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Biology is a field full of creativity, discovery and intrigue. It has the capacity to save lives, invent technology and foster curiosity – and this is why I am a passionate biologist. However, many students find biology either inaccessible and boring or get lost in terminology and complex diagrams. My overarching philosophy as an instructor is to free students from these misconceptions and to make biology accessible and exciting for every student. My students will leave my classroom confident in their ability to engage in the world of biological science. To achieve this goal, I have three primary objectives: 1) Cultivate collaboration and inclusivity 2) Develop independent scholars with analytical minds; and 3) Foster scientific creativity and inquiry.
1) Cultivate collaboration and inclusivity
Science is inherently collaborative. Therefore, teach my students the scientific knowledge and personal skills required for successful collaboration. I have previously accomplished this in a laboratory class as an observing professor noted I, “have taught [my] students the habit of approaching scientific problems as a team.” In my classes, I have students consistently work in changing groups to give students access to the full diversity within the classroom. I explicitly discuss the importance of diversity of background, thought, and interests and how I expect all students to respect, embrace, and learn from others. I incorporate scientific examples from around the world, from diverse researchers, and which has impacts on many different people to show my students that everyone can be part of, and is influenced by, the scientific community.
To make my classroom fully inclusive, I not only emphasize the importance of diversity of my students, but also include a diverse range of teaching activities and assessments to allow each student to engage with the material provided in a way that is meaningful them while also challenging them to learn in ways outside of their comfort zone. In class, I have students brainstorm individually to provide a medium for quiet students to participate. Subsequently, I will have small and large group discussions based on this brainstorming activity to allow verbal students to engage in the material. This way, every student has a chance to participate and learn. I also diversify my assessments. In my first-year seminar course, major assessments throughout the semester to include a written grant, and oral presentation, and an infographic. Therefore, students get practice in different forms of communication. They may be confident in one and therefore be able to engage deeply with the assessment, while also being challenged by others to develop additional skills. By diversifying my teaching, I hope to create an environment in which all students can thrive while also being challenged to grow.
2) Develop independent scholars with analytical minds
My students leave my classes with the skills to analyze and apply data, ideas, and scientific conclusions. To accomplish this, I use the CREATE (Consider, Read, Elucidate the hypothesis, Analyze the data, and Think of the next Experiment) method of scientific teaching. By using this method, students gain a framework to evaluate scientific articles and develop critical thinking skills required across disciplines. I modify this method depending on the level of my students. First year students read popular press articles while upper level students are responsible for independently analyzing primary literature. In a first-year biology course, I use this method by asking students to determine the hypothesis, experiment, and results of a study reported in a popular press source. This can be supplemented with data and excerpts from the primary literature article. Through this activity students gain the ability to analyze written and visual scientific conclusions, and to apply these finding to future experiments of their own design.
An additional element of having an analytical mind is being able to reflect on one’s experiences and personal growth. To develop this mindset, I have students write reflections after each unit. In these reflections students are asked to analyze what they learned during the unit, addressing how the new information fits in with prior knowledge or addresses misconceptions. Students are also asked to reflect on their personal growth as a student, scientist, or citizen based on the material, activities, or discussions from class. Finally, students are asked to identify areas of strength and struggle and develop an action plan for how to improve throughout the next unit. After the first unit in my first-year biology seminar course, student reflections highlighted the need to improve their time management, participate more in class, as well as misconceptions about the scientific method they had learned in high school compared to the process we learned in class. These reflections develop ownership of their scholarship and give students a lens to view their personal growth throughout the semester.
3) Foster scientific creativity and inquiry
Students must be rid of the idea that science is memorized facts regurgitated on demand. In my classes, informal assessments throughout units check student comprehension. This includes worksheets, quizzes, and other active classroom assessment techniques. These check-ins allow myself and my students to gauge comprehension. Final projects I assign have students creatively apply the knowledge they’ve acquired. In my first-year seminar biology class, I have students design a GMO after analyzing real-world data. This assesses their ability to analyze scientific data and the ability to use it to design another experiment, a main learning goal of that unit. I expect my students to have a firm understanding of scientific material to skillfully apply it to solve real-world problems. As one of my students wrote on a teaching evaluation, I “encourage in-depth thinking of scientific topics with guidance, contagious enthusiasm, [and] organization.”
Each student has a unique curiosity, and by exploring this curiosity students will engage in the material and learn more. I use inquiry-based learning and student-driven assignments that appeal to their unique interests to give students this opportunity. In laboratory courses, I design open-ended exercises where students are required to formulate hypotheses. For example, students are provided a bacterium or fungus and are asked to learn more about its biology, but can ask whatever questions they’d like. Questions have included: Can it survive the cold? Is it killed by Purell? Can it outcompete my friend’s organism? These activities allow students to be creative, have fun in the lab, and practice genuine scientific inquiry. In the classroom, I assign projects which allow for student-selected topics. For example, in a first-year seminar biology course, the final project is to present a scientific popular press article of their choosing as a poster. In this assessment, students show us they can use the analytical skills we’ve been developing throughout the semester while directing their own research.
There is nothing more rewarding than the look on a student’s face when they experience discovery - whether that be learning a new concept, analyzing results of their own experiment, or realizing they are a capable biologist. This is my motivation as an instructor; that all students experience the joy of biological inquiry, creativity, and discovery.