instead of
working through the material in class, they go to the review sessions thinking they
will get all the information they need.
How are students evaluated in Principles of Biology?
Daily quizzes:
Generally, each class period there is some type of short quiz covering the pre-class
exercise. The quiz format can be True/False, multiple-choice, short-answer or a
combination of the three. At the end of the semester, the quiz grade is normalized to
equal 30 exam points. The purpose of the quiz is two-fold. First, the quiz ensures that the
students are prepared for class since daily quizzes make up about 1/8 of their grade.
Second, the quiz serves as a means of checking attendance. Since the collaboration
among the students and instructional staff is a crucial component of the studio model of
learning, attendance is vital to the success of students. To ensure that students attend
class, there is a strict attendance policy for the course (Appendix A). I think, the quizzes
achieve the second goal of ensuring that the students attend class; however, the first goal
may not always be achieved since many students come to class not having done the pre-
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class exercise. In the fall, I may start giving online quizzes the day before class to ensure
that the students do their pre-class exercise.
Exams
Since Principles of Biology is a multi-section course with enrollments of 600 or more
students, student learning is evaluated using multiple choice exams (Appendix C). The
module exams are given approximately every other week during the regular semester.
The exam questions are based on the learning objectives for each of the day‟s materials
contained in that module. The number of learning objectives for each module varies from
approximately 40 to 70. Since many of the objectives are interlinked, one question can
assess student understanding of multiple objectives (see appendix C for a list of
objectives and the corresponding exams). I was the coordinator of the course this
semester, and one of my duties was to write the module exams. After writing a draft the
exam, I sent the exam to three reviewers for comments and suggestions that were
incorporated into the final draft of the exam.
Grades
Students in PoB are assigned grades based upon standard 90-80-70-60% cutoffs for A, B,
C, D grades. This translates into those students who earn an A have mastered the
material, who earn a B have proficient knowledge of the material, who earn a C have
functional knowledge of the material, and who earn a D have little functional knowledge
of the material.
Pre- and post-semester assessment tests
At the start of the semester and at the end of the semester, the students are given a short
16 question multiple choice assessment test. The 16 questions are based on fundamental
learning objectives covered in the course. The assessment test does not count towards the
students overall grade, but allows us to measure student knowledge gain. Since this
portfolio is posted on a website, a copy of the assessment test is not included to ensure
the integrity of the assessment measure.
Assessment
Exams
In Appendix C, I have included a copy of Exams 1, 6, the objectives for each exam, and a
statistical analysis of each question performed by K-state online for each exam.
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Table 2: Average exam percent for each section for four of the seven exams:
Exam
T/H
7:30
T/H
9:30
T/H
11:30
T/H
1:30
T/H
3:30
W/F
9:30
W/F
11:30
W/F
1:30 Overall
1 70.0% 67.7% 71.7% 66.5% 66.0% 69.2% 68.5% 65.5% 68.2%
2 75.0% 75.1% 78.5% 73.1% 72.0% 75.6% 75.8% 72.2% 74.6%
3 69.6% 65.8% 75.1% 67.1% 65.5% 67.5% 67.1% 63.7% 67.8%
4 77.0% 71.3% 79.2% 70.5% 73.2% 74.8% 75.1% 68.7% 73.7%
5 76.1% 71.3% 77.2% 74.1% 66.5% 73.0% 75.0% 68.5% 72.7%
6 79.5% 76.2% 80.0% 74.7% 69.3% 73.8% 78.7% 68.0% 75.0%
7 71.4% 65.9% 73.1% 69.0% 67.0% 73.3% 69.2% 66.9% 70.0%
During the course of the semester, there was a general upward trend in the average score
on the exams except for exam 3 and the last exam (Table 2). Also, one may notice that
there is a great deal of variation among the different sections, but the variation in exam
averages between sections for an exam are not statistically significantly different (Table
2). The poor results observed for the last exam are not unusual for this course. The
motivation for some students to do well on the last exam is low because many grades are
already determined and even if a student does extremely well on the last exam they know
it will not lift their letter grade.
The poor results on exam 3 are also not uncommon, and the students historically do
poorly on the Biochemistry/Cell Biology section of the course. My hypothesis for the
reason why students do poorly on the third module is the way the material is presented.
Historically, cell biology is present from a micro to macro perspective or from the
molecule to the cell. For many students, this can be difficult to comprehend. The analogy
I like to use is that we have the students learn the building materials for a house before
we show them what a house looks like. This past year we have rewritten this module so
that we explore the cell first then take the cell apart into its components or types of
molecules. Once again using the analogy, we show the students the house first then we
take the house apart explaining the pieces. During the summer semester, we are
incorporating the module 3 rewrite into the course to determine if students learn the
material better.
The general trend upward of the grades can be attributed to the fact I made consecutive
modifications to my exam writing style from the exam 1 to exam 7. The modifications
that I made are based on the realization that what I emphasize in class is not what other
instructors emphasize in their sections. In other words, the exam questions towards the
end of the semester were based more on what the students learned from their studio
manual not what I think they should have learned from the class or the review sessions.
Another modification that I made to my exam writing style is the wording of the possible
answers to a question. Initially, I would write all possible combinations of correct and
partially correct answers for single and multi-part questions. Overall, the students did not
do very well on these types of questions i.e. Exam 1 questions 11, 14, 15 and 18, (See
appendix C). This is reflected in the item analysis where both the upper 27% and lower
27% percent of the class did poorly on these questions. By the last exam, I changed the
wording of the possible answers to include only one correct answer for the most difficult
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part of a multi-part question, and for difficult single part questions I would have only one
very correct answer with no partially correct answers i.e. Exam 6 questions 6, 11, 17, 20,
24, and 27 (See appendix C). This change is evident when examining the item analysis
for these questions were a higher percentage of the top 27% of the class got the correct
answer and only a small percentage of the lower 27% got the correct answer. This
demonstrates that those students who understand the material got the correct answer, and
those who are not well prepared got the question wrong.
Even though the variation in the average exam scores between sections is not statistically
significant, I do think there is some variation in how well prepared and how motivated
and prepared the instructional staff are; which in turn may lead to the variation in exam
scores observed among the sections. As coordinator, I have witnessed instructional staff
discussing topics other than biology with students. Some of the instructional staff utilize
the answer key for the manual as a crutch by reading the answer from the key to the
student instead of teaching the student. Lastly, I have noticed that some instructional staff
will sit at the additional computers in the room and do other work instead of interacting
with the students making sure they are learning the material. In order to help the teaching
staff to become more prepared to teach the material, I plan to offer an extended prep
meeting with a discussion of teaching hints, and results of wet lab exercises.
Pre-post assessment test
The assessment test is designed to determine if students retain basic knowledge about the
field of Biology. For Spring 2007, the average gain in knowledge [G = (final score –
initial score) / (16 - initial score)] was 0.45. In comparison, the average G score for other
traditional introductory courses in the department is around 0.3. Using this particular
format, students are retaining more knowledge in Principles of Biology than students in
other introductory courses using the standard lecture/lab format. During the summer
semester of 2006, I was coordinator for Principles of Biology and to investigate whether
or not students were retaining information from the beginning of the course to the end, I
decided to imbed the assessment questions into the regular exams. Graph 1 shows the
percent correct for individual questions for the pre-test, regular exam and post-test. In
general, the students retained the information throughout the semester, but for questions 1
and 11, the students did worse on the post-test than they did on the exam. Question 1
deals with calculating dilutions, and question 11 deals with the concept of pH. Both of
these concepts are covered in the first part of the course and are not reinforced during the
semester. In other words, students are learning the material for the exam but are not
retaining the information. This issue was brought up with the authors of the manual, and
it was decided that additional reinforcement of these concepts later in the course should
be investigated. During the next academic year, we will be investigating two additional
activities that reinforce the concepts of dilutions and pH.
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Graph 1: Percent correct for an assessment question versus test time.
Reflection
What have I learned about the pedagogy of Principles of Biology?
What I learned about my teaching
The various teaching methods we use in PoB allows students to customize their learning
styles to achieve the desired objectives of the course. The feedback I received from my
peer and mentor was positive (see Appendix D for comments from my peer Stephen
Long). The most beneficial feedback that I received from by peer and mentor is from the
lunch meetings we had. During these meetings, my peer and mentor commented on how
effectively the course is run (which includes the pre-class assignments, the in class
activities, the effectiveness of the manual, the introduction and wrap-up lectures, and the
interaction between the instructional staff and students).
