Cancer Biology Textbook for NonScience Majors

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Cancer Biology Textbookfor Non-Science Majors

• Pamela K. Hanson

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The Trouble with Intro Courses

• Emphasis on content
• Lack of connections
• between topics
• to other disciplines
• Irrelevance to life outside the classroom

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The Class

• BI 149 Cancer Biology and Beyond
• First-Year Foundations Class
• Interdisciplinary
• Community-oriented
• 16 students, mostly non-science majors

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The Problem

• Few current resources pitched at appropriate
  level
• I assume only a very rudimentary understanding of
  the natural sciences
• None that address the biology, chemistry,
  physics, statistics and psychology of cancer
• Most are content-oriented as opposed to
  evidenced-based

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The Solution

• Write a new textbook that emphasizes
• The process of science
• The interdisciplinary nature of science
• Concept change
• Four major units
• The origins of cancer
• Cancer diagnosis
• Cancer treatment
• Cancer prevention

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Some Concerns of Reviewers

• Not completely original work
• Will write it all myself
• Availability for use by others
• Switched to on-line textbook
• Lack of faculty reviewer
• Anyone interested?

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Another New Twist

• Incorporation of learning objects
• Discrete, interactive units that can be used in
  multiple classes and by multiple institutions
• In collaboration with Mike Roy et al. at Wesleyan
• Example
• Ames test animation and quiz
• Interactive maps
• Lifestyle vs. cancer rates
• Environmental factors vs. cancer rates

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Where am I in the process?

• Still writing

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Surprises or Unanticipated Difficulties

• Its hard to keep things evidence-based
• Pinpointing common student misconceptions
• I cant believe Im going high tech!

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Some Useful Resources
www.lolaexchange.org
http//creativecommons.org