Teaching and Learning at Carleton

• Teaching Big Science at Small Schools: With support from the Teagle Foundation, colleagues at Williams, Vassar, Carleton, and Barnard are developing and assessing genomics learning experiences for undergraduates. Examples from Carleton to date include a SNP lab and a lab on the Evolution of Cauliflower and Broccoli.
  
•  Scaffolding Conceptually Driven Genomics Education: Can we develop a computer interface that allows students to work with vast amounts of genomic data while keeping their focus on biologically important questions?  The NSF CCLI project's specific research objectives are to: 1. determine how undergraduate students' scientific thinking skills are enhanced by an authentic research experience in the context of a course; 2. analyze the role of scaffolding in supporting student research success; and 3. identify generalizable components for computer-based scaffolding of open-ended research. We're using a mixed-methods assessment approach
  
• Carleton's Dyad/Triad Program: An integrated first term experience that brings first year students together to explore a themetic question across disciplinary boundaries. The fall 2008 Dyad/Triad students are exploring "Origins and Minds" in introductory courses in biology, philosophy, and psychology (triad only) taught by Susan Singer, Roy Elveton, and Kathie Galotti. We continue to assess this approach to interdisciplinary learning with the support of Carleton's HHMI grant.
  
• Cognitive Studies Concentration: I am a member of the Cognitive Studies Concentration and am interested in the applications of research on learning to undergraduate education.
• Textbook writing: I am part of the author team for Biology, a McGraw-Hill majors introductory biology book, write about plant development in Scott Gilbert's Developmental Biology text, edited and contributed to the Carleton project published as Reflections on Learning as Teachers, and wrote a chapter on "Inflorescence Architecture" for the book on Flowering and its Manipulation (Charles Ainsworth, editor, Blackwell Scientific, publisher). Click on the Publications link for a bit more information about some of my writing projects.
• Case Study: My colleagues, Debby Walser-Kuntz and Sarah Deel and I have published a case on SNPS and genome privacy: "SNPs and snails and puppy dog tails, and that's what people are made of..." A case Study on Genome Privacy. The National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science Case Collection, SUNY Buffalo.
• In addition to my teaching, I coordinated the Perlman Center for Learning and Teaching from 2000-2003. Currently I serve on the Teacher Education Advisory Committee.
  

Science Olympiad

 I coach the Northfield High School Science Olympiad Team. The team's having a great season and enjoying working with Carleton student mentors.

External Boards and Committees

• iPlant Collaborative Board of Directors and EOT advisory committee chair
• NRC Promising Practices - Innovations in Undergraduate STEM Education committee chair
• Committee on a Leadership Summit to Effect Change in Teaching and Learning, National Academies Board on Life Science and Board on Science Education
• Biology Consultant, NRC Learning Science Kidergarten through Eighth Grade
• NRC Board on Science Education (2004-2009)
• PKAL Board of Directors
  
• Columbia University Genomes and Undergraduates: Science as Inquiry Initiative steering committee
• Society for Developmental Biology review committee for the BioScieEd Net NSDL portal
• Botanical Society of America Education Committee (2006-2009)
• MORPH- Molecular and Organismic Research in Plant History (NSF RCN)
• Botanical Society of America, Scientific Inquiry through Plants outreach

Book Projects

• Biology, 8th Edition (2008)
• Reflections on Learning as Teachers (2004)
• America's Lab Report (2006)
• Other published writings