Overview
Beginning January 2010, continuing through Spring 2011, CIT hosted a fellowship program to support biology faculty who are revising the large biology courses to incorporate Scientific Teaching principles (as described in Handelsman et al. 2004). Specifically, faculty are exploring ways to teach biology in a more student-centered (rather than teacher-centered) way, by incorporating active learning and encouraging higher order thinking skills. Faculty aim to inspire a passion for biology in students.
Fellows Activities
A one-day “Scientific Teaching bootcamp” in January 2010 focused on creating higher-order learning outcomes for three revised classes, and participation in active learning techniques. Faculty worked with each other to design their courses, and considered support they would need to be successful. Subsequent meetings focused on practice with active learning techniques, sharing what worked in the courses, learning outcomes and alignment, and formative and summative assessment.
Fellows met monthly during the spring semester, and participated in assessment and review activities while the courses were taught for the first time during Fall 2010. The courses were revised and taught by different faculty in the spring of 2011; the fellowship concluded in May 2011. Fellows received a stipend of $1500 for active participation in meetings and after completion of all agreed upon Fellowship activities.
Outcomes
See descriptions of the redesigned courses, read what worked and find out what faculty thought in these CIT blog posts:
Scientific Teaching in Biology at Duke
Biology curriculum revision: Bio 102 Fall 2010
Biology curriculum revision: Bio 101 Fall 2010
Biology curriculum revision: Bio 102 Spring 2011
How I learned to stop worrying and love the objectives
Learning what works from other faculty
Biology curriculum revision: Bio 101 Spring 2011
Biology curriculum revision: Bio 112 Ecology for a Crowded Planet
Participants
Emily Bernhardt, Associate Professor
Nicholas Buchler, Assistant Professor
Kathleen Donohue, Associate Professor
Steve Haase, Associate Professor
Alison Hill, Lecturer
Dan Kiehart, Professor and Chair
Bill Morris, Professor
Julie Noor, Lecturer
Mohamed Noor, Professor and Associate Chair
Mark Rausher, Professor
Chantal Reid, Assistant Professor of the Practice
Julie Reynolds, Assistant Professor of the Practice and Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies
John Willis, Professor
Will Wilson, Associate Professor
Greg Wray, Professor
Justin Wright, Assistant Professor