There were two suggestions made about the course. First, there are sections of the manual
where the questions are repetitive; this comment is also echoed by the students. These
repetitive questions often made students confused because they spent more time trying to
figure out the slight difference between the two questions then comprehending the
concept. Due to the logistics of rewriting the manual, I could not incorporate this
suggestion at this time. However, we are continuously editing the manual, and I will
make suggestions to clarify that the repetitive questions are to reinforce previous learning
not to introduce new material. The second suggestion is to incorporate current research or
real life examples either in the introduction or wrap-up lectures. Such incorporation
would help students connect what they are learning to their everyday lives, which is a
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major objective of this course. For a number of class periods, I have already incorporated
discussion of why learning the material is important and how it is connected to their lives,
but I have not done this for all classes. I believe making these types of connections is
helpful to inspire students to learn the material, but this is difficult to quantify. One way
to determine if the connections made during the intro and wrap are effective is a short
survey done on K-State online. This summer, if time permits, I plan on having the
students complete a survey about the course on K-State online in which I will include a
question about their perception of what they are learning in class and how it is connected
to their lives.
One of the least effective teaching practices is the review sessions. The reason is the
student perception of the review sessions. Many students believe the review sessions are
a replacement for the actual work they do in the class. In contrast, these review sessions
are designed as a supplement to their learning. I have led a number of question and
answer type review sessions, and my perception is that the students wanted to ask
questions about what is going to be on the exam rather then asking questions about
particular objectives. Unfortunately, I did not get feedback from my mentor or peer on
this topic because of logistical problems. However, I have talked with a number of
faculty who think the students use the review sessions as a crutch instead of a learning
tool. The recommendations I have for clarifying this misconception is to reinforce the
importance of in class participation and to emphasize that the review sessions are not a
replacement for class time. Also, it might be helpful to detach the review session from the
exams by renaming the session as open study group or open office hours.
The addition of new technological teaching tools to PoB has come up a number of times
among the faculty who teach the course. One of the tools is the student response system
or clickers. After attending one of my peer‟s lectures in which the clickers are used, I
began to realize the potential this tool might have for PoB. The use of clickers can
automate the daily quiz recording and reduce the use of paper quizzes, and can allow for
polling of the class on various issues and topics. Currently, we feel that the lack of one
universal student response system is a hindrance to the implementation of the technology.
The idea of having students purchase multiple clickers for multiple classes is a waste of
resources, and until a universal student response system is decided upon, the
implementation of this may have to wait.
What I learned about writing exams
Over the semester, I believe my exam writing abilities improved. The modifications that I
made to how the answers are worded for a question are more effective in determining if
the students understood the material. During one of the peer mentor lunch meetings, I
brought up the topic of how I modified my exam writing technique. Both my peer and
mentor agreed that the changes I made are a good idea, and there was a general consensus
that writing an exam is an art and learning that art is a long process. For future exams, I
hope to continue writing exams that are challenging, but not overly detailed and difficult.
What I learned about coordinating Principles of Biology
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This spring was my first semester as coordinator of multiple sections of PoB, and even
though the semester was a bit more stressful than I expected, I felt the course overall
went well. The most stressful component of the course was not the students but was
dealing with all the various personalities of the instructional staff. When working with 46
people with varying personalities, varying in computer skills, varying investment in the
course and varying in teaching skills, it was difficult to ensure that everyone was
prepared to teach the material, and that all of the students had equal opportunities to learn
the material. Initially, one can say there are two polar opposite ways to deal with this
particular issue. The first way is to micromanage the teaching staff, and the second way is
to completely divorce oneself from the issue and let the staff do as they please. Neither of
these perspectives is beneficial (to either the health of the coordinator or to student
learning, respectively). My suggestion for helping to ensure that the instructional staff is
prepared is to hold an additional weekly prep meeting that goes more deeply into that
week‟s material. This informal meeting would be open to anyone and mandatory for
those who have not taught the course previously. The subject matter of the meeting can
include results of wet-lab experiments, demonstrations of microscope use and discussions
of teaching techniques.
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Appendix A: Syllabus
Principles of Biology (http://www.ksu.edu/biology/pob/) is an introductory course that covers the breadth
of the science of biology. During the semester we will introduce a wide range of topics, provide you with
some knowledge of each of these areas, and illustrate how this collection of information is part of a single
unit known as biology. You will encounter a great deal of material over the next sixteen weeks. Because
of that fact, introductory courses such as this one are often surprisingly difficult for students (and
instructors!). In order to succeed you will need to come to class prepared and devote a significant amount
of time (at least 8-12 hours per week) to studying outside of class.
Instructor information: In the spaces below, write down information about your instructors, which will
be provided to you during the first class period. Then use this information to contact your instructors
throughout the semester whenever you have questions or comments!
Instructor‟s name: Instructor‟s name:
Office Hours: Office Hours:
Phone no.: Phone no.:
Email address: Email address:
Instructor‟s name: Instructor‟s name:
Office Hours: Office Hours:
Phone no.: Phone no.:
Email address: Email address:
Instructor‟s name: Instructor‟s name:
Office Hours: Office Hours:
Phone no.: Phone no.:
Email address: Email address:
The overall coordinator for all 8 BIOL 198 classes is Robbie Bear (Ackert 109, [email protected] or
785.532.6611). He is responsible for managing the course, writing the tests, and administering a K-State
Online site for these tests. He is NOT responsible for recording your grades or assigning the final grade;
your individual studio instructors (above) have that responsibility. So if you have questions about your
grade, contact your individual studio instructors. If you have questions or comments about the general
administration of the course, contact Robbie Bear.
Format: The format for this course is the studio model (see http:/www.ksu.edu/biology/pob for more
information about this format). It allows you to actively learn material by investigation and then
application of that information in a problem-solving format. In each class you will perform a variety of
laboratory activities and/or computer-based activities. You will rely heavily on a studio manual, in which
you will be asked to write down detailed information. Your studio manual will be your main record of
class activities and you will need it to study for the exams. Because many of the in-class activities will
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assume that you have already gained some basic information on the subject (via assigned readings in the
textbook and pre-class exercises in the studio manual), you will also need to come to class properly
prepared each time.
Text and studio manual (required texts for this course):
Text: Biology: Concepts and Applications, Starr, 6th
edition (2006) - The text will be an important
resource during class and you need to bring it to each class; there will always be reading assignments
from the text before each class.
Studio manual: Principles of Biology Studio Manual, 8th edition, D. A. Rintoul et al., (2007). This
manual will also be used in every class period, and in many cases will be your only record of the
exercises and experiments that will be done in the studio. You need to bring it to each class, and there
will be reading assignments from the manual before each class.
Attendance:
Attendance is required and will be recorded for every class by means of a short quiz or other activity. At
the end of the semester the total possible points awarded for these quizzes or activities will be normalized
to 30 points (see below). Collaboration with other students and the staff is an important component of the
studio learning experience, as is the wrap-up session at the end of each class period. Even though many
of the course materials are available on the WWW site (see below), there is no substitute for class
attendance.
Because the in-class work is so critical to your learning in this course, you may accumulate no more than
three absences during the semester (i. e., miss more than three quizzes). The lowest three quiz grades will
be dropped before calculating your final grade. However, if you miss more than three class periods, you
will be penalized 5 exam points (approximately 2% of your semester grade) for each absence beyond three (3). Arriving after the daily quiz or leaving early constitutes an absence. There is NO
distinction between "excused" and "unexcused" absences; all absences, regardless of cause, will be
counted equally. If problems arise with your studio attendance, please discuss the situation with your
studio instructors before you accumulate 3 absences!
Academic honesty:
The Student Life Handbook states: "All academic relationships ought to be governed by a sense of
honor, fair play, trust, and a readiness to give appropriate credit for the intellectual endeavors of others
when credit is due." Kansas State University has an Undergraduate Honor System based on personal
integrity. This is presumed to be sufficient assurance in academic matters that one's work is performed
honestly and without unauthorized assistance. Undergraduate students, by registration, acknowledge the
jurisdiction of the Undergraduate Honor System. The Undergraduate Honor System applies to all full and
part-time students enrolled in undergraduate courses on-campus, off-campus, and via distance learning.
A prominent part of the Honor System is the inclusion of the Honor Pledge that applies to all
assignments, examinations, or other course work undertaken by undergraduate students. The Honor
Pledge is implied, whether or not it is stated. The Honor Pledge states:
"On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this
academic work."
