|
Botany 2002 Botany in the Curriculum: Integrating Research and Teaching August 2-4:
Forum on Botanical Education & Outreach
|
|
|
Botany 2002 Botany in the Curriculum: Integrating Research and Teaching August 2-4:
Forum on Botanical Education & Outreach
|
BOTANY 2002 CONFERENCE TO INCLUDE A NEW 'FORUM' ON BOTANICAL EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
Botany 2002 will be held in Pyle Conference Center on the University of Wisconsin, Madison campus from August 2-7, 2002. In addition to the regular program, which will run from Sunday through Wednesday night (August 4-7), Botany 2002 will include an expanded format. A special Forum focusing on botanical education and outreach will be held on Friday evening and Saturday (August 2-3), and it will be linked to the annual scientific meeting on Sunday (August 4) via workshops and field trips. Sixteen hands-on workshops will be available as two-hour, half-day, or full-day events. This diversity will allow attendees in participate in multiple workshops, and/or participate in field trips. Similarly, a broad range of field trips are planned as half-day, full-day, and multi-day events.
Another new feature for Botany 2002 will be the opportunity for presenters to deliver computer-based presentations as a standard presentation option. This will be possible, in part, because the Pyle Conference Center is outfitted with an integrated instructional technology system. Both 35 mm slide and overhead projectors will also be standard options.
Forum Overview
“...Teaching students about plant biology is as critical to the future of the field as is research and must take its proper place as an equally laudatory endeavor for botanists. Equally vital are activities that communicate the excitement of plant biology to students and teachers involved in K-12 education and to the general public...”
This passage from the Botany for the Next Millennium Report (BSA, 1995) emphasizes the important role of education and outreach, at all levels. However, there continues to be a reduction in the number of Botany courses taught at the undergraduate level, many Botany Departments and programs have been eliminated nationwide, and the National Research Council no longer recognizes Botany as a valid graduate education program. Despite this, the global significance of plants continues to grow. It is therefore vital that botanists and their professional societies work to ensure that plants are represented in the undergraduate and graduate curriculum, as well as in science outreach initiatives. To that end, the Botany 2002 conference will include a new Forum that specifically focuses on undergraduate education and related outreach. K-12 teachers will also have the opportunity to participate. In addition to hands-on workshops focusing on undergraduate topics, several workshops will be specifically targeted for K-12 teachers.
All members are invited and encouraged to attend the Forum, as well as further participate by organizing Sessions.
The Forum will begin on Friday evening with early registration and a reception. The main Forum sessions will occur on Saturday, as well as a Keynote Lecture by Dr. Neil Campbell. Although some informational sessions will be included, the program will primarily include interactive panel and roundtable discussions as well as breakout groups focusing on a range of topics. Individual sessions will be grouped within topical themes, or `threads,' that span the entire Forum. The six general threads are listed below, and each is followed by several example session titles. Organizers can submit their own session titles as well as select the most appropriate thread for their session. The final threads may be slightly modified or expanded based on the range of session topics submitted.
1) Emphasizing Botany across the Curriculum – Examples: Sessions on what is the vital content to cover, and what's at the cutting edge within disciplinary areas (e.g., systematics, phycology, development, etc.), “How to promote plants if you are the only botany faculty member in a department,” “Developing interdisciplinary courses/curricula,” “Careers in botany and related fields,” “Educating pre-service teachers about plants”
2) Designing Investigative Laboratories – Examples: Sessions on `model,' or best-practice, labs (e.g., “Using Wisconsin Fast Plants to study plant development,” “Using instructional technology to examine photosynthesis”)
3) Engaging Undergraduates in Research – Examples: “What are the challenges of mentoring undergraduate research students,” “Publishing with undergraduates in peer-reviewed journals, “Using your courses to feed your research program”
4) Developing Effective Teaching and Mentoring Skills – Examples: “How to become a teacher-scholar,” “How to review manuscripts and grant proposals,” “Tips on balancing your academic time,” “Graduate student training programs: The do's and don'ts”
5) Supporting Effective Teaching and Learning – Examples: Sessions on funding (e.g., information about grant sources, tips on writing proposals and grant management); “Managing a university greenhouse or herbarium,” “Tips for Chairs and Deans,” “How to best prep an Introductory Lab,” “How to assess the effectiveness of an advanced course”
6) Reaching Out beyond the Ivory Towers – Examples: “Linking up with botanical gardens and arboreta,” “Linking up with teachers” (separate sessions for elementary, middle school, and high school levels), “Linking up with the media,” “Designing and implementing workshops for teachers,” Sessions on best-practice initiatives (e.g., individual and departmental)