Team-teaching a current events-based biology course for nonmajors

Area of Science:

• Biology Education
• Science Communication

Background:

• Teaching current biological advances to nonmajors presents unique challenges.
• Keeping pace with rapid developments in biotechnology, medicine, and science policy requires innovative pedagogical approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the design and implementation of a team-taught interactive biology course for nonmajors.
• To explore how team-teaching can effectively address the challenges of covering contemporary scientific topics.
• To provide graduate students and postdocs with teaching experience and communication skills.

Main Methods:

• A team-teaching model was employed, with postdoctoral associates and advanced graduate students serving as lecturers.
• Interactive elements such as laboratory tours, in-class demonstrations, and mock-ups were integrated.
• A faculty member provided mentorship on teaching techniques and lecture design.

Main Results:

• Team-teaching successfully minimized challenges associated with teaching current topics by leveraging diverse expertise.
• Interactive methods facilitated the conveyance of complex biological concepts to students with limited science backgrounds.
• Course evaluations indicated high student involvement and enjoyment.

Conclusions:

• Team-teaching is an effective strategy for delivering up-to-date biology content to nonmajors.
• Interactive teaching methods enhance student understanding and engagement with advanced scientific topics.
• The course provided a valuable platform for developing the teaching and communication skills of early-career scientists.