There are consequences for failure to adhere to the principles of the Honor System. A grade of XF is
shown on KSU transcripts for courses where a student has been found to have cheated. An XF indicates
failure of the course, with the X denoting that the failure was a result of a breach of academic honesty.
For more information, and examples of what not to do, please visit the Honor System web page at
http://www.ksu.edu/honor.
15
Particular forms of academic dishonesty that will not be tolerated in BIOL 198 are: plagiarism, use of
notes or other written material during exams, looking at another student‟s exam during the exam period,
having another person stand in on an exam, and deliberate falsification of lab results, among others.
Grades and Exams: Grades will be based on multiple choice exams and daily quizzes, as follows
Exam 1: 20 pts
Exams 2-6: 30 pts each (150 total)
Final (Exam 7): 40 pts
Daily quizzes: after omitting the lowest three grades, the total is adjusted to 30 pts max.
Total possible: 240 pts
Final grades will be based on standard 90-80-70-60% cutoffs for A, B, C, and D grades. Neither extra
credit nor special projects are allowed in this course. Due to the fact that there are multiple sections of the
course, with multiple instructors, it is not possible (nor is it fair) for your instructor to deviate from this
grading format. Questions about your grades should be directed to your studio instructor(s).
Exam Format - Examinations in this course consist of multiple-choice questions (4-5 choices per
question) worth one point each. Thus, the first exam will have 20 questions; the final will have 40
questions, etc. as noted above. Exam questions will test your knowledge of the OBJECTIVES listed at
the front of each studio exercise; these OBJECTIVES are your single best answer to the perennial
question “What do I need to know for the exam?”. If you can write a coherent, factual paragraph about
each objective you will be well prepared for the exam. Answers to the exam questions may be found in
the textbook readings, the studio manual, the web-based material, or the studio exercises, but all
questions will still focus on the OBJECTIVES. A sample exam, with answers and an explanation of
some of the common test-taking errors previously seen in BIOL 198, can be accessed from a link at the
URL http://www.ksu.edu/biology/pob/. If you feel that you need to see what kinds of questions will be on
the exams, check out this site.
Locations of exams - Regular exams will usually be given
at 5:30 PM on Monday evening, approximately every other
week during the semester, according to the schedule
elsewhere on this handout. The exam location is determined
by your studio section; check your enrollment card to find out
your section/reference number and then check the table at
right to see where you will take the Monday evening exams.
The final exam (Thursday, 05/10/2007) will be given in the
same rooms as the regular exams, but the time will be
significantly earlier (7:30 AM!). Make sure to come to your exam room on time with a #2 pencil and
your student I.D. card. Be prepared to show the I.D. card to the exam proctor when you submit your
answer card.
Exam scoring/posting. Exam scores and answer keys will be posted on K-State Online as soon as all
exams are graded (either late Monday night or Tuesday morning). Please check your scores as they are
posted and maintain your own record of all your exam scores, using the appropriate spaces on page 6 of
this syllabus. If there is a problem in the reporting of your score (e.g., an incorrectly reported student
number or exam score, a missing exam score, wrong or missing version number), notify the graders by
leaving a note describing the problem on the door of Ackert 206. The exam graders will respond by
Exam Room Sections
Weber 123 T/H 7:30, T/H 9:30
Waters 231 T/H 11:30
Seaton 63 T/H 1:30, T/H 3:30
Bluemont 101 W/F 9:30
Willard 114 W/F 11:30
Kedzie 106 W/F 1:30
16
posting your note and the response outside Ackert 206 within a few days of your query. All exam score
discrepancies must be brought to the attention of the graders within two weeks of the posting of the
scores; otherwise, whatever is already recorded for you becomes your permanent score. So please don't
wait until the end of the semester before you decide to worry about your exam scores!
Exam complaints. Questions regarding why the "correct" answers on the answer keys are considered
to be correct should be directed to your studio instructors. They are responsible for recording your grades,
and they certainly have the authority to change your grade if they believe that your answer was correct.
Missed exams. If you miss a Monday evening exam, contact your studio instructor immediately.
They need to know why your grade will be missing from their grade sheet. They will assist you in making
arrangments to take a make-up exam You must make these arrangements by the end of the Friday of
the week of the missed exam. Additionally, all make-up exams must be taken within two weeks
after a missed exam. If you procrastinate past those deadlines, you will get a grade of zero for that
exam! The makeup exams are NOT the same multiple-choice format as the regular Monday night exams.
Questions on the make-up exam are typically short-answer and fill-in-the-blank formats. In other words,
if you depend on guessing to get the right answer, the answers will be more difficult to guess. But if you
know the material well, you will probably do well on the makeup exam.
Conflicts with exam times. If the Monday evening exam time conflicts with your schedule for any of
these reasons:
employment
another class
scheduled varsity athletic practice or games
performance or practice for music and theatre events
car pool commuting from out of town
child care
you may take the exam early on the exam day from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. in Ackert 112. Please note
specifically that having another exam (e.g. Chemistry) scheduled later the same evening is NOT
considered to be a conflict. In order to take the early exam, you must contact the course coordinator
(Robbie Bear, Ackert 109, [email protected], 532-6611) on or before Friday of the week prior to the exam
for permission. No early or late exams can be scheduled for the final!
Other Resources:
We want you to succeed in this course, so here are some additional places where you can get information
or help.
Review Sessions: Weekly review sessions are provided, even during weeks where there is no exam.
A schedule for these sessions is included with this syllabus (page 7), and can also be found at the URL:
http://www.ksu.edu/biology/pob/. These are good opportunities to get your questions answered, meet the
coordinator of the course, and to learn more about biology. History has proven that students who attend
these review sessions will almost invariably get a higher grade for this course; don‟t miss this opportunity
to really learn the material!
Open studio hours: To further enhance your understanding of course material, there will be open
studio hours in Ackert 219 twice a week; on Wednesday from 6:30 PM. to 9 PM, and Saturday from 9:30
AM to noon. This time is primarily for examining any computer-based material with which you want a
little more experience, and to foster additional, independent exploration of topics introduced in class. The
computers and other equipment will only be available for material related to Principles of Biology, i.e., no
17
word processing, no general web surfing, no games. Those violating this policy will be asked to leave the
studio. The open studio hours will be staffed so that you will have an opportunity to ask questions about
class material. This is also a good time and place to set up a study group with other good students. Thus,
if you miss a regular class time, you thus have the opportunity to learn the material for that class by
coming to the open studio hours in Ackert 219. The open studio time is not meant to be a substitute for
attending your regular studio section, and also does not allow you to make up the attendance quiz for the
class that you missed.
Study Guides: Study guides for each module are at http://www.ksu.edu/biology/pob/. These study
guides are based on the OBJECTIVES, and will guide you in finding the resources (textbook, web
material, studio exercise results) that you need in order to master these objectives. These study guides are
NOT a substitute for attending class and/or doing the assigned readings!
WWW resources: A website for your textbook is: http://www.brookscole.com/biology; click on the
link for “Introductory biology” and then on the link for your textbook (Starr, Biology: Concepts and
Applications, 6th edition). Additionally, much of the web-based material used in class will be available at
http://principles.biol.ksu.edu. This site is password-protected. The Extra Resources page (also accessible
from the computers in the BIOL 198 studio) is linked from the URL http://www.ksu.edu/biology/pob/.
This site is not password-protected, and includes the sample exam, study guides, a copy of this syllabus,
and lots of WWW links to interesting and relevant sites.
