Special Workshops

Wednesday, Nov. 11

You can register for any of these Special Workshop online by clicking here.

1.         Adventures in Science Through Reading and Writing

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Cost: $60 Limit: 24 

We will provide CDs containing a variety of learning experiences geared toward several pieces of written science material including, Matt Ridley’s, Genome Autobiography of the Species in 23 Chapters; Simon Mawer’s, Mendel’s Dwarf; David Bainbridge’s, The X In Sex; Dr. Seuss’s, The Lorax, Steven Johnson’s The Ghost Map, Gary Larson’s, There’s A Hair In My Dirt, Ricki Lewis’ Stem Cell Symphony and Pulitzer Prize winner Amy Harmon’s New York Times series The DNA Age. Each of these learning experiences emphasizes autonomous learning and both critical and creative thinking. Each learning experience provides opportunity for students to explore personal connections to science and its influence on our daily lives. Above all, this genre of learning is a terrific contributor to the quest for science literacy across student populations. We will include quantitative and qualitative evidence of student learning through assessments using rubrics, concept-mapping, and written/oral presentations. We will spend much of the presentation time eliciting audience ideas and suggestions for future learning experiences and compile a master list to be e-mailed to participants upon request.

Sandra Latourelle, SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY; Michelle Snyder, Clinton Community College, Plattsburgh, NY; Susan Holt, University of Rochester Life Sciences Learning Center, Rochester, NY; Ricki Lewis, Alden March Bioethics Institute, Albany Medical Center, Scotia, NY

2.         Reinventing PCR as a New Two-Step Biology Activity

9:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Cost: $80 Limit: 24

The workshop includes hands on PCR experiment designed to stimulate student participation and discovery. This new two-step PCR DNA amplification will be performed from start to finish by all participants. Our exclusive two-step PCR is designed to be a fast, easy, and affordable classroom activity that brings cutting edge technology to biology. Participants will amplify a DNA target using the new EdvoCycler™ (researched with NIH SBIR grants) and will determine the size of the product by electrophoresis. During the PCR amplification, a power point presentation will demonstrate how PCR can be used to determine the presence of genetically modified soybean or corn in off the shelf foods and to differentiate GM plants from their natural counterparts. Participants will be provided with a detailed PCR protocol and a discount coupon for the purchase of the new two-step PCR experiment or any other Edvotek experiment.

Jack Chirikjian, Georgetown University, Washington, DC; Khuyen Mai, Edvotek, Bethesda, MD  

3.         Dispelling The Myth of Effectively Teaching Biology Fully Online – Yes It’s Possible!

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Cost: $20 Limit: 40  

The wait is over. Obstacles have been overcome. Fully online Biology is a reality and the results are impressive. If you are already teaching online and looking for ways to “up your game” or are considering teaching online and are seeking information on the “how to”, this workshop is for you. Experienced online educators share how they overcame the obstacles of launching their online courses. They present concrete examples of how online lab science courses go beyond what can be taught in a traditional face-to-face course. They share their current innovative and engaging methodologies and multimedia formats that enable the instructor to teach complex thinking skills have blurred the lines between their face-to-face and online delivery methods. Perspectives, best practices, communication methods, use of Web 2.0 tools, student feedback and learning results are presented, as well as data reflecting how online students’ learning outcomes and grades compare to those of face-to-face students Attendees will perform a real “wet” biology experiment from a LabPaq and learn first hand how labs are performed at home by students and the critical thinking skills associated with the labs.

Kate Lormand, Colorado Community Colleges Online & Red Rocks Community College, Denver, CO; Marge Vorndam, Colorado Colleges Online, Denver, CO; Laszlo Vass, Monarch HS, Colorado State Science Commission and Colorado Colleges Online, Denver, CO 

4.         Incorporating Biotechnology Experiments in Environmental Sciences

1:30 PM - 3:45 PM

Cost: $80 Limit: 24 

New approaches that link biotechnology to environmental sciences will be demonstrated and discussed with an emphasis of how best to incorporate and link traditional ecology to cutting edge environmental science. Experiments will include water testing using chromogenic reagents to detect bacterial pollution, PCR experiments for predicting a rapid identifier of polluting organisms, and DNA damage caused by exposure to short wave (260 nm) UV light and toxicity detection of pollutants in freshwater using Daphnia as a bio-indicator. Discussion and power point demonstration will also include bioremediation by oil-eating microbes. Participants will take home experiment protocols and a discount coupon for the purchase of an environmental experiment. Sample reagents for use as classroom demonstrations will also be provided.

