Contemporary Issues in Biology: A Module for Teacher Training is a Type A grant awarded to Texas Christian University in January 2004. The module was developed by Dr. Ray Drenner (Biology Department) and Dr. Molly Weinburgh (School of Education) and is based on a course designed and implemented for non-biology majors in 1999. Funds for the development and dissemination of Contemporary Issues in Biology: A Module for Teacher Training were provide by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Education Agency. The module is designed to give providers of professional development in biology one option for helping to increase content knowledge and pedagogical skills for teachers. It is structured in a way that will allow it to be used as a college course or as a summer workshop. The curriculum updates teachers on new information about some of the exciting discoveries being made in biological science as well as refreshes their memories on basic biological concepts. Recent articles in the popular press (Time, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report) are used to set a focus for each lesson by introducing a contemporary issue. The contemporary issues selected allow the curriculum to cover all the requirements of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).

In order for us to keep up-to-date on issues, we subscribe to BioScience, Discover, Harvard Health Letter, Issues (National Academy of Science), Mayo Clinic Newsletter, National Wildlife, Nature, Newsweek, Science, Science News, Scientific American, Time, and U.S. News & World Report. In addition we use several textbooks including Mader’s Inquiry into Life (McGraw-Hill), Campbell et al’s Biology: Concepts and Connections (Benjamin Cummings), Starr’s Biology: Concepts and Applications (Brooks/Cole), Farish’s Human Biology (Jones and Bartlett), and Raven et al’s Biology (McGraw-Hill). Information from these publications will be available through the module website.

The selection and sequence of issues in the course has been very carefully thought out. We chose this order of issues because it allows us to begin the first section of the course with interesting issues related to human reproduction such as prostate cancer and hormone replacement therapy. We then move into the molecular and cellular areas of the course dealing with issues such as the human genome project, cloning, stem cells, cancer, and DNA fingerprinting. In the second section of the course, we focus on issues related to basic human physiology such as anorexia, ulcers, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, heart disease, diabetes and obesity. In the third section of the course, we cover issues related to the nervous and immune systems such as drug addiction, arthritis, vaccines, AIDS and emerging diseases. In the fourth section of the course, we examine controversial issues related to the origin of life, hominid evolution, transgenic organisms in agriculture, organic farming, acid rain, global warming, the ozone hole, and nuclear meltdown. Each topic builds on the one before it and we can refer back to biological concepts presented in previous lessons and labs. For example, to understand the effects of nuclear meltdown, a student needs to understand DNA and mutations, concepts covered earlier in the course when we covered the human genome project and cancer.

As you can see, this curriculum does not follow the usual sequence found in most biology books. It does not introduce the cell or chemistry of life as stand-alone topics. Nor does it depend on wet labs to further introduce concepts or scientific methodology (although supplementary wet labs are provided). Instead, it engages the teachers and students in discussions about controversial subjects for which an understanding of biology is necessary. Two features are stressed: (1) using articles from the popular press to stimulate “need to know” in the students, and (2) conducting inquiry-based lab exercises using the Internet.

Readings
The readings from magazines that are found weekly on the newsstand are the key component. They are very important because they are used to introduce the participants to the contemporary issue. All teachers (and later their students) should read the articles prior to each lesson. Most schools libraries have databases of magazines such as Expanded Academic Index and Infotrack. As you think about your teacher workshop, you will need to decide how your teachers will get the readings. One choice is for you to ask your participants to go to the public library or to their schools and download a copy of each reading. The library contract allows each person to download one copy of each article. The second choice is for you to create a packet of readings that you give to the teachers. However, copyright laws restrict your ability to reproduce the articles without permission.

Lessons
Each lesson is named to emphasize the contemporary issue presented by the “hook” articles. The lessons begin with a review from the previous lesson. There are generally three questions. As you will see, we try to use different graphics and events for these questions so that the teachers (students) will have to apply their knowledge to a new situation. We recommend that you divide the teachers (students) into small groups, either by rows or tables. Allow the teachers (students) time to discuss the question within the group before asking someone to answer. An answer is given on slides directly following the question. The new material always starts with a slide that outlines the material to be covered during the lesson. This “advance organizer” has an arrow pointing to the first topic to be covered. Later in the lesson the same slide is seen again. This time the arrow has moved down to the next topic. This technique helps to keep the students aware of where they are in the lesson and what is yet to come.

The beauty of Contemporary Issues in Biology is the interweaving and revisiting of ideas. In order for the teachers you train (and later for their students) to see the big picture, you must be able to link the lessons to prior lessons, to upcoming lessons, and to labs/activities. In order to help you do this, we have taken advantage of the ‘Notes’ options in PowerPoint®. This option allows you to read the ideas that we feel are important for you to stress in order for the lessons and lab to be seamless. The notes on the title slide state the goals for the lesson. This is for you. The “Main Ideas” describes the level of complexity that we recommend. The “Background Material” is to prepare you for any unexpected questions. You can print the PowerPoint® slides with the notes at the bottom if you want.

Activities
In most of the activities, the teachers (students) are given a problem that they need to resolve. They are asked to use problem-solving skills that all people need, regardless of their active participation in science. These are web quests or simulations that use the computer to help the teachers (students) develop an understanding of a biological process or issue.

Wet laboratories
We are fully aware that some of the TEKS deal with experimentation and inquiry. Labs have been selected to help the teachers (students) increase their biological knowledge and their skills using equipment. Most of these are classic wet labs and variations of them are found in most lab manuals.
We want to emphasize that this is a rigorous approach to teaching biology. While we use the contemporary issue as a "hook," we are still providing extensive biological content. Also inclusion of new discoveries emphasizes the power of the scientific method. We have used the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996) and the Benchmarks for Science Literacy (AAAS, 1993) as a check to be sure that the content reflects national standards in addition to TEKS. As stressed in the Standards and the Benchmarks, the labs use the inquiry method as students are encouraged to ask questions, complete an Internet searches, find answers and formulate opinions, and present their new understanding to others.

 

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