Teaching Cell Biology Today - Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL)

Teaching Cell Biology Today: Incorporating Contemporary Issues into a Collection of Teaching Modules Katayoun Chamany, Eugene Lang College of the New School University Cell Biology for Life, a web-accessible supplement for Molecular Biology of the Cell and Essential Cell Biology, is a collection of modules that uses contemporary social issues to teach cell biology. Each module weaves information from many textbook chapters into a coherent scientific story and assignments emphasize the integrated nature of cell biological processes and move away from a fragmented understanding of cell structures and functions. Using this curriculum, students learn the fundamental principles and methods of cell biology and learn how to apply this knowledge to other disciplines and their everyday lives. The topics for the first three modules in this collection include botulinum toxin (BOTOX) use and abuse, the stem cell research debates, and the relationship between HPV and cancer. Students are directed to media clips and assignments that illustrate how humans can manipulate cell biology. They then consider how these manipulations affect society and develop a biological, as well as ethical understanding of the implications of such research. Students engage in the process of science by applying their understanding of molecular biological techniques, DNA technology, and molecular models to solve problems related to these topics and to effectively communicate, criticize, and analyze research in these fields in both written and oral form. Each learning activity guides students through the challenges of independent problem solving and offers guidance towards decision making on a personal as well as societal level. Opportunities for group learning are presented for small classes, while members of large classes are encouraged to communicate via the Garland Science Classwire web site. The modules can complement a variety of courses and instructors are encouraged to modify them as is appropriate for their course. Using Cell Biology for Life, students begin to appreciate the advances in cell biology, recognize reoccurring themes of the field, and apply this knowledge in relevant contexts by analyzing multiple perspectives, approaches, and outcomes. Introduction There has never been a better time to engage students in cutting edge science using contemporary real world cases. Words like receptor, genomics, and agonist, have become part of the popular media suggesting that we are a biologically literate society. Although news stories highlight the ethics, politics, and societal implications of scientific advances they often skim over the basic science or take it out of context. Textbooks suffer from the opposite extreme; partitioning scientific information into discrete chapters that often lack meaningful connections. Not surprisingly, science students today acquire a vast sum of information but do not know how to piece it together. Most students complete college science courses having never used higher-order thinking to solve problems and make decisions. In consultation with the authors of Molecular Biology of the Cell and Essential Cell Biology, I developed this supplement in an attempt to address these problems in science education. The collection is based on experiences with my cell biology course, Cell Communications. Over the last three years the course has evolved and given its success, the pedagogy has been applied to most of the biology courses at our college. In some cases, the technique spans the entire course while in others, it works as a springboard for mini-lectures or other types of teaching. Although our curriculum is designed for liberal studies students, the pedagogy can serve science majors. I have expanded the prototype to serve introductory and more advanced level students in cell biology or biology-related courses.

My philosophy for developing these modules stems from the belief that education must connect students to their present situation (Dewey 1963). If the subject matter resonates with students, they will be more likely to retain it and make connections to their own experiences. Today's world of expanding information technology and collaborative scientific research demands that students be able to communicate across disciplines and cultures. As instructors, we need to help our students learn how to apply the scientific process, and weave it into a useable fabric with other disciplinary approaches. Each module in Cell Biology for Life offers four activities that engage students in inquiry based learning ranging from multi-disciplinary discussions to rigorous data analysis of primary literature. These activities follow the National Science Education Standards' premise that "learning science is something that students do, not something that is done to them” (National Research Council 1996, Bybee 1982) and address the variance in student learning styles. The learning activities in the collection push students to learn material as they need it and to share this information with others. They begin to view their peers and themselves as important members of the scientific community. They rely less on the instructor and instead synthesize and apply knowledge on their own. By actively participating in the process of discovery, students are more motivated and more likely to retain the information that they have learned and instructors are able to assess student progress more frequently during the course as well (Brookhart 1999). Each activity in Cell Biology for Life encourages openness to new ideas and demonstrates that informed skepticism promotes thoughtful questioning. Activities invite students to: • • • •

bring their preconceived ideas and questions about the subject to the discussion (learner centered) guide one another through the process of investigating the subject from multiple perspectives using a variety of tools and resources (knowledge centered) visualize and reflect on their ideas and apply them in novel contexts in front of peers (assessment centered) determine where their ideas lie in the larger framework of the class, the scientific community, and society (community centered)

