Chemists, biologists consider innovative teaching techniques

"It is a rare event when chemists and biologists sit down together and talk about what they teach in their courses," said chemistry professor Leon Venable of Agnes Scott College. That rare event is exactly what took place in the "Strategies for Teaching Introductory Biology and Chemistry" conference held Oct. 9 and 10. Organized by Pat Marstellar, senior lecturer in biology and director of the Hughes Program, the conference focused on innovative and creative techniques for teaching introductory chemistry and biology courses.

The two-day event, sponsored by the Howard Hughes Undergraduate Science Initiative and the Departments of Biology and Chemistry, opened with an address from biology department chair John Lucchesi. Faculty from around the Southeast then discussed the problems and challenges of teaching large introductory courses in the sciences. Laura DeLong, chemistry professor at Shorter College in Rome, Ga., said, "Much of what we discussed were very practical ways to make the courses relevant to the students. My premedical students take organic chemistry because they have to. They don't realize that they are learning valuable problem-solving skills that they will use later. For instance, one thing suggested was to integrate the biology and chemistry labs -- have the students collect samples in biology labs, like leaves known to contain a substance such as caffeine, then have the students extract the caffeine in the chemistry lab."

This multidisciplinary approach to science education was also discussed at the computer workshops held to introduce the participants to LearnLink, Emory's interactive academic computer resource. Participants spent several hours "playing" on the computer, discussing how programs such as LearnLink can help make a 300-student class seem more personal and one on one. Advantages of programs such as LearnLink, where students can ask questions anonymously, were pointed out. Interested conference participants were able to take copies of the LearnLink program back to their home institutions.

The conference also featured the BioQUEST software, designed to simulate lab procedures such as DNA sequencing, protein purification schemes and other "high tech" lab techniques to which many undergraduates are not normally exposed.

Other topics covered at the forum included "Virtual Instruments in the Lab" led by Paul Lennard, associate professor of biology at Emory and 1995 recipient of the Emory Williams Teaching Award. Invited speakers at this year's forum included Dan Udovic of the Department of Biology at the University of Oregon; Ethel Stanley representing the BioQuest curriculum consortium; and Slayton Evans, Kenan Professor of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Marstellar was pleased with this year's conference and the enthusiastic participation. She hopes that these types of educational discussions will continue and expand to a greater audience of faculty from Emory and around the nation.

-- Michelle Arduengo