A Case Study for Teaching Toxicology: Using Whales as an Indicator for Environmental Health.

Area of Science:

• Toxicology education
• Environmental Health
• Active learning pedagogy

Background:

• Teaching scientific research methods, biological models, and data analysis presents challenges, especially without laboratory components.
• Understanding toxicant effects on organisms and ecosystems is crucial in toxicology.
• Active learning resources are limited in toxicology education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an active learning activity for upper-level undergraduate toxicology students.
• To enhance students' ability to interpret primary literature data.
• To promote understanding of toxicant impacts on populations and the One Environmental Health approach.

Main Methods:

• Students worked in small groups to analyze data from a primary research paper on metal toxicants.
• Group responses were shared with the class to build communication skills.
• The instructor acted as a moderator, facilitating student-led learning.

Main Results:

• Students demonstrated improved interpretation of toxicology data.
• Enhanced understanding of how toxicants affect susceptible populations was observed.
• Active engagement led to deeper content comprehension and critical thinking.

Conclusions:

• The implemented activity effectively promotes active learning in toxicology.
• This approach can be adapted for various educational levels and course objectives.
• The lesson fosters critical thinking and real-world connections in environmental health education.