Although an individual student can complete most of the activities, students can gain more by working with their peers. It has been argued that collective forms of learning may better suit some students: namely women and those from minority groups (Slavin 1995, Bruffee 1993). Group learning takes two forms: cooperative and collaborative. Cooperative activities encourage knowledge acquisition and basic understanding. Collaborative activities address the application of knowledge and address more complex forms of thinking. Some of the group activities in these modules are designed for introductory students and are cooperative in nature, highly structured, and expose students to the fundamentals of cell biology or foundational knowledge. These activities present students with a well-defined task and ask them to interact with one another in small groups using an established format to achieve a common goal and product. Collaborative activities ask students to role-play members of a symposium where multiple views are presented on a real world problem. Other activities are designed to engage more advanced students. These open-ended individual experiences allow students to develop their own processes and ideas, synthesize new knowledge, and solve or understand a problem or controversy.

Through conversations, students exercise their abilities to reason and question the preconceived theories and ideas of their peers and the scientific community. Both the collaborative and cooperative activities reinforce learning by having students explain and interpret each other's ideas as well as challenge and defend those ideas in the safe environment of peers where the authority of knowledge does not necessarily reside with the instructor (Harwood, 2002). By combining Cell Biology for Life with traditional methods of teaching, students will remain curious and develop the skills necessary to become life long learners of biology. Overview and Content of Modules Cell Biology for Life encourages students to view cell biology as a dynamic field of study whose applications can be seen in daily life. Each module focuses on a politically charged subject that matters to undergraduates and student learning is measured through reading comprehension, data analysis, writing, modeling, and peer review. The first module traces the trajectory of the use and abuse of the botulinum toxin molecule in human society. Students evaluate the range of molecular effects that the toxin exhibits in various environments and propose molecular models for a method of vaccination or medical treatment. The second module investigates the on-going stem cell research debate and tackles the subject by asking students to prepare a formal statement for their congressional representative expressing their support for, or against, such research. To prepare this statement students investigate the process of development including cell differentiation and programmed cell death. They also consider how human intervention of these processes can lead to a better understanding of human development and the development of drugs or treatments for rebuilding lost tissues and organs. The last module introduces the relationship of viruses and cancer. Students examine the host molecular effects of the human papilloma virus and consider the strain-specific characteristics that dictate whether an HPV infection will lead to malignant or benign changes in the genitalia and reproductive tracts. Because HPV is sexually transmitted and can also cause genital warts, this topic is of particular interest to the undergraduate population. The incidence of HPV infection in female undergraduates has been reported to be as high as 50% and it is the number one cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide. Each module offers four learning activities that follow a learning cycle that begins with engagement, moves towards exploration and elaboration, and ends with application (Allard, 1994). Each activity can stand-alone or be used in combination and are described in the table and text below. Activity assignments refer to secondary literature and chapters of Essential Cell Biology and Molecular Biology of the Cell so that reading may be assigned to coordinate with the module. The activities and resources presented in each module are a starting point and instructors should tailor the modules to suit the goals, learning styles, and teaching styles of their classrooms. Since class time, space, and size present constraints, alternatives are included. For example, in small classes that meet for longer sessions, an instructor may opt for group activities and discussions, whereas in a larger class with fifty-minute sessions, the instructor may choose individualized structured writing and data analysis activities.

