Improvements to PCB 5435 Improvements to PCB 5435 (Marine Ecology of Florida)(Marine Ecology of Florida)Resulting from the Fall 2003 Resulting from the Fall 2003

FCTL Collaboration WorkshopFCTL Collaboration Workshop

Dr. Linda WaltersDr. Linda Walters

Department of BiologyDepartment of Biology

Background on PCB 5435Background on PCB 5435 Limit: 9 graduate studentsLimit: 9 graduate students 2 hr/wk on campus and 4 full weekends in the 2 hr/wk on campus and 4 full weekends in the

fieldfield Already in place: group projects in fieldAlready in place: group projects in field

Come up with an hypothesisCome up with an hypothesis Design experimentDesign experiment Run experimentRun experiment Analyze dataAnalyze data Submit results: as scientific manuscript or poster Submit results: as scientific manuscript or poster

presentation or exercise laboratory manual ANDpresentation or exercise laboratory manual AND One person in group additionally gives PowerPoint One person in group additionally gives PowerPoint

presentation of resultspresentation of results

Question 1: How to make this Question 1: How to make this class more collaborative?class more collaborative?

Question 2: Why stress Question 2: Why stress collaboration so much in this collaboration so much in this

class?class?

Collaboration Changes: Collaboration Changes: In-Class ExampleIn-Class Example

Topic: Writing a scientific Topic: Writing a scientific resume (curriculum vita)resume (curriculum vita)

Old wayOld way: Distributed a good student c.v. and : Distributed a good student c.v. and casually lectured on it.casually lectured on it.

New wayNew way: Start with small group computer : Start with small group computer exercise on creating good c.v. Compare group exercise on creating good c.v. Compare group results. Then discuss model student c.v.results. Then discuss model student c.v.

Collaboration Changes: Collaboration Changes: Field Project ExampleField Project Example

Topic: Writing manuscript based Topic: Writing manuscript based on field experimenton field experiment

Old:Old: Able to significantly help students Able to significantly help students during design and data collection stages in during design and data collection stages in field. Then waited to see final product.field. Then waited to see final product.

New:New: Allow up to ½ of class time for Allow up to ½ of class time for groups to work on data analysis and groups to work on data analysis and writing phases with me available to help.writing phases with me available to help.