Year: 2019
Type: editorial
Abstract: On October 9, 2018, Wellesley College hosted a symposium entitled “Transforming Student Learning in the Sciences Through Pedagogical Development and Research” in celebration of Adele Wolfson's exceptional service to the college and the broader professional community. This event featured four speakers—Paul Craig, Jennifer Loertscher, Karen Singer-Freeman, and Adele—who have each impacted science education in distinct and important ways. We are fortunate to be able to share contributions related to three of these talks in this special section of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education. Looking over the three papers included in this section, I am struck by how they beautifully exemplify the first three of these lessons. In the first contribution, Karen Singer-Freeman and her colleague Linda Bastone discuss a series of programs they have worked with that aim to promote the success of students from diverse backgrounds in their study of sciences [ref]. Many of the most essential aspects of these successful programs were based on closely listening to and understanding student experiences through the lens of developmental psychology. In the contribution from Roberts et al. [reference to Roberts et al., to be found in this issue], Paul Craig and co-workers discuss the successful and sustained implementation of their course undergraduate research experience (CURE) program, Biochemistry Authentic Scientific Inquiry Lab (BASIL). In multiple senses, BASIL stems from treating class meetings as an experiment—both through engaging students in experimental work and by instructors considering about how to experiment with best scaffolding laboratory experiences for their students. This experimental nature allowed for the development of a CURE framework that could be effectively adapted for students at a wide range of institutions, from large research universities to small undergraduate colleges to a high school. In the final contribution, Adele Wolfson [reference to Wolfson, to be found in this issue] discusses the important role that learning progressions can have on developing effective approaches for assessment. In particular, she discusses the development of a learning progression for acid–base chemistry for students starting from introductory chemistry and moving through upper-level undergraduate biochemistry courses, highlighting how that progression could help to provide useful insights in what concepts students are— and are not—learning effectively as they move through a curriculum. So what about the last of Adele Wolfson's four “lessons?” In fact, it is apparent throughout this section as all three papers emphasize the need for a village in effective biochemical education. Wolfson's work focused on how the skills needed in biochemistry don't just involve what is taught in biochemistry classes but actually reflect one point on the trajectory taught by the broader members of the village within chemistry (and biology) curricula. This village isn't limited to just one institution, as emphasized by the cross-institutional community that has been effectively established in the BASIL CURE. Moreover, to most effectively reach our students, we need to broaden the village to incorporate ideas that come from outside our typical disciplinary boundaries, as emphasized by Singer-Freeman and Bastone's utilization of concepts from psychology. Of course, no community can really be effective without effective leadership, and I'm not sure I can think of anyone who better represents that leadership to our village of biochemistry education than Adele. Over the years, I have been continually struck by how many people immediately express how fortunate I have been to work closely with Adele when they learn I am at Wellesley. This journal has been positively impacted by her contributions and the special sections she has coordinated, and she has had numerous important roles with ASBMB in addition to many other roles in the community. But what is it that has made her such an effective voice for education, helping to bring our community together? One aspect is certainly Adele's passion for educating the next generation of scientists. She might not be the person who speaks the loudest or gets the most agitated, but her deep and sincere enthusiasm for her students and their future is abundantly clear in every interaction one has with her. It is also key that Adele is the consummate straight-shooter. From when she first called to offer me a job to serving in seemingly every administrative job at Wellesley (including Department Chair, Director of the Learning and Teaching Center, Associate Dean, Dean of Students and even Registrar!) to her time in retirement, I always have known that if Adele says something, she means it. She never over-promises, and she always has a colleague's back. But perhaps most important is her willingness to listen—both to her students and to her colleagues. She thinks carefully about the perspectives of others, integrates them into her own thinking, and gives others ample credit while helping to spread their good ideas. Together these qualities have helped to lead and shape our village of biochemical education. On behalf of this village, I want to give Adele our most sincere thanks and let her unequivocally know that we also have been listening to her. Wherever retirement takes her, we are very fortunate to have her excellent example of how to better serve our students and one another.
DOI: 10.1002/bmb.21285
Author: Donald E. Elmore
Institution: Wellesley College
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2962795588