Table 1. Learning Activities at Glance Learning Activity Activity One: Social Impact Discussion Activity Two: Molecular skits Activity Three: Data Analysis Activity Four: Data Analysis Activity Five: Decision Making Discussion and Writing Activity Six: Writing Grant Proposals to Engineer New Drugs

Pedagogical Value Stimulates and maintains student interest by having students form questions about the ethical and social aspects of the topic. Encourages students to use diachronic thinking to understand temporal and spatial relationships of molecular processes. Requires students to use study guides to analyze a research article and answer a set of questions that address figures, data, and future directions. Requires students to address controversy in a particular field of research in the form of a review article Presents students with situations or dilemmas and asks them to formulate a solution. Uses role-play, written proposals, small group work, and peer review to include the perspectives and needs of different parties. Students write a proposal that addresses potential therapeutic applications based on the information learned throughout the module. Includes cost-benefit and riskbenefit analyses, role-play, and peer review.

Learning Activities Activity 1: Individual Reflection or Structured Discussion of Social Impact • level: introductory to advanced • class time: individual work with no class sessions or small group work with one class session for structured discussion • teacher preparation time: minimal • student preparation time: minimal • grading: none Of the four learning activities this is the most important because it illustrates the social relevance of the cell biology topic. If only this activity is incorporated into cell biology courses, students will be vested in the discovery process as they pose and answer questions for themselves. This technique was used in large, lecture style courses at the University of Montana and Northern Arizona University, where students felt they learned more and pushed themselves harder than they would have in traditional lecture classes (Ebert-May et al, 1997, Brewer et al 1998). Students are introduced to the topic of the module by viewing videos and reading literature. Each module contains a reference to a video segment that exposes students to the personalities of the scientists conducting the research, those who oppose the research, and the potential benefactors of the applications of the scientific research. The video clips make the subject real by providing personal stories. The students receive review articles or newspaper articles for further perspective. Each article approaches the topic from a different angle (economics, law, ethics, politics, and culture) and stimulates students to ask questions. Through this process, students begin to realize that questions lead to answers that suggest more questions. The activity can be administered in two different ways but both methods ask students to answer these questions: • What did you learn from reading this article? • What was left unclear or ambiguous in this article? • What else would you like to learn?

Activity 2- Molecular Skits • level: introductory to intermediate • class time: two class sessions for small group work and presentations • teacher preparation time: minimal • student preparation time: moderate for individual and small groups • grading: grading of skits occurs in class while review of peer assessments would take place outside of class and are optional forms of evaluation Students are asked to act out a molecular skit to demonstrate their understanding of a cell biological process. This activity may seem juvenile, but research has shown that college students benefit from activities that accommodate different learning styles and that learning science is particularly difficult for students who need to visualize phenomena that cannot be seen by the naked eye. This activity requires students to experience the dynamic nature of cell biological processes through a physical activity. Through this experience students are better able to comprehend how the cell responds both temporally and spatially to extracellular signals and environmental variables by possessing a fluid plasma membrane, receptors and ligands with varying binding affinities, and regulated signaling cascades that allow for specific protein interactions. The class is broken into small groups and each group decides what roles each member will play in the relevant parts of a cell or molecule. Each group then develops a skit that illustrates the behavior of the molecules in time-lapse fashion. To help guide the process, students sketch the skit on paper and provide a written script for all roles in the group. To ensure that all members are actively participating in the activity, individual as well as group assessment may occur. The instructor may extend this activity and ask students to write a short character sketch for their role, and explain how it fits into the larger skit. This writing assignment may ask them to select what they feel is the most important point in the biological process for their role and depict this with written language as well as a computer-generated or hand-drawn illustration. Because this activity requires students to interact and often touch one another it is important to include a narrator role so students who do not feel comfortable touching one another can participate in the activity. In small classes, each small group acts out the molecular skit in front of the class while audience members try to identify the biological process being depicted. In large classes, the instructor can choose one or two groups at random to demonstrate the process to the class. In either situation, the written and artistic work from all groups can be submitted to the instructor for review. By reviewing the written, artistic, and theatrical work, instructors assess students’ modeling skills as well as their threedimensional understanding of the process. Activity 3: Reading Primary Literature and Data Analysis • level: intermediate to advanced • class time: no class sessions for individual student work and completed questions or one to two class sessions for student presentations of answers to questions • teacher preparation time: moderate • student preparation time: extensive • grading: grade answers to questions or grade presentations This activity is designed to “walk” students through a primary literature article, teaching them to ask good questions along the way, and to learn how to find the answers on their own. Perhaps the most useful tool we can give students is the ability to dissect and comprehend the data, models, and