18
Course schedule - Spring 2007
Dates Topic
Jan. 11, 12 Introduction to Principles Studio
Jan. 16, 17 Introduction to Science & Biology
Jan. 18, 19 Evolution and Natural Selection
Jan. 23, 24 Taxonomy & Phylogeny
Jan. 25, 26 Introduction to Ecology & Ecosystems
EXAM 1, Mon., Jan. 29 – Module 1 (Biology and Evolution), 20 pts. My grade =
Jan. 30, 31 Population Ecology
Feb. 1, 2 Community Ecology
Feb. 6, 7 Ecological Research
Feb. 8, 9 The Chemistry of Life
EXAM 2, Mon., Feb. 12 – Module 2 (Ecology), 30 pts My grade =
Feb. 13, 14 Enzymes & Enzyme Function
Feb. 15, 16 Cell Biology
Feb. 20, 21 Cellular Division
Feb. 22, 23 DNA: Structure, replication, transcription & translation
EXAM 3, Mon., Feb. 26 – Module 3 (Biochemistry & Cell Biology), 30 pts. My grade =
Feb. 27, 28 Meiosis & Molecular Genetics
March 1, 2 Mendelian Genetics
March 6, 7 Population Genetics
March 8, 9 Extra Genetics Day
EXAM 4, Mon., March 12 – Module 4 (Genetics), 30 pts. My grade =
March 13, 14 Cellular Energetics
March 15, 16 Photosynthesis
No Classes March 19-23 – Spring Break
March 27, 28 Cellular Respiration
March 29, 30 Global Climate Change & Food Production
EXAM 5, Mon., April 2 – Module 5 (Energetics), 30 pts. My grade =
April 3, 4 Viruses, Prokaryotes & Fungi
April 5, 6 Evolution & Diversity of Plants
April 10, 11 Plant Reproduction; Structure & Function of Tissues
April 12, 13 Interactions of Plants with their Environment
EXAM 6, Mon., April 16 – Module (Plant Biology), 30 pts. My grade =
April 17, 18 Introduction to Animal Biology
April 19, 20 Digestion & Nutrition
April 24, 25 Circulatory, Respiratory & Immune Systems
April 26, 27 Endocrine, Reproductive & Urinary systems
May 1, 2 Nervous, Sensory & Musculoskeletal Systems
May 3, 4 – wrapup, finish Animal Biology IV, TEVALS etc.(unless we have a snow day during the semester)
EXAM 7, Thursday, May. 10, 7:30 AM!!!!!!!!!!!! - Animal Biology, 40 pts
Please consult your Studio Manual for textbook reading assignments BEFORE every class. The
studio manual also contains an introductory section and pre-class reading for every class, make sure that
you read this as well. In many cases this will include questions or exercises that need to be completed
BEFORE class, and you may be called upon to provide your answers. So avoid being embarrassed; come
to class prepared!
19
Review Sessions
Below is the schedule of review sessions for Principles of Biology. These review sessions are led by Dr.
Jan Coles and are open to all students enrolled in Biology 198. Each review session is aimed at answering
any questions you may have over material already covered in class. In prior semesters, most students
(even “A” students!) discovered that they could always learn something at these sessions. But if you are
confused and not sure where your confusion starts, or even how to ask questions, we certainly encourage
you to come. During the review sessions we will also go over difficult concepts and try to put what you
are learning in class into a “bigger picture.”
All review sessions will be in Ackert 120, except for the final review session, to be scheduled sometime
during finals week.
Day, Date Time Comments
Monday, Jan. 22 3:30 PM Class material and tips for doing well.
Sunday, Jan. 28 3:30 PM
Monday, Jan. 29 3:30 PM Exam (Module 1) at 5:30 PM
Monday, Feb. 5 3:30 PM
Sunday, Feb. 11 3:30 PM
Monday, Feb. 12 3:30 PM Exam (Module 2) at 5:30 PM
Monday, Feb. 19 3:30 PM
FRIDAY, Feb. 23 3:30 PM Extra review session
Sunday, Feb. 25 3:30 PM
Monday, Feb. 26 3:30 PM Exam (Module 3) at 5:30 PM
Monday, March 5 3:30 PM
FRIDAY, March 9 3:30 PM Extra review session
Sunday, March 11 3:30 PM
Monday, March 12 3:30 PM Exam (Module 4) at 5:30 PM
Monday, March 19 – 23 Spring Break
Monday, March 26 3:30 PM
FRIDAY, March 30 3:30 PM Extra review session
Sunday, April 1 3:30 PM
Monday, April 2 3:30 PM Exam (Module 5) at 5:30 PM
Monday, April 9 3:30 PM
Sunday, April 15 3:30 PM
Monday, April 16 3:30 PM Exam (Module 6) at 5:30 PM
Monday, April 23 3:30 PM
Monday, April 30 3:30 PM
Wednesday, May 9 TBA Final (Module 7) at 7:30 AM(!) on
Thu., May 10
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Appendix B: Power point presentation for Module 1 Class 2
Slide 1
Reminders: Did you?
Do the VARK test (www.ksu.edu/biology/pob/)
Look at the class period objectives
Do the pre-class assignments
Log on to the website at
K-State online
Slide 2
Slide 3 Quiz time:
Last name, first name or preferred name
Date, Table #
1. Why is a basic understanding of biology
important to you?
21
Slide 4
Why study Biology?
It is connected to everyday life.
Allows you to make wise decisions about
the world around you.
Obj. 1
Slide 5
What is Biology?
The scientific study of life.
Obj. 1
Slide 6
What is Science?
Both a process of learning about nature
by observation and experiment, and a
collection of knowledge and insights
about nature.
What is the outcome of this?
Development of hypotheses and theories
Obj. 1
22
Slide 7
What is a Theory?
A general set of principles, supported by
evidence, that explains some aspect of
nature.
An explanation of the cause of a range of
related natural phenomena that has
been rigorously tested and open to
revision.
Obj. 2
Slide 8
What is a Hypothesis?
A tentative, testable explanation of an
observed phenomenon.
Or, an educated guess that answers a
particular question.
Obj. 2
Slide 9
How is Science done?
Scientific method
Observation
Question
Hypothesis
Test by experimentation or observation
Conclusion
Obj. 2
23
Slide 10 What are we going to explore today?
What is life?
What is the scope of biology?
What is Science and how is it done?
Predicting height
ear height (1, 4, 7, 14, 17, 20)
hand width (2, 5, 8, 12, 15, 18)
arm length (3, 6, 9, 13, 16, 19)
Slide 11
What did we learn today?
Slide 12 What is life?What are the characteristics of life?
1. Reproduction
2. Regulation (homeostasis)
3. Growth and development
4. Metabolism
5. Response to the environment
6. Order
7. Adapted to the environment
8. DNA
Obj. 3
24
Slide 13 Life‟s levels of organization
define the scope of biology
•Ecosystem
•Community
•Population
•Organism
•Organ system
•Organs
•Tissues
•Cell
•Molecule
Obj. 4
Slide 14 Scientific Method
Observation
Question
HypothesisTest by Observations
Or Controlled Experiments
Conclusions False
Obj. 2
Slide 15
What is a control?
The group that is not subjected to the
experimental variable.
Why is it important?
It allows for the results or observations to
be related to the experimental variable.
Obj. 2
25
Slide 16
Should an experiment be reproducible?
Yes, Why?• To avoid making errors in the progress of
science.
• If results aren’t reproducible, how can we
be certain results are not due to an error or
mistake?
Obj. 5
Slide 17
Which body part is a good predictor of height?
Obj. 6,7,8
Slide 18 Arm Length vs. Height
Obj. 6,7,8
R2 = 0.6853
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
35 40 45 50 55
Arm length
He
igh
t
26
Slide 19 Ear height vs. Height and Hand width vs. Height
Obj. 6,7,8
R2 = 0.1771
R2 = 0.4
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Ear length and Hand width
He
igh
t
Slide 20
Why is a large sample size important?
170
175
180
185
190
195
200
7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5
Hand Width
Heig
ht
R2 = 0.39
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Hand width
Heig
ht
Slide 21
What questions cannot be answered
using Science?
Obj. 1
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Appendix C:
Objectives for Module 1 Exam
Class 1
1. Understand the format of this course, the test schedule and grading scheme, and our
expectations of you.
2. Become familiar with the microscopes and spectrophotometers that you will be using at
various times throughout the course.
3. Become familiar with the computers and computer programs that you will be using
throughout the course.
4. Make serial dilutions of a yeast culture to estimate the number of yeast cells by two different
methods.
5. Use data collected from microscope counts and spectrophotometer analysis to develop a
graph you can use to estimate yeast concentrations in additional samples.
Class 2
1. Understand the limitations of science and why some questions are inappropriate for scientific
investigation.
2. Understand the major parts of the scientific method and their relationships to each
other, including hypothesis, experiment, observation, control, variables, and theory*.
3. Explore the unifying characteristics of living things, and develop definitions of life in order
to understand why it may be hard to define “life.”
4. Become familiar with the hierarchy of organizational levels that biologists study.
5. Understand the importance of repeatability and appropriate sample size in the design and
interpretation of scientific investigations.
