teaching

One of my primary objectives as a biology teacher is to instill an appreciation for the natural world in my students. I believe undergraduate biology students should leave university with a greater sense of stewardship for the earth and my task is to provide them with a basic understanding of fundamental subjects such as molecular biology, genetics, evolution, ecology and the interrelatedness of all biology. I try to make these subjects relevant in my student’s lives, to take the study of biology out of the realm of the abstract and relate it to the real world in a number of ways, including devoting a few minutes each class for students to bring up and discuss recent biology stories in the news, and by explaining key concepts using examples that hit close to home whenever possible. For example, in a recent lecture on conservation biology I taught my students about the Canadian Species At Risk Act and highlighted species at risk in Atlantic Canada such as the Butternut tree and the North Atlantic right whale. My students can either build on this foundation for the rest of their careers should they choose to become biologists, or leave with the skills needed to make informed decisions as citizens about biological issues facing the world.

I believe learning is an active process that requires student participation to be effective, regardless of the learning environment. In my large, introductory biology courses (100-350 students per section), I encouraged student participation by incorporating case studies into the curricula, where students formed small groups to discuss and answer questions I posed during class. I have found case study-based classes to be effective and among the most popular classes with my students (see Teaching Effectiveness: Testimonials, pg. 13). As a Laboratory Advisor working with students one-on-one, I encouraged participation by suggesting primary literature the student could read and use to come up with their own ideas for the direction of their project and, in this way, take ownership of their research.

My experience as a researcher informs my teaching. As a researcher, I have developed skills in a broad range of techniques (e.g., intertidal and subtidal sample collection, DNA extraction, PCR, microscopy) and I know the value of hands-on experience for learning new techniques. One of my goals as a teacher is to provide my students the same experience by incorporating a practical component to the concepts I teach when possible (e.g., have the students conduct a PCR in an introductory molecular biology course). I feel that providing this first-hand experience is necessary for teaching undergraduate students the skills of a professional biologist.

I believe we teach by what we do in the classroom as much as by what we say. By demonstrating professionalism, empathy, a curiosity and enthusiasm for biology and a willingness to make mistakes as I learn, I am communicating the value of these traits to my students. For example, as a Stipendiary Instructor I met weekly with the Peer Assisted Learning mentors (senior undergraduates who attend classes and provide tutoring sessions) to receive feedback about how well students understood the concepts in recent lectures. I have made adjustments to some my lectures in response to student feedback, such as including a better example of a real world application when teaching the Hardy-Weinberg principle in my introductory course.

Finally, I realize that in order to produce emancipated learners with a sense of pride in their own learning, I must continually develop my skills as a teacher, and I do this by keeping abreast of the considerable literature on the scholarship of teaching and learning.