conclusions that are presented in a primary literature article. Most students struggle with primary literature because they have not been taught how to approach these articles and extract salient points. Often the sheer scope of information overwhelms students, and rather than break the paper down into more manageable pieces, they reformulate passages and refer to figures without comprehending their significance. Students begin the activity by identifying all unknown words or symbols in the text. Each student is assigned an unfamiliar word to research. Students then present their definitions of the word and explain how these definitions are significant to the context of the findings presented in the article. In small classes, this activity can take the form of mini student lectures, while in large classes students conduct the research on their own using a tutorial that illustrates the method of breaking the paper down and understanding the relationships between the figures, tables, and text. The articles highlighted in this section have language and content appropriate for undergraduate students. By assigning the article in this section with the supplemental reading from the secondary literature list, an instructor could teach cell biology in context without changing his or her course in any other way. By seeing how differently scientific findings are portrayed in the primary and secondary literature, students come to value being biologically literate and having the skills to discern truth from conjecture and media hype. Activity 4: Reading Primary Literature and Writing a Review Article • level: advanced • class time: no class sessions, but part of one class session can be used to exchange peer review comments • teacher preparation time: moderate • student preparation time: extensive • grading: time for grading papers is extensive This activity presents a controversial field of research to students. Like Activity 3, students read primary literature, but in this activity the cellular processes have not been completely worked out. Students are expected to be familiar with basic molecular biology and biochemical techniques and are asked to summarize their understanding of the current state of the field in a review article. Students begin the activity by answering a set of questions that identify key points of dispute. These questions ask students to turn to different pieces of data presented in the primary literature and to weigh the evidence that supports one theory or another. Using data from the literature, students write a review article and exchange their articles with a peer who critiques the review. Activity 5: Writing and Ethical Decision-Making • level: introductory or advanced • class time: Varies depending on form of assessment. There are options for debates or symposiums • teacher preparation time: minimal • student preparation time: extensive individual student preparation time • grading: extensive evaluation time needed to grade proposal and papers This activity prepares students for a post-graduate situation in which scientists are expected to be socially responsible and citizens to be scientifically literate regardless of their profession. Having established a base of knowledge, students apply higher-order thinking to solve an ethical dilemma that requires a firm understanding of science and an analysis of cost-benefit ratios. This approach demonstrates the blurring