Jack Chirikjian, Georgetown University, Washington, DC; Khuyen Mai, Edvotek, Bethesda, MD   

5.         Engaging Students Using Live & Virtual Sea Urchin Embryology Labs

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Cost: $65 Limit: 35 

Sea urchins provide a fascinating model for investigating core biological principals and applying the scientific method. Use of this material is simplified since it is now possible to order gametes for live classroom labs, eliminating the need to obtain and maintain live sea urchins. Biologists at Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station will present a sea urchin developmental biology lab in which participants observe live fertilization of eggs and development of embryos. Inquiry-based labs using sea urchins will be introduced during the session that will make use of current research. The team will also demonstrate a web-based project of virtual labs that support understanding of central biology concepts and promote development of lab skills. Inquiry-based lab experiences that may be difficult to conduct within the typical classroom setting become possible in this virtual setting. The Virtual Urchin NSF project (posted at virtualurchin.stanford.edu) complements the first Stanford Sea Urchin Embryology project (www.stanford.edu/group/Urchin) and applies recent advances in educational technology to create an interactive website for classroom and independent lab experiences. Teachers will leave this workshop with experience and instructional materials to help them conduct the hands-on, inquiry-based wet-labs and virtual labs and will be prepared to coordinate these activities with state and national science standards.

David Epel, Pam Miller, and Jason Hodin, Stanford University-Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, CA 

Friday, Nov. 13

6.         DNA Profiling: A Whooping Crane Paternity Test

8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Cost: $55 Limit: 24 

During this session participants will explore conservation biology through molecular biology techniques, using the Whooping Crane as the model organism.

Rose Seltzer, FOTODYNE. Inc., Hartland, WI

7.         Lecture-Free Teaching: A Learning Partnership of Science Educators and Their Students

8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Cost: $55 Limit: 30  

Each participant will receive a copy of Dr. Wood's newly-published book, Lecture-Free Teaching: A Learning Partnership of Science Educators and their Students (NSTA Press, 2009). The book will be used as a workbook during the session. During the first half of the workshop, participants will assume the role of students during a simulation of a typical class meeting of a college biology course. Dr. Wood will demonstrate the interplay of student preparation before class, cooperative learning, and classroom assessment techniques to achieve course content identical to that of a lecture-based course. This is accomplished with little or no additional cost. During the second half of the workshop, participants will discuss and follow the steps to lecture-free teaching to plan their own course revision or design a new course. Emphasizing inquiry-based learning and the application of the scientific method, Dr. Wood teaches all of her college science courses using lecture-free pedagogy. In addition, she erased the boundaries between “lecture" and laboratory portions of her sections of both introductory and upper level courses: Rather than teaching them at separate times and locations, she interweaves two traditional parts of a college science course into two three-hour participative class meetings each week that convene in the laboratory. If an educator is uncomfortable with a completely lecture-free format, she will describe how to incorporate these methods on a more limited basis by alternating ten- or fifteen-minute lectures with a variety of active learning and peer instruction exercises and by using inquiry-based laboratory exercises.

