RE: service learning in intro biology???

Dear Patricia,
Especially since you say that your course is a non-majors' course... I have
often found in my intro biology or zoology courses for non-majors that the
students' REAL questions are not so much "...what are the steps in the
citric acid cycle?" or "...what are the mechanisms associated with genetic
translocation or polyploidy?", but rather "HOW does metabolism affect energy
levels" or "what do genetic abnormalities have to do with my future life as
a teacher (for example)".

In this context, I find no problem at all relating service in the community
with the academic content we cover in class.  Students can work with special
education programs (Down Syndrome patients, maybe) or with elders in
exercise physiology programs...

I personally don't have to have their service-learning apply to all of the
course content, or even a majority of it.  If only one topic like those
listed above cause students to reexamine the biology text searching for
answers, I find it worthwhile.  From my experience, however, such
connections abound and serve to draw students into biology as something that
can be used and experienced every day in almost every facet of their lives.
That seems to be the real question students have... they don't mind taking
courses if a) it pertains directly to their chosen field of study or b) they
can figure out what relevance it may have to their future lives.

For what it's worth...
I hope that this helps some.

Best wishes,
Michael
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael Greene, Director - mgreene@selu.edu
CONNECTIONS
...Using Our Environment to Unite the Disciplines...
College of Arts and Sciences
Southeastern Louisiana University
SLU 10736 Hammond, LA 70402
(504) 549-3600 office/fax
http://www.selu.edu/connections





> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-Service-Learning@csf.colorado.edu
> [mailto:owner-Service-Learning@csf.colorado.edu]On Behalf Of Harrison,
> Patricia
> Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 1999 12:27 PM
> To: SERVICE LEARNING NETWORK
> Cc: Harrison, Patricia
> Subject: service learning in intro biology???
>
>
> Hi!  I am trying to incorporate service learning into my Introductory
> Biology course.  It is a non-majors college level biology course.
>  We cover
> the typical intro topics: cell chemistry, cell structure,
> enzymes, cellular
> respiration, genetics.
>
> I am having trouble figuring out how to incorporate service learning.  How
> can students relate volunteeer work that they do to the topics covered
> above??  Any help you can provide would be much appreciated.
>