The Teaching Pentagon A quantitative, integrative approach to teaching Ecology Bryan Dewsbury Florida International University, Miami, Florida A call for change New ways to integrate disciplines and quantify Biology Integration issues • Integrative biology lecture classes sometimes light on content • Adding literature component to lecture class time consuming • Instructor training needed for the addition of other disciplines as well as quantitative techniques • Integration strategies typically integrate topics not learning mechanisms Explicit Aims • Contextualization • Reinforcement • Integration The Teaching Pentagon Lecture Statistics I/II PLTL General Biology Lab Journal Club General Biology Lecture Peer-Led Team-Learning Journal Club General Biology Lab Statistics I (sophomore) LECTURE JC PLTL LAB UNIT IV: ALLIGATOR TALES – Population ecology, community ecology and the American Alligator LECTURE JOURNAL CLUB (readings class) Exam III The Census - Population Hornbach and Ecology (Ch. 56) Childers 1986 26-Oct PLTL 24-Oct PLTL 28-Oct EDCs and Ecotoxicology The American Alligator 31-Oct niches and interactions It takes a village Milnes and Community Ecology (Ch. Gillette Jr. 2008 57) 2-Nov Ecosystems Dynamics (Ch. 58) 4-Nov 7-Nov Food Inc. 9-Nov Food Inc. II VETERAN'S DAY LAB Let every man, woman and child be counted - The population demographics of mosquitofish (Data analysis HW) PLTL It takes a village - Nutrient and energy dynamics in a contained community (Lab Report II due; HW- Data analysis) PLTL May the best plant win Competition and adaptation in plants The Teaching Pentagon Lecture Statistics I/II PLTL General Biology Lab Journal Club Alligator tales lecture • General discussion about niche effects and interspecies interactions • Community effects of changes in species abundance • Role of alligators as keystone species in Everglades ecosystem The Teaching Pentagon Lecture Statistics I/II PLTL General Biology Lab Journal Club PLTL session • Guided discussion of tricky concepts • Led by a biology major upperclassman • Relaxed, pressure-free environment The Teaching Pentagon Lecture Statistics I/II PLTL General Biology Lab Journal Club Journal Club The Teaching Pentagon Lecture Statistics I/II PLTL General Biology Lab Journal Club Community Ecology Lab • Guided-inquiry • Focus on experimental design and data interpretation The Teaching Pentagon Lecture Statistics I/II PLTL General Biology Lab Journal Club Calculus/Statistics • Creation of modules in calculus that combines biological and mathematical solutions • Use of data set to teach statistical analysis in Statistics 1 • Data has both statistical and biological meaning Benefits • Allows lecture to focus on concepts • Lab can focus on experimental design and not have to “re-lecture” • Students who learn differently can benefit from multi-pronged approach • Training tool for graduate student TAs Future • Assessment scheme has just been fully implemented • Upscaling philosophy to high-enrollment classes