Interdisciplinary teaching team
Fajardo and Hlousek-Radojcic teach introductory courses in their
respective fields, roles that made the move into teaching an integrated
offering a smooth transition. However, because of the unconventional set
up of the course, both professors said it’s a requirement for iBC
faculty to have a team of knowledgeable TAs to work with and mentor
students.
“Two days of the week are focused on theoretical knowledge,” said
Fajardo. “The other two days have more of a practical focus, which means
students are in the lab and our TA teams take the lead.”
For Fajardo and Hlousek-Radojcic, a team of hard-working
undergraduate and graduate TAs helped make the iBC courses in the last
two academic years a reality. Whether it was the transition from
learning biology to tackling topics in chemistry or the transition from
in-person classes and labs to virtual teaching, the professors credited
TAs past and present — including Halloran — for keeping students
engaged, motivated and ultimately successful in the course.
“Each week, we go through the upcoming lesson plan for the specific
module and study the protocols so that we’re able to mentor and help the
students,” said Sean Berard, a graduate TA and doctoral candidate in
chemistry. From there, the TAs prepare lesson plans for the labs and are
on hand to guide and mentor students throughout the process.
“Whether it’s helping a student learn how to manage a lab notebook or
just making a personal connection with them so that they’re more
comfortable coming to me to ask questions, for us, it’s all about
helping students build a strong academic foundation,” said Halloran.
“We’re working to provide them with an enriched science experience that
they will carry with them throughout their academic careers and into
their professional lives.”
When UD classes shifted to online instruction during the coronavirus
pandemic in 2020, the TAs worked with the professors to implement a
flawless transition for iBC students. Like some other UD classroom
professors and instructors, Hlousek-Radojcic and Fajardo created lab
kits to send to students.
“The change in our teaching structure did not affect our teaching
team and our TAs continued to do their part in our work,”
Hlousek-Radojcic said. Throughout the fall and spring semesters of the
2020-21 academic year, TAs worked with students in Zoom breakout rooms
and the courses offered remote lab and hands-on opportunities for its
students.
Learned benefits of iBC
University faculty plan to conduct a longitudinal study of the students taking interdisciplinary courses in chemistry and biology at UD to examine the iBC program’s effects on future success and retention into advanced-level undergraduate courses, such as organic chemistry and molecular biology.
“You might describe the course as ‘out of the frying pan and into the
fire,’ ” said Berard. “This means that students have to learn time
management skills. On top of that, the environment fosters a
collaborative environment that helps students learn to work together as a
team.”
The benefits of this integrated offering extend to those teaching it — both students and professors alike.
“It’s important for any scientist to have familiarity in other fields
that aren’t their own,” said Halloran. “I’m a molecular biologist, but
my work in the course helps to refresh my memory on important chemical
processes.”
“This way of relearning biology and applying it to chemistry has been so enriching — even for me,” said Fajardo.
“Likewise,” added Hlousek-Radojcic.
Article by Chris Kelley; photos by Kathy F. Atkinson
Published June 9, 2021
