FRS 002X — Sec. 001 — (2 units) — CRN 53266 — T 2:10-5:00 pm — Bee Biology Facility
Art-Science Fusions as a Tool for Teaching Biological Concepts
Instructor: Diane Ullman, Department of Entomology, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences
Description: This Freshman Seminar will provide students with an opportunity to explore using art and science collaboration as a novel approach to teaching introductory biological concepts. This teaching approach, which invokes a fusion between lectures and discussions on scientific content and hands-on activities to illustrate those concepts, has been tested successfully for 3 years with the course, Art, Science and the World of Insects (ENT 1). In this freshman seminar, students will explore using a fusion of science and ceramics as a strategy for teaching biological concepts, such as the importance of camouflage in animal fitness, animal communication and behavior, systematic classification of animals and evolution by natural selection. Course content will include lecture/discussion of biological concepts, presentation of ceramics projects aimed at illustration of these concepts and demonstration ceramics skills that are suited for students with no ceramics experience. Art and science collaborations elsewhere in the country (e.g. MIT) will be explored and discussed. Among the ceramics skills demonstrated will be use of slabs, coils and pinching techniques for working with clay and development of mosaics to “tell a story” in clay. Students will conduct and present their own research on a topic in biology and propose activities using ceramics to teach that concept. They will then explore use of their proposed strategy in during class. Individual and group projects will be considered appropriate. This Freshman Seminar will be unique on the Davis campus representing a true cross-fertilization between art and science. Students will be given an experiential introduction to successful integration of diverse disciplines and the benefits of learning in an interdisciplinary atmosphere. While the students will definitely learn some introductory biological concepts, the primary goal will be to reveal a new way of LEARNING and TEACHING biology. This strategy has been applied to entomology in ENT 1 very successfully, but could be equally applied to learning the biology of many other animals and plants. This seminar will raise student awareness relative to creativity in achieving academic goals, it will broaden their attitudes about the arts and the sciences and their relationship to one another and they will gain basic skills in ceramics. Students will also learn about researching a topic, formulating a creative idea for illustrating that topic and then successfully proposing their idea to a group.
Format: The seminar will meet one time each week. Each session will be for 2 hours and 50 minutes. Each session will be devoted to: a) lectures and discussions on biological concepts; b) demonstration of ceramics skills and techniques; and/or presentations of ideas and concepts by students. The remainder of each meeting will be used for students to practice ceramics skills and complete projects that illustrate specific biological concepts. During the first half of the quarter, these projects will be proposed and directed by the instructor. During the second half of the quarter, the projects will be designed and implemented by the students. There is no text for this course, but the internet will be used extensively. Special materials include clay, underglazes and glazes. These will be largely provided. Students will also be asked to provide some of their own materials and tools (about 10% of what they use). Grading: Half the grade is based on written assignments and oral presentation (total = 50 points). The other half of the grade is based on attendance and participation (5 points/session).
About the Instructor:
Professor Diane E. Ullman is a member of the faculty in the Department of Entomology. Her research interests revolve around insects that transmit plant viruses. Her emphasis has been on understanding mechanisms underlying insect acquisition of semi-persistently transmitted viruses and viruses that have a circulative relationship with their insect vector and revealing the role of insects in virus evolution and genetic diversity. Current projects include understanding the role of aphids in Citrus tristeza virus evolution and spread and searching for a thrips receptor for tospoviruses. Dr. Ullman also has a strong interest in developing new strategies for providing science education and pioneered the use of art to teach concepts in entomology.