6. Perform a simple experiment and interpret the results.
7. Practice formulating appropriate scientific hypotheses.
8. Understand the difference between observational and experimental scientific investigations.
Class 3
1. Understand the concept of biological evolution and its importance as a unifying
principle of modern biology. 2. Understand the concept of natural selection and its role in evolution.
3. Understand how selection acts on individual organisms and how this can result in the
evolution of populations.
4. Understand the three conditions necessary for natural selection to operate.
5. Provide examples of how biotic and abiotic factors can be agents of natural selection.
6. Define relative fitness and explain its role in the process of natural selection.
7. Understand how differences in the reproductive output of individuals in a population can lead
to adaptive changes within the population in subsequent generations.
8. Understand the simulations of cumulative and single-step evolutionary change and why the
cumulative simulation is a better model than single-step simulation for demonstrating the
process leading to evolutionary change.
9. Apply your knowledge of the process of natural selection to better understand the
diversity of life on Earth.
Class 4
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1. Understand the connections between taxonomy (classification of organisms into groups) and
phylogeny (hypothesized evolutionary relationships between species).
2. Construct a “family tree” for a set of related individuals and identify appropriate rules for
building these trees.
3. Apply the rules of relatedness developed from building family trees to the construction and
interpretation of phylogenetic trees for a group of organisms.
4. Understand how to find the most recent common ancestor for a group of organisms and use
this information to understand which organisms are most closely related.
5. Understand how characteristics of organisms are used to construct and/or interpret
phylogenetic trees.
6. Understand how individual phylogenetic trees combine to form a “tree of life” and what this
indicates for the evolutionary relationships of life on Earth.
7. Learn and use the hierarchical classification system used by taxonomists to classify all life
(Kingdom, Phylum, Order, Family, Genus, Species).
8. Learn the three-domain classification system.
9. Understand the difference between homologous and analogous structures and how these can
be used to trace evolutionary history.
Exam 1 Questions and Answers
1. What part of the microscope is used to make the specimen you are looking at move up or
down?
A) Eyepiece D) Objectives
B) Condenser E) Stage adjustment knob
C) Focus adjustment knob
2. If you had a solution containing 6000 yeast cells per ml, and you wanted to dilute it so that the
resulting solution contains 1000 yeast cells per ml, which of the following dilutions should you
choose?
A) 1 ml of the yeast solution and 6 ml of water
B) 1 ml of the yeast solution and 3 ml of water
C) 2 ml of the yeast solution and 5 ml of water
D) 3 ml of the yeast solution and 1 ml of water
E) 1 ml of the yeast solution and 5 ml of water
3. Questions that are unsuitable for scientific investigation include
A) Questions that cannot be falsified.
B) Questions about personal choice.
C) Questions about the evolutionary relationship between birds and dinosaurs.
D) All of the above
E) A and B, but not C
4. Which of the following is NOT a general characteristic of all living organisms?
A) DNA as hereditary material
B) Reproduction
C) Ability to photosynthesize
D) Responds to changes in the environment
E) None of the above, they are all general characteristics
29
5. Use the accompanying graph (to the right) to determine how many bacterial cells per ml
would be in a solution that had an absorbance of 0.3.
A) About 1500 D) About 5000
B) About 3000 E) Not enough information
C) About 4000 to answer question.
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9
Absorbance
Ba
cte
ria
l ce
lls p
er m
l.
6. A group of 10,000 students is given an experimental vaccine to prevent mononucleosis. After
one year, 9,990 students did not get mononucleosis and 10 students did. From this study, a drug
company promotes the vaccine as a means of preventing the transmission of mononucleosis.
Based on your knowledge of the scientific method what is(are) the problem(s) with this study?
A) The study did not include a control group.
B) The study has not been repeated by other scientists.
C) The sample size is small.
D) All of the above
E) A and B, but not C
7. A scientist is studying how ultra violet light affects bullfrog egg development (cellular and
organisms level). The effects of ultra violet light on bullfrog egg development can be seen at
what other level(s) in the hierarchical levels of life?
A) Molecule
B) Population
C) Organ
D) All of the above
E) A and C not B
8. A scientific hypothesis is best described as
A) a tentative explanation.
B) an observation of some natural phenomenon.
C) a tentative explanation that has been tested many times.
D) an explanation of some natural phenomenon that has been tested many times and is open to
revision.
9. Changes in the percentage of a trait in a population can be caused by which acts
directly
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on the . (Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate choices from the list provided.)
A) evolution; population D) evolution; individual
B) natural selection; DNA E) natural selection; population
C) natural selection; individual
10. Which of the following is/are necessary for natural selection to occur in a population of
organisms?
A) The organisms must be slightly different from one another and have differences in number of
offspring produced.
B) The differences between organisms must be heritable.
C) The size of the population is not limited by some factor.
D) All of the above
E) A and B, but not C
11. Which of the following factors can act as an agent of natural selection?
A) Antibiotics D) All of the above
B) Drought E) B and C, but not A
C) Predators
12. What is the definition of fitness, as the term is used by evolutionary biologists?
A) Number of muscles D) Number of brain cells
B) Number of mates E) Ability to climb trees
C) Number of offspring surviving to reproductive age
13. When comparing the arm bones of a penguin and a porpoise, an evolutionary biologist would
say these structures are . (Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate choices from
the list provided.)
A) homolgous D) analogous
B) ancestral E) phylogenetic
C) family
14. In class, you conducted a computer exercise in which you simulated the formation of the
sentence “methinks it is like a weasel” using two methods. Did you find that the sentence was
formed more quickly using a „single-step‟ process or „cumulative‟ process? How does this apply
to evolution of a species?
A) „Cumulative‟ was faster. New species can evolve within a single generation because all the
new traits appear at once in a single individual.
B) „Single –step‟ was faster. New species can evolve within a single generation because all the
new traits appear at once in a single individual.
C) „Cumulative‟ was faster. New species evolve after an accumulation of adaptive changes occur
over many generations.
31
D) „Single-step‟ was faster. New species evolve after an accumulation of adaptive changes occur
over many generations.
15. The classification of organisms into groups such as Kingdoms, Phyla, Orders etc. is called
, and the hypothesized evolutionary relationships between species is called . (Fill
in the blanks with the most appropriate choices from the list provided.)
A) phylogeny; taxonomy D) taxonomy; genus
B) theory; genus E) theory; hypothesis
C) taxonomy; phylogeny
16. Shown on the right is a phylogenetic tree for 6
organisms, labeled 1 through 6. Based on information
presented in that tree, and on what you know about how
phylogenetic trees should be interpreted, which of the
following statements is obviously false?
A) Organisms 1 through 5 share a common ancestor.
B) Organism 6 is the common ancestor of all the other
organisms.
C) Organisms 1 and 3 are more closely related than 1 and 5.
D) Organisms 2 and 4 have a more recent common ancestor the organisms 2 and 5.
E) None of the above.
17. One day you observe that your cell phone doesn‟t turn on when you hit the on button. You
say to your friend, “My cell phone battery is dead.” To a scientist, this statement is an example
of a(n)
A) experiment D) conclusion
B) hypothesis E) theory
C) observation
18. The four populations below (A, B, C, and D) have two different types X and Z that initially
occur in equal proportions. Which of the following populations would evolve the fastest?
A) Reproductive rate of X = 2.2; Z = 2.1
B) Reproductive rate of X = 3.0; Z = 5.8
C) Reproductive rate of X = 6.0; Z = 5.8
D) Reproductive rate of X = 1.2; Z = 2.4
E) Populations A, B, C, and D would evolve at the same rate.
19. The polar bear is known to scientists as Ursus maritimus. The brown bear is known as Ursus
arctos. The polar bear and the brown bear are members of the same
A. species
B. phylum
C. genus
D. B and C,but not A
1 2 5 4 3
6
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20. What mechanism has produced the differences among birds, reptiles, amphibians and
mammals we see today?
