Laboratory and web-based resources for student-directed learning in microbial biodiversity

TitleLaboratory and web-based resources for student-directed learning in microbial biodiversity
Faculty/College/UnitScience
StatusCompleted
Duration1 Year
Initiation04/01/2010
Completion01/08/2013
Project Summary

A new core Diversity course in the Biology program will be developed for 2011/12, Biol 203 (Protists), to fill a major gap in the existing complement of Diversity courses. This application is to support the creation of two critical resources for this course. First, no textbook exists that covers the material covered in this course, so we will create thoroughly illustrated and referenced on-line supplementary reading material and lecture notes. These resources will be updatable, and will provide the context and reinforcement of concepts normally found in a textbook well into the future, free to students. Second, we will develop a complete suite of labs. Currently microbial diversity labs focus on observation of pre-defined organisms, but the new labs will seek to engage students more fully by emphasizing longterm student-directed projects, fieldwork, a novel hands-on approach to understanding microscopy, and original interpretation of observations.

Funding Details
Year 1: Project YearYear 1
Year 1: Funding Year2010/2011
Year 1: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 1: Principal InvestigatorPatrick Keeling
Year 1: Funded Amount43,984
Year 1: Team Members

Patrick Keeling, Botany, Faculty of Science