Faculty Spotlight
April - May 2003
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Expanding the Classroom with TechnologyCynthia PetersonProfessorDepartment of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology |
Confucius said, "find a job you love and you will never work a day in your life." Anyone who has ever attended a class taught by Dr. Cynthia Peterson, a Professor of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, can recognize the quote. Peterson arrived at UT eleven years ago from post-doctoral work at the University of California, Berkeley, Impressed by the "supportive environment and quality faculty," she has forged ahead as an innovative researcher and teacher.
Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology (BCMB) 515 is a 1st year graduate laboratory course designed to get students using the types of experimental technologies required in their additional coursework. Peterson wanted to develop an integrated and thematic approach to the course, and began working on a class web presence several years ago. She explains: "I began by posting lectures, and a few links to resources. But, increasingly, I realized it facilitated a lot of what I wanted to do. I began posting data sets and let students evaluate those, and I began communicating electronically with my students. After I became aware of Blackboard, a colleague showed me some of the features, including the tracking feature, and I could see which areas the students visited and when. This seemed like a good way to evaluate some of the information you're presenting. I also liked the idea of having university-wide support and I decided to move the course into Online@UT."
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