Document available in PDF format: Cell
Biology for Life - Philosophy
By Katayoun Chamany
Science education at the undergraduate level faces
an ever-growing challenge. As the wealth of scientific
knowledge in a field such as cell biology grows, we
are understandably pressed to present more and more
information in order to keep undergraduate education
up to date with the most exciting advances in research.
This translates directly into demands for time in
our classrooms and space in our textbooks devoted
to conveying complex ideas and information. Yet, as
classroom experience and study after study demonstrate,
students learn more effectively, acquiring a deeper
understanding of science, if they do more than try
to absorb information passively.
It is also important for students to make connections and bridge the gap between what they learn in the classroom and everyday life. From the everyday side, news stories sometimes highlight the societal implications of scientific advances, but too often they skim over the basic science, if they discuss it at all. From the more academic side, some textbook publishers have developed curricular materials within their books such as concept boxes, interactive discs with microscopic movies and animations and questions designed to stimulate critical reflection. Essential Cell Biology, Second Edition, by Bruce Alberts, et al., is an example of a book that incorporates these features throughout.
For a sound education, however, nothing can replace an engaging classroom experience. Studies in cognitive science suggest that education is greatly enriched when students are given the opportunity to learn through reflection, explanation, elaboration and application (Springer 1999). These pedagogical approaches are central to the case study method of teaching, a method which has been used with much success for two decades in business, medical, and law schools. It is also of note that this type of education may better suit women and students from other groups currently under-represented in science.
To address these needs and in consultation with the authors of Essential Cell Biology and Molecular Biology of the Cell, I have developed Cell Biology for Life (CBL), a collection of curriculum supplements based on the case study model of teaching. This collection is also based on my experiences in my cell biology course at Eugene Lang College. Over the last five years, as the course evolved, the case study model had such success that it has been introduced in most of the biology courses in the college. In some cases, the technique spans an entire course, while in others it works as a springboard for mini-lectures or other types of teaching.
The activities constituting the CBL collection are organized in two ways. First, CBL is divided into three modules. Each module focuses on an area of biological research with multiple avenues of social relevance: botulinum toxin and secretion, stem cell research and cell signaling, and human papillomavirus (HPV) and oncogenesis. The prevalence of coverage in the media of the threat of bioterrorism, potential bans on scientific research, and the increasing rates and awareness of STD infections all contributed to the choice of these topics. Beyond this, however, each module spans three or four chapters of Essential Cell Biology and Molecular Biology of the Cell. In designing these modules, I also consulted syllabi from many cell biology courses to ascertain which chapters were most frequently covered. Together the CBL modules cover more than half the textbooks. Therefore, the theme of each CBL module ties information from many textbook chapters together and highlights the fundamental principles and methods of cell biology. The module topics, if used in succession, move from basic cell biology to more sophisticated cell biology: students learn about cell structures, cell division, and cell differentiation in the stem cell module, are introduced to prokaryotic cells and specialized cell processes such as neurotransmission and muscle contraction in the botulinum toxin module, and investigate the role that genetics and viruses play in cell pathology in the HPV module. In turn, this emphasizes the integrated nature of cell biological processes and moves students away from a fragmented understanding of cell structures and functions.
The second form of organization of the CBL collection is found within each of the modules: the activities constituting each module follow a specific progression. Building upon the idea of a learning cycle, each module contains four basic types of learning activities, beginning with engagement, moving through exploration and elaboration and ending with application (Allard, 1994). These four stages are outlined in the table below. Instructors are encouraged to explore the various activities within the modules for more concrete sense of what each entails.
| Activity | Pedagogical Value |
| Social Impact Discussions | Stimulates student interest by having students pose and respond to questions about the ethical and social aspects of the topic. |
| Data Analysis | Requires students to use study guides to analyze primary literature and give oral and/or written summaries of the research. |
| Molecular Skits | Encourages students to use diachronic thinking to understand temporal and spatial relationships of molecular processes. |
| Decision-Based Writing | Presents students with dilemmas and asks them to formulate solutions, using role-play, written proposals, small-group work, and peer review to include different perspectives and needs. |
Though this pedagogy originated in the elementary and secondary school systems, it has been applied with much success in college science courses. While addressing the variance in student learning styles, these activities are also based on Piaget's philosophy of "learning by doing" and the premise of the National Science Education Standards that "learning science is something that students do, not something that is done to them."
To help students see the impact of scientific research,
each module contains a capstone activity that builds
on previous knowledge and requires application of
this knowledge to solve a pressing social issue. By
requiring students to research and investigate a controversy,
they encourage students to think as civic scientists,
which is an objective of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science (AAAS, 1990). These
open-ended individual experiences allow students to
develop their own processes and ideas, synthesize
new knowledge, and address a problem or controversy
from their own scientifically educated point of view.
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