of boundaries amongst the academic disciplines since culture, economics, politics, history, and media must be considered when presenting a viable solution. The dilemma can be presented as a brief set of facts and questions that are tackled within one or two class periods or a more elaborate activity can be assigned. Advanced level students consider a dilemma, conduct research outside of class and write a proposal, have a student discussion on-line via the Classwire site, or conduct a debate or symposium in class. In the debate, there are only two sides to the issue: pro or con. In the symposium, students role play members of the community and present the issues and solutions most appropriate for their particular role. Debates and symposiums are best conducted in small classes, but can be modified for larger classes by having students write either a persuasive letter to a congressman or a more traditional position paper or grant proposal. By researching and investigating the controversy, students learn to be civic scientists; a major obj ective of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS 1989). The activity is useful for instructors as well because viewing how students restate the problem in their own words can serve as an indicator of the level of effective instruction in the classroom. Activity 6: Writing and Reviewing Grant Proposals to Engineer New Drugs • level: advanced • class time: no class sessions except for peer review • teacher preparation time: moderate • student preparation time: extensive individual student preparation time • grading: extensive evaluation time needed to grade proposal and peer reviews This activity is a capstone experience that illustrates how basic science can be applied to society. Advances in the life sciences have served as the basis for the development of new methods of disease prevention, detection, and treatment. Having established a base of knowledge about the topic at hand, students apply higher-order thinking to propose the development of a molecular tool that can be used in one of these three areas of public health. A thorough review of the basic science and an analysis of costbenefit ratios must be presented in the proposal and a peer evaluates the credibility of the proposal using a set of specified criteria. Classroom Management and Assessment Tools Cell Biology for Life strives to include a broad collection of student achievement targets and a variety of evaluation and assessment methods that are useful for both instructor and student. This approach helps students identify the areas in which they are progressing as well as more complicated areas that require more study. Instructors can then use this information to adjust the curriculum and address these needs. Sharing the results of these assessments with students teaches them that process and content are equally important to the learning experience. As Susan Brookhart comments in her monograph “The Art and Science of Classroom Assessment: The Missing Part of Pedagogy,” many innovative teaching methods have been appropriated and implemented in the college science curricula with very little information as to how effective these practices are (Brookhart, 1999). Since natural science instructors have favored more traditional methods of teaching and assessment like lectures, exams, and lab reports, far fewer data exist for assessments of nontraditional pedagogies. Although traditional methods of teaching address student acquisition of knowledge and skills, progressive teaching considers a wider variety of learning outcomes: higher order thinking; the process of creating and developing products (papers, proposals, web pages); and overall student dispositions towards the discipline.

The assessment and evaluation methods in Cell Biology for Life are techniques that have been developed, used, and tested by faculty around the nation to obtain fair and comprehensive assessment of individual and group performance (Angelo and Cross 1993, Project Kaleidoscope 1991). Both the activities, and method of evaluation and assessment follow recommendations put forth by the National Institute for Science Education (NISE), the National Academy of Sciences, and the Joint Committee on Standards (a coalition of 16 institutions). The last of which will be published in the Standards for Evaluation of Students in 2002 (Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation 1998). Some instructors view assessment and evaluation as one in the same, but science education research differentiates the two. Assessment is defined as the process of gathering data, while evaluation refers to judgments made using the data. Both formative and summative assessments gauge student progress at a particular point in the course and measure the degree to which the course is achieving its overall objectives. The assessment data can be used to alter the course in future years thereby contributing to course development, or it can be used to evaluate and determine the fate of the course in the curriculum; if negative, the course may be removed, and if positive the course may be recognized as a model. Since science is collaborative and relies on written communications (manuscripts and grants) and oral presentations (poster sessions, seminars, lab meetings, and research talks), assessment tools for collaborative, written, and oral work are included in this supplement. It is clear that group work experiences increase a student’s ability to recognize and respect differing opinions and ideas. However, the benefits of this type of learning activity are balanced by the lack of guaranteed accountability of each member of the group. To promote the advantageous aspects of group work and build accountability, I suggest using a combination of clear guidelines and a variety of peer, self, and group assessment worksheets which are described below in the resource list. Resource One Companies and organizations cite teamwork and communication skills as the two most important factors they consider when reviewing an applicant for hire. The modules in Cell Biology for Life present students with opportunities to work in groups and practice management and organizational skills through conversation and presentations. Many students may feel challenged by the task of dealing with group dynamics. Some students have reported that open-ended unsupervised group activities left them feeling abandoned by the instructor and unsure where to start or how to resolve dissent. To alleviate some of the pressures associated with group activities and to provide students with some structure, the instructor may choose to have groups assign roles for each member of the group. Resource one lists five group roles that promote successful working relationships. By assuming these roles, students learn to question reasoning, be aware of process, work through conflict, prioritize goals, communicate ideas clearly, and be respectful of differing views. A few ideas are listed as suggestions for optimal group work management. Having a clearly defined role and method of communication will promote accountability of all members of the group. Resource Two Resource two is a self-assessment worksheet that encourages students to consider their own performance in a small group setting. The worksheet contains areas for quantitative ratings for quick review by the instructor. The worksheet also leaves room for qualitative statements that may describe problems or

