George Murphy

gmurphy@mtsu.edu

Geprge Murphy

Biology

Smart Classroom

Wiser-Patten 312

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The Biology Department enrolls approximately 2,000 students in BIOL 1030 (general education science course) each year. The course has a lecture component (3 hr/week) and a laboratory (2 hr/week). All BIOL 1030 laboratories are taught in one of four rooms (WPS- 307, 311, 312, and 313) in the Wiser-Patten Science Building (const. 1932, renovated 1975). All laboratories are currently configured in the traditional work tables in a row arrangement, with 6 students/table. This arrangement makes it very difficult for students to work/collaborate in small groups as spacing between tables is not sufficient. We propose to reconfigure one of the rooms (WPS-312) to a master classroom with the more modern/efficient arrangement of independent work stations that seat 4 students. Better utilization of space will be accomplished with 8 work stations (including one handicapped accessible and one demonstration station) and instructors can better utilize collaborative learning techniques (one of our IE goals). Safety will also be enhanced as student/instructor movement will be facilitated. Since we anticipate entering the planning phase for construction of new science facilities, this reconfigured laboratory will serve as a prototype in planning future teaching laboratories.