SUBJECT: Debates in Non-Majors Courses
DATE: 2/95
One of my colleagues at Bucknell, Dick Ellis, has incorporated into his
nonmajors general biology course a series of debates on current topics in
biology. He wonders:
1. Is anyone else doing this and how are the debates structured?
2. What resources might he use in these debates (journals, etc.)
3. If anyone has any comments or ideas concerning the use of debates in
this fashion.
The course he teachs has 72 students in lecture 3 times a week (52 min lectures)
and then he has these students in one of three lab sections (3 hr, 24 students)
once each week. This is his teaching load for the fall semester. lecture
topics are cell biology, genetics, and plant structure/function.
Thank you for your help,
Kate Toner, Lab Director
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA
toner@bucknell.edu
Debates in Biology.....
I have done this with both majors and non-majors.
1) With a colleague in a team-taught course; we faced off without any warning
with a class of majors (cell biology). We went at it for about 20 minutes
dealing with membrane dynamics and secretion. After the class, several students
came by to comment that they did not know I did not like my colleague. The
majors did not at all understand that colleagues could disagree on a subject.
2) In another majors class, I had students work on projects together. Several
research teams could not agree on interpretation of data. We had some very
interesting oral presentations where partners duked it out. I had to keep
reassuring them that it was alright to disagree.
3) In a non-majors class I have had students debate issues. It generally
worked very well. Non-majors were more willing to disagree with each other
than my majors students were. As to where to get subject material and topics;
I keep ongoing files with clips ranging from Science to Business Week. The
Hastings Reports have been source material. I found the debate approach
worked best if I had the debators in my office for several conferences .
We worked out details and I gave them hints in both directions in how to
present their cases. The real trick is how to get the class involved. I
have not been as successful here as i would like to be. Generally I have
each student in writing indicate what worked and did not work during the
debate.
Blystone in Texas
**********************
ROBERT V. BLYSTONE PHONE:(210)736-7243
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY FAX:(210)736-7229
Trinity University E-Mail:RBlyston@Trinity.edu
715 Stadium Drive
San Antonio, TX, 78212
A number of my colleagues and I have used debates in both majors and non-
majors courses. Done properly, I'd say they're pretty valuable. But to be
done well, they do take some work on the part of the instructor -- not only
does the instructor have to work out the structural details, but s/he may
also need to spend some "prep" time with students helping them
develop their positions and strategies. I'd think that any of a number of
"lay" journals (not just standard news magazines, but also things
like _Discover_ and _Natural History_) would be appropriate -- but make
sure that the library can support their use!
The general structure we've used for the debate itself is 5-10 minutes per
side for the original presentation, followed by shorter rebuttal periods.
I also like to try to use the debate itself as a springboard for a wider
class discussion. Depending on the caliber of the students, the materials
they're using to prepare, and the topic, it may be helpful for the instructor
to provide some guidelines about the kinds of evidence and reasoning that
should be used.
Hope that helps -- and interested in seeing what others have to say.
Kerry S. Kilburn
Department of Biology
West Virginia State College
kilburn@wvnwvsc.wvnet.edu
One of our professors stages a mock spotted owl trial in our non-majors
course (a big topic here in the Pacific Northwest). He devotes 1 two-hour
lab period to preparation and divides the class into a number of designated
roles (lawyers, expert witnesses, etc.--everybody has a role on one side
of the question or another.) He presides as judge. The next week's lab is
the trial. It is pretty time consuming and does take a good bit of preparation--he
provides references, he and the TA meet with each group and help them with
strategy,etc. But the students seem to really like it and many really get
into it. He has done this for several years now and likes the discussions
it brings about.
Bette Nicotri
Biology
Univ. of Washington