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Teaching

SPIRE scholars become skilled educators and mentors who contribute to increasing diversity in science careers by:

  • Engaging in the SPIRE Seminar on College Teaching: A series of two-hour sessions designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to the theory and practice of college teaching facilitated by Dr. Ed Neal formerly Director of UNC’s Center for Teaching and Learning (seminar syllabus ).
  • Teaching courses and mentoring students at one of four partner institutions in North Carolina.
  • Working closely with faculty mentors, who provide guidance and mentoring on teaching, undergraduate advising, administration, and academic culture
  • Participate in CIRTL learning communities
  • Learning and applying science education theory.
  • Incorporating technology-supported learning into the classrooms at partner institutions.
  • Contributing to science education. The following publications were authored by SPIRE scholars:
    • Allen, S.  2002.  Earning a Ph.D. in Microbiology. Minority Scientists Network, Science Nextwave (web article), American Association for the Advancement of Science http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_development/previous_issues/articles/1470/earning_a_ph_d_in_microbiology) -Invited submission.  Accessed Sept. 12, 2007.
    • Baines, A, McVey, M, Rybarczyk BJ, Thompson, J, and Wilkins, H.  2004. The Mystery of the Toxic Flea Dip: an interactive approach to teaching aerobic cellular respiration.  Cell Biology Education, 3(1), 62-68.
    • Casper AM. 2008. Colon Cancer: A Case of Genetic Bad Luck? Web-based Case Collection of the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science at the State University of New York at Buffalo. http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/collection/detail.asp?case_id=266&id=266
    • Fleet, CM, Rosser, MF, Zufall, R, Pratt, M, Feldman, T, Lemons, P. 2006. Analysis of Hiring Criteria in Biology Departments of Post-Secondary Educational Institutions. BioScience 56: 430-436.
    • Heck, W, Rybarczyk, BJ, Novicki, A. 2005. The Campus Coffee Shop: Caffeine Conundrums.  National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, Buffalo, NY.  http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/collection/detail.asp?case_id=319&id=319
    • Hollowell, GP and Grillo, WH. 2011. Motivating factors and study skills that improved overall course performance in an introductory biology course for science majors. Accepted for publication in BIOSCENE.
    • Key, S.C.S. 2006. Taszwana’s Story: A Case of How Alternative mRNA Splicing Leads to Genetic Disease. National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. http://www.sciencecases.org/tazswana/tazswana.asp University of Buffalo Press
    • Perez, K.E., E. Strauss, N. Downey, A. Galbraith, R. Jeanne, S. Cooper. 2010. Does displaying the class results affect student discussion during peer instruction? CBE: Life Sciences Education, 9:133-140.
    • Price RM, Rosypal AC, Powell T & Kern B. 2008. Adapting an annual research symposium to recruit under-represented minorities to post-college education. Journal of College Science Teaching. 38: 49-53
    • Droege J, Kochhar-Lindgren G, Leadley S, Price RM, Rosenberg BR, Tippens B. UWB. 2008. In AM Griffin and J Romm (Eds.), Exploring the evidence, vol. IV: Reporting research on first-year seminars (pp. 83-87). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition.http://www.sc.edu/fye/resources/fyr/pdf/MExpEvid_IV.pdf
    • Carnell R and Price RM. Global Climate Change: What does it look like? National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. (in press, fall 2011).
    • Price RM. 2011. Introducing the nature of science through a required research-based course. CUR Q on the Web. 32: 5-6.
    • Price, RM. 2011. Performing evolution: role-play simulations. Evolution: Education & Outreach. 4:83-94.
    • Price, RM. How we got here: evolutionary changes in skull shape in humans and their ancestors. The American Biology Teacher. (in press, February, 2012)
    • Rybarczyk, BJ, and Walton, KW. A model of undergraduate biology students’ development of visual literacy skills. CBE-Life Science Education.
    • Rybarczyk, BJ.  2011. Visual Literacy in Biology: A Comparison of Visual Representations in Textbooks and Journal Articles.  Journal of College Science Teaching, 41(1): 106-114.
    • Rybarczyk, BJ and Walton, K. 2009.  Hypothesis Modification Activity.  In Lord, French, and Crow, eds. Guide to Assessment. Society for College Science Teachers.  NSTA Press, Arlington, VA.
    • Rybarczyk, BJ. 2008. Molecular Evolution: HIV Drug Targets and Resistance. Evolution: Education & Outreach, 1(2): 184-188. DOI: 10.1007/s12052-007-0024-5
    • Rybarczyk, BJ. 2008. Molecular Evolution: The HIV Envelope Protein. Evolution: Education & Outreach, 1(2): 179-183.  DOI: 10.1007/s12052-007-0023-6
    • Rybarczyk, BJ. 2007. Tools of Engagement: Using Case Studies in Synchronous Distance Learning Environments.  Journal of College Science Teaching.  37(1): 31-33.
    • Rybarczyk BJ, Baines AT, McVey M, Thompson, J, Wilkins H.  2007. A case-based approach increases student learning outcomes and comprehension of cellular respiration concepts.  Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education.  35(3): 181-186.
    • Rybarczyk, BJ and Walton, K.  2006. Feedback as a Learning Opportunity.  In Teaching Tips – Best Practices for College Science Teaching. Society for College Science Teachers.
    • Rybarczyk, BJ. 2006. Incorporating Primary Literature into Science Learning.  In Handbook of College Science Teaching. Eds. Mintzes, J.J. and Leonard, W.H.  NSTA Press, Arlington, VA.
    • Rybarczyk, BJ, Abracadabra: Magic Johnson and anti-HIV treatments.  2002. National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, Buffalo, NY.  http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/collection/detail.asp?case_id=270&id=270
    • Sandefur CI and Gordy CL. 2016. Undergraduate journal club as an intervention to improve student development in applying the scientific process. J. of College Science Teaching. 45(4): 52 – 58.
    • Sandefur, C. 2014. Blogging for electronic record keeping and collaborative research. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol.307:G1145-1146.
    • Shaffer JF. 2013. Recombinant protein of the day: using daily student presentations to add real-world aspects to a biotechnology course. Biochem Mol Biol Educ. 41: 269-272.
    • Shanle EK– Tsun IK- Strahl BD. 2016. A course-based undergraduate research experience investigating p300 bromodomain mutations. Biochemistry and molecular biology education : Jan 2;44(1):68-74. 26537758. PMCID: in process.
    • Walton KLW.  The case of Baby Joe: chronic infections in an infant.  (2005) The National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science Case Collection [Online database of peer-reviewed case studies].  State University of New York at Buffalo, http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/collection/detail.asp?case_id=425&id=425
    • Walton KLW and JC Baker. 2009. Group projects as a method of promoting student scientific communication and collaboration in a public health microbiology course.  Bioscene 35(2):16-22.
    • Walton KLW.  2009. Teaching the role of secretin in regulation of gastric acid secretion using a classic paper by Dr. Leonard Johnson and Dr. Morton Grossman.  Advances in Physiology Education33(3):165-168.  PMID: 19745041