Bonnie Wood, University of Maine at Presque Isle, Presque Isle, ME

8.         Using the Process of Biological Research to Develop Critical Thinking & Presentation Skills

8:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Cost: $30 Limit: 45  

Who can benefit from an understanding of the scientific endeavor?  As scientists and science teachers, we know that whether a student is headed for a career in a field outside of science or for a career in the biological sciences, he/she can benefit from an understanding of the process of science.  The skills that one develops to be a good scientist are applicable to many fields: critical thinking skills, information gathering skills, presentation & communication skills, an understanding of ethical issues, and others.  Since these skills are critical in all areas of biology, from medicine to ecology, I developed a course that teaches students about the process of biological research while developing these skills and concepts.  In the course, which is now team taught, students select a topic of their choice from the recent literature that becomes their theme for the semester.  Students gather background information, select and analyze several primary research articles, and finally complete the semester by presenting one of the research articles in a poster format to their peers and the science faculty.  In this workshop, I will present some of the activities we have used with the students as well as the framework for the course that can be tailored to your own needs.  The activities I will present are modular in nature such that you can use them to develop a unit or seminar based on the materials we use in this one semester course.  The materials are applicable for students (1) to develop skills that are generally applicable to many fields, (2) to prepare to do undergraduate research, (3) to prepare for graduate school or (4) to give upper-level high school students a glimpse of the research process to see if it piques their interest.

Karen Guzman, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC

10.        Food, Fuel, and Fitness; The Potential for Biotechnology

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Cost: $80 Limit: 100 

This workshop will engage teachers in hands-on low cost biotechnology activities, demonstrate electronic resources available to teachers through the Biology Information Network (BEN) portal, and describe the national and local programs that the Biotechnology Institute conducts with industry members.

Paul Hanle and Thomas Keller, The Biotechnology Institute, Arlington, VA   

11.        Celebrate the National Year of Science: Strategies for Evolution in the Classroom

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Cost: $20 Limit: 40 

Improve your understanding of how science works, examine the evidence, practice classroom activities, and gain resources and strategies that enable you to effectively deal with the challenges around teaching evolution.

Pamela Harman, SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA; Louise Mead, National Center for Science Education, Oakland, CA    

12.        Analysis of Plants with Altered Genes for Biofuel Production: An RT-PCR Simulation

1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Cost: $35 Limit: 24

Come learn about molecular techniques used in the search for sustainable alternative fuels. In this session participants will use hands-on techniques in order to choose a genetically altered plant that could be best used in the production of cellulosic ethanol.

Rose Seltzer, FOTODYNE. Inc., Hartland, WI

13.        Teaching Science Concepts and Inquiry Through Outdoor Studies

1:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Cost: $80 Limit: 50 

A wealth of more than 150 labs, projects and inquiry activities utilizing organisms common to most environments (flies, ants, dandelions, beetles, spiders, grasses, etc.) will be presented in this special workshop. Teachers see how easily they can use the inquiry process in studying natural science and incorporate it with their science curriculum. Also presented is the study of common crops: corn, wheat, peanuts, cotton and rice. The study of common organisms in a life science course typically leads to questions about the organisms. Students then find answers to their questions through further guided inquiry and the use of technology including digital microscopes, digital cameras, and computers. These investigations may be recorded for later review or used to communicate information gathered. Participants receive a CD and over 600 pages of materials for their classroom use including labs, teaching strategies and alternative methods of assessment all designed to aid teachers and students in meeting science standards and school improvement plans.

Bill Klein, Western Iowa Tech Community College, Sioux City, IA

14.        Natural Selection: Identifying & Acting on Students' Prior Ideas

1:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Cost: $45 Limit: 30

Natural Selection is the unifying theme to biology, yet is commonly misunderstood by middle and high school students. In this session, you will learn about students' common misunderstandings of Natural Selection, will be provided with instructional approaches to find out what your own students think, as well as teaching strategies to help students develop more scientific understandings.

Erin Marie Furtak, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO

Saturday, Nov. 14

15.        Utilizing Scientific Teaching with Inquiry Instruction in Biology

9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Cost: $50 Limit: 36

Scientific Teaching in Biology describes instructing students by challenging them to discover information (as real science is done)rather than memorizing it (as science teaching is often done). The teaching methods utilized in this workshop focus on student-centered inquiry and not teacher-centered lecture.

Thomas Lord, Indiana University of PA, Indiana, PA; Teddie Phillipson Mower, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY; Kerry Cheesman, Capital University, Columbus, OH