A) Evolution
B) Natural selection
C) Fitness
D) Genetics
E) Phylogenetics
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ITEM ANALYSIS: Exam 1
Question No. Type No. Correct % Correct Hi 27 Lo 27 Hi 27% Lo 27% Index Grading A B C D E F BLK
1 MC 354/ 584 60.6 % 134 58 83.2 % 35.8 % 0.47 S 13 105 5 107 354* 0 0
2 MC 337/ 584 57.7 % 140 44 87.0 % 27.2 % 0.60 S 32 24 190 337* 1 0 0
3 MC 395/ 584 67.6 % 143 70 88.8 % 43.2 % 0.46 S 27 135 2 25 395* 0 0
4 MC 473/ 584 81.0 % 144 110 89.4 % 67.9 % 0.22 S 2 22 79 7 473* 0 1
5 MC 503/ 584 86.1 % 151 115 93.8 % 71.0 % 0.23 S 10 1 503* 2 68 0 0
6 MC 579/ 584 99.1 % 158 157 98.1 % 96.9 % 0.01 S 0 579* 1 1 3 0 0
7 MC 541/ 584 92.6 % 158 135 98.1 % 83.3 % 0.15 S 18 5 541* 18 1 0 1
8 MC 382/ 584 65.4 % 137 65 85.1 % 40.1 % 0.45 S 382* 117 8 77 0 0 0
9 MC 453/ 584 77.6 % 143 105 88.8 % 64.8 % 0.24 S 57 16 4 54 453* 0 0
10 MC 505/ 584 86.5 % 155 117 96.3 % 72.2 % 0.24 S 257* 250* 13 24 40 0 0
11 MC 222/ 584 38.0 % 89 27 55.3 % 16.7 % 0.39 S 93 28 222* 37 204 0 0
12 MC 410/ 584 70.2 % 143 75 88.8 % 46.3 % 0.43 S 2 410* 79 51 42 0 0
13 MC 308/ 584 52.7 % 118 55 73.3 % 34.0 % 0.39 S 10 2 10 308* 254 0 0
14 MC 241/ 584 41.3 % 93 38 57.8 % 23.5 % 0.34 S 241* 29 1 254 57 0 2
15 MC 198/ 584 33.9 % 76 33 47.2 % 20.4 % 0.27 S 33 62 63 198* 228 0 0
16 MC 569/ 584 97.4 % 156 151 96.9 % 93.2 % 0.04 S 4 7 569* 1 3 0 0
17 MC 542/ 584 92.8 % 157 133 97.5 % 82.1 % 0.15 S 6 15 18 406* 139* 0 0
18 MC 169/ 584 28.9 % 77 23 47.8 % 14.2 % 0.34 S 19 169* 286 64 45 0 1
19 MC 506/ 584 86.6 % 154 114 95.7 % 70.4 % 0.25 S 52 1 506* 23 2 0 0
20 MC 272/ 584 46.6 % 124 33 77.0 % 20.4 % 0.57 S 286 17 3 6 272* 0 0
Table Legend
No. Correct The number of student(s) from the entire class that correctly answered the question.
% Correct The percentage of the entire class that correctly answered the question.
Hi 27 The number of top 27% student(s) that correctly answered the question.
Low 27 The number of bottom 27% student(s) that correctly answered the question.
34
Hi 27% The percentage of the top 27% that correctly answered the question.
Low 27% The percentage of the bottom 27% that correctly answered the question.
Index Indicates to what extent success on the item is related to the success on the test as a whole.
(Minimum acceptable index level should be around .20 for all but extremely easy or difficult items.)
* The correct response for each question is indicated by the asterisk.
35
Objectives for Module 6 Exam
Class 1
1. Explain the main characteristics of viruses and understand why they are not regarded as
living organisms.
2. Explain how viruses replicate themselves.
3. Describe the beneficial and harmful effects of viruses on humans.
4. Describe the characteristics of eubacteria and archaebacteria, the two major groups of
prokaryotes.
5. Describe the metabolic diversity of eubacteria and archaebacteria.
6. Examine the wide range of habitats where eubacteria and archaebacteria can be found.
7. Explore the roles of eubacteria and archaebacteria in the hydrothermal vent ecosystem and
understand the importance of chemosynthesis in this ecosystem.
8. Understand that eubacteria and archaebacteria perform many functions that are important to
other organisms.
9. Describe the beneficial and harmful effects of archaebacteria and eubacteria on humans.
10. Understand the evolutionary relationship among eubacteria, archaebacteria and eukaryotes.
11. Observe and describe some characteristics of fungi, including some of the key features of
their life cycles.
12. Describe the roles of fungi in ecosystems.
13. Describe the beneficial and harmful effects of fungi on humans.
Class 2
1. Learn some characteristics of algae.
2. Examine the symbiotic interaction of algae and fungi, and understand the role of lichens.
3. Provide evidence supporting the hypothesis that land plants evolved from aquatic green
algae.
4. Describe some plant adaptations that allow them to live on land.
5. Describe the four main categories of plants and provide an example of each.
6. Describe the life cycles of representative species of the four categories of plants.
7. Learn the difference (chromosome number, morphology, and reproductive strategy) between
the sporophyte and gametophyte generations of plants.
8. Understand the main differences in the life cycles of bryophytes, seedless vascular plants and
vascular plants.
9. Be able to diagram and label a generalized life cycle for plants.
10. Summarize the evolutionary trends among plants.
11. Name and describe at least one bryophyte, one fern, one gymnosperm, and one angiosperm
that are displayed in the Studio.
12. Define vegetative (asexual) reproduction. Examine several examples of asexual reproduction
in plants and explain the genetic similarity or difference between the parental plant and the
progeny.
Class 3
1. Learn the basic parts of the plant body
2. Learn the basics of flower morphology. Be able to identify and give the function of male and
female reproductive structural parts of flowers.
3. Understand the fundamentals of pollination and fertilization in plants, and learn the distinction
36
between the two processes.
4. Describe the formation and development of seeds and fruits.
5. Identify the basic structures of seeds and fruits and state the function of those structures.
6. Explore the basic processes of seed germination and identify the structures of developing
monocot and eudicot seedlings.
7. Define plant meristems and differentiate between primary and secondary plant growth.
8. Distinguish the differences between monocots and eudicots at the level of flower, root, stem
and leaf tissues.
9. Examine the various tissues and cell types seen in stem and root cross-sections.
10. Investigate the response of pea plant tissues to the presence of the plant hormone gibberellin.
11. Define tropism. Explore phototropism and gravitropism. Understand the role of the plant
hormone auxin in phototropism.
Class 4
1. Understand how the properties of water are important to its transport and movement in
plants.
2. Explore how water is transported in plants; understand the cohesion-tension model of water
movement from roots to leaves using mechanisms that you learned in Module 5, Class 1.
3. Examine and learn the anatomy of a root. Know the function of and be able to identify the
root cap, zone of cell division, xylem, phloem, endodermis and root hairs.
4. Examine root hairs and understand their significance for water and mineral absorption by
plants.
5. Examine the route of the movement of water from the soil to leaves.
6. Learn and examine the anatomy of leaf structure. Know the function of and be able to
identify the upper epidermis, leaf vein, stomata, palisade mesophyll and spongy mesophyll.
7. Examine stomata and identify their role in the movement of water and in gas exchange.
8. Explore plant adaptations for growth in habitats with different amounts of water.
9. Understand the process of mineral transport by plants, based on the mechanisms that you
learned in Module 5, Class 1.
10. Learn the functions of mineral nutrients in plants, and examine symptoms of plants with
mineral deficiencies.
11. Examine the symbiotic relationship of plants and bacteria, and understand the role of
symbiotic nitrogen fixation.
12. Examine the symbiotic relationship of plants and fungi, and understand the role of
mycorrhizae.
13. Understand the process of transport of organic nutrients by plants, based on the mechanisms
that you learned in Module 5, Class 1.
Question Exam 6
1. What part of the flower develops into the seed?
A) ovary D) stigma
B) ovule E) hyphae
C) mycellium
2. Which of the following is/are (an) adaptation(s) that angiosperms have for living on land.
A) Angiosperms have vascular tissue.
B) Angiosperms have a waxy cuticle.
C) Angiosperms have sperm with flagella that need water in order to fertilize the egg.
37
D) All of the above are adaptations that Angiosperms have for living on land.
E) A and B not C
9. What is/are the structural component(s) common to all viruses?
A) nucleic acid
B) protein
C) envelop made of lipid
D) All of the above
E) A and B not C
4. Eubacteria reproduce by
A) prokaryotic fission. D) fertilization.
B) conjugation. E) mitosis.
C) meiosis.
5. For gymnosperms, the is the dominant stage of the life cycle; and is the
process that produces the microspores and megaspores. (Fill in the blank with the most
appropriate choice from the list provided)
A) gametophyte; meiosis D) gametophyte; mitosis
B) mushroom; fertilization E) sporophyte; meiosis
C) hyphae; mitosis
6. Which of the following is/are role(s) that fungi play in ecosystems?
A) They are a food source
B) They decompose dead material
C) They are autotrophs
D) All of the above
E) A and B not C
7. For the phylogenetic tree below, what is the correct placement of the four main types of
plants?
