Akhila

Parvathaneni
CIED 1003-901
Mullins library

Title: Enriching the Teaching of Biology with Mathematical Concepts
Author: Janet Anderson
Year: 2007
url: http://0-search.proquest.com.library.uark.edu/docview/219041017?accountid=8361
summary:
It is not an unknown fact that the uses of mathematical concepts in the real world are
infinite. There is a large role that mathematical concepts play in the biology field. When it comes
to teaching, high school teachers and college professors are finding that relating mathematical
concepts into biology lectures improves the academic proficiency and performance of the
student. When mathematical concepts and concepts in biology are intertwined, it is shown that
students can make more connections to the subject material being taught and better understand
the topics. Specific examples would include the concepts of geometric symmetry and Platonic
solids in immunology. Geometric symmetry is used to teach different antibody structures and
platonic solids to relate to structures of viruses.
Geometric symmetry, specifically line and rotational symmetries are concepts used to
highlight the Immunoglobulin (Ig) or antibody structures. Some the of the types of antibodies
include IgG, IgE, IgD, IgA etc. These all have line/rotational symmetries and these concepts can
be used to further explain avidity involved with each antibody. The concept of Platonic solids
can used to explain or more likely depict a visual representation of virus structures. Some of the
Platonic solids are cube, tetrahedron, octahedron. An example is that many viruses in nature
are of icosahedral structure. These are examples of how mathematical concepts can enhance
learning biological concepts. Biology is not the only field of study that mathematical concepts
could be used in, some other fields include biomedical engineering, biochemistry, biophysics
etc.

Title: Teaching the Ethics of Biology

Author: Carol K. Johansen, David E. Harris
Year: 2000
url:
http://0search.proquest.com.library.uark.edu/docview/219020651/abstract/6FEFE89D32BB48E
DPQ/5?accountid=8361
summary:
Ethical Decision making in biology is a concept being taught in high school biology
classrooms as well as in undergraduate biology courses. As students get older, their beliefs in
certain things begin to get more solidified based on what they were taught from an early age,
whether it was from religious institutions, family, friends, or the schools theyve attended. What
biology professors are encouraging and teaching is for the student to be mindful of others
opinions and beliefs as it will further improve their knowledge on that topic. Also no matter what
beliefs the students had, they are encouraged to provide support for their arguments, because
this then not only forms confidence in the individual of what beliefs they are supporting but also
forces them to look into beliefs contrary to theirs to get an all-rounded picture of the topic. One
problem that teachers find evident in classrooms is that students focus in finding the correct
answer or the correct way to approach a problem but this becomes a problem because it limits

Akhila Parvathaneni
CIED 1003-901
Mullins library

all the other possibilities in a scenario. Some models of ethical decision making include
RESOLVEDD, ABCDE method, and the ten step model of moral reasoning to aid students in
making ethical decisions in biology and support their arguments.
This article states that not only is it important to take a stance in an issue, it is just as
important to have moderate knowledge in biology and the related technology involved in order
to form an opinion. An example of a model is RESOLVEDD and in this model, each of the
letters stand for review, estimate, solutions, outcomes, likely, values, evaluate, decide, defend.
This can help students examine various components to a problem/issue and gives them a clear
idea of what they are dealing with. A similar model is ABCDE model that stands for argument,
both sides, costs and benefits, decision and evaluate and this model really dives into the
students knowledge of the subject matter as well as the ethics involved in it. Teaching students
ethics in biology classes engages them to form their own judgments, back them up with support
as well as getting to know other sides of the issue