To: plant-ed at net.bio.net
From: dstarret at BIOLOGY.SEMO.EDU (Dr. David Starrett)
Subject: (none)
Date: 20 Aug 1996 09:42:45 -0700
Plant-eders,
Next week I will begin teaching an upper level plant anatomy course to
seniors and masters students here. I have inherited a 30 year old
syllabus.
I will be using it as a guideline. My question... Does anyone have any
suggestions/tips on teaching the course? My worry is that 16 weeks of
looking at cross sections will be rather dry. The syllabus basically
follows the chapter outlines in Fahn's book. I want to spiff this class
up a bit. Any neat demos, techniques, etc? Any batter way to teach than
simply regurgitating book material? I am not trained as a plant anatmoist
though I have had the class (14 years back) and have taught basic anatomy
in intro botany classes.Any thoughts, suggestions, horror stories, etc.
appreciated. This is
a two hr lec, 3 hr lab per week.
Thanks
Dave Starrett
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My suggestion is to try to give a physiological and developmental
perspective, "than simply regurgitating the book material". In the lab,
plant anatomy may also be presented as a diagnostic tool (just as in in a
clinical labs) to understand the systematics, ecology, physiology,
pathology or developmental status of the material under study. Such
material may need to be developed in the lab or collected fresh from the
field. The idea is to make the course more analytical and less descriptive.
That is my two cents worth. Good luck!
Subbaiah Chalivendra
Subbaiah Chalivendra
S-27 Turner Hall
Dept Agronomy, 1102 S. Goodwin Ave (phone: 333-9743)
2034 S. Orchard st, #C (phone 367-8834)