A) i = gymnosperms; ii = angiosperms
iii = bryophytes; iv = seedless vascular plants
B) i = seedless vascular plants; ii = bryophytes
iii = gymnosperms; iv = angiosperms
C) i = bryophytes; ii = angiosperms
iii = gymnosperms; iv = seedless vascular plants
D) i = bryophytes; ii = seedless vascular plants
iii = gymnosperms; iv = angiosperms
8. What group of organisms are largely photosynthetic protistans, are a component of the
phytoplankton, and are sometimes commercially important?
A) angiosperms D) gymnosperms
B) bryophytes E) ferns
i. ii. iii. iv.
38
C) algae
9. In what part of the flower does the ovule develop; and on what part of the flower does
pollination occur?
A) hyphae; anther D) ovary; mycellium
B) stigma; ovary E) stigma; style
C) ovary; stigma
10. In basidiomycetes (club fungi), the is the reproductive structure, and this
structure produces . (Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate choice from the list
provided)
A) ascoma; spores D) ascoma; mycelium
B) mushroom; spores E) mushroom; mycelium
C) zygosporangia; spores
11. What plant tissue moves water from the roots to the leaves?
A) phloem D) apical meristem
B) lateral meristem E) stomata
C) xylem
12. What hormone is responsible for phototropism of the stems of the plants observed in lab;
was this positive or negative tropism?
A) gibberellin; negative D) auxin; positive
B) gibberellin; positive E) none of the above
C) auxin; negative
13. What is/are the purpose(s) of root hairs?
A) increase the surface area for water and mineral absorption
B) increase the surface area for carbon dioxide absorption
C) increase the surface area for photosynthesis
D) All of the above
E) B and C not A
14. What is the leaf structure that exchanges CO2 and O2; and in what direction does the CO2
generally flow?
A) cuticle; into the leaf
B) palisade mesophyll; out of the leaf
C) stomata; into the leaf
D) stomata; out of the leaf
E) spongy mesophyll; into the leaf
15. In class, you observed bean and sunflower plants grown without essential nutrients. Why did
the lack of nitrogen produce symptoms in the sunflowers but not the beans?
A) Beans have a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria that allows them to grow
without nitrogen in the soil.
39
B) Nitrogen is not a macronutrient for beans, so they can grow without it, but sunflowers need
nitrogen.
C) Sunflowers have a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria that allows them to
grow without nitrogen in the soil.
D) Nitrogen is not a micronutrient for sunflowers, so they can grow without it, but beans need
nitrogen.
16. According to the ___________, the ______________ of water from the stomata is the
mechanism that moves water from the roots of a plant to the leaves. (Fill in the blanks with the
most appropriate choices from the list provided.)
A) pressure-flow model; diffusion D) cohesion-tension model; transpiration
B) pressure-flow model; active transport E) none of the above
C) cohesion-tension model; fixation
17. For angiosperms, the is the dominant stage of the life cycle; and is the
process that produces the first cell of this stage. (Fill in the blank with the most appropriate
choice from the list provided)
A) hyphae; meiosis D) gametophyte; mitosis
B) sporophyte; fertilization E) mushroom; fertilization
C) diploid; mitosis
18. Viruses are NOT regarded as living organisms. Why?
A) Viruses do not evolve.
B) Viruses do not have metabolism.
C) Viruses do not reproduce.
D) All of the above
E) A and B not C
19. The diagram to the right shows what type
of viral replication?
A) prokaryotic fission
B) lysogenic
C) lytic
D) mitosis
E) meiosis
20. For bryophytes, the is the dominant stage of the life cycle, and these cells are
. (Fill in the blank with the most appropriate choice from the list provided)
A) gametophyte; haploid D) gametophyte; triploid
B) sporophyte; haploid E) mushroom; haploid
C) zygote; diploid
21. Which of the following statement(s) about prokaryotes is/are correct?
A) Eubacteria are more closely related to eukaryotes than to archaebacteria.
B) Archaebacteria are more closely related to eukaryotes than to eubacteria.
C) Archaebacteria have mitochondria.
40
D) Eubacteria have a nucleus
E) All the above are correct.
22. What structure increases the width/diameter of a tree?
A) apical meristem
B) lateral meristem/vascular cambrium
C) xylem
D) phloem
E) cuticle
23. What organism is formed by the symbiotic interaction between algae and fungi?
A) mushroom D) hyphae
B) fern E) gymnosperm
C) lichens
24. have vascular bundles distributed throughout the stem (figure a) and have a
parallel arrangement of leaf veins (figure b). (Fill in the blank with the most appropriate choice
from the list provided)
A) Monocots
B) Eudicots
C) Woody eudicots
D) All of the above
E) B and C not A
25. What plant tissue moves organic nutrients through the stem?
A) phloem D) apical meristem
B) lateral meristem E) stomata
C) xylem
26. Which of the following is/are important function(s) that eubacteria perform within an
ecosystem?
A) They transform energy into a usable form.
B) They fix nitrogen into a usable form for plants.
C) They decompose dead material.
D) They alter the abiotic factors in their environment by the release of by-products of
metabolism.
E) All of the above are important functions that eubacteria perform.
27. According to the of sugar transport, sugar moves from leaves into the phloem
vessel by . (Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate choice from the list
provided)
A) cohesion tension model; osmosis D) cohesion tension model; active transport
B) pressure flow model; passive transport E) pressure flow model; active transport
C) evolutionary theory; osmosis
28. Which of the following statements about vegetative reproduction is TRUE?
A) The plants produced by vegetative reproduction are genetically different from the original
plant.
B) Vegetative reproduction requires only meiosis.
Fig. b Fig. a
41
C) Vegetative reproduction requires both meiosis and mitosis.
D) The plants produced by vegetative reproduction are genetically identical to the original plant.
29. When you eat a green bean (pod and all), what part(s) of the flower are you eating?
A) petals and stigma D) pollen and petals
B) ovary and ovule E) None of the above
C) stamen and petals
30. What is the first step in the process known as germination; and what part of the plant
emerges from the seed first; and why?
