Bondos Sarah E, Phillips Dereth
Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005.
Biochem Mol Biol Educ. 2008 Jan;36(1):22-7. doi: 10.1002/bmb.20133.
Rice University has created a team-taught interactive biology course for nonmajors with a focus on cutting edge biology in the news-advances in biotechnology, medicine, and science policy, along with the biological principles and methodology upon which these advances are based. The challenges inherent to teaching current topics were minimized by team-teaching the course, providing knowledgeable and enthusiastic lecturers for every topic while distributing the effort required to update material. Postdoctoral associates and advanced graduate students served as lecturers, providing an opportunity for them to develop their teaching skills and learn to communicate effectively with nonscientists on newsworthy topics related to their research. Laboratory tours, in-class demonstrations, and mock-ups helped lecturers convey surprisingly advanced ideas with students who lacked a strong theoretical or practical science background. A faculty member and co-coordinator administer the class, organize class activities, and mentor the speakers on teaching techniques and lecture design. Course design, lecture topics, hands-on activities, and approaches to successfully solve the difficulties inherent to team teaching are discussed. Course evaluations reflect student involvement in, and enjoyment of, the class.
莱斯大学为非专业学生开设了一门由团队授课的互动生物学课程，重点关注新闻中的前沿生物学——生物技术、医学和科学政策的进展，以及这些进展所基于的生物学原理和方法。通过团队授课，将教授当前主题所固有的挑战降至最低，为每个主题提供知识渊博且热情的讲师，同时分担更新材料所需的精力。博士后研究员和高年级研究生担任讲师，为他们提供了发展教学技能以及学会就与其研究相关的有新闻价值的主题与非科学家有效沟通的机会。实验室参观、课堂演示和实物模型帮助讲师向缺乏扎实理论或实践科学背景的学生传达令人惊讶的先进理念。一位教员兼联合协调员管理班级、组织课堂活动，并就教学技巧和讲座设计指导演讲者。文中讨论了课程设计、讲座主题、实践活动以及成功解决团队教学中固有困难的方法。课程评估反映了学生对课程的参与度和喜爱程度。
