CHEM-342 Introduction to Biochemistry Spring Semester First Class Prof. Hal White

Topics for Today Overview of the Course What is Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Introductions First Assignment (on-line by today!) Second Assignment

What was the On-Line Questionnaire About? Tell me something about you Tell me something about the class Get you thinking about big issues and this course

Administrative Details Check out the syllabus and schedule at: www.udel.edu/chem/white/CHEM342.html Purchase a course reader at the Bookstore Buy a 3-ring binder for your reader Groups will be formed on Wednesday

questions – you have learned how to learn “…once you have learned to ask questions – relevant and appropriate and substantial questions – you have learned how to learn and no one can keep you from learning whatever you want or need to know.” Neil Postman & Charles Weingartner in Teaching as a Subversive Activity, 1969

Teaching as a Subversive Activity A major goal of higher education is to enable students to think independently. Independent thinkers seek understanding. Independent thinkers challenge superficial answers. Independent thinkers develop strong convictions. Independent thinkers question authority. Independent thinkers become leaders. If you don’t change as a result of taking this course, we are wasting our time.

Characteristics Needed For Success 1. Communication Skills - both verbal and written. 2. Ability to define problems, gather and evaluate information related to the problem, and develop solutions. 3. Ability to work with others, especially in team settings. 4. Ability to address specific problems in complex, real- world settings. From 1994 Wingspread Conference on “Quality Assurance in Undergraduate Education”

Characteristics Needed For Success Oral Written Visual Communication Skills

Characteristics Needed For Success Education and Training Problem- Solving Ability Acquired Skills Accumulated Knowledge

Introduction to Biochemistry Instructional Goals For Students Become intellectually independent learners Recognize and confront areas of personal ignorance Review and apply chemical, biological, physical, and mathematical principles in a biochemical context Improve problem-solving skills Create, understand, and value abstract biochemical models See biochemistry in relevant historical and societal contexts

Introduction to Biochemistry Instructional Goals For Students, Cont. Discover and use the resources of the library and the Internet Gain confidence in reading and understanding scientific articles Experience the powers (and pitfalls) of collaborative work Appreciate importance of clear oral and written communication Learn to organize logical arguments based on evidence

Introduction to Biochemistry Special Goal and Challenge For this class, as a group, to become sufficiently skilled learners to score above the class average in CHEM-641 next fall. In order for this to happen, you will need to work individually and together so that everyone learns. Everyone here has unique and special abilities, background, and personality to contribute to the effort.

Introduction to Biochemistry Relation to Other Science Courses Biology Provides the methods and molecular perspective Provides the relevance Biochemistry Provides the means to evaluate and predict Provides physical models Mathematics Physics

Teaching = Learning? I got interested in PBL in 1993. I had been a good teacher and I had attended a number of CTE workshops. My primary classroom approach was an interactive lecture. The frustration I had and many other teachers have is illustrated in this cartoon. My feeling that, “there must be a better way,” coincided with workshops on PBL that I will mention a little later.

Problem-Based Learning: The Process Learning initiated with problem. Students organize ideas and previous knowledge. Students pose questions, defining what they know and don’t know. Assign responsibility for questions, discuss resources. Reconvene, explore newly learned information, refine questions. PBL: The Process. How does PBL play out in the classroom?

Problem-Based Learning: The Process Resolution of Problem; (How did we do?) Presentation of Problem Next stage of the problem Organize ideas and prior knowledge (What do we know?) Integrate new Information; Refine questions Pose questions (What do we need to know?) Reconvene, report on research; Research questions; summarize; analyze findings Assign responsibility for questions; discuss resources

PBL: Course Content Contrary to popular belief, this course is NOT about Hemoglobin and Sickle Cell Anemia, though you will learn a lot about both. Hemoglobin is a central molecule in biochemistry and thus serves as a unifying theme to introduce many concepts and connections. Any one of a number of other themes could serve the same purpose, e.g. Insulin and Diabetes or Vitamin C and the Common Cold. PBL: The Process. How does PBL play out in the classroom?

For Group Discussion (10 Minutes) Have you had a course that used Problem-Based Learning or groups? What did you like or dislike about it? Make a list. What can be done to lessen the perceived drawbacks? PBL: The Process. How does PBL play out in the classroom?

Who are you? “Who do you think you are?” “I don’t want to know your age, religion, what part of the country you come from. …They don’t mean a thing. What I really want to know is what you love. Because if I know what you love, I know what is important to you.” (From ad on WLFN years ago) Introduce yourself to the class and say something about yourself. e.g. What do you love to do?