A) imbibition; the cotyledons; because the plant needs to start photosynthesis
B) imbibition; the root; because the plant needs to absorb water and minerals
C) fertilization; the cotyledons; because the plant needs to start photosynthesis
D) fertilization; the root because; the plant needs to absorb water and minerals
E) none of the above
42
ITEM ANALYSIS: Exam 6
Question No. Type No. Correct % Correct Hi 27 Lo 27 Hi 27% Lo 27% Index Grading A B C D E F BLK
1 MC 442/ 513 86.2 % 136 94 95.1 % 65.3 % 0.30 S 52 442* 4 11 4 0 0
2 MC 441/ 513 86.0 % 136 98 95.1 % 68.1 % 0.27 S 16 5 4 47 441* 0 0
3 MC 351/ 513 68.4 % 125 54 87.4 % 37.5 % 0.50 S 26 24 9 103 351* 0 0
4 MC 370/ 513 72.1 % 133 66 93.0 % 45.8 % 0.47 S 370* 21 51 23 48 0 0
5 MC 289/ 513 56.3 % 130 21 90.9 % 14.6 % 0.76 S 105 2 9 108 289* 0 0
6 MC 364/ 513 71.0 % 128 58 89.5 % 40.3 % 0.49 S 2 26 4 117 364* 0 0
7 MC 442/ 513 86.2 % 140 75 97.9 % 52.1 % 0.46 S 12 28 31 442* 0 0 0
8 MC 450/ 513 87.7 % 137 93 95.8 % 64.6 % 0.31 S 19 27 450* 6 10 0 1
9 MC 455/ 513 88.7 % 138 97 96.5 % 67.4 % 0.29 S 19 17 455* 18 4 0 0
10 MC 281/ 513 54.8 % 109 50 76.2 % 34.7 % 0.42 S 128 281* 43 30 31 0 0
11 MC 449/ 513 87.5 % 140 88 97.9 % 61.1 % 0.37 S 20 8 449* 8 28 0 0
12 MC 291/ 513 56.7 % 114 35 79.7 % 24.3 % 0.55 S 30 142 40 291* 8 0 2
13 MC 460/ 513 89.7 % 139 97 97.2 % 67.4 % 0.30 S 460* 6 2 37 8 0 0
14 MC 397/ 513 77.4 % 133 64 93.0 % 44.4 % 0.49 S 30 11 397* 39 36 0 0
15 MC 437/ 513 85.2 % 138 85 96.5 % 59.0 % 0.37 S 437* 53 12 11 0 0 0
16 MC 389/ 513 75.8 % 137 60 95.8 % 41.7 % 0.54 S 43 52 11 389* 18 0 0
17 MC 334/ 513 65.1 % 130 47 90.9 % 32.6 % 0.58 S 22 334* 20 135 2 0 0
18 MC 320/ 513 62.4 % 111 54 77.6 % 37.5 % 0.40 S 4 320* 15 76 97 0 1
19 MC 382/ 513 74.5 % 132 65 92.3 % 45.1 % 0.47 S 23 99 382* 8 1 0 0
20 MC 327/ 513 63.7 % 132 49 92.3 % 34.0 % 0.58 S 327* 132 34 15 3 0 2
21 MC 304/ 513 59.3 % 131 36 91.6 % 25.0 % 0.67 S 95 304* 25 31 56 0 2
22 MC 441/ 513 86.0 % 138 93 96.5 % 64.6 % 0.32 S 40 441* 12 11 8 0 1
23 MC 472/ 513 92.0 % 139 102 97.2 % 70.8 % 0.26 S 10 2 472* 24 5 0 0
24 MC 398/ 513 77.6 % 138 66 96.5 % 45.8 % 0.51 S 398* 41 7 10 57 0 0
25 MC 424/ 513 82.7 % 131 83 91.6 % 57.6 % 0.34 S 424* 11 62 9 7 0 0
26 MC 383/ 513 74.7 % 112 89 78.3 % 61.8 % 0.17 S 17 61 25 26 383* 0 1
43
27 MC 323/ 513 63.0 % 132 41 92.3 % 28.5 % 0.64 S 26 70 1 93 323* 0 0
28 MC 371/ 513 72.3 % 132 64 92.3 % 44.4 % 0.48 S 41 19 81 371* 0 0 1
29 MC 458/ 513 89.3 % 136 108 95.1 % 75.0 % 0.20 S 11 458* 17 8 19 0 0
30 MC 288/ 513 56.1 % 122 33 85.3 % 22.9 % 0.62 S 47 288* 41 126 11 0 0
Table
Legend
No. Correct The number of student(s) from the entire class that correctly answered the question.
% Correct The percentage of the entire class that correctly answered the question.
Hi 27 The number of top 27% student(s) that correctly answered the question.
Low 27 The number of bottom 27% student(s) that correctly answered the question.
Hi 27% The percentage of the top 27% that correctly answered the question.
Low 27% The percentage of the bottom 27% that correctly answered the question.
Index Indicates to what extent success on the item is related to the success on the test as a whole.
(Minimum acceptable index level should be around .20 for all but extremely easy or difficult items.)
* The correct response for each question is indicated by the asterisk.
44
Appendix D
Stephen Long
Department of Political Science Peer Review Memo 2 (Class Visit 1)
Overall Impression
Generally, you do a very nice job with the introductory remarks and PowerPoint. You
seem to have a good rapport with the students, although I had the sense that there were
some who were ignoring you at various points. This is, I think, an unavoidable side
effect of having groups of students at their own tables. They may feel safer talking
amongst themselves in this seating arrangement, which is good during the computer
activity, but bad during your intro. The computer activity is excellent in terms of content,
but I have some reservations about the overall learning experience in the studio format
that I will describe at the end of this document.
Introductory Remarks (17 minutes)
In the basic definition of ecology, one of the PowerPoint graphics seemed to be cut off
vertically, which was odd. In the section on the flow of energy through ecosystems, you
had an excellent link back to the quiz, and the joke about “ThermoGoddamndynamics”
was well-received. You also had good movement around the front of the room during the
part about the forms of energy. This part of the class is really just like a classroom
lecture, just shorter. Is there a way to make this part a bit more unique/linked into the
activity?
Computer Activity (1 hour and 15 minutes)
The content of the computer activity seemed well designed. According to my student
partner, the activity usually goes through material that‟s in the textbook in more detail
with examples, demonstrations, etc. Several parts of the activity led my student partner
to express surprise, such as the dramatic reduction in energy gotten by consumers at each
new level of the ecosystem and the loss of energy in the atmosphere before it reaches
autotrophs. I was surprised, too, and now I will remember that information. My sense is
that a lot of it is review of the book, and I observed my neighbors checking their
textbooks a few times during the activity. This is good, in that it reinforces what they
read previously, but perhaps there‟s some room to incorporate new information that is not
a review of the text. Some students might not see the utility of reading the book if they
will see it all again in the computer activity.
The manual that serves as the guide and place for recording progress through the
computer activity is generally fine, but some questions were a bit too simple for college
students (what lives in a forest, for example), and the students were left hanging as to
correct responses on everything. For example, my table came up with a jaguar, fungus,
and a chipmunk (my idea) as things living in the forest ecosystem. However, we were
unclear about what chipmunks ate (nuts and berries?), and whether fungi excreted
anything into their environment (no?). No one asked the proctors about these questions.
They guessed and moved on. That said, when questions were asked of proctors, the
proctors were fantastic. The gentleman with glasses and a green shirt that day did an
45
excellent job of bringing in some new ideas, and the others ranged from good to excellent. Important points like the role of heat in the energy flow were brought home,
and I‟m certain that everyone in my group understood.
The time allotted to the activity seemed just right. Some groups moved faster than others
at various points, but everyone seemed to be done by the time the activity was over, and
the availability of extra materials after the main parts are completed is great. My student
partner started reading some of that material, and then the activity ended.
What Did We Learn Today? (25 minutes)
This was crucial. It was a bit confusing at first, but things were linked up nicely by the
end. I think it might also be interesting to provide suggestions to students for additional
reading/exercises related to today‟s topic. It would be especially cool to show some
actual research that is being done that speaks to some of the topics covered in class- it
would be a nice way of showing students what it might be like to pursue graduate studies
in Biology. Maybe even bring in a biologist who has done an interesting project in the
area to summarize it and answer questions.
Summing Up
Overall, this was an effective and engaging class. I enjoyed interacting with the students,
and I was interested in the content covered. I learned several new and interesting things.
My concern with the studio format, though, is that it will be great for mature and
motivated students, but less mature students will get a lot of free time in which to goof
off. My sense was that Mike‟s group was less serious about the activity than mine
(perhaps he‟s a trouble maker), and I think that it‟s important not to write those students
off. Perhaps proctors can spend more time at problem tables, prompting students to do
the activity.
Also, it might be worthwhile to think about ways for instructors/proctors to participate
more in the computer activity phase of the class. Instructors/proctors seem to walk
around, checking on groups, but there‟s a lot of self-teaching (and failure to self-teach)
going on, and I think there‟s room for more active involvement. Perhaps stopping at
points in the activity with some kind of event that brings their attention back to the
instructor and adds something to what they‟re doing... I‟m not sure, but in some sense, it
seemed like the up-front investment in the manual and computer activity was being
wasted because the time it opened up for the instructors wasn‟t being used to provide
more to the students.
Stephen Long
Department of Political Science Peer Review Memo 3 (Class Visit 2)
46
9:38-9:46: Pre-lecture. Good slides on endocrine system, reproductive system, urinary
system.
9:46-11:10 Exercise. Like the question format, but it is all direct recall. Not sure working
through the book in class does what we couldn't do on our own- what is the value added by
doing this in the classroom? Students don't always read the whole page in the computer
activity- skip forward to answers to manual questions. Direct quote from one student in my
group: "These are going to be hard to memorize." Bald TA needed help to explain things to
my group, women holding baby did a much better job. Students were copying mindlessly until
the larger TA came and called them on it- he is fantastic.
11:10: Wrap up. Hormone list is complicated as one slide. Urinary system also complicated.
Good jokes about drinking. Overall, this was a very good, interesting class, but the same issues
came up as before with the studio format. Some of it seems to be too much like what they
could do at home, rather than taking full advantage of having a professor and TAs in the room.
I still think it would be awesome to have a segment each week in which you bring in someone
or profile someone's work who is doing research in the area you're discussing- it would give
them a better idea of how scientists are building on what they've learned, what a career in
biology might be like, etc.