difficulties that the student encountered and suggestions for resolving those issues in future group work settings. Resource Three Resource three asks students to evaluate the contributions of each member of the group. This resource also includes a reflective piece that allows students and instructors to acknowledge where the group is successful and to define ways in which the group process can be improved. The worksheet will reveal experiences and perceptions that are common to group members and highlight unique student experiences or perceptions. For example, the members of one group may indicate that finding time outside of class was a challenge and the instructor may choose to add time in class in future sessions or to assign students to groups based on geographic proximity or class scheduling. The worksheet also builds accountability for each group member. If all group members note that one member is not executing a pre-assigned role, it would be hard for that one member to refute their claims. Some instructors will allow a group to “fire” a member. That individual must then “apply” to re-enter that group or join another by writing a contract that is satisfactory to the group. Some instructors build in accountability by using these assessments to calculate an individual student’s grade. This grade can then stand alone or be combined with a group grade where some percent of the grade comes from individual work and the rest from the group work. Other instructors have developed elaborate mechanisms for weighting each student’s contribution to the group project based on peer assessments. In this example, the total number of points for the group grade is multiplied by the weight ratio that reflects the amount of work done by the individual. If peer assessments become tools for grading rather than tools for monitoring process, students may be dissuaded from being honest. On the other hand, if assessments are not graded, students may feel that the assessments are simply tedious tasks and not worth doing. One way to encourage students to take assessments seriously is to require assessments for completion of a project. Completed assessments would not add or subtract from a grade total, but would be necessary components of a complete project. Resource Four Resource four is a worksheet for the class to score and rank all group presentations other than their own. Instructors can then review the completed sheets, remove the names from the sheets and give them to the individual groups so they may review multiple critiques of their presentations. Alternatively, the instructor can summarize the most frequent positive and negative responses and give those to the individual groups. In my experience, students are harsh critics. By pointing out shortcomings in the work of others they learn how to improve their own work Resource Five Resource five is a peer assessment of student writing, or a peer-review worksheet. The peer critique or assessment saves the instructor a great deal of work because the first draft of the written work will have been critiqued by at least one other member of the class before being given to the instructor. Students tend to take their work more seriously if they know that their peers will view it. I have found peer critiques to be extremely effective, honest and supportive because the students are part of a collective struggle and have built a community around the experience. Depending on the course, you may choose to grade the peer critiques so that students view this assignment as contributing to their own growth in the writing process.

Resource Six Resource six is a self-reflective guide to writing. By having students describe in their own words their intent, approach, and process for a written piece of work they gain insight to their own methodology. Instructors also benefit from the student self-reflection since patterns or themes of struggle may surface when viewing student responses. It is important to address these collective frustrations and offer more direction if needed. Resource Seven Resource seven is a worksheet designed to guide students through a reading of primary literature. If this worksheet is used repeatedly in a course, students will become aware of behaviors that help them understand the material (analysis of figures and tables, defining new terms, summation of important points, outlining the article) and behaviors that inhibit their understanding of material (skipping unknown terms, overlooking figures and tables, skimming paragraphs, concentrating on details without seeing the overall picture). The worksheet presented here is a general one; versions of this prototype that address specific articles appear within the modules. Bibliography and Resources An annotated bibliography for each module will include: literature, web sites, videos, and figures. The literature category will be subdivided by topic. For articles that are published on the Internet and freely accessible, a URL will accompany the reference. The figures category will refer to those figures which appear in the Garland texts and are available through the Garland Resources link on Classwire. Videos will include those that appear on the Garland CD-ROM and other commercially available VHS tapes. Where appropriate, laboratory